Varifocals...

jds

jds

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Location
Woburn Sands, Bucks
... the time has come for me to move from single vision lenses to varifocals. Any observations on what I should look whilst making my choice?
Has anyone used online opticians at all. I like the idea, but also reluctant as if my lenses aren't working for me I am much happier if I have a person I can go back to...

Decisions, decisions..
 
I got my first pair of Varifocals back in the summer. I must admit they took a bit of getting use to, having previously having two pairs, one for distance and the other reading.

Initially the problem was with a single vision lens you have all round the glasses vision, so at any angle they operate for what ever your using them for. Varifocals obviously have a top, middle and bottom. It does how ever soon come as second nature to use the correct segment. I found driving about the worse at first and reverted to my old glasses for driving until I got use to them.

I ordered mine on line and apart from getting use to them I haven't had any other problems. Ordering in line I must of saved around £200. I have a pair of RayBan Wayfarers with photosensitive lenses and I'm very pleased with them. Obviously the biggest issue is trying frames on. Having a pair of Wayfarer sunglasses made it easy for me to choose them.

I wouldn't turn back now, I have reading, distance and sunglasses all in one, no second pair to lug around and no swapping glasses.
 
I bought my last pair of glasses from 'fashion eyewear', they were Raybans too (RB7014). I had tried some on in Vision Express so knew exacly the size I wanted. Service was good and price probably saved me about 35-40%.

Back to your original point about varifocals, last few months have found me having to take my glasses off to read and write more comfortably. I think in the new year I will need to get proper sorted out with all in ones. Damn you old(er) age. Either that or the nun's warning about self-abuse is finally coming true.

Pun intended.
 
Northam Saint said:
I got my first pair of Varifocals back in the summer. I must admit they took a bit of getting use to, having previously having two pairs, one for distance and the other reading.

Initially the problem was with a single vision lens you have all round the glasses vision, so at any angle they operate for what ever your using them for. Varifocals obviously have a top, middle and bottom. It does how ever soon come as second nature to use the correct segment. I found driving about the worse at first and reverted to my old glasses for driving until I got use to them.

I ordered mine on line and apart from getting use to them I haven't had any other problems. Ordering in line I must of saved around £200. I have a pair of RayBan Wayfarers with photosensitive lenses and I'm very pleased with them. Obviously the biggest issue is trying frames on. Having a pair of Wayfarer sunglasses made it easy for me to choose them.

I wouldn't turn back now, I have reading, distance and sunglasses all in one, no second pair to lug around and no swapping glasses.
Click to expand...
Who did you order from. I'm looking at a pair of Dolce & Gabbana frames that I saw in Boots Opticians, but don't seem to be widely available.
 
Been using Varifocals for several years. Couldn't go back to single vision now. I have a Specsavers branch nearby, as well as Boots, and several independants. Have used Boots and independents and Specsavers. Am currently happy with SS but admittedlly not everyone likes them...I believe they're a franchise run operation so it perhaps depends on the individual management. I'm very happy with them.

Lots of things to think about though. I find S.Savers useful because if you get a pair of specs that you don't get on with they give you a month to change your mind and will exchange for something else or refund...and in my case they stuck to their promise and did refund £40 when I changed from one type of lens to another. They adjust or clean or repair specs during ownership....so I'm pretty happy with them.

They give you a "voucher" for 50% off an additional pair of glasses within 6 months and it sounds like a waste of time, mickey mouse type voucher BUT it does actually work well and you do get any additional specs half price. (ie reading glasses or computer glasses). Varifocals are OK but you MIGHT find you still want reading glasses made up due to the fact that the reading part of varifocals is, of course, limited and it's more relaxing to read with prescription readers. Ditto the computer.

Of course, with the prices of these things they make a huge profit on the actual hardware and they must pay very little for the actual materials...hence they can afford to replace/exchange/ repair stuff at little cost to them - but they have a lot of overheads of course and there's always plenty of staff in my local branch and you don't ned appointments for most stuff (eyesight tests excepted).

I usually use their ELITE varifocal but this time went for the top of the range Tailor Made type. I didn't find the Tailor Made to be any better than ELITE so they refunded the extra money I paid for them....I actually used the refund to buy a pair of (intermediate) single vision glasses for the computer. In the case of the computer specs they made a pair up but I found it needed to be a slightly less strong prescription so they immediately took them back and made up some weaker ones...no problem and no suggestion of any additional money required.

But you do need to allow time to get used to them...without doubt your brain does adjust to them...despite initial uncertainties that you WILL have when you first use them. And they're not cheap! The other thing you might consider is whether to have Transition/Reaction/Photochromic lenses that go light and dark depending on the ultra violet light. The alternative to them is Polaroid lenses and each have their advantages. I have both types now myself but only you will know which, if any, is best for you....and you didn't ask about them anyway :) but ask further if you need to know about them.

Another alternative is Bifocals but they don't have an 'Intermediate' section so your optician will likely advise if they're any good for you.

If you need to know more....ask away
 
DevonStan said:
Been using Varifocals for several years. Couldn't go back to single vision now. I have a Specsavers branch nearby, as well as Boots, and several independants. Have used Boots and independents and Specsavers. Am currently happy with SS but admittedlly not everyone likes them...I believe they're a franchise run operation so it perhaps depends on the individual management. I'm very happy with them.

Lots of things to think about though. I find S.Savers useful because if you get a pair of specs that you don't get on with they give you a month to change your mind and will exchange for something else or refund...and in my case they stuck to their promise and did refund £40 when I changed from one type of lens to another. They adjust or clean or repair specs during ownership....so I'm pretty happy with them.

