Tell me about your varifocals please.

[omega4ever]

Optician appt tomorrow.... I'm considering varifocals.... but worried about expense and getting used to them.

I'm 57. Glasses for reading and using +3 atm..used to need driving and TV glasses but over the last few years this has corrected itself strangly.

I'm sick of glasses on glasses off nonsense ever few minutes. I can't see well most of the time and the glasses are always filthy and smeared as going on and off constantly. That and the loosing them.

Pros and cons of varifoals? Did they help or hinder you?
And roughly how much did they cost please... I have no idea what to expect...

Thanks in advance.

I tried them recently, could not get on with them. I couldn't see my work computer screen clearly, they didn't benefit me at all
I have just picked up occupational glasses to try and they are not m in better
I really struggle with the blur and change of lens, constantly tipping my head back and forwards
Looks like I am consigned to a life of cheap readers perched on my head and looking over my cheap readers during meetings
Might buy a nice chain to keep them on and accept it

I'm 57 and have worn varifocals for about 5 years.
I love them. I had my first pair from Specsavers and they took a bit of getting used to, with various trips back to get them to fit better and therefore see better! They also cost me nearly £300.
Over lockdown I ordered a pair online from Goggles4u and they were far better than the Specsavers pair.
I've just ordered another pair from Goggles4u for £33 and they're brilliant.

Just be aware that you do need a deeper lens area when choosing a frame. Couldn't see the reading area when thin rectangles were in fashion. Happier now that rounder or cat eye one's are in style.
PP mention of pupil distance is very very important.
The really expensive lenses are for -4.0 and worse, a medium level package is usually sufficient for weight & comfort.
I've had good experience with online shops- glassesdirect 6 pairs averaging £150 each, goggles4u 2 pairs quite cheap. Vooglam once at £50 (not my favourite). My last pair was only £25 from goggles4u only last week.

I got varifocals as soon as I needed reading glasses, and they took barely any getting used to as the reading part is so low if that makes sense. I'm on my second pair and couldn't be doing with separate reading glasses like DH. My close distance vision isn't that bad, my eyes just take a while to refocus when I go from looking at something close to something further away. Apparently it's best to get varifocals sooner, as they take much less getting used to, and less time to get used to new pairs as your eyes get worse for reading. Mine were about £300 from Specsavers.

Have any of you that have been successful got a really strong prescription? My latest single vision glasses are -13 but I struggle a bit to read in them now (I normally wear contact lenses which I can still read in but have to have glasses for backup, I also have an old pair of -12 which I can read in but are falling to pieces).

I normally have small frames because with larger ones the edges of the lenses are very thick even with high refractive index lenses so the bigger frames thing is a worry.

Im wedded to my varifocals (-6, +2.5) as I've always worn glasses full-time anyway.
I now get independent ones (Zeiss lenses) and there is a definite improvement in quality over Asda or Specsavers - I wonder if some people get put off by low quality? You can always keep a cheap single vision pair for driving.

I also got an old pair reglazed online (so they could match the alignment) for sunglasses to mitigate the expense a bit.

I absolutely hate mine! Top of the range from Boots. I went for rimless frames so I don't look like I'm wearing glasses. They have already been returned once to have the anti glare coating removed because it made the glass purple. There is only about a millimetre spec through which distance looks clear, so no good for any distance viewing at all. I certainly wouldn't drive in them...everything looks a little larger but not crisp. And they are beyond useless in dim light...so dawn, dusk and grey days.
I don't think they fit because I can peer over the top ( useful actually as I can't see through them) and the top line is below my eyebrows crossing my eyes.
I'm so disappointed...they were going to change my life!

I love mine. They are horribly expensive, but the thinner the lenses the better they are IME. As pp have said, you need a decent size frame to get a good reading area. It is worth going back as often as it takes to get them right. I cannot see without mine, so it is worth paying for decent ones.

