Those with terrible eyesight - varifocal sunglasses question

[EightToSixer]

Hello. I’m mid 40s now so am in to varifocal lenses. I have terrible vision anyway and astigmatism.
i used to wear contact lenses so I could use a regular sunglasses in summer but these are now no good as my sight is so bad.
does anyone have varifocal sunglasses? Would you recommend them? How near to your prescription do they need to be?

I’m off on a hiking holiday next month and really need to be able to see but it’ll be very hot and sunny. My prescription normal glasses are £350 and I really can’t afford to spend that again on sunglasses version.

what do my fellow varifocal wearing people do in the summer sun?

I have very poor vision so I decided a few years ago that I wanted bifocals, the optician initially told me I was "too young" but I insisted because I couldn't actually read with my normal prescription on any more & was just taking them off & holding things close up. I've had thin bifocals a few years but I just have normal prescription sunglasses without bifocals or thinning - they are heavier but I only wear them when it's very sunny. I am a habitual hat wearer, have been for years, which helps with the sun. And I don't see the point in paying for bifocals for glasses to wear while I'm mostly outside & not reading or looking at stuff close up. If I know I'll need them I take my "inside glasses" in a case in my bag, & switch over as necessary. Bit of a PITA but less than paying at extra £200 every couple of years (my prescription is still changing enough to need new glasses every couple of years, I'm 41. Current ones are only 18 months old & already not great.)

I might check out ASDA though...

I have varifocal sunglasses. It's worth it for me as I was taking my glasses off to read my phone, read menus, read basically anything held in my hand.

It's just the same as having my normal varifocals on, which took a lot of getting used to but I now don't notice, but shady.

Get thee to Asda! Great vale varifocals, sunnies & reactive lenses.

I use my transitions as regular glasses and then my prescription sunglasses when they aren't enough.

Great advice. Thank you all. Specsavers seems to have changed their 2 for 1 deal so the second pair Wars going to cost almost as much as the first pair to be varifocal.
i hadn’t thought of Asda. That’s a great idea. I’ll try there tonight if I can dig out my prescription from Specsavers.

ill also look at those sunglasses covers and clip ons too. I’ve always thought they were for 80 years old Australian ladies called Doreen but that was about 3 decades ago and I’m sure they’ve improved.

thanks for all the tips. Last summer I just didn’t wear sunglasses So I could see but apparently I’ve damaged my eyes more as a result of sun exposure.

I’m that odd person anyway! My eyes are very light sensitive and I wear my shades all year round. Before my eye surgery I had varifocal sunglasses, they worked perfectly. Specsavers 2 for 1 offer includes sunglasses.

Someone on here recommended Goggles4U. I tried them about 3 weeks ago and received a pair of transitional varifocal glasses on Saturday. They cost £49.39!
The following day, I ordered a pair of sunglasses varifocals (same prescription), cost £20.02! They arrived on Saturday as well and seem fine.
Just go and search their site, sign up and watch the offers flood in every day for 45% off and then five minutes later 73% off...

I have varifocal prescription sunglasses. They are the same prescription as my glasses. They are great and I got them on a buy one get one free from Specsavers so the overall cost was relatively cheap.
Yes, it is a little bit of a faff swapping glasses but it’s worth it to actually be able to wear sunglasses and see at the same time!

Another vote for Asda! I have normal varifocals and sunglasses varifocals from there which are great. If your prescription is over a certain number, they'll thin them for no extra cost too.

does anyone have varifocal sunglasses?

Yes

Would you recommend them?

Yes, definitely

How near to your prescription do they need to be?

They are exactly the same. As a driver I can't get on with transition lenses as they don't change in a car. Also, they don't go dark enough for me. I got mine on a BOGOF promotion from Specsavers, which is just as well because being extremely short sighted with astigmatism, and requiring thinned lenses makes glasses an expensive proposition for me.

Yes, and yes. They are great. I need varifocals to drive, I got them with that in mind but now I wear them like normal sunglasses.

I wear varifocals and decided, after years of trying to balance sunglasses on top of my varifocal specs, to invest in a pair, I'd used the Specsavers 'bog off' offer a few months previously so the manager said that as it was less than six months since my last eye test I could have varifocal sunglasses half price...I love them and have never looked back (oops...no pun intended).

I got my old sunglass frame reglazed online with varifocals. Also have clip ons for my frame

I've only got my distance prescription in my sunglasses as I wear them mainly for driving and couldn't see the point in spending on another pair of varifocals. Until I went on holiday and tried to read a menu outside a restaurant that is. Therefore when I bought prescription cycling glasses I went for varifocals, having learned from the mistake. My distance only sunglasses were a false economy as I have to take them off to read a book, look at my phone, read my watch etc etc. When I replace them I will definitely get varifocals. In the meanwhile, I'm the weirdo wearing wraparound cycling glasses whilst reading a book by the hotel pool🙄

@AgeingDoc Would you mind posting where you got your varifocal cycling glasses from? At the moment I'm wearing photochromatic glasses for riding but they slip down my nose when I get sweaty, and I'm having the same trouble when out fellwalking and trying to read a map.

They were from a local independent optician so I'm afraid I can't be much help SweatyChamoisPad. But the name on them is Sunwise. They're like regular cycling glasses but there is an insert with my prescription that clips inside, and as far as I know you can have any type of prescription put in. They look a bit weird when I have the clear or yellow lenses in as you can see the insert through them, but it's not really noticeable with the darker lenses, but i will put up with looking a bit odd in order to be able to see where I am going and read my Garmin! Also has the benefit that if my eyesight changes I just need a new insert making - the frame and outer lenses are still fine. In fact when we turned up at a race recently and my DS had forgotten his cycling glasses I just took the prescription insert out of mine and he wore them no problem.

I have transition lenses in my varifocals. Unfortunately, they're very expensive. I think the lenses alone were over £600. I paid about £750 altogether, I think.

I need my varifocals to see the food on my plate, so definitely need them all the time!
@EightToSixer I’ve used these opticians several times for excellent very cheap varifocals- £139 for two pairs, one sunglasses. They partner with local opticians so although you start off via a website they’re not mail, you get tested and fitter.
www.brillen.co.uk/offers/eyeglasses?amc=searchpaid.brillende.44129.261369.CRTtP0EpK_7&gclid=Cj0KCQjwspKUBhCvARIsAB2IYuuBaIxHj-BWwYSJ4jwVDvPoAeEVvC9QPGz-kAdajE1S1ghPv-5mV7QaAkpXEALw_wcB

Massively helpful @AgeingDoc - my local independent optician is also my best mate of 40+ years :-) I'll have a word with her about it - just finding out the Sunwise name is help enough. Agree with you 100% about reading the Garmin!

Prescription varifocals here. Got them in a deal at boots when buying normal ones.
I often have a lower quality lens for the sunglasses as I don't wear them as much.

I have varifocal sunglasses from Asda and they are great.

I have varifocal sunglasses and they were so expensive but worth it. You could try an online site like Glasses direct?

I have varifocal sunglasses amd wouldn’t be without them! I recently bought new ones which cost £229, but they’ll do me for a good few years. I wear them all year round for driving as well as general summer use

Thank you @Etinoxaurus I’ll check them out.

I’ve ordered a pair from Asda. Thanks all for your advice.