They give you a "voucher" for 50% off an additional pair of glasses within 6 months and it sounds like a waste of time, mickey mouse type voucher BUT it does actually work well and you do get any additional specs half price. (ie reading glasses or computer glasses). Varifocals are OK but you MIGHT find you still want reading glasses made up due to the fact that the reading part of varifocals is, of course, limited and it's more relaxing to read with prescription readers. Ditto the computer.

Of course, with the prices of these things they make a huge profit on the actual hardware and they must pay very little for the actual materials...hence they can afford to replace/exchange/ repair stuff at little cost to them - but they have a lot of overheads of course and there's always plenty of staff in my local branch and you don't ned appointments for most stuff (eyesight tests excepted).

I usually use their ELITE varifocal but this time went for the top of the range Tailor Made type. I didn't find the Tailor Made to be any better than ELITE so they refunded the extra money I paid for them....I actually used the refund to buy a pair of (intermediate) single vision glasses for the computer. In the case of the computer specs they made a pair up but I found it needed to be a slightly less strong prescription so they immediately took them back and made up some weaker ones...no problem and no suggestion of any additional money required.

But you do need to allow time to get used to them...without doubt your brain does adjust to them...despite initial uncertainties that you WILL have when you first use them. And they're not cheap! The other thing you might consider is whether to have Transition/Reaction/Photochromic lenses that go light and dark depending on the ultra violet light. The alternative to them is Polaroid lenses and each have their advantages. I have both types now myself but only you will know which, if any, is best for you....and you didn't ask about them anyway :) but ask further if you need to know about them.

Another alternative is Bifocals but they don't have an 'Intermediate' section so your optician will likely advise if they're any good for you.

If you need to know more....ask away
Click to expand...

'Twas SpecSavers I went to and interested to see you observations about the Tailor Made v. Elite. There were a few frames I quite liked, but I later saw a frame somewhere else that I preferred. Going to take some time on this one... Thanks for the information..
 
I too went through this earlier this year but it was for my very first pair or glasses. I weighed the pro's and cons of online vs face to face. It's really difficult trying to find any decent information or comparison of different quality varifocal lenses. Being my first pair and because I spend a lot of time infront of a screen I wanted decent quality glass.
I went to all the big names, Specsavers/Vision Express, Boots, Asda etc and also some boutique opticians and tbh trying to understand the difference in lens quality was tough. A lot of the smaller opticians were very territorial.

I managed to find out some great information about Varilux varifocals and went for the S range lens. I also went to a local (to me) small opticians chain and tbh they were fantastic. They were very very helpful in providing information about lens and didn't charge me to put in the Varilux S into my own frames and refitted them twice (rimless with titanium arms).
on another note, I went to two different specsavers and they too were pretty helpful but I wanted to go for the Varilux S range in the end.

Every lens manufacturer give 2-3months returns policy with varifocals afaik.

Just a side note, I also ended up getting some super cheap reading glasses from ebay (£3) to read in bed as bit trickier with varifocals when in bed.
 
When I first had varifocals the optician gave me some good advice - you have to look down when negotiating stairs - that's to say tilt your head not just your eyes.
 
My transitional varifocals have always been from my local Optical Express, mainly because I have a fairly lengthy eye history and it's convenient to have all the records at a High St optician whom I can get to easily and who liase with the optical dept at the hospital to which O get referred. I've never had any probs whatsoever with adjusting to them, the only thing I would mention if you order online is that, as with all glasses, it's important to get the position of your pupils correctly aligned with the lenses.

JohnnyO. o/
 
JohnnyO said:
My transitional varifocals have always been from my local Optical Express, mainly because I have a fairly lengthy eye history and it's convenient to have all the records at a High St optician whom I can get to easily and who liase with the optical dept at the hospital to which O get referred. I've never had any probs whatsoever with adjusting to them,
Click to expand...
JohnnyO said:
the only thing I would mention if you order online is that, as with all glasses, it's important to get the position of your pupils correctly aligned with the lenses.

JohnnyO. o/
Click to expand...


Quite so. I don't know how you sort this when buying online. I imagine there must be a way...I just don't know what they do.

I dislike paying over the odds every bit as much as the next bloke and realise that by going to the High Street I'm not getting it at rock bottom, but I find it slightly reassuring to have access to a proper shop with people who can sort me out face to face (i.e. the dispensing optician/s and a percentage of the floor staff...mainly those who've been there for a good while and have got the hang of it)....as opposed to a remote company who can't attend to me personally. My local branch discovered that my Mrs. had a cataract and referred her straight away....a mate had excessive pressure behind (wherever it was) and packed him off for urgent hospital attention. I value my eyesight and am prepared to pay to keep it to the best of my ability.
 
Your optician should be able to tell you or the pupil alignment measurement may be in your prescription.

I have annual eye checks due to my father having cataracts and we have a family history of glaucoma. I've also had extensive checks on my optic nerves due to a genetic condition.
 
Just had my first pair from Costco. I used my prescription from Boots
I could not get on with them, £200 up the chute I thought! Anyway I went back after 3 weeks,knowing Costco return policy is second to none. They retested my eyes, discovered my prescrition had changed, allowed me to upgrade to new better Carl Zeiss lenses, just paying the cost difference. Cracking service!

My recommendation, buy as expensive a lense as you can. They make a huge difference, giving larger areas of focus. I have been wearing them for 3 days with no problem
 
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