Do varifocals not work with computer distance?

[Cattymonster]

I could do with urgent advice here if possible please.

TL:DR is - should I be able to use varifocals with computer work, or are they only for distance and reading a book/something on my knee? Have been offered refund.

I've just bought varifocals. So as not to drip feed, Boots tested my eyes and made me 2 pairs of specs: one for combined reading and computer (my prescription has measurements for both), the for other distance. Both are fine. These are my first distance lenses. I've worn reading glasses for years.

I soon decided I'd rather have varifocals as having to swap them over while watching TV and using iPad in evening was driving me mad.

It sounded from what Boots said as though it wasn't worth buying anything except the top end ones, which were very expensive, so I decided I couldn't afford them. Then on here I read about a place that does them online and claims to provide top-end lenses much less expensively. I decided to take a chance.

I've now had them a week and I can't use them. I can't use them with the computer - the words are fuzzy. If I use my Boots reading/computer specs the words are clear. Even extending my neck right back to use the bottom of the varifocal lenses doesn't really find a part of the lens that works properly with computer. They also don't work well with the iPad in the evening.

The problem as far as I can tell, is that almost all,of the lens (seems to me like 80-90%) is set to distance, and only a super-narrow part for reading at the bottom. There doesn't seem to be a gradual fade from one to the other, from top to bottom of lens.

I rang this week and (very long story short) was told this is how varifocals are meant to be, and that I should not expect to be able to use them with computer. I was told a few lucky people manage to find a spot on the kens that works with PC, but that that is just good luck. To me that sounds like bifocals - surely the whole point of varifocals is a graduated lens to cover the three important part in my spectrum of vision? Apparently not, though.

Another long story short is the discussion we had about way forward. They will refund me, which is a relief. However, I would still like varifocals I can use. I've spoke to colleagues at work and they use their varifocals with the computer. I therefore suggested driving over to their base so they could look at them and me. We've agreed this, and they've suggested remaking to replace the reading part with my computer reading prescription instead of my plain reading prescription. So still not a 'graduated' lens in the sense that I understand the word, and more like a bifocal, but hopefully something that will work.

Does this sound right? I don't want to waste time, and if this isn't right I'd rather just take the refund and rethink.

Please help if you can!

I have some stupidly expensive varifocal from an independent optician that work for reading, pc and distance.
The only thing is I've lowered my big screens so they are just a few inches above the desk, so I view them through right part of lenses. Rather than having them higher up with laptop on the desk below.
It does take a couple of weeks for your brain to get used to varifocals.
I wouldn't buy new varifocals online though, the alignment is crucial.

I have varifocals - expressly recommended by my opticians as my job required me to look alternately between a laptop screen, a room full of people, a presentation screen and printed notes and without the varifocals my eyes were getting to the point I would need to keep swapping glasses which wasn't possible in the environment (long distance, reading and astigmatism).

However optician did recommend that if I bought the most expensive lenses I would find them a lot easier to adjust to . It took me a little while but after a few weeks I could see different distances seamlessly.

Have used them around 10 years now . I also have varifocal sunglasses .

All i want as an optom is the person saying omg they are brilliant. I warn them new vfs are like getting new shoes. Ie you need to break them in and its true. The top end vfs have a much more hi tech design than ones out of the chain opticians. If someones comes from them to me . The only ones that work are the hoya top end as the transition from one vf type to another is problematic.
I have a shop in a rural town and all my varis going out are high end as its told straight to them-- This will work tailored to your needs and quite honestly if they have multiple distances to be addressed visually and they opt for the basic id prefer them to go elsewhere as its just pure hassle for me. They are back with constant issues- remakes- changing frames just nightmarish for me and ten times the work . Some opticians do payment plans check that out.

I don't have a problem using my varifocals with my laptop. I get them from specsavers and they specify a larger midrange field of vision when they measure me up. This also helps me with my main hobby, which is sewing.

@Radyward

I have a speeddial to the Hoya rep.honestly take the refund. Find an independent and ask them about Hoya

That's super-helpful, thanks! I've Googled Hoya plus my town and the independent I saw earlier does them! I'll make an appointment to see them next week 👍

For anybody who might be interested, I did email the online vendors yesterday to request a refund.

I've just had a bizarre phone call from the person I spoke to earlier in the week. She told me that she will be sending me a returns label, but went on to insist, repeatedly and increasingly loudly, that I have misunderstood how varifocals work and, again, that I should not have expected to be able to use them for three areas i.e. distance, intermediate (computer) and near (other reading).

I explained that I've taken advice from other varifocal users, including opticians, and that it's perfectly clear to me that varifocals can and should be effective for each of those areas. After all, that's why they're called varifocals rather than bifocals. It's clear to me from the various comments above that some varifocals do this and that others don't. I've concluded that they'll work effectively if there's a good lens properly and carefully fitted to the individual customer by a qualified person, and that they won't if any of those elements is missing.

Anyway, I'm posting again because I'm pretty shocked by just how extremely rude and dismissive the two members of staff I've spoken to have been. I eventually started recording this afternoon's conversation, and I'll post a frank and accurate review of the process on TrustPilot.

If you're thinking of buying varifocals online then, basically, don't. I wouldn't normally have thought of doing any such thing, but they have so much great feedback on TrustPilot that I decided to take a chance. I won't be doing it again, though.

Hmmmm

I have varifocals from Asda (very very cheap) plus computer specs because I use 2 screens with excel all day. Varifocals are fine with my laptop and reading docs but for my everyday work computer glasses are much better/easier.

