To want to get bifocals instead of varifocals?

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I am extremely short sighted and now I have to use reading glasses with contact lenses. My eyes get tired in the evening and I'd like to be able to read in bed without contacts. I hate how I look in glasses but I'd be willing to pop to the shops in them or something if it meant not having to put in contacts all day on days off. They'd be nice on long drives, too, as my eyes can get tired.

I asked about bifocals at Tesco and the woman kept insisting that what I really wanted was varifocals. I've heard so many stories about people not getting on with them. Even those that love theirs often say that it took a few weeks and going back for adjustments to get them right. I don't have the time to go into town for these things. I'm travelling for work every other week!

I know that bifocals look bad because of the line, but I already think I look bad in specs. I also don't want to spend money - I'll be looking at the cheapest frames in the bargain range! I am willing to go for the thinner lenses because they'd be coke bottles otherwise, but that's the only upgrade!

I'm planning on booking an eye test at Specsavers next week. (Not going back to Tesco!) Does anyone have a compelling argument for varifocals, or should I be firm and insist on bifocals?

The benefits of varifocals over bifocals are...

Cosmetically better

No step in prescription when you look down so you wouldn't get the same 'jump' effect with your vision

Varis correct your vision at all ranges i.e. distance, reading and middle distance seamlessly with no break. Bifocals only correct your vision in the distance and near. If you want to use computer screens with your glasses on then varifocals are the better option.

On the other hand varifocals are more expensive and they have distortion at the edge of the lens.

Also Tesco opticians don't exist any more. Just saying lol

I have poor eyesight at all distances and have had varifocals for a while now. Whilst they are great for far distance and middle distance, I really don’t like them for anything close up. Reading and sewing occupy a lot of my time and to be honest the lenses sort of make stuff close up appear less sharp colour wise (sort of dull colours down - sorry, not explaining it well!). I paid such a bloody lot of money for these lenses that I’ll stick with them until my next eye appointment, then I’ll almost certainly opt for bifocals and separate reading glasses. I suppose the only downside will be the ‘faff’ of having two pairs of glasses.............

I love my varificals. Not cheap I know but they are brilliant .

I felt a bit odd looking long distance with varifocals the first few days, and I still have to be careful not to look down, walking downstairs - but never had to go back for adjustments; and absolutely love varifocals, compared to having 2 pairs of glasses.

Chopbob.....Tescos opticians don't exist any more.....That's odd, I'm sure ours has one .

Love my varifocals. Never had a problem with them.

I am very short sighted, can't manage with lenses anymore due to complexity of prescription and now found I need reading glasses too.....

I chose a frame carefully, went to asda and got 2 pairs for about £100. The lenses are automatically thinned down.

I didn't want varifocals so chose 1 pair plus a pair of reading glasses as my existing distance glasses were fine. It took a couple of weeks to adjust to the varifocals, but they are the only pair I wear. Go to asda and you could get a pair a bifocals and varifocals to try and see what you prefer!

They were bought out by Vision Express

TabbyMumz, tesco's now have Vision Express in their stores. Tesco opticians is no more.

I also have varifocals, wouldn't choose anything else now.
If you don't like glasses have you considered varifocal contact lenses? My DM has these and swears by them.

I tried varifocals and hated them. They didn’t work for me (pianist and music teacher) as the mid distance range was too small to be worthwhile. I have bifocals which I wear most of the time (and which I love - I can read/MN on my tablet and glance up to watch tv at the same time with no problem) and then a specific pair of specs for reading music which are set for mid distance.

The reading lense insert is fairly inconspicuous as it has a curved upper edge.

With a bifocal, as you know there is distance at the top and the reading in the bottom. However that is it. 2 focal lengths. Which means that things at arms length to a few meters away will not be in such clear focus as they are "intermidiate", neither near or distance. With a varifocal everything should be in focus.if you look out of the side of a varifocal it won't be sharp, but naturally we turn our heads and point our nose at what we want to look at so we would then be looking down the clear vision corridor.
Specsavers offers a no quibble varifocal guarantee if they don't work, however most people do get on with them and they are great all round glasses. The one time they may struggle is if you lie very flat while reading in bed, if you are more proped up it wont be issue. Specsavers offer a 2nd pair option, if you like to lie flat have these as bifocals or even just reading.

