Varifocals - hints & tips help required

Hi Mike,

I went through the very same thing a few years ago. The first pair of varifocals I bought I ended up taking back for a refund after about a week's use; I really struggled with them and found them extremely disorientating when walking around.

After a few months of struggling on with two pairs of glasses I decided to give varifocals another try & this time, after being on the point of giving up a couple of times, I persisted and now I really don't think about them. The most difficult thing for me was when out walking in the fells and having to keep my head in a certain position to ensure the ground was in focus. I fell over a couple of times (actually, at my age it's more appropriate to say I had a couple of falls)

As I'm sure you're aware, there are various types of lenses and you may find you need to change to a different configuration of zones. However, my spare pair of glasses have different lenses to my main pair but it now only takes me an hour or so to accustom myself to them.

The only problem that remains is that I struggle to park the car straight! Something to do with the distortion of peripheral vision I guess.

Anyway, in my experience you've just got to persist and suddenly it all clicks. Good luck!

I struggled with a pair for about six months before concluding that life was too short for eyeball gymnastics. Some people seem to get on with them just fine. I stick to separate pairs because I do a lot of design work and article reading on screen and need to concentrate on the screen, rather than spastic head movements and face pulling.

It took a couple of weeks for me to acclimatise but now I don't give it a thought.  This second pair I'm on have the more expensive optics where the variation between near and far is more seamless with larger sweet spots.  Well worth the extra outlay IMO. 

I'd persist a bit longer before giving up.

G

If you are getting into an age where cataracts can start to occur get the ophthalmologist to give you warning early and then search out getting the in eye lenses swapped out for bifocal insert lenses.

It will cost you about the same as a good power supply but then you will not have to buy any more expensive varifocal glasses.

If the type of technology had been easily available 20 years ago I would had the opp done then and avoided numerous pair of glasses.

Mike - I'm another vari-user and took a few months to sort mine out, in particular screen work as you detail as, following the 'eye level' working screen guidance, this meant I was mainly looking through the top of the lens - and I'm long-sighted. Result = fuzzy and mild headaches.

Solution (for me) = drop the screen down, so I now look down slightly, through the 'near field' (for me)part of the lens and all's been OK. I'm just awaiting the neck-ache now!

I agree with Tony re the un-balancing/potentially dis-orientating effects of the lenses, especially if you don't turn your head. I'm 99% sure I scraped my car due to this. Certainly, my car driving movements have changed, as I now move my head far more when checking mirrors.

I'm likely to follow Graeme's thoughts on my next pair and get the wider profile lenses, which widen the focal points for the eyes (you know what I mean) - albeit at almost 2x the price when I was shown them.

Friends have recommended getting a prescription (which is why you pay the test fee) and then getting glasses off the internet (cost savings are material) but I'm not so sure. Mind you, what I do find annoying, is when I asked for updated lenses to be fixed in to frames <6m old, to be told 'not possible'. After 15 mins of 'polite influencing' it became possible. It seems having my eyes tested first thing in the morning, isn't 100% reliable, as I ended up with 2 materially differing prescriptions within the <6m period.

The issue may be that varifocal correction generally works well for distance and reading but computer-screen is an odd half-way that essentially requires a middling degree of accommodation and is often hard to design into frames. You are probably using the intermediate part of the lens and that will be quite critical in terms of head position. Small frames and comensurately small lenses can make this even more difficult.

You may be better with 'work glasses' that are designed to do screen and closer, and 'seeing glasses' for long distance

Bruce

Re Happy Listeners comment about sourcing from internet would strongly advise against same. Imperative when the optician measures you up for frames and lenses that they can look you in the eye and mark where the 3 zones should be relative to your pupils. I had problem with my first pair of varifocals when driving. as my head leant against the head rest I found I was viewing the road through the mid range section of the lens. with later pairs I asked the optician to slightly increase the long distance area and in effect push everything down a bit. This means the actual close reading zone is a bit tight but it works for me.

suggest you give it a another couple of weeks but if still problem go back to optician and request revised lenses giving you wider  zones where you need it. Good Luck

Thanks folks,  interesting comments most all much the same as my thoughts. 

