Varifocals seem wrongly fitted

[BurntBroccoli]

Went for an eye test last week at Boots, prescription changed from -2.25 to -1.25 and reading (which I've never needed before) to +1.50. I'm 56.
Optician recommended varifocals so I wouldn't need 2 different pairs of new glasses.
I opted for the best Zeiss ones with all the coatings to reduce glare when I'm driving at night (which has been a huge problem). Came to £484 with frames, lenses and eye test (with the optional 3d scan as I wanted to fully check my eye health).

Picked up the new glasses today, tried them on in the shop and I don't think they're right. So disappointed. If the glasses are a little bit down my nose I can see okay but the window to the side is very blurry (they said they would be a wide field of vision when they were selling them). Assistant who fitted said you need to get used to them and move your head which seems crap! I asked what if I didn't get on with them and was told I could swap for 2 pairs of normal glasses. Is this right? Can't I just get a refund?

I put them on to walk around town but still bad. I had to wear my old glasses to drive home in as I felt I would be a danger wearing the new ones!

What are your experiences please of varifocals and or Boots Opticians?

No experience with Boots but I had some from Vision Express and was very happy with them.

DH just got some from there and he says they don't feel right. They said for him to try them out for a week or so and if they still aren't right they will swap them.

They previously swapped some frames for me that kept coming loose and some bifocals that he couldn't get along with because the reading part wasn't big enough. You get 10O days to try them out. They will also issue a refund if you aren't happy.

My husband's prescription had changed quite a lot which they put down to his developing cataracts but I am wondering if it is accurate as he says they are worse than his old glasses. I am trying to find out if they ever repeat eye tests if there seems to be a problem.

I have had varifocals for years and I love them. You should not "have to get used to them." Your prescription is probably not right.
I have had a couple of experiences like yours and the optician just re-did the refraction and re-made the glasses.

Just go back.

We've been going to Boots Opticians for yonks, but last year my new glasses were fine walking out but seemed off when driving. I had to swap my old ones back in.

I took them back, they tested them and checked my prescription and the order and it was a simple case of the optician transposing a number.

Take them back and ask to speak to the optician. Ultimately if the prescription is right, then the assistant is right, you probably just need to get used to them. But it is also possible a mistake has been made.

If you went for optimum quality, they shouldn't be hard to get used to, especially as your prescription isn't very high. It is true that you have to move your head more, rather than moving your eyes. I'd give it a couple of days and if they still feel wrong, go back and have the measurements checked.

I really struggled with some I got from Boots and went back to normal glasses.and they were pretty unhelpful and just said I was intolerant of prescription changes. 2 years later I went to a different (and more expensive optician!) and got a pair that worked immediately and I wouldn’t be without. But never got on with varifocal contacts.

It is worth persisting but also checking they’ve got the prescription right.

Vision Express messed up my varifocals twice. Even now, third, attempt, I'm not convinced they're right. They're only for the house though, can't do stairs in them they're so odd.

If you can't do stairs in them, they ain't right!

It can take a few days to adjust, but after that they shouldn't feel any different to single-vision lenses, other than of course you can read in them and see middle-distance things like a laptop screen better.

I had to get my varifocals redone at Boots, when trying them in the assistant noticed straightaway I had to tilt my head back to get the central part in the right place. They changed them no problem. This happened twice.

Had to get another pair redone at a different optician when I couldn’t focus on the screen when I went back to work after collecting them, the prescription was completely wrong. So if the glasses are wrong for you, don’t let them fob you off, opticians aren’t infallible.

It did take me a few weeks to get used to wearing varifocals all day but they weren’t blurry at the side, that’s not right.

varifocals you always have a blurry bit to the side, I’m an optometrist and you need to basically point your nose at the thing you’re looking at.

it took me a month to get used to my first pair!

they should not, however, be sitting down your nose to see properly. Go back.

I’m -8.5 and +2.0 and have varifocals. When I got them the optician told me that some people find they can’t get used to them and they would swap them to readers & distance if I wanted. Luckily I was able to get used to them quite quickly but I do think you need to give it a couple of days. For contact lenses the optician even told me I could have one eye distance and one eye close and see if my brain could get used to it but with my prescription I thought the difference would be too large.

