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Original poster

Vari-focals help needed

32 replies

letmebetheone · 30/04/2026 15:34

Does anyone on here have vari-focals? I got some last week as was sick of having to switch from distance to reading glasses at work.

I fully expected them to take some getting used to and I am persevering but they are useless.

Distance is fine as long as I drive with my head slightly bowed. Reading is impossible. I look at the till screen at work and it is completely blurred.
Everything swims if I move my head from side to side, shapes are distorted, looking down at my cup when making 2 coffees is fine but the other cup is an odd shape because I see it out of the corner of my eye.
So I cant use the till at work or my laptop despite trying to persevere.
Dont even get me started on the headaches!

Is it just me or does everyone have the same problems at first?

OP posts:
ASuitableName · 30/04/2026 15:37

That really isn’t normal at all. I suggest you go back to your optician and have them checked.

LaburnumAnagyroides · 30/04/2026 15:39

This sounds like they have not got them made correctly, so you are not able to look through the right part of the lenses.
Take them back.

Original poster
letmebetheone · 30/04/2026 15:42

Thanks for the replies. I thought as much, they are horrible but everyone I have spoken to seems to suggest I'm not giving them a chance.
I will go back.

OP posts:
hahabahbag · 30/04/2026 15:44

Not normal, they are not fitted correctly, go back. I can drive looking straight ahead and look down to read

DappledThings · 30/04/2026 15:46

It took me about 5 minutes to get used to mine. Everything was clear whatever I was looking at. Yours are definitely not right.

AllTheWatersTurnedToClouds · 30/04/2026 15:46

Yeah that sounds very wrong. I found stairs a bit odd for a day or two, but other than that they are brilliant

RosieHosie · 30/04/2026 15:46

It took about an hour to get used to mine, although I went straight to varifocals rather than reading glasses first. What you're experiencing definitely doesn't sound normal.

FedUpandFiftyNine · 30/04/2026 15:50

No, not normal - go back an talk to your optician and don't be fobbed off.

However a couple of things:

  • which 'level' of varifocals did you go for on the cheapest to most expensive scale? The cheaper ones tend to have a smaller usable lens area and more 'blurry' space on the edges, so it's even more important you are looking through the 'right' bit
  • Are they fully plastic frames, or do they have metal bits with separate nose pads? I changed varifocals last year to big plastic ones and found that because they didn't have the fixed nosepads they were moving up and down my nose too much and I was constantly having to readjust where I was looking to find the right sweet spot. It was partially solved by adding stick on nose pads, but I've actually gone back to metal frames for most use and keep my big plastic ones as spare.
Tortephant · 30/04/2026 15:50

You need to go back and either have your prescription tweaked or / and the angles re-measured.

Original poster
letmebetheone · 30/04/2026 16:08

FedUpandFiftyNine · 30/04/2026 15:50

No, not normal - go back an talk to your optician and don't be fobbed off.

However a couple of things:

  • which 'level' of varifocals did you go for on the cheapest to most expensive scale? The cheaper ones tend to have a smaller usable lens area and more 'blurry' space on the edges, so it's even more important you are looking through the 'right' bit
  • Are they fully plastic frames, or do they have metal bits with separate nose pads? I changed varifocals last year to big plastic ones and found that because they didn't have the fixed nosepads they were moving up and down my nose too much and I was constantly having to readjust where I was looking to find the right sweet spot. It was partially solved by adding stick on nose pads, but I've actually gone back to metal frames for most use and keep my big plastic ones as spare.

Thanks. There were 5 options with option 1 being the cheapest. I went for option 4. They do have nose pads.
Im certain now that its not me and that there is something wrong with the prescription. When I picked them up I looked round and the distance part is not bad but I did mention that I thought the reading was difficult but was just told that they were very different to single lenses and that after a day or so I would be used to reading in them.
Definitely going back.

OP posts:
beigetriangle · 30/04/2026 16:14

yes go back
varifocals are not expensive because of material costs but because of the adjustments.

good luck!

yogamattdamon · 30/04/2026 16:22

I adjusted to mine immediately and I went for the middle priced option. Definitely go back.

