# Do vari focal glasses really get easier?



## Anonymous (30 Dec 2006)

I collected a pair of vari focal glasses earlier this week. If theres anyone else has them, do they really get any easier to see with after a while? At the moment I get weird distortions, like what Otto off the simpsons would see when he's been taking pills :roll: :lol:


----------



## NickWelford (30 Dec 2006)

Mine have been perfect from day 1. My wife, on the other hand, had a lot of problems - it was down to fitting, position of the various focal lengths within the lens and its position vis a vis the eye. The plane of the lens against the eye was also critical. Took a few return trips to the optician to sort her out.
I think the fact that she has a much smaller spectacle lens doesn't help.


----------



## Blister (30 Dec 2006)

Hi , My dad has a pair , the problem he had was looking through the joint between the 2 lenses , best advice is to look through the top part for normal use , and look well down for reading , DON'T look in-between of as you say 

You get " Far out man " symptoms 

:lol:


----------



## Knot Competent (30 Dec 2006)

I collected my first pair of trifocal varifocals about three months ago, Jonathan, and I found I got used to them fairly quickly. But you learn to not swivel your eyes so much, and turn your head a bit more. I sometimes get exasperated when I'm trying to read something - nod my head up and down trying to find the right bit to look through, then give up and take them off. Then a bit later I'm in a panic, running around the house trying to find my specs, which isn't always easy! So I have to go to where my spare pair are, so that I can find the originals.

I'm sure you'll get used to them in time, and find them better than two pairs, which doubles the chance of loosing them!

Regards, John

PS I think my avatar has died!


----------



## ike (30 Dec 2006)

In most cases yes. Adapting to them can take from as little as a couple of hours to a week or more. The choice of varifocal lens technology can also influence the adaptation time. I have Essilor Panamic. They cost a helluva lot but I fully adapted in a couple of hours. My advice to anyone considering varifocals is don't choose on price alone, Panamics and similar top end lens are IMO worth the extra, and they are easier to adapt to than 'normal' varifocals.



Ike


----------



## Nigel (30 Dec 2006)

I have had varifocals now for over 3 years and would not like to go back to Bi focal 
They do take time to adjust to but so did my first Bi focals 

There is a down side with varifocals in looking along a length of wood it can sometimes look bent depending on the length but again something you get used to and are aware of

Nigel


----------



## Scrit (30 Dec 2006)

Yes, although you do tend to look a bit like a nodding donkey to start with! After a while you'll even accommodate the distortions at certain angles

Scrit


----------



## Shadowfax (30 Dec 2006)

If your lenses are made to the correct specifications and they are correctly fitted you will get used to them quickly. It sounds to me as though they are in need of adjustment on your face. Adjustment is crucial because the area your eyes are looking through is much smaller than on other lenses and if they are not in the exact position required you will struggle. I have had varifocals for years and I would never consider anything else. 
But they must be correctly adjusted - I can't stress this enough!
You will get there but you might need help from your optician. It will be worth it, though!

SF


----------



## Anonymous (30 Dec 2006)

Thanks for the reasuring replies 8) 
I wasnt seeing things from the funny farm after all :lol: :lol: 
I find to read I have to look only just above the bottom of the lens, its a bit un natural at the mo but hopefully I'll adjust. It reminds me of that experiment where they put a periscope over someones head and at first (obviously) everything was up side down, but after a while his brain acomodated and let him see right way up like his brain waves man did like a 180 degree flip man...... :roll: :shock: :lol: But when they took the periscope off he saw everything up side down, until his brain (poor confused thing by then I expect) adjusted back again


----------



## ByronBlack (30 Dec 2006)

Mr Spanton - this is my expertise, I make these lenses and fit them for a living. Sounds to me like the 'heights' need looking at. If you take them back to where you got them from, and get them to 'mark them up' using the semi-transparent engravings (you can see them if you hold them up to the light, you'll see the reading addition on the temple side and the lens identifier on the nasel side).

Once these are marked up, the person helping you should then be able to correctly adjust the frame so that the 'fitting cross' is sitting equal to your pupil.

The other thing you should ask for is for them to check or adjust the 'pantascopic tilt' to ensure your getting the best view of the lens.

The other main tip is to try and behave like a cyberman, i.e. keep you head and eye's straight and move you neck if you need to look to the sides, this helps train the eye's to the graduation of the lens.

If you look too far out of centre, you enter a 'soft-focus' area of the lens hence you'll get giddy vision.

