Author Topic: Eye test and varifocals (Read 5223 times)

Auntie Helen · « **on:** 20 July, 2018, 08:41:52 pm »

Yes, I have identified that I now need varifocals (I am 47).

Living in Germany, such things are stupidly expensive. My partner Klaus's varifocals were 600 EUR and he said they could easily have been a four figure sum if he went to a 'proper' optician (he went to a Specsavers/Vision Express equivalent in Germany). The German opticians don't do anything except fit glasses - they don't do glaucoma tests, look into your eyes for tumours etc.

I am in the UK from a Wednesday to a Sunday in September and wondered about going to a Vision Express or Specsavers to see if I could get glasses made up in that time. Does anyone know if that is possible? Both their websites don't say anything about how long the glasses take and don't seem to give you an option to ask them a question.

I only need them for driving/cycling/watching television so am not too fussed about quality. But I don't want to spend 600 EUR on something that appears to be under 100 GBP in the UK.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 July, 2018, 08:43:54 pm »

Last time Jan and I went to the opticians IIRC we didn't get any change out of £1k. That was a pair of varifocals for me and two pairs of glasses for her (everyday usel/reading).

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 July, 2018, 08:48:04 pm »

I paid about £250 ish last week and my lenses are usually expensive because I have a strong prescription so I usually go for the 2nd thinnest lenses available and I have Transitions lenses. I was expecting them to be more expensive. (The frames were only about 60 quid tho).

L CC · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 July, 2018, 08:50:58 pm »

I paid less than £50 for my glasses. (+5.5; astigmatisms) I think it was going to be another 50 if I opted for varifocals.
I get free eye tests (I have a glaucoma precursor) and ordered the specs online. I mostly wear contacts so not having designer frames doesn't bother me. The NHS pays for the health part, I don't feel the need to pay more for having them fitted by a pro.

andytheflyer · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 July, 2018, 08:51:08 pm »

I've got Specsavers varifocals - IIRC they were about £250, with a free pair of distance sunglasses for driving. Took a couple of weeks to be made up though and they want to fit them.

hellymedic · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 July, 2018, 09:02:55 pm »

I think Varifocals take a at least a week to be made up almost anywhere and are never cheap.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 July, 2018, 09:08:54 pm »

Maybe the German price is not so extortionate then!

Seems like the time delay means I shall have to try for them here. Or maybe plain bifocals.

fuaran · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 July, 2018, 09:18:49 pm »

All of the high street opticians are ridiculously overpriced. Just buy some online for £100.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 July, 2018, 08:57:49 am »

Both my distance and reading specs are being reglazed ATM; Nice Lady at the opticians said 7-10 working days is the norm.

CAMRAMan · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 July, 2018, 09:32:49 am »

Specsavers have 4 grades of varifocals IIRC. The basic is, well, basic, so don't bother. The next step up is slightly better, inasmuch as the field of focus is wider, so you don't need to move your head around as much. The next step up gives even greater field of focus. I went from this grade to the lower one and regret it. It's worth the money. The highest grade, and expensive, is one custom-made to your vision. That's probably worth having if you drive a lot or have a job where eyesight is heavily used. I have had three pairs now and had to wait two weeks every time.

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 July, 2018, 09:48:11 am »

My last two pairs of varifocals have been from glassesdirect.co.uk. I went for their priciest option and it was £170 fours years ago and £200 last year. High street optician wanted over £500 . All you have to do is send your latest prescription and pupil distance and they send the glasses within a couple of weeks. They are much better quality too.

woollypigs · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 July, 2018, 10:36:57 am »

Peli went to a high street place got a free test (we got send an offer in the post), had to get certain number that she had to paid for - under £20 - as they don't give that out unless you get the glasses there.

Also got some frames on offer from there. Not sure of her need but I know she is nearly blind as a bat when not wearing them, -6 or -7 I think is the numbers thrown around.

Then she went to optilaps (https://www.optilabs.com/) for frames for cycling and Ciliary blue lenses (https://www.reglaze-glasses-direct.com/)

I don't know the final cost but there was clearly a saving, compared to a high street shop. Optilabs were darn fast in their service as we got the glasses back before we had paid, the plan was we send down the frames, the figure out the cost, call us for payment, fit lenses, post frames/glasses back

jsabine · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 July, 2018, 12:55:47 pm »

I've had good service from Goggles4u for single vision specs (decent quality, yet cheap enough to be disposable, albeit they're probably assembled by Pakistani seven year olds), but I think I'd be a little wary of buying varifocals online, at any rate my first pair.