BTW  my lenses are the top end spec with the wider/larger close & intermediate sections as I had been pre-warned about just this problem by a vari user. 

My overwhelming wish right now is to get out my old reading glasses that work at laptop screen distance just perfect.  But I am now trying angling the lens up & down - ear sticks half way up my head or halfway down my ears - ain't getting old the best of fun !!!

Thanks again for the suggestions - keep 'em coming.  

Well I think you've done the right thing going for the more expensive option. I did that and acclimatised pretty much instantly. But my wife went through a couple of attempts before settling into them. All seems a bit random. Good luck!

Hi Mike -

Tried my first pair of varifocals about four months ago and really struggled for a couple of days. Didn't feel like I was seeing well at all. The optician told be to hang in there, and that my eyes would adjust.  Well, I got very frustrated and then, on a hunch, went to a different optician for a second exam. This resulted in a very different, and as it turned out, correct perscription!

Went back to the first place, and they re-did the lenses at no cost.  Was still a bit disorienting at first, but at least I could now clearly see with each eye, and through all three fields (near, mid and far).  But, like others, I found the transitions between fields hard to get used to.

Stuck with it though and, after two or three weeks, my eyes adjusted and wearing them became second nature.

I thought about getting a separate pair of reading glasses, but the optician advised against it.  He said it would make going back to the varifocals harder, as my eyes would start to undo their training.  So I've just gotten used to close viewing through a smaller field of vision. Even the left-to-right swivels have now become seemless.

My bet is that your eyes will also get used to them. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that, despite the compromises, it really is nice being able to use just one pair of glasses for everything.  

Let us know how you get on! 

Hook

Getting the best out of Varifocals can be down the strengths of your optician. Like many my first pair were a disaster and I sent them back. A later retry was a great success, my latest ones initially not very good but the optician sussed out that they had been set wrong and adjustment and back to normal. 

Hi again folks, I think I have found the problem, the left lens optical centre is off. 

With right eye closed I need to turn head some degrees to the right to get the left lens near & mid sections to focus.  With the left eye closed it is focused with the head/eye line straight ahead. 

I get the same result with another test: with 2 pages of a magazine open & centred on the fold & at laptop distance & head held dead still front & centre;  the right lens focus point is around the fold & to the right side of the right page, the left lens is focused on the left side of the left page.  

Phoned the optician & he seemed to agree this is a real possibility & we are underway to get it corrected.

Thanks for all the posts, all a great help, hopefully the next report is the job done one.

I've been using varifocals for a few years now, but I still prefer prescription reading glasses for long reading sessions.  The bit about computer monitors is moot, because I normally get quite close to my laptop screen!

Just waiting for my new glasses (2 pairs varifocal and 1 reading) having had my right cataract done 6 weeks ago.  As my surgeon deliberately left me with 2.5 dioptres myopia in the operated eye (c/o astigmatism and not wishing to 'unbalance' my stereoscopic vision)d, I won't be allowed to drive until I get the new ones.  Why 2 pairs of varifocals?  Well, SWMBO is a dedicated non-driver and a spare pair of specs is essential.

John

Mike -  Will be interesting to learn if your subject eye test result was awry or it's the lens.

I had both eyes operated on within 3 days to swap out the corrupted cataracted lenses with new bifocal lenses. I can read and see for driving without having to wear glasses. I need a pair +1.5 dioptre lenses for using the computer screen at about arms length from the eyes. The replacement lenses were made to remove astigmatic errors as well.

The only way to go as far as I am concerned. For the first time since 1952 I do not need to wear glasses for normal activities apart from computer usage.

Re getting varifocals to work correctly - the dispenser had to ensure that the position of the lenses in front of the eyes was correct, I was sensitive to the distance, angle and curvature of the glasses frame.

All this was in addition to having the lenses made to the correct prescription.

RESULT  !!!!

Return visit on Monday & the optician confirmed my main problem was the focus centre was not correct with the left lens. They do not understand what & why etc but apologies with a compensatory deal on another frame & lens or sunglasses. 

After discussion & some more testing we agree the focal distance for my normal reading distance would be better be moved further away. 

I collected them this morning & they work straight out of the box, hardly notice the need for head tilting,  no fuzzy focus areas,  they just seem right.  Also much of the vision distortion & feeling unsure when walking is all but gone. 