Brand's of lenses is an oftern used tool by retailer to part with your cash. Essilor brand of lenses are no better than many other so called 'budget' leneses.

As an example, where I'm currently working and soon to be departing, we use Essilor compatible lenses by a company called BBGR, these are called Selective and Evolis and are very similar to the Essilor Panamic and Comfort range, only a lot cheaper, and you'll be surprised how many people prefer these to Essilor.

Also, we do a very cheap range of lenses by Hoya, called a GP 1.50 - quite a crude design, but very often first time wearers prefer these to the newer supposedly higher spec Essilor designs.

It all comes to down the fitting, and i'm afraid to say that about 90% of the people working in high-street opticians aren't qualified or experienced enough to dispence varifocals. If any of you are buying varifocals, or even hi-index single vision lenses, ALWAYS ask for a DO (Dispensing Optician) to do your fitting and frame choice, these guy's/gals will know what they are doing, unlike an Optical Retailer/Assistant who has only been shown on the job.

Rant over 

Any other optical questions, i'll be glad to advise!


----------



## Paul Chapman (31 Dec 2006)

I wear varifocals (about 6 years now) and wouldn't go back to bifocals. In my experience it can take up to a month to fully get used to them, but stick with it - it will get better and the head nodding eventually becomes less pronounced :lol: 

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## Paul Barrett (31 Dec 2006)

Paul Chapman":3gz9kl85 said:


> I wear varifocals (about 6 years now) and wouldn't go back to bifocals. In my experience it can take up to a month to fully get used to them, but stick with it - it will get better and the head nodding eventually becomes less pronounced :lol:
> 
> Cheers :wink:
> 
> Paul



I agree with this 100% - my experience exactly

Paul


----------



## Woody Alan (31 Dec 2006)

Hi

Just to support Byrons knowledge. My mum has worn varifocals for years and had a new set made with a new frame. She had all sorts of problems tripping up etc. She went back and "someone" adjusted them to "fit" and they were all bent out of shape nose piece overflared etc. She went back again and saw the "right" man and he said straight away the lenses had been made wrong they made new ones and she was right as rain, so yes your lenses may take some getting used to, also they could be adjusted wrong, but they could just be plain wrong, maybe?

Cheers Alan


----------



## promhandicam (31 Dec 2006)

Hi, I'm Steve's wife and I paid over £500 for my first pair of varifocals, but just can not adjust to them. Because we live overseas and they were made in the UK it has been hard to sort them out. They were completely remade in the summer and I went back for two readjustments afterwards, but still can't get used to them. Does it have anything to do with the fact that I normally wear contact lens? Should I abandon the lenses for a few weeks and only wear the glasses? I sat in the plane for five hours on the way out trying to find someway of holding my book and reading. (it was when the airlines banned liquids so I couldn't wear my lens then) and in the end took them off completely. Now I tend to read with my lenses in and reading glasses, or in bed at night with no glasses but wake up with a headache.
Any suggestions?
Elizabeht


----------



## Argee (31 Dec 2006)

We had a discussion about this in mid-February, 2006, which you'll find *here* - hope it helps.

Ray.


----------



## Anonymous (31 Dec 2006)

Thanks again for all the replies 8) 
Byron, just as an afterthought there, when they gave me the glasses the assistant _insisted_ they needed to drop down a bit and bent the nose support things to allow that, but I'm not so sure. If I push them up a few mil its a lot better for reading without looking "snooty" (down my nose) :lol: :lol: But I will give it some time and if it doesnt settle satisfactorily then I'll go back to stowmarket spec saver's and ask to see the DO. The lens's were the most expensive of their range of 3 types (FWIW) :roll: 8) :lol: 
cheers Jonathan


----------



## scroller frank (31 Dec 2006)

Hi All,
I am now on my 3rd pair of vari's (from specsavers) and all 3 pairs have been" bang on" first time,  with the first pair they told me to try them, and go back , but there was no need .
difficult bits !,include ,laying back in a chair and then watching t.v.  
and looking up or down when working a fork lift truck!!!!
(you can always tell if a fork truck driver is wearing varifocals )LoL

--------------HAPPY NEW YEAR-------- to you all-------------Frank-----


----------



## Anonymous (3 Jan 2007)

mr spanton":2zdiqe8h said:


> I collected a pair of vari focal glasses earlier this week. If theres anyone else has them, do they really get any easier to see with after a while? At the moment I get weird distortions, like what Otto off the simpsons would see when he's been taking pills :roll: :lol:




Been wearing them for about 4 months now and yes, I got used to them in 2 days (over the weekend).
I don't even notice the things I found at first such as the distortion as one moves ones head form side to side.

