# Anyone had experience of varifocal glasses?



## morrisminordriver (17 Feb 2006)

Ive been wearing glasses for nearly 40 years and have just had to change from "ordinary" lenses to varifocals.
Im really struggling with the change, Ive heard it takes about 4 weeks to adjust but has anyone here had either good or bad experiences with them?.
Regards DMM ( :wink: )


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## scroller frank (18 Feb 2006)

Hi MMD

,I have been wearing my varifocals for about four years now ,
never had a problem with them, were ok from the start,  
the optician did say that it could take while to get usedto them,
but i put them on in the shop ,and only take them off to sleep! :!: 

hope you get them sorted ok , i wouldn't wear any thing else now.!!!!!!!!
all the best ---Scroller Frank----------


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## Paul Chapman (18 Feb 2006)

Hi MMD,

I've had varifocals for several years now and wouldn't go back to bi-focals. However, it took me about a month to get fully used to them. Probably something to do with getting used to which part of the lens to look through - with bi-focals there is no problem because there is a clear distinction between the reading and long distance part of the lenses. But when you get used to them the varifocals are so much better - for one thing you can focus better on close-up, long distance and in-between, which you can't do with bi-focals because they just give you close-up and long distance.

Stay with it  

Paul


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## devonwoody (18 Feb 2006)

You should not have any problem with your varifocals after a running in period. Just watch out for items near your feet when you are looking ahead, difficult but necessary. Also if reclined in a reclining chair and watching TV your eyes might go astray and view through the wrong section.


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## woodshavings (18 Feb 2006)

Hi MM,
It does take a while to get used to Varifocals but if you are having difficulty you should check back with your optician.
It could be that the prescription was wrong or were manufactured incorrectly - the centre point of the lens must align with the centre of your eye - get the optician to check this for you.
I have worn them for many years and apart from one incidence of poor manufacture, they have been great.
John


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## Argee (18 Feb 2006)

I had some initial weirdness with my varifocals, which lasted a day or two, but I wouldn't go back. There are some small differences, such has needing to move your head instead of your eyes to get the full effect, but you'll soon acclimatise to this. Stick with it - it'll be worth it! 

Ray.


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## Greenfield Bob (18 Feb 2006)

I have been wearing them for over 10 years and I would never go back to bifocals.
I had one pair that didn't work but they gave me another pair and that fixed it.

Bob


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## aldel (18 Feb 2006)

I wear varifocals with no problems now however I did have trouble with my first pair. I discovered what the problem was though.
The first pair were from one of the cheap high street opticians, you know the one that begin with 's'. If I didn't turn my head like a robot then close reading was a problem. The less expensive the lenses then the smaller the reading part is. Better quality and of course more expensive lenses will have a wider focussing area. Make sure you specify this when ordering.

Aldel


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## MixedHerbs (18 Feb 2006)

I used vari-focals for a while. A bit weird to start with. However, I program computers all day and would recommend that anyone doing a similar job should buy a dedicated pair of reading glasses aswell.

Regards, Peter.


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## Woody Alan (18 Feb 2006)

My mum has had varifocals for years and then bought a new pair of frames and started having tripping over problems, she went back to the opticians and saw a different optician and he said they weren't right for her, not sure what was wrong exactly but I guess it was the point of transition in the lens was at the wrong point lining up with the eye, and she had them remade and is right as rain again. As woodshavings suggests they can be difficult to adjust to or perhaps something is not quite right, if you've not had them before how do you compare?

Cheers Alan


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## Losos (19 Feb 2006)

MMD - As everyone has said, stick with it they are worth the effort 'tho a certain amount of brain reconditioning is required, e.g. moving the head to change from near to far etc. This comes automatically after a few weeks. 

Having said that, I am considering a dedicated pair of reading glasses since my eyes have reached the stage where it's a little tricky for a varifocus to cover the full vision range without looking like a magnify glass


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## martyn2 (20 Feb 2006)

i have had them for about 4 years and at first i hated them :twisted: but now i find them usefull and have also got them in sun glasses sick with them  

martyn


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## dedee (20 Feb 2006)

I've been wearing glasses for 38 years, short sighted enough to get free prescriptions, and varifocals for about 1 year now. Took 2 or 3 days to get used to them.
What problems are you having?

Andy


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## morrisminordriver (20 Feb 2006)

Thanks everyone for your replies - it looks like perserverance is required.

My problem is really getting used to have to move my head when looking from siude to side - otherwise Im looking through the wrong part of the lens and the image is blurred. Im wondering why the sides of the upper lens arent the same prescription as the straight ahead part (if that makes sense).

The same goes for using the PC, I now have to bow my head slightly otherwise Im looking through the reading part of the specs. I'd got used to reading books m/ mags at 3/4 arms length whereas I can now read them more closely so thats a plus.

If I get a chance to get down the shed, I'll checkout how they work for WWing.

Thanks again.

MMD.


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## ike (21 Feb 2006)

> Im wondering why the sides of the upper lens arent the same prescription as the straight ahead part (if that makes sense).



Varifocal lenses blend 3 focal lengths for distance, mid field and near field vision. The overall surface geometry has to blend these three focal lengths as best as possible. It is always a compromise. As a result the width of view is roughly an 'hourglass' shape, so peripheral vision is always more restricted in midfield. 

Where varifocals vary is the best ones (and most expensive) give a wider field of view for distance and reading. I use Varilux Panamic lens. The technology is grounded in research on the visual cortex and spatial awareness. They are good in that one "perceives" pretty much everything in focus, but in fact the brain is being 'tricked' a bit. Although I 'see' peripheral things or events, they don't always seem to register in my brain. Very clever stuff. But I still have to do my Churchill dog impression sometimes when looking for that tool I just put down!

Ike


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## Keystone (21 Feb 2006)

Took me a second or two to realize what you folks were talking about! :lol: They are called Progressive Lens here. I need prism added to my RX. For reason I don't understand my eyes just won't tollerate this type of lens. I had to go to the lined bifocal. Lot easier on my eyes.


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