AIUI, there are a lot more ways to get the fit wrong than with single vision lenses, and an optician standing in front of you is more likely to be able to work them out than one who's at the other end of the internet. (Of course, you should feel free to weight this opinion according to the number of varifocals I've bought or chosen, which is zero.)

hellymedic · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 July, 2018, 03:29:46 pm »

I have worn varifocals for around 10 years and would agree with what jsabine has just posted.

As I understand it, the lenses have three zones vertically and three sweet spots laterally. These have to align accurately with your eyes. If they don't, things don't look properly sharp; they're better than no specs but not really crisp, which you'll need for cinemas etc.

Getting these things right is a dark art but I'd prefer a Real Human to set this up.

I'd also suggest getting cheap, single focus lenses for gallery and cinema use.

Wombat · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 July, 2018, 04:11:58 pm »

Quote from: fuaran on 20 July, 2018, 09:18:49 pm

All of the high street opticians are ridiculously overpriced. Just buy some online for £100.

There speaks a person with a simple prescription. If I took my prescription into Specsavers or Vision Express, they'd just look puzzled, or tell me they couldn't do it (yes, I have tried). Some of us have no choice but to go to a "proper" optometrist. About £600 for me, with inexpensive frames.

perpetual dan · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 July, 2018, 10:31:21 pm »

My 2p.
If you know your prescription could you get a UK high street shop to make up some glasses to be fitted when you visit, and get an eye test for the other checks while you're there? Maybe there's too much face measuring needed.
Vision Express used to do a certain amount of in the shop building, but maybe only simpler stuff. Not sure what they could do with advance warning.
Also, give it a few days before driving / cycling in them. Varifocals, even not the cheapest, are a bit weird at first.

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

Canardly · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 July, 2018, 11:02:12 pm »

Dare I say that the whole point of being a citizen of the EU is that you can purchase goods and services across the board. We have heard elsewhere that Asda provide a really competitive offering for specs. This may be worth pursuing for varifocals and the cost difference pay for the trip/visit. Incidentally have worn them for years and they do not take that much getting used to.

hellymedic · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 July, 2018, 11:18:29 pm »

Different folk take differently to varifocals, some finding it easy, some find it impossible.

There are so many variables that generalising is unwise.

The lenses are vastly more complex than simple single vision jobs and can't just be plucked from a stack of stock items.

sojournermike · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 July, 2018, 11:36:30 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 21 July, 2018, 11:18:29 pm

Different folk take differently to varifocals, some finding it easy, some find it impossible.

There are so many variables that generalising is unwise.

The lenses are vastly more complex than simple single vision jobs and can't just be plucked from a stack of stock items.

This.

I’ve just got a pair of Nikon high index varifocals at 400 ish including a mid price frame. My base distance prescription is -9 in my leftveye and about -10 or a bit more in the right with a further -0.75 cyl. The right deteriorated (sphere) after my retinal detachment op - apparently that’s what happens.

At the prescription I’m already sensitive to centers and vf’s are more critical.

hellymedic · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 July, 2018, 12:17:45 am »

The higher your prescription, the more critical accurate centring becomes as distortion is proportional to the cube of the power of the lens...

Poly Hive · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 July, 2018, 09:02:45 am »

I bought mine from ASDA for £120 for two pairs. It is a very good eye test so it may pay you to phone round the various outlets mentioned above and see what a prescription to take away might cost. Bear in mind that the fitting of these glasses is very important and really not a DIY job.

PH

Cunobelin · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 July, 2018, 08:37:07 pm »

The real key is the prescription and the measured distances of the eye

Once you have these then you can go where you like for the lenses

hellymedic · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 July, 2018, 08:59:36 pm »

The distance between the pupils will reduce as the eyes converge for near vision.
Well-made specs will allow for this.
I'm not sure I'd be happy to leave getting this right to a website.

Jurek · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 July, 2018, 09:03:25 pm »

^
This, in spades.

Kim · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 July, 2018, 09:05:38 pm »

It's entirely possible to cock the usual assumptions up by positioning your eyes asymmetrically wrt your nose. If your face is such, it's best to stick to real optiquacks, preferably ones that give a fuck. (Friend of mine spent a lot on not-quite-right glasses before he worked that one out.)

Author Topic: Eye test and varifocals (Read 5223 times)

Tail End Charlie