Helena

You can get varifocals with an enlarged middle section, which are better if you have to work on a computer all day - or as in your case, read music at the same sort of distance.

(A friend of mine got a pair for work on a computer, as well as her standard varifocals)

I got varifocals & got them changed. I couldn't be doing with them at all. Especially difficult for reading in bed.

Tescos opticians don't exist any more.....That's odd, I'm sure ours has one

But they are now vision express rather than Tesco opticians so are ridiculously expensive.

If you try varifocals and don’t get on with them pretty sure specsavers will replace.

I love my varifocals from Specsavers. They also do a no quibble guarantee so you can make changes if they are not right. I would recommend going for the top of the range ones though.

My optician convinced me to have varifocals - she did not explain I would need to move my head to see properly all the time! It was horrible as I am also very short sighted so they difference / variation was too great and it felt dangerous to drive and so she replaced with normal glasses. I cope by just pushing my glasses down my face to read.

Our big Tesco has an optician.

Hahah, are you me? I went to my optometrist yesterday and asked for bifocals only to be met with total derision and amazement. I will say that we are very good friends and I was expecting a reaction like that.
I have varifocals. I absolutely hate them. I’m incredibly precious about clarity and can’t cope with the peripheral distortion. I have the best varifocals available. I couldn’t give a flying shit for ‘intermediate’ focus, my accommodative reserves are enough to still give me this (plus unless your lens is big enough the corridor is so small as to be useless for intermediate anyway) and I don’t give a shit about the cosmesis either. I want perfect vision over my entire visual field without moving my bloody head- especially when driving.
I wasn’t allowed a bifocal without trying some fancy varilux lens first. ...... I will non-tol and get my bifs hahaha.

OP- you can try varifocals and see how they are, they all come with a non- tolerance guarantee as it’s known that some people can’t cope with them or need a different type so don’t be afraid to try them.....
Just make sure you go back to your optometrist within 30 days if they don’t suit.
You might like them, I know that I’m an outlier....

Going back to the optician in 30 days can be difficult. I really don't want to have to bother.

I've been getting on with contacts + Reading glasses well and don't notice an issue with the intermediate distance. I don't sit at a desk or piano though. The only reason I want specs is so that I can have contacts in for fewer hours. I'd like to be able to read in bed without my eyes feeling dry and tired.

If intermediate distance isn't an issue and I don't care what they look like, is there any other reason to eschew bifocals?

Absolutely not. They have just fallen out of fashion and I suspect that the profit margin on varis is better than bifs. Most people do prefer how they look as well.
For reading in bed i’d actually go for single vision near prescription though as then you can adopt any posture you prefer for reading.

Intermediate distance can become an issue when driving - glancing at your dashboard. I gave in to varifocals when it took too long to focus on my speedometer to check my speed.

I now have a sepatrate pair of glasses for work - single lenses for computer work as the “window” in my varifocals wasn’t big enough to cope with my double screen desk set-up. It is a bit of a faff changing specs but it’s not as bad as I though.

Like a PP, I used to be extremely particular about clarity, but I’ve had to unwind to a certain extent as my reading gets worse and my distance improves. I’ve never had a particularly stable prescription, and now needing assistance for reading it makes getting a perfect pair almost impossible.

I dislike varifocals and think I will eventually end up with bifocals. At the moment I'm managing with distance specs for driving and walking around and using my regular myopia for everything else. In my experience 30 days isn't long enough to try varifocals out properly. I still feel annoyed about the £££ I wasted on them! Interested to read your post Helena as I'm a teacher and a musician/singer and have found varifocals hopeless for those activities too.

I assume opticians are on stonking commission to sell varifocals?