Varifocals - struggling and considering returning for 'normal' specs - anyone else?

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

Caveat: optician said if I didn't get on with them it's ok to return them for regular lenses. But just want to know how other people got on with their varifocals.

Got them a week ago and well, they're just not working (for me). Having been used to just looking anything any old how, I now have to move my head all over the place to get a proper view of whatever I'm looking at, and it feels quite exaggerated. There seems such a narrow margin at the top for me to look at distant things, and if I don't hold my head in exactly the right place, it slips out of focus! Am also struggling to read properly with them as again, unless I'm looking through the exact allocated reading window, it's out of focus.

I was told there are three bits of the lens, so I've no idea what the middle bit is for.

When I first tried them, I could see that, if I could just get the angle right, I could read with more clarity when the print was closer to my face, so I was quite excited. The reality is that I either have to keep moving my head, or the reading material, until it's in focus so reading is even less relxing that it was previously!

Any one else struggled to cope with varifocals or do I need to persist?

Try going back to your optician and describing exactly what your vision is like when wearing the glasses. They may be able to send them away for adjustments. I have had two pairs of varifocals. The first pair were brilliant straight out of the case, no problems at all with the switch from "normal" glasses, I didn't have to move my head around to look at near or far things, they were great. Got a new pair a few months ago and they were awful, couldn't go downstairs without tipping my head at a strange angle as I couldn't see the stairs properly, had a very narrow area of vision for reading and had to keep tipping my head up and down every time I tried to look at something further away. I couldn't wear them for driving which was one of the things I really needed them for.

I went back to the optician and tried to describe what was happening. He was really patient with me and listened carefully before saying the problem seemed to be the "corridor" length (or maybe the width?) which was something to do with the area of adjustment in the lens between the distant and near vision areas. He sent the glasses away to have new lenses with a change in the length of the corridor (I think he said the corridor needed to be shorter) and since I got them back they have been fantastic. Just like the first pair, with very little time taken for my eyes to get used to them and no obvious difference between looking up and looking down when wearing them. If they'd been my first pair I may not have persisted with them but because I knew varifocals could work really well for me I'm glad I pushed a bit to have them looked at again.

The first pair I got used to after a week. This pair was a nightmare. It took me 3 weeks. I think it depends on where the varifocals end and start.But I would suggest persevering.

I bought the best that we're available (they cost an arm and a leg). The first day was awful, they genuinely made me feel ill. The best day was better and by day 3 I had completely adjusted.

I struggled for nearly 2 months, actually missed return period so wrote the cost off and got new distance glasses. I just take the glasses off now if necessary.

Not read all the replies yet, just catching up. Interesting to see that I'm not the only one who's struggled with varifocals. Also interestingto hear that it's different the further up the price range you go - I would never have thought this.

@timtam23 - yes, that's exactly what I'm having to do at the moment, tipping my head up and down to focus on things further away! And even then it's not reliable. It seems completely unnatural as you'd ordinarily lift your head when viewing something further afield (I've practised!) and this involves moving my chin into my neck in a very unnatural fashion.

I wasn’t sure about verifocals, so I ordered mine from glasses direct. They are the cheapest pair of glasses I’ve ever owned. And I love them. It was a bit weird at first, I walk the dog a lot, looking down at the dog in the mid distance was weird. But then I got used to it and now it’s perfectly fine.

Day 3 for me now and I'm definitely getting used to them. It's still a bit dizzying if I move my head quickly, and I'm not yet confident to try driving in them, but general use is now great.

The 'regular' vision is dreadful. Just looking at something directly in front of my at a slight distance, it's blurred even when my head is level. Periphal vision is also blurry.

I couldn't get on with them either they just made me feel so sick and weird. I do have one very bad eye that is almost blind, and maybe this affected things.

I took mine back - I just couldn’t get on with them. I couldn’t play the piano in them as I couldn’t get used to moving my head to see the music and they then triggered a migraine at which point enough was enough. No quibbles and now I have my usual pair and a pair of reading glasses.

@PunishmentRoundupWithJoon that does sound a lot like what I was experiencing, possibly is worth asking about any lens adjustments? I did have to pay extra to have the corridor length altered but it made such a difference. I was able to get an appointment quickly as I said I'd had varifocals before so knew something wasn't right, but if it's your first pair of varifocals they may try to ask you to wait a bit longer and see if your eyes get used to them (I knew mine wouldn't!)

My first pair (Specsavers' elite or whatever) were great but the prescription wasn't very strong. Got a new pair (Boots' gold or whatever) and had to force myself to wear them because they just didn't feel right. A friend suggested putting them on first thing in the morning and that's really helped. I don't use them for screen work, only close up and TV.

I've tried from Specsavers and have given up. They weren't interested fitting them properly and told me I had to lower my expectations. I told them I expected to be able to see properly 🙄

I tried my dad's on as we have nearly the same prescription and they were amazing! Barely any blurring and the field of vision was huge compared to the Specsavers ones. His are from Boots which is where I will be going and I will try again.

I found my first ones took a bit to get used to - the pavement seemed to bow, and the periphery was odd so that I wasn't keen on driving for the first week. They were middle of the range Boots. I got the cheapest as a free pair of sunglasses and they were brilliant - still got them.
I decided to get bigger lenses next time but couldn't find any frames with bigger lenses that fitted my face as they are all too wide. A friend directed me to a local independent optician. I had a choice of frames and got some not too expensive frames (sadly not the green Chanel ones 😭) and all together they cost the same as Boots. They are Rodenstok branded lenses and my best so far.

I think I need separate ones for the using with a computer though.