varifocals - the good, the bad and the ugly

[mrcharly-YHT]

Currently I have two pairs of glasses; one for general use and one for computer work. The computer pair have 'blue light' filter lenses and cost a lot because of that. They are optimised for screen distances and hence a bit pants for reading. They are also no good if I need to look up and read something off a board or speak to someone for example.

So I'm thinking of getting a pair of bifocals or varifocals. I did get 'measured' for these a while back but was quoted something like £600 for the lenses, which put me off a bit.

What are people's experiences of these like?

[Canardly]

Worn them for years. Some people have difficulty getting used to them, I suppose much depends on your prescription but mine are pretty strong. £600 seems awfully expensive.

[hbunnet]

Varifocals are a good compromise for everything but not good at specifics, but if you already have computer optimised specs 
you are in good shape.
I use bifocals for the bike, and reading glasses for close work, but can manage with just varifocals if I have to.

Congrats on new job BTW. 

[nicknack]

I've been wearing varifocals for years. I've never paid anything like £600 for them though.

[Little Jim]

I got a pair of varifocals for the first time last autumn.  I find that I can't use them for using the computer as they bit of the lens optimised for that distance is very small so I have to move my head around a lot in order to be able to focus on each part of the screen, I also need to have my head tilted back so that I am looking through the lower part of the lens so I gave up and bought a pair of single vision(?) glasses optimised for screen use and they are fine.  I do like the varifocals for everyday use as I can see to read and look into the distance without changing glasses but I think that the problem I had is that the bit optimised for mid-distance, ie screen use, is to small to be useful for all day.

A friend of mine has two pairs of varifocals; one for general use like mine, and one pair for screen use.  The screen use pair will focus between close up for reading and mid distance for screen use, so the screen area is much larger.  He says that they are great and also initially had the same problem as me with not being able to use his general pair for screen use over a long period.  I'm too tight to pay for two pairs of varifocal glasses though!  Mine cost about £330 from a local opticians, I think the likes of Specsavers would have been cheaper.

[rafletcher]

As per Nick. You do sometimes have to tilt your head a bit, but not a lot, when working on a screen but good positioning offsets that. I have shallow lenses, something like 22mm, so not much tilt required to change zones, which helps a lot. Cost varies a lot of course, but I think my last two pairs - one spare, one on - were £500 in total from Specsavers. That’s for short sight, slight astigmatism, medium quality plastic lenses, no tint or filter other than anti-glare. I’ve worn them for 10+ years, ever since I found multifocal contacts were no good for me. I work 60-70% of my time on screens what with email, pdf docs etc. etc.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Adding the filter bumps the cost up a lot, and I need very specific lenses for my prescription.

Only a few opticians offer the filter option and, funnily enough, they happen to be the most money-gouging ones.

[Pingu]

I've had varifocals for several years and got on really well with them. My prescription isn't very 'strong' though. I have heard that some people don't like them at all, but I'm not sure of the reasons why.

[SteveC]

The only problems I've had with varifocals are coming down the stairs at work too quickly (solution - slow down!) and one pair of sunglasses where the alignment was wrong, so I couldn't focus through both eyes simultaneously. I should have done something about the latter, but it was far too late by the time I realised.

[CAMRAMan]

I have the Specsavers' medium option; i.e. not the cheapest, but mid-range. I used to have the next step up, but didn't get an NHS voucher last time, so had to drop down a notch.

The drop makes a significant difference. The focal 'sweet spot' on my current pair is a lot smaller, so I have to move my head more nowadays to focus. I will bite the bullet next time and pay the extra. It's only another £30 IIRC.

[Paul H]

I like mine and couldn't be doing with the faff of several pairs of glasses, they took a few weeks to get used to and then I just forgot about them.  If you've just started needing a prescription that would benefit from varifocals, be aware that the deterioration of that part of your vision is likely to be ongoing (presbyopia?)
This was my experience, my first pair of varifocals lasted a year, 2nd three years and I'm on my third pair which are five years old and will probably need changing at my next visit.  My single  vision prescription hasn't changed much in thirty years.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I really need something. ATM, say if I need to work on a bike, or do any DIY, I have to put on my computer glasses, just so I can see if an allen key or screwdriver fits. Then if I want to read the size on a drillbit, or look at how something is fitting together, I have to take glasses off and stick my face 4-5" away from the object.

At work, if I'm in a meeting room I need computer glasses to look at a notepad or my computer, then to see a whiteboard/screen I have to switch glasses. It's annoying and embarrassing.

Might try online opticians.
Vision express nameless brand £ 280
Online Essilor Premium lenses £100

That's lenses only

[Vince]

I got mine from the ASDA optician - £70.
They are good for cycling, for the first time I am able to see the GPS; but useless for working on the PC as I need to be lying on my back in order to get the right part of the lens to focus on the screen.

[andytheflyer]

I've worn them for years, but they are not a solution to all problems.  You do get used to them, but they do have drawbacks, and maybe only personal circumstances will dictate if varifocals or two or 3 pairs of 'ordinary' glasses would be better.