I live in a new world since buying these glasses and do not miss the swap between normal and reading glasses


----------



## Anonymous (3 Jan 2007)

Well they've been in service almost a week now and they do now feel quite normal. Like my brain caught up with the lenses :lol: :lol: 
I had considered getting a pair for reading, and a pair for driving etc but remembered my Dad how he'd say just a minute while I get me reading glasses... all the messing about choopping and changing persuaded me to go varifocal. Actually they are the most comfortable glasses I've ever had. Glad I went to specsaver's :wink:


----------



## Anonymous (3 Jan 2007)

Well they've been in service almost a week now and they do now feel quite normal. Like my brain caught up with the lenses :lol: :lol: 
I had considered getting a pair for reading, and a pair for driving etc but remembered my Dad how he'd say just a minute while I get me reading glasses... all the messing about choopping and changing persuaded me to go varifocal. Actually they are the most comfortable glasses I've ever had. Glad I went to specsaver's :wink:


----------



## Jake (3 Jan 2007)

You might be OK, but I'm seeing double.


----------



## woodbloke (4 Jan 2007)

I'm on my second pair of varifocals from Specsavers and have been mightily chuffed with them, tho' now I find that for really close work at the bench its better to take them off - I seem to have much clearer vision about 300mm distance from the worktop. If I keep them on everything becomes a little bit blurred for close work. Only down side is that they can't be fitted with Reactolite lenses (or so I was told a couple of years ago) so you need an extra pair of sunglasses but things may have changed since then - Rob


----------



## ByronBlack (4 Jan 2007)

Woodbloke.

Varifocals are available in 'reactalite' - which is a brand name by the way  They are also referred to as Transitions, photochromic etc..

Basically all the major brands of varifocals offer a reactalite option, and are usually available in either brown or grey (brown is better btw, it helps filter red-light and UV more efficiently than grey).

Another inside tip. The cost of a pair of standard varifocals to the opticians are between £10 to £40, so shop around, Vision Express and Optical Express are probably one of the most expensive, Specsavers are one of hte cheapest but I don't know what they charge for the more established brands.

But also don't rule out on-line opticians. I've personally bought a number of pairs from this websites even though i'm in the industry because they are that cheap and use exactly the same lenses as I work with every day.

Specs on the Net is a good one to get you started.


----------



## woodbloke (4 Jan 2007)

Things have come on a bit then...when I bought mine a couple of years ago I enquired at Specsavers and was told photochromic lenses were not available with varifocals, which was a bit of a pain as I always had this type of lens in my old glasses. Next time I need a new pair of varifocals I'll make further enquiries and look around for someone else to make up the prescription as you advise - Rob


----------



## DomValente (4 Jan 2007)

Yes they do become easier,at least for me.
After taking advice on this forum I purchased a pair a couple of months ago and now only need one pair instead of three(driving,middle distance and reading-close work) 
Best use in the workshop, where if you put your reading glasses on the bench and then place(or in my case drop) an twelve foot length of 2 by 8 oak on them, they don't work no more.


----------



## Con Owen (4 Jan 2007)

Hi
I have been wearing varifocal lenses for approx 4 years. From day 1 they have been superb, have not had any problems, would not go back to bi-focal. As others have said frame selection and fitting is very important. In my case I have my eyes tested by the optometrists, but use an optical engineer who supplies and fit the spectacles, perhaps this is why I have not had any problems. My wife had problems from day 1 with hers (she purchased in Cyprus) eventually got used to them after a fashion. When it came to replacement she went to the same route as I had. When the guy saw her existing specs and frames he said they were totally the wrong frames for the varifocal lenses supplied. He made the new specs and fitted them, result no problems whatever, she was use to them within a week or so. Don't give up, as Byron said make sure you have the right person doing the supply and fit.
Cheers Con


----------



## devonwoody (4 Jan 2007)

Oddly enough this is the subject that I am involved with in Australia (on a voluntry basis).
The research institute in Sydney are doing practical tests and statistics on people over 65 who have fallen in the past 12 months and all citizens over 80 years of age whether using glasses or have or have not fallen recently.
All patients have the option to attend or not has they wish.


----------

