Reply to: BiFocals/VariFocals

[v8gaz]

On my second pair of varies now. First pair was a small frameless pair, which meant that the variance happens in a small area, and I didn't get on with them for ages. New pair are larger, and this seems to make a huge difference to their usability.

[DaveB]

Go to Asda. Cheap, what else matters?

Asda takes on High Street with £40 varifocal glasses | Daily Mail Online

Not got any but tried on a friend's and they were fantastic, could see everything.

The usual Wail bollocks. Tesco's pick the most expensive designer frames and lenses they can find and then claim they are selling the same thing cheaper.

[malvolio]

Go to Asda. Cheap, what else matters?

Asda takes on High Street with £40 varifocal glasses | Daily Mail Online

Not got any but tried on a friend's and they were fantastic, could see everything.

That's the old line isn't it; "You must have fantastic eyesight to see through these glasses..."

[xoggoth]

Go to Asda. Cheap, what else matters?

Asda takes on High Street with £40 varifocal glasses | Daily Mail Online

Not got any but tried on a friend's and they were fantastic, could see everything.

[Scruff]

I have myopia too, but not suitable for varifocals (spec or contacts). My prescription is -8.50 (very short-sighted ) and the varifocals become too much of a compromise.

I tried varifocal contact lenses and they were next to useless.

My contact lenses are corrected so that my dominant eye is corrected for reading and my passive eye is used for long-distance. My brain then compensates with binocular vision - this solution works for me.

My Specs are corrected for long distance vision and I can't read with them at all...

[aoxomoxoa]

Actually transitions is the brand name for lenses that go dark in sunlight....

Ooops. thanks for the correction.

[DannyF1966]

Varifocals (aka "transitions") are the way to go.

Actually transitions is the brand name for lenses that go dark in sunlight, You can get single-vision transitions as well as bifocal/varifocal transitions.

Source: Worked for a company for 15 years that ran a chain of opticians shops and manufactured specs (I can't recommend them now because they don't exist any more, the owner sold the profitable foreign half of the business and closed down the loss-making UK side, closing all the branches and making everyone redundant.)

When we were selling someone varifocals and they'd never worn them before, we'd let them get used to the lenses for a few weeks before ordering their second pair (it was one of those permanent "two for the price of one" deals). If the customer couldn't get on with the varifocals then we'd either offer them bifocals or two single-vision pairs (distance and reading).

Whichever optician you choose, they shouldn't leave you with an expensive pair of glasses you can't use and then say it's your fault you chose them.

[Platypus]

Boots or Specsavers

Absolutely agree. Go to a high-street chain where they employ under-qualified chimps to test your eyes.

Don't even think about going to a small optician who's been in business for years and knows what (s)he's doing, relies on repeat business and quality service.

[FatLazyContractor]

Yes, and you should buy the most expensive ones you can afford as they work better and take much less getting used to. Cheapo varifocals are a false economy. Why skimp with your eyes when it's how you make your living.

He wants to get signed off sick.

[Platypus]

He/She will try and sell me the most expensive thing so gathering some opinions first.

Yes, and you should buy the most expensive ones you can afford as they work better and take much less getting used to. Cheapo varifocals are a false economy. Why skimp with your eyes when it's how you make your living.

[malvolio]

You can get Interview glasses - Varifocals with a range from reading to around where your screen would be out to around where someone is sat across the desk from you. Used them for years until my distance vision faded away so now I'm on conventional Varifocals.

[aoxomoxoa]

Varifocals (aka "transitions") are the way to go. I've been using them for 15 years now, and took about 30 minutes to get used to them. Just be careful that the transition between close-up and distance isn't too steep, otherwise it'll be tricky to find the sweet spot for using a screen.

[DaveB]

He/She will try and sell me the most expensive thing so gathering some opinions first.

Nope, the Optician will give you a prescription for the lenses you need. What you spend on the frames is down to the sales person out in the shop. Any reputable Optician will give you a written prescription that you can take anywhere else and get the glasses you want.

[Batcher]

I've got varifocals and took to them right away. I had heard they took a while to get used to but I've been fine.

Get your eyes tested at one of the big opticians like Boots or Specsavers then get the prescription and take it to a small firm to get them made up. I do it all the time and got prescription sunglasses made last time too. Cost of both together was less than for one pair at the big opticians.

[Unix]

What does your optician say?

He/She will try and sell me the most expensive thing so gathering some opinions first.