AIBU to be so frustrated about my varifocals

[GetItRight321]

I've been wearing varifocals for about 10 years. Always got on ok with them after the first day or so of getting used to them. Always bought the top of the range lenses from Boots. (Once tried a cheaper brand and they were noticeably inferior).

A month ago I got new glasses, after a gap of 4.5 years. My prescription had changed, as expected. Chose some smart new frames. The type of lenses I had in the past were no longer available but I was sold something apparently just as good (top of the range). Frames about £350 and lenses £450. Expensive but not unexpectedly so.

Since getting them I've had the lenses replaced 3 times and they're still awful.
Version 1: just too strong - great for distance but mid and close awful. So they adjusted the prescription (took it down a notch) and changed the variable bits between distance / mid / near.

Version 2: now couldn't see my computer screen at all (really blurred - too close), although distance and reading close was ok. So they agreed to change them again - not the prescription but the placing of the different parts of the varifocal bits

Version 3: mid and close now fine but distance is worse - I can see less well than in my old glasses.

I'm so frustrated. The optician has been brilliant and made no fuss about changing them but I am now really despairing. Should it really be this difficult? I'm going to have to go back again. In the meantime my old glasses are not great - all scratched, old prescription, screws coming loose.

If it's useful to know: the new glasses are quite big (as is the fashion) so there's a lot of lens (to see badly out of).

any words of advice?

I would have just stuck to version 2 and got glasses for computer use. That’s what I did.

What prescription are you.

I'm-8.5/8.75 with astigmatism and I was advised by an optician that trying to get a single pair of varifocals that work for computer screens and general use would mean too much of a compromise and it would be better to have two separate pairs.

I have my computer glasses set with the main focus at screen distance and my everyday pair with a standard range of focus

yes, I have thought of that as an option. I was kind of expecting them to say I would need to do that, but they've been too helpful in a way!

So now, I'd need to go back to version 2 and buy another pair of glasses for the computer. I wonder at what point they'll be thoroughly sick of me and refuse to do more.

I queried mine and apparently my mid computer distance is just my normal eyesight so I do better with them off.

I hate trying to teach with them on. I need them on for seeing my students and writing stuff down and off for the screen but when I look up I can't see 🙈

Due another pair soon. I will discuss my needs more carefully I think.

My prescription has changed a bit over the past three years, and it’s become almost impossible to get one pair of varifocals that do everything, eg driving, walking and shopping, reading a book, working at a screen.

I’ve resorted to two pairs of varifocals. One specifically for driving with more clear vision at the top while still easy to see the dashboard at a glance and go for a walk, and the other pair for shopping and being inside at a book or computer.

It was a bit of a faff at first, obviously more expensive, but I’m more confident when driving and out and about, and more comfortable inside with the other pair for sedentary tasks.

I did find it hard to adjust to the larger frames that are in fashion. They suit the driving, and the inside ones are much narrower with almost no lifting my head up and down to focus. .

I hope you find a solution

I think it can get to the point where you need to make like Melani of the We Don’t Care Club and start sporting multiple pairs of glasses rather than one pair doing everything for you.

I can read with my glasses off (in fact I often need to, especially if looking at my phone) but can absolutely not see my computer screen with them off. Unless I'm leaning forward and squinting with my nose on the screen. It's all very awkward!

I think the optician has been too kind in trying to save me money. I am thinking 2 pairs. I had thought 1 x varifocal and then 1 x fixed for computer. The thought of 2 pairs of varifocals is frightening but I guess the computer ones could be less expensive as the look of them wouldn't be as important. Luckily I don't drive so I don't have to worry about that.

I see my husband grappling with 2 or 3 pairs of glasses and get annoyed with him because he's always losing them, or leaving them at work when he needs them at home etc. I'm probably going to have to do the same.

I also play in an amateur orchestra and sing in a choir so goodness knows what that will entail. Needing to look at the music and the conductor. Choir music is relatively close but orchestra stand further away (but further than computer distance). Sheesh. This getting older business sucks (I'm 57).

Was it Boots again? It might be time to try a different optician or at least a second opinion.
My current glasses are Zeiss Smart life progressive Superb (from the engraved markings) and they are brilliant from -5.5 to +2.25. including computer screen work. I would really recommend them.

Yes, it was Boots again. If they would give me a refund (rather than further exchanges), I'd try an independent optician I think. I wouldn't go to Specsavers as I tried those once and they weren't as good (I got a refund).

I wonder now whether Boots should have talked more about what I need them for. I suppose the obvious answer is 'for seeing' but there are lots of quite personal / individual requirements and not everyone is the same.

@NotMeNoNo - thanks for the tip. Were they from an independent optician? Might I ask how much they were?

no advice but I feel your pain. I’m 47 and new to the whole varifocals thing but don’t really get on with them. For doing stuff on my phone I end up taking them off completely.

I have now got separate work (computer) glasses though and that is going roughly ok

I tried varifocal contact lenses and got on ok with them but felt they weren't so good for driving compared to my normal contact lenses- I was -5 each eye so I stayed with my lenses and bought glasses for computer ,close up reading

Anyhow I changed opticians and am now on standard lenses -4 in one eye and -4.75 in other eye and iits marvellous - don't need glasses for pc ior reading

I don’t know if it will help you but I really struggled with my new glasses after years of varifocals. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing we discovered that the angle of the lens relative to the arms needed adjusting. So that the glasses tipped forward slightly on my face. Once that was done, perfect vision.

They were from one of the upmarket independent opticians in our city although not the most expensive frames. About £600 IIRC. I just got fed up of being messed about by Specsavers trying to save money and ending up with heavy blurry glasses.

I recently had new varifocals made in a slightly bigger frame than I was used to. I just couldn’t get on with them. The bigger frame meant there was more of the bottom zone and things were too blurry. I went back to my opticians and changed my frames to something smaller. They are now just right.

@Crazycatladywithnocats I'm thinking that might be a contributing factor for me.

@BestIsWest the optician also tried that and it made a bit of difference but not enough, unfortunately.

@BeaLola - I've also (in a separate venture) tried varifocal contact lenses and they were terrible. i never really got on with contact lenses anyway, although I wore them uncomfortably throughout my teens and 20s. But adding varifocal to the mix was hilariously awful.

I'm a bit unlucky I think.

(I'm like this with shoes too - I'm so awkward that I just put off shopping).

I get it. Currently waiting for a new pair of varifocals. My last pair took 4 goes to get even halfway decent.
This time round they are giving me a wider close section and less distance (I don't drive so distance isn't a huge issue). My prescription is complex so I can't really fit the whole varifocal in one lens, and my work means swapping glasses isn't practical.
I figure if the distance thing is a problem I can always just get distance glasses to go with the varifocals. Unfortunately the more complex your prescription the more difficulty getting your glasses right.

(It also sucks that it costs so much. Even with the cheapest frames I still have to pay top prices for all the features.)

First time with bi focals. - distance and close
totally love them
I have seperate glasses for my computer and they are amazing.

Same.
I have my varifocals and a separate pair of glasses for computer use.
Though this is my third pair of varifocals and it took me ages to get used to them. I took them back one and they adjusted the focal point. It helped, a bit.

I couldn’t tolerate varifocals in larger frames - it’s something to do with the distortion as the lenses get larger.