FWIW, I find using a screen, watching TV, driving etc. is fine.  But sometimes close work in building my model aeroplanes, or doing something fiddly overhead (like wiring a ceiling light) and the varifocals are all wrong - you are just looking out of the wrong part of the lens.

Similarly, riding a recumbent is out, because in looking down your nose into the distance the road is out of focus - so I wear either distance glasses or none at all (except safety glasses) on the recumbent.  But you have to take your varifocals with you to read the cake menu......

And finally, I find reading music can be difficult out at the edges of the page, and sometimes turning your head (I play the sax) is not so easy as you can upset your mouth position.  I need to see the optician about a different design for reading music. 

IIRC I paid about £200 at Specsavers  for mine, including a 'free' pair of distance sunglasses (good on the recumbent when we get a sunny day......)

[ScumOfTheRoad]

Mrcharly, I work as a computer systems engineer. Several years ago, like you, I found that my normal distance glasses were not able to be used when I was working at my desk on a terminal.
I was taking the glasses off and either peering at the screen or putting simple reading glasses on.
I got varifocals and they transformed my life.  My varifocals were very carefully measured by Boots optician, and I have never had problems with them. They align the lenses with the centre of your eye - so you really do have to get a god optician to fit them.

Mine are very narrow rimless lenses, with titanium legs and fittings. Very nice - and I was surprised that you could get varifocals in glasses which do not look like milk bottle bottoms.

One thing they did tell me though - there is a classic injury of new varifocal users who trip on the stairs. SO make sure to always look down on the stairs!
Seriosuly though - go for it. You will be glad of the varifocals.

[hellymedic]

I've had varifocals for years and usually end up shelling out around £400 for cheapest possible frame + antiglare coating. I'm not sure if I had high-index, lightweight lenses last time.
I am moderately myopic and astigmatic.
The optical 'sweet spots' are small, both horizontally and vertically and constant head movement can be a pain in the neck.

I am mostly wearing my 4 year old specs, which under-correct the extremes of both close and distant vision but are comfortable for computer use and round the house.

I think you need to consider precisely what you'll be doing with every pair of specs you buy. Single vision lenses are relatively cheap and have a much better vertical sharp focus zone. David has 'keyboard specs' for piano and computer and 'distance specs' for outdoors. He goes without specs for reading.

BIG lenses are unfashionable at present but the vertical pitch they offer for varifocals is very useful. The chap I know with the largest spectacle lenses is the son of an optician who has hoarded large spectacle frames for this reason. He is known to many members of yacf.

[Mrs Pingu]

I'm going to have to make this decision in the near future too.
Unfortunately I already pay a small fortune for single vision specs because I am a very myopic git and have the 2nd best high index lenses with a photochromatic tint to deal with the Furrybootoon Grey Glare of Doom. I also choose small frames to cut down the depth of the edge of the lens. All of which I can see adding up to pain and $lots. Fortunately I have a very good optician so I hope she will be of help.

[Mr Larrington]

I couldn't get on with varifocals at all.  Never seemed to have the right bit of lens in the right place for the job at hand, so I'm now back on two separate pairs.

[De Sisti]

I couldn't get on with varifocals at all.  Never seemed to have the right bit of lens in the right place for the job at hand, so I'm now back on two separate pairs.

Me too. I am tempted by bi-focals though.

[rafletcher]

Conversely I had no problems at all with varifocals, not even falling on the stairs.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Been re-tested today, ordered lenses and frames
£280 for frames
£300 for lenses (zeiss premium thin with drivesafe)

this being a speccy-four-eyes is expensive

Here is the really irritating bit. Boots, and other opticians, have ceased offering the 'blue filter' coating. The reason given is that the benefits are being disputed.
Those of us who have light sensitivity really feel the benefits - the person serving me said she uses glasses with the coating and it helps her cope with the (bloody awful) fluoro lights in the opticians. But some jerk has decided that the blue coating benefits are disputed and maybe not worth the cost - so they've pulled the offering.

'drivesafe' is the nearest I can get to it, but it isn't quite the same.

[rafletcher]

Those frames are extortiate.

[mrcharly-YHT]

They all are, these days.
There does seem to be a difference between the cheap ones and expensive ones - I have both atm, the cheap ones are years 'younger' than the others and are in crap condition.

[hellymedic]

I buy cheap frames because I am not vain and don't see the point of reglazing specs for a change in prescription.
Last year's specs are good, workable spares. Loose lenses are useless.

I put good lenses into cheap frames so I can see as well as possible.

[Kim]

Here is the really irritating bit. Boots, and other opticians, have ceased offering the 'blue filter' coating. The reason given is that the benefits are being disputed.
Those of us who have light sensitivity really feel the benefits - the person serving me said she uses glasses with the coating and it helps her cope with the (bloody awful) fluoro lights in the opticians. But some jerk has decided that the blue coating benefits are disputed and maybe not worth the cost - so they've pulled the offering.

'drivesafe' is the nearest I can get to it, but it isn't quite the same.

How about the Cerium tints?  https://ceriumvistech.com/precision-tinted-lenses/

Prices from BloodyHellHowMuch, obviously, but you may find a colour that works better for you than the 'blue filter' tint.