This happened to me and I was poised to freak out that I had wasted so much money but turns out they just needed tiny frame adjustments so that they sat right. Plus I had to get used to pointing my nose where I wanted to look so that I saw through the right part of the lens for distance/ close.

Yes I think they are sitting in the wrong spot so the middle distance section is acting as my far distance lens when they are seated correctly on my nose. Could explain the extreme blurriness at the sides too.
I think the actual new distance prescription is correct as I ordered some new disposable contacts in that power and they are fine. I just tried wearing only one contact and I can actually see both near and far but I don't think I'd be able to drive with one.

I'll try them tomorrow again, then go back on Monday to see what they say.
Thing is I'd have to get 2 pairs of normal distance glasses (which I guess is okay as I lose them all the time anyway). Expensive though when I could buy 2 pairs for price of one at other places.

Not impressed with Boots and would never use them again but...you need to go back and get them fitted properly. And keep going back until you're happy. Maybe ask for another fitter because they do vary (no pun intended).

Zeiss lenses are great - the best - and I didn't go to Specsavers for my latest pair as they don't supply Zeiss now. I went to Scrivens and they were excellent. Measurements were spot on - I was surprised as I usually have a bit of backwards and forwards with the fittings. The advice about tilting your head is true to an extent but it's only slightly and you do it automatically after a while.

Honestly, stick with them but get them adjusted until you're happy and then keep them on for at least a day and you will get used to them. 2 different pairs is a faff you can do without.

I have had varifocals for years. However every time I have a new pair I find I need to go back to the opticians a couple of time to fine tune the fitting of the frames to achieve perfect vision. Maybe this is just me……..

Mine took about a week to get used to. I felt so sick initially, although I also had COVID so not sure which was which!
I have a significant difference between my eyes though so was told it was my brain getting used to them.
I don't have to move them to be able to see, that defeats the object.
I've worn glasses for over 30 years and have experienced the weird feeling and not happy doing stairs only 3 times. Each time was when it was a significant change to the previous pair.

@PommelHoss

So your distance vision got better by 1.00 ?

Yup! I hadn't been to opticians for about 2 and a half years and was worried I might have cataracts or something! I was actually using a pair of computer glasses that I got when I was tested that were -1.50 and -1.25 and told optician that I could now see perfectly in them for distance (and she checked!).

My near vision is getting slightly worse though, especially when looking at my phone. Books are okay still though without glasses.

Optician said it was normal at my age. I had the 3D check too and she checked my eyes very thoroughly.

I had this a couple of years ago and couldn't get on with them. Went back and spoke to them. After a few checks to make sure I was wearing them correctly they agreed to change them to just distance glasses as I already had reading glasses. They refunded the difference. You do only have about 3 weeks I think to do this.

Yes I'll go back.
I'm also not sure about the coating, it's a weird obvious ultra violet purple colour that I wasn't expecting.

When I picked the glasses up (via appointment) the dispensing person wasn't there so I'm not sure if the one who sat with me during the five minute try on was qualified.

I had varifocals from Specsavers. Fell down the stairs. Up the stairs. Tripped over my own feet...yep, they went back FOC and exchanged for single focal glasses.

Do Boots offer that?

I'm also not sure about the coating, it's a weird obvious ultra violet purple colour that I wasn't expecting.

Ooh that does sound a bit odd. I've never had that but I only go for the basic coatings as I'm not convinced the extra ones make that much difference. No doubt someone will tell me otherwise.
But yes, do go back until you're satisfied.

One of my abiding memories of the January covid lockdown was traipsing backwards and forwards to Specsavers to get my varifocals adjusted several times. Masks, sanitizer, social distancing, waiting outside in the freezing cold - but I was determined they should fit!

I have some from Specsavers. I chose the tailored range so top of the range. They were perfect from the start.

If actually you can accept mono vision with contacts - in your case only one eye corrected, you could keep a pair of specs in your car with the non contact lens wearing eye corrected for distance. The side of your specs that’s got a lens on could be plain plastic. Just pop them on for driving that’s what I do.