I've been wearing them about 8 years and they're great. Started with specsavers then to asda as they're cheap and just as good as far as I can tell.
The only problem I've had recently is using a desktop computer on a course. I'm due an eye test so it might be age related deterioration. Such fun this aging
So I'd say give them a go at asda if you're careful with money and allow a few weeks to adjust

You need to go back again, get the prescription and the fit checked. I had to take mine back once because one lens was in sideways. They sorted it out very quickly.

I got mine last year and was worried it would take me ages to get used to them but it was only about 1/2 a day tbh.

I got 2 pairs from Asda. One pair were sunglasses. I think they were £120 for the 2 but I also got Blue Light Discount.

I would definitely recommend them

Another Asda opticians fan. I've been wearing their varifocals for years and only pay £120 currently for 2 pairs. There was no question of getting used to them, they were absolutely fine from day one! Its really important to make sure your glasses are sitting in exactly the right place on your face , how you usually wear them, when they mark out the lenses.

I love mine, I do actually consider them life changing. It did take me about a week to get used to them though.

i got two pairs of designer ones from Specsavers for about £280.

Same! They're great and if you can get the best you can't tell!

I can’t remember how much mine were (from Specsavers). They did take a little while to get used to but no real issues. I find they get dirty really easily so I’m forever cleaning them. Not sure why!

I have two pairs with transitional lenses. Very comfortable and very pleased with them. Cost was just under £900. I will wear them for two years and then replace them. Worth every penny. I have a separate single vision pair for the office for when I just sit in front of a screen.

I tried, but they were hopeless and I took them back for a refund. They were fine for out and about, distance work, etc., but my job means I'm sat in front of a computer or reading paperwork all day, every day, and I had to be constantly moving my head around to focus on the words, whereas with normal reading glasses I can keep my head fixed and just let my eyes wander around the screen/paperwork. Varifocals gave me horrendous neck pains from the constant movement of the head up and down, left and right etc.

I put of having them for years but eventually had to give in. Wish I’d done it sooner absolutely no problems apart from a sore neck from tilting neck back to look at computer screen. Specsavers half price £250 though! I’ve got multi focal contact lenses too. It’s expensive having poor eyesight.

I have had mine about 2 years. They’ve changed my life!! Used to sit with 2 pairs of glasses on like a mad woman. I was prepared for a period of adjustment etc but I was fine straight away didn’t experience any problems other than an initial slight adjustment with reading. Slight blurring at periphery but soon got used to that and now I don’t even notice.

I went to Specsavers and mine are nice and were not particularly expensive.

I love my varifocals now.

First pair I got from independent local optician, expensive and I could never get on with them, found I was still having to take them on and off so barely wore them.

This year I went to vision express who confirmed my previous prescription wasn't correct. I got 2 pairs (including a pair of sunglasses) on a pay monthly deal and I'm really happy and wear them pretty much all the time.

I've been wearing them for over a decade and never had any problem taking to them though like a pp have to push back when they insist I wear them right up my nose. I couldn't do a supermarket shop without them. I keep a pair of single vision reading glasses for lengthy close work, though. DH has single vision glasses for computer work - they're set to focus further away than reading glasses would.

All my glasses are useless at the moment, anyhow, as I have a cataract in one eye. It's coming out soon but I won't have the miraculous improvement in my vision because of a fairly strong astigmatism.

I wear varifocals and need new ones but really don't know where to go.
Also i find it really uncomfortable doing any computer work, how do others with varifocals manage pc work?

My optician did advise me that you need specific glasses for computer work. Maybe varifocals just don't function in a way that is appropriate.
I am retired now, but I had trifocals when I was working and was told they were the correct lenses for computer work.

I love mine - first pair had expensive Zeiss lenses and were brilliant - I told the optician I use them a lot for computer work as well as distance vision. My current pair are Chanel frames (bought on EBay - but I checked they fitted in a high street optician). And I got the current lenses made up while on holiday in Asia to my previous prescription. They are fab!

I love mine - this is the second pair I’ve had and they’ve been fantastic from the first wear. I got the premium ones with thin lens so they are expensive but worth it. I wear contacts for 2 days a week but much prefer the vision I get with the varifocals.