DeadBug · 30/04/2026 16:39

If you have astigmatism, it takes longer to adjust. It's common to get the swimming/head in a fishbowl feeling for a lot longer.

henlake7 · 30/04/2026 16:46

Def go back to the opticians. Im lucky in that the first pair of varifocals I had were pretty much perfect...it meant that when I got the second pair it was obvious they werent as good.
I ended up taking them back three times before I got a pair that worked (problems with where they set my reading level and also the type of lense originally used didnt work great with my prescription).
Varifocals can be alot more fiddly to get right then standard lenses.

KnickerlessParsons · 30/04/2026 16:48

I had that problem so Specsavers re-assessed my focal point and sent the glasses back to be adjusted. They were fine after that.

When I had my first pair though, it took ages - months - for me to get used to them, then one day I just realised that I'd forgotten I was wearing them.

yogamattdamon · 01/05/2026 10:30

DeadBug · 30/04/2026 16:39

If you have astigmatism, it takes longer to adjust. It's common to get the swimming/head in a fishbowl feeling for a lot longer.

I have astigmatism and adjusted straight away as per my post above! I must be lucky. I love my varifocals.

I tell you what else are good (and take zero getting used to if you already wear contacts) - varifocal contact lenses!

beigetriangle · 01/05/2026 11:33

you could also ask the optician for radical option - reading strength in one eye, distant in the other
my mum has this after she didn't get on with varifocals at all. not sure if that's a good option if you are driving though, as you lose depth perception.

MousePolice · 01/05/2026 11:36

I have normal varifocals for everyday wear but have some computer glasses for work. They only have the reading bit at the bottom and then the middle bit is more mid range to allow me to see the screen perfectly. For using your laptop you might need a pair of those.

AltitudeCheck · 01/05/2026 11:42

Tried several adjustments but I only use mine for driving / cinema now as I couldn't get on with them for using the computer at work. I had to sit in an uncomfortable position to get them to focus on the screens and it hurt my neck and gave me a headache.

I went back to my 'computer glasses' that I bought very cheaply from GlassesDirect using my prescription information.

allmycats · 01/05/2026 12:13

It’s all about the measuring and fitting with varifocals. When they measured them did they do this ?
Put the frame on your face and the very first measurement should be the arms and the distance on the frame to where they need to bend for your ear. Each side, not just one-then they warm the frame and put the bends in the right place and when they are correct and don’t move on your face when you shake your head or move it up and down THEN they should start all the other measures.
This is vital and not often done these days but it works. You can’t get correct measurements for your requirements if the actual fitting adjustment is done after the six are made up.

allmycats · 01/05/2026 12:14

After the specs are made up it should say

Wehaditsogood · 01/05/2026 12:22

It took me months and 3 different glasses to get used to my varifocals. I had the same symptoms as you and felt like I was hallucinating.
One of the opticians put prism into mine and that made it better. But it still took some time and effort.
I still don't drive in varifocals. I can, it is just very tiring.

Wehaditsogood · 01/05/2026 12:22

Good luck, OP.

StarlightLady · 01/05/2026 12:30

letmebetheone · 30/04/2026 16:08

Thanks. There were 5 options with option 1 being the cheapest. I went for option 4. They do have nose pads.
Im certain now that its not me and that there is something wrong with the prescription. When I picked them up I looked round and the distance part is not bad but I did mention that I thought the reading was difficult but was just told that they were very different to single lenses and that after a day or so I would be used to reading in them.
Definitely going back.

Show quote history

Yes, do go back. They have definitely got this wrong. And don’t let them tell you, it’s not them it’s you. Do you have a particularly small lens in the frames? Some smaller lenses don’t suit vari focals but they should have made you aware of that.

l’ve worn them for years, the only thing l ever found difficult at first (not long term) was negotiating stairs.

Comefromaway · 01/05/2026 12:54

Do you also have a problem with things like watching 3D films? I do and I cannot get on with varifocals.

I have one eye that is long sighted and one that is short sighted and they work against each other making varifocals not an option for me.