To be pissed off I never get decent reading glasses.

[drakesqueen]

I first had glasses for work in 2018 when I was 46. Got on fine with them.
Went back to Specsavers 2 years later and was retested and given a pair that made me feel so swimmy and travel sick I went back to the 2018 pair. Same again in 2023, had another pair - ok when I’m looking in one direction to read but as soon as I move my gaze everything is blurred and swims. I use two monitors in work so am constantly switching my gaze so I feel sick a few minutes after using them. The edges of the glasses feel as though they are way too strong. I’ve just picked up my latest pairs and again they are horrendous as soon as I move my head or switch gaze to something else. Lovely and clear up close to read but for computer work and moving head back and fore they are awful.
Is this to be expected? Should I persevere even though it makes me feel travel sick? I also got given a pair for distance which are better but still a bit swimmy.
I also have a convergent squint which may be making it worse as I do tend to switch from eye to eye to focus.
Also, glasses are always wonky on me as I’m sure I have one ear lower than the other. Is there anything I can put on the arm to even them up. So annoying, spent best part of £200 to find they’ll be hopeless again.

Have you specific VDU only glasses or something else?

I need varifocals for everything except VDU for which I have seperate ones.

I have been given a pair for reading which I’m meant to use for computer work and up to about a metre away and another pair for distance. Distance I can cope with, the reading pair will be fine if I’m doing up close sewing or need to see something really close up but no good for work where I switch between two monitors that are side by side all day.

I think it’s Specsavers. About to revert to my 2018 specs despite two new sets of super duper varifocals and work glasses in 2023 and 2026 (no idea why I even went back) they tell me the astigmatism is worsening and that’s why I can see sparkles 😳 everything double and the newer pair is like you describe, swimmy. Which reminds me I must go back. My argument is 2018 specs although lower strength do not make me feel sick or show sparkles of everything especially at night! Thank you for the reminder!

And I still have to take specs off to read - the reading glasses are shite!!!

You are not alone.
Both Boots and Specsavers have prescribed glasses, both reading and distance that have not been good.
I got a refund from Boots....after insisting and standing my ground.
Been back to SS a couple of times with my new reading glasses, still not happy.

I used to need glasses for distance and could do close up work without anything, but as I got older the middle distance (PC) became a real problem, either with or without specs. Varifocals were life changing.

TBH I's surprised your optician isn't recommending them though?

I recently got varifocals thanks to a severe astigmatism slight short sightedness and now equal near sight due to age 🙄

I took a few weeks to get use to them. I also had the swimming effect. But my brain adjusted and now I find them brilliant.

No your reading distance and VDU distance are different requirements. The monitors will be too far away for reading glasses.

If you are employed and do lots of VDU work then work should be paying for your eye test and some VDU specific glasses.

I have two pairs of varifocals. One pair is for non screen work/every day stuff and the other specifically for screens although I frequently do forget to swap. The screen ones have a bigger “closeup” section of the lens. I can see the screens properly, my phone screen underneath as I discovered today but the focus further across the office is not so sharp. But I was asked about this by the optician first - I don’t need to see that clearly across the office, it’s good enough, the main focus is the multiple screens on the desk.

Sounds like you need varifocals.
But I don’t think specsavers are that great. The last time I went in there my reading glasses were getting too weak, the gave me a prescription I knew would be too weak she said it was for looking the a screen but that wasn’t my isssue it was reading and seeing my phone. I didn’t get the prescription and went to b&m and tried on the reading glasses on the rack and chose ones that I could see best with. I’ve done that ever since. I don’t really have a problem with long distance

You need pair for VDU or a decent braded occupational varifocal might help.

I went to an independent optician for many years and never had a problem with prescribed glasses. Then we moved so had to find someone new. Have tried several branches of Specsavers, Boots and two independents. One of the independents was good, but the prices were very high.

l had cataracts removed and so the prescription is very different. I still can’t find anyone who gets it right.

I got mine at boots and couldn’t get used to them plus they were too tight. I told the guy these are tight he said oh they look fine to me. They weren’t they were so tight they hurt.
B&M cheapies work for me I find them great.

Op, if they are wonky, take them back. They can heat the arms and centre of the glasses to make them fit

I even have to have my Ray-bans adjusted or they hurt one ear. Vision express will always adjust glasses. And they keep going until they are perfect.

All my glasses have a right arm that sits a cm off the table if I rest them down on a desk. Because my right ear is higher than my left and has a ridge on it.

My glasses from an independent optician are also rubbish. Expensive rubbish. The first pair of varifocals were ok after several visits, standing my ground and having the lenses remade. The new pair (optimism over experience…) are hopeless and I’ve gone back to the originals, even though apparently my prescription has changed. I’ll be trying a supermarket next time. At least they’ll be cheaper.

Specsavers offer a money back/change your mind guarantee. My daughter bought glasses, kept them for a week then decided the frames were too heavy, took them back with her receipt and got a refund, no hassle. Take them back.

The only thing that works for me is to wear my cheap Poundland readers Over my glasses (on top). Looks ridiculous but it works!

Just go to Poundland and get a few pairs for a couple of quid each. You’ll know which ones are right when you can read through them!

I have had success with what Vision Express call 'office glasses'. Allow me to read, use monitor and see clearly for a few metres. Beyond that they are still effective enough that I forget which glasses I am wearing and wander around with them. I have varifocals now for general wear but still prefer office glasses for work.

I use 2 monitors and can’t use my varifocals for them, my work is excel intensive hence the separate VDU glasses.

Check out your local independents. Specsavers are crap! I’ve always used a lovely little independent opticians and never had problems, my best friend used specsavers and boots and was never happy with her glasses so I suggested she visits mine and she’s been over the moon. They most likely a little bit more expensive and you don’t get 2 frames for the price of 1 or any of those offers but a much more personal service.

Try a independent or scrivens first. They're better than specsavers ime. Specsavers told me my vision was fine and it wasn't.

Independent prescribed prisms and a small +0.5 each side and my headaches have gone.

This. I use different strength ones for reading and computer work and also find when my distance sight worsens I need to change my reading glasses strength until I get my new contact lens. I have a selection and just change them until I find the ones that work for what I am doing.

I told Specsavers I specifically wanted glasses for using a screen and what I got was reading glasses. I complained as I couldn’t work while wearing them and they redid them.

i was furious as they had simply ignored what I’d asked for originally. So do go back and complain- glasses are not cheap.

This is my experience too - its varifocals with the adjustment for what they have deemed I need for rmiddle distance. I just want glasses where I can read a book or device when I look down but when I look up I can see the road/tv as normal un ‘corrected. My long distance vision is fine but they’ve done something for middle distance that I don’t need. Two different opticians have done the same. I’ve given up. Have small cheap reading glasses from amazon that I perch on my nose to read, but can ‘see over’ the rims to watch tv or drive.