So folks, thanks for all the tips & advice - most of your posts had something relevant for my problem;  a good optician is the key & if it does take time to get used to them I seem to be well on the way down that path.  

Thanks again.   

Hi Mike,

I've been using varifocals for about 5 years. My eyesight is important in my job as a radiologist and I spend a large part of my day in front of screens. For this use I've had a pair of fixed focal length glasses made for this which makes my life a lot easier. It's difficult to use varifocals on a vertical screen for long periods. Apart from this I use the varifocals all the time, even to play golf.

A tip I can give from experience is to choose a pair of decent size frames. The larger the lens the wider the zones are. You don't have to go 'a la Elton John' though! I have no problem using varifocals now with my laptop but the previous pairs I had with smaller lenses were more difficult to use. In addition I can recommend reactive lenses as it's harder to use ordinary sunglasses and it saves buying a prescription pair.

Good luck

Steve

Hi Steve,  already with you on this - not quite Elton John (IMO) but 'er-in-doors has the opposite opinion.  Strange as she like my Ray Bans which are the same size & style.

Before my move to varifocals I used a reading/screen pair & another pair of long focus for serious TV & long distance driving. 

The fixed focus large frames are now reserved for longer periods of screen use & the long distance/polaroid/anti-glare live in the car.  

I have recently got a new pair of varifocals, slight prescription change and new frames, but they are really difficult to get used to. Some days fine, others I can't focus properly.

Thanks Mike-B, a really useful and reassuring thread. 

I've had mine a week now now, and still very much in the getting used to phase. It seems so unnatural looking down for distance and up for close. I chose platinum (top) spec btw.

Best,

C.

I added a pair of "computer glasses" to my optical arsenal. They're trifocals like my normal glasses, but the reading part is on top, so you don't stick your chin out all day if you work at a computer like I do. The hard part is remembering to use them, and to swap them out when I get up fro my desk.

Chris,

Stick with it and keep an open mind.

I've been using varifocals for more than 10 years. I had dificultiy with bi-focals.

The benefits of being able to use a single pair of specs to see anything from a few inches to 93 million miles is tremendous. Using largish frames and wide, high quality glass does pay dividends

Hope you get used to them soon

Thanks Don.

Cheers,

C.

Using largish frames ie large area of glass protects the rear of the lens from being pushed against eye lashes and eye lids when using binoculars or  a proper camera (where they have a viewfinder to look through rather than holding a screen away from the eyes) and so minimizing coating the rear of the lens with grease.

This problem is only going to be a problem to short sighted people who can see the grease on the lens. Long sighted people do not tend to notice dirt on their glasses, so one way of determining the sight problems of a person is to check how dirty their lenses are. Apart from looking through the glasses on the face seeing whether the eyes and part of the face is made larger or smaller.  If smaller they are short sighted.

Hi Chris,  not sure you need to be looking "down" for distance.  Mine are set so my head alignment is normally level for distance & that sets it right for a natural downward look for reading & laptop; maybe they are set too high on your face, your optician should fix this.

I have however found vari-focal a PITA for working around the house,  I just fitted some new wall  & ceiling lights - looking up to see a high mounted wire connections !!!  no way - the old fixed focus reading/laptop pair soon came out.    

Re your point Derek on using camera & bino's:  Try as I might,  I cannot use glasses with camera or bino's - & I'm talking proper cameras.  Maybe my long vis is not that bad as I do tend not to use glasses for general walking around or for short distance driving routes or routes I'm familiar with.

Re grease cleaning - I'm a clean glasses obsessive - unlike other peeps in the house !!!  I have been getting really aggravated with this & have tried all kinds of ways, warm water, glasses lens cleaner/cloth, camera lens cleaners, even the Naim box cleaner "Astonish - Glass & Tile"

Finally I took a punt on an "e-cloth" glasses cloth - excellent. Use dry on its own or for drying off the glasses after a warm water rinse. I use just the non-coloured side & with an occasional warm mild soap hand wash to clean te cloth its as good as anything I've tried.  They are just £1.99 & get them on www, I ordered mine one day & it arrived the next.