How long to get used to new varifocal glasses?

[parietal]

I got new (v expensive) varifocals a week ago. I've been wearing them all day every day and they still give me a queasy feeling that the world is swaying. Especially when looking at lower shelves in a supermarket or plants in the garden.

Will it get better? Do I need to persist with wearing them to get accustomed to it? Or is there anything else I can do?

My first pair, it only took a day or so.

My second pair were initially wrong for me, and I had quite a saga getting them corrected - it turned out the optician had changed lens suppliers and in the end they had to make a special order to the old supplier - once that had been done, I adjusted to the new prescription in a couple of days.

You say 'v expensive' so I assume you have gone for the upper end of the lens quality range - in which case, I think you should have adjusted by now. I would go back to the optician and tell them you are still having problems.

I would say that when looking at things, you need to move your head, so for example when looking at the bottom shelf at the supermarket, make sure you are looking through the correct part of your glasses by moving your head, not looking through the bottom part of the lens by simply moving your eyes. I know all varifocals are expensive, but when choosing your lenses, did you choose the more expensive lenses (easy varifocals). Some of the more expensive lenses are easier to get used to than others.

First pair were shocking, from Specsavers and I got a refund after a few weeks.

Second pair from Boots and took a couple of days. You get what you pay for with them, you need to go for the expensive lenses IME.

Boots made it very clear I would be happy and they work with me until I was.

Take them back,they might need tweaking slightly.

I too went for the most expensive and I'm on my second pair, probably been wearing them for 6/7 years.

It's a compromise solution, so never going to be perfect but you develop muscle memory to move your head to focus.

If you use screens a lot, get some separate reading / task glasses. If you don't, you end up tipping your head back a lot and end up with neck ache!

I've had mine for about 6 months and supermarkets still make me queasy. I'm ok most other places.

A couple of days with my first pair. I've just got a new prescription though and have a feeling I'm going to find my new glasses harder to get used to as my eyes have deteriorated quite a bit. I think it might be worth you going back to the opticians.

Please go back and discuss with optician.

Have you got the glasses positioned at the right point on your nose? I found I had problems when my glasses started slipping down my nose.

I have had them for years and been fine with them. It becomes second nature to move ur head. But this time round I’m on my third try of going back and forth to spec savers and I’m still struggling. No idea why.

I couldn't . They drove me crazy

Remember if you are looking at a lower shelf or plants while standing, you will need to move your head down so you are still looking through the distance portion. Then for looking close up, keep your head still and look down with your eyes to access the inter and reading portions

Mine were great straight away but my partner tried a couple of times and just couldn't get on with them. Both were from Specsavers but I have a really strong prescription whereas his is quite mild.

Mine were fine straight away (complex prescription too -9.50 both eyes with astigmatism and all sorts). I think you should go back and question it.

First pair 24 hours, second ones felt nauseous and dizzy, unsafe on stairs. I went back to the optician and they altered the lenses, no problem since.

I gave up on them and now have separate distance and reading glasses.

Never more that a couple of days at the most, usually within an afternoon.

You need to go back to your optician.

I got my first pair a couple of days ago and still cant walk properly whilst wearing them, its like i dont know the depth to the floor anymore. I went back to the opticians and the lenses are definitely correct. I can use them perfectly for driving and when im not moving, but really struggling with walking and going down the stairs.

Was told it would be a couple of days, this was a lie and it was more like a week.

If it's longer than that they probably need to alter the lenses.

I never got used to mine I'm afraid. I gave up in the end. I couldn't cope with the nausea and feeling like I was losing my balance.

Straight away, no issues both times with mine. I’ve never had to consciously train myself to move my head at all, think I must do it naturally. Actually it was lovely to be able to see properly again! I’ve got an
appointment in a couple of weeks though and think I’ll probably get a stronger prescription so I’m a bit worried reading the above that the new ones suddenly won’t work for me!

I would say weeks/months. Took me a long time to mentally and physically adjust. However I don't even think about them being varifocals now. It was worth it eventually. Persevere!

Couple of days, any longer they may not be set correctly

Mine are specsavers

My first pair, several years ago, I couldn't cope with wearing at all. Optician kept saying "you have to get used to them" but I couldn't even cope with sitting still and watching TV say. In the end they believed me and gave me my money back.
Fast forward about 8 years and I was persuaded to try again. Honestly, this pair were great from the minute I tired them on.

So, I think it depends. Lots of people say they need getting used to, but there are also some people that just couldn't (the first time) wear them at all. How much of that was my particular prescription / my eyes and how much was a poor choice of frame or even potentially a mistake in them being made up (which my optician said it couldn't be ) I'll never know.