Boots did my prescriptions wrong for 2 years running - where work sent us for the VDU tests. Then went elsewhere and they corrected and the difference has been amazing. One of the Boots opticians tried to say I didn't need separate VDU ones but the other optician did support my opinion that for the type of way I use monitors etc that the separate VDU ones would be better.

That's interesting about Boots getting your prescriptions wrong. I can't help feeling that with opticians (as with other professionals) much depends on the professional in question. I'm sure there'll be good opticians at all the major national brands, and some of the independents, but there'll be some not so good ones too. The difficulty is knowing in advance where the good ones are. A personal recommendation is best, I think, but without that it's all a bit of a lottery.

I needed separate readers but I absolutely hated my varifocals and wouldn't have them again.

Exactly this!

I've had varifocal glasses from Boots for about 3 months and I'm very happy with them for everyday wear, screen work, driving, reading, TV, recipe/menu reading.
I was fortunate in that my employer covered some of the cost of my new glasses and with further discount as part of the Boots contact lens scheme, the cost was very affordable. I have varifocal contact lenses and they're great too.

I use varifocals and work on a pc all day, drive, General life in them.

The better they are the smoother the variance is.

The trick is you have to move your head, not just your eyes. It takes a bit of getting used to. I always go to Specsavers and never had an issue.

Glad you will be able to get your redund and good luck with the Hoya lenses. Interested to know if anyone has had success with laser for distance and readers or occupational glasses for reading and computer distance? I chickened out of laser for my distance vision when younger, but have been wearing distance glasses with prism for closer work more recently and my optician reckons I will be needing varifocals within a year or so. Reading this thread raises concerns that they won't resolve all my needs.

I have varifocals - expressly recommended by my opticians as my job required me to look alternately between a laptop screen, a room full of people, a presentation screen and printed notes

It was exactly this situation which gave me the push to get my varifocals.

I have 3 pairs of specs on the go

• varifocals, which I use for driving and anything else where I'm changing distance and close vision (theatre, cinema).
• computer, perfect for about 2-3 feet away. I am at the computer all day and wanted a greater field of vision than my varifocals give me.
• reading. I have the book very close to my face (years of reading in bed) and again want a greater field of vision.

I can use my varifocals for everything if I need to but it's no problem to keep my readings ones by the bed and the computer ones by the computer. I don't get 3 pairs of glasses when I need a new prescription not made of money

I wear my varifocals all the time - for driving, tv, computer work and reading. When I first had them it took time to learn how to use them.

I have varifocals and struggle to use them with the computer. I often find myself tilting my head back to see more clearly and end up with neck ache.

I have separate readers for prolonged close work - and plucking my eyebrows! There are other occasions when I need good all round close up vision like when I'm tinkering with one of my sewing machines or when I'm decorating.

Not that any of them make much difference, at the moment, as I'm waiting to have some posterior capsular opacification fixed following cataract surgery.

Opticians will measure where you look when read, look at screen etc so the bits of your lenses are correct. They can't do that properly on line. I have had varifocals for years with no.problems and have never had the high end ones.

I've had varifocals for about 5 years now. My first pair eventually broke and all I had was a pair of single vision glasses to tide me over and they really made me see how much I depended on varifocals without even noticing. I never have to think about my head position, and happily switch between distance, phone, computer, book. I couldn't even read my garmin watch when they broke!

But the lenses were £500 from an independent opticians.

I wear varifocals and can use them on the computer but found it a bit stressful as I have to hold my neck at a specific angle to see clearly and it gets uncomfortable.
I now have one pair of varifocals optimised for desk use and one pair for the rest of the time. My general pair work for walking about, reading, iPad use, watching telly, driving etc and the others are really just for work (sitting at a desk using computer & paperwork)

My DH has varifocals and they do it all- computer, reading, distance, driving (glancing from distance to close up quickly).

They were $800 though, so I think the online top end place was more online bottom of barrel.

I have verification and work on a screen all day, I just couldn't get on with a separate prescription. I have to adjust the screens to work whenever I'm in though.

As a pp my lenses cost £500

I’ve had varifocals for 6 years or so now. When o first got them I’m was using them for everything including the computer. I don’t sit at a computer for long though. I’m a teacher so spend most of my time teaching. But I was noticing last year that when I was doing my prep on my laptop my vision was getting blurred. Recent trip to the opticians and they’ve given me mid distance computer glasses. I can still get away with my varifocals depending on how close I am to the laptop. Interestingly I was also given a desk raise and separate mouse and keyboard for when I’m working at my desk. My optician has told me that my laptop is now probably too high and that I should be looking down onto it for better view from my prescription. So I’m trialing not using the desk raise. The separate keyboard does mean my screen is further away though so my varifocals are sometimes ok. I’m not used to remembering to change now. At how I use a laptop on my knee and it’s never been as much of an issue but that might be as it’s lower and closer.

Also I was shown the different prices and the scope of vision for the varifocals. The higher end lenses were really expensive and the frames/lenses were by one get one free so it worked out cheaper to buy separate. I still had to add on the anti glare at a cost though!!

I resisted varifocals for a couple of years, I was worried they would make me feel dizzy/off balance but eventually got tired of having to switch glasses constantly and decided to give them a try. I went with Specsavers and if you don't get on with them they will take them back within a month and give you a separate prescription instead. They had a few different price points, I went for one up from the bottom (didn't get a hard sell from the staff) but also got a filter on to protect from UV light as I am starting with cataracts too.
Anyway, I got them at the start of January and have adapted to them surprisingly quickly.
Would recommend Specsavers if that's any help.