Varifocal Lenses

zom247

zom247

zom247

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It's now time for me to ditch my reading and distance glasses and try varifocals, it will cut down the amount of glasses I have at home and the increasing frustration when I realise I have to change the pair I'm wearing and can't find the right ones.

To that end, is there any/much difference in where I buy them from? I know there's different lens manufacturers but not really sure which optician I should buy them from as they all seem to use different lenses (Zeiss, Essilor etc). I've seen prices of up to £500 but don't really want to spend that much if I can help it.
 
I'm just trying out my 1st set of varifocals. Got the cheapest set from boots. Lenses cost £25. Technically they work, but almost unusable in reality. The spot of focus for computer screen work, is the size of a thumb nail at arms reach, so can't read the whole screen without moving head. I'm going back to get them upgraded to better lenses. Trouble is they offer about 8 different ones, ranging up to £170 i think. Not sure if to go one step up, or just go the whole hog to the top of the range. What really gets me, is that I'll bet the cost of manufacture is identical.
 
they are expensive and they come in different forms too. there are some more expensive ones that are more 'blended' between the different lense sections, rather than just a line like with bifocal and the next bit on top. They do take a while to get used to, so you may find them harder to use to start with.

You may find you need a larger lense size to get the best out of them, as you are trying to put 2 or 3 sets of glasses into one small area.
 
if your prescription is stable, then cost is distributed over many years, and with a scratch coating they last too.
Have hoya ID's, which have good sized ('blended') segment for near/mid/far;
tbh did not find any adjustment period.

Nonetheless for watching TV and computer screens, having a single sight lense is still useful, as it is not always comfortable(eg. sofa) to position head to see through top section.

Have never checked if they are under household insurance .. would be good if they were.
 
btph said:
I'm just trying out my 1st set of varifocals. Got the cheapest set from boots. Lenses cost £25. Technically they work, but almost unusable in reality. The spot of focus for computer screen work, is the size of a thumb nail at arms reach, so can't read the whole screen without moving head. I'm going back to get them upgraded to better lenses. Trouble is they offer about 8 different ones, ranging up to £170 i think. Not sure if to go one step up, or just go the whole hog to the top of the range. What really gets me, is that I'll bet the cost of manufacture is identical.
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I had my test at Boots yesterday and they showed me the lenses they have (Varilux). Their top of the range ones are £280 plus whatever the frames cost. They told me that I'd be able to ditch my computer glasses I currently use and just use varifocals. I want to get the ones with as little distortion at the sides as possible which probably means spending more but you can't really put a price on your eyesight.
 
I have had varifocals for years and not sure what you mean by side distortion. I have my own frames as this is where they really make their money, My lenses change according to the brightness of light so act as sunglasses, I think it is call Reactolite and I think the price was £160 at Spectacles Direct up here in Edinburgh. I avoid the big boys as they tend to be more expensive and quality is not great.
 
@zom247 and anyone else using boots, worth remembering that they offer 1/2 price on any second pair. I got a pair of their cheapest ones, £25, and then all subsequent pairs are 1/2 price, including the posh lenses etc. They also offer a 30day sort of trial if it's your 1st pair of varifocals, not sure exactly how it works, but get the impression that if you try a cheap pair and dont like them, then they'll let you upgrade to nicer ones.
 
Do not cheap out on glasses! It's your eyes we're talking about. I always use my local opticians, who are a bit more expensive than the likes of vision express and specsavers, but they know what they're doing!

I spent nearly £500 on varifocals, Varilux, with anti scratch protective coating and whatever else it comes with. Also, spending more means they can make the lens thinner, which looks better, if for instance you have a weak left or right eye. My lens cost more than the frame, but the frame is good quality and lightweight with flexi arms. So they absorb impact well if dropped and don't break.

You get what you pay for. If you go for cheaper lenses, you might not quite get the clarity you want such as your peripheral vision.
 
Even after getting Varifocals I thought I would keep my individual reading and driving specs just in case , but I don't need them,
the varifocals are perfect, should have got them 5 years earlier instead of fannying about with pairs of reading, driving and TV specs.
 
Kronos said:
I have had varifocals for years and not sure what you mean by side distortion.
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you subconsciously move your head to compensate if there is a narrow tunnel eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q1RUUXLGjo
...obviously depends on prescription too if there is a wide difference between near & far correction.

maybe all of the varifocal lenses are now 'ground' on both sides but that used to be the distinction between different brands.
 
Roland Butter said:
Even after getting Varifocals I thought I would keep my individual reading and driving specs just in case , but I don't need them,
the varifocals are perfect, should have got them 5 years earlier instead of fannying about with pairs of reading, driving and TV specs.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the position I'm in now :). Got a set in the car, a set in the living room, readers in my bedroom and a set for computer use.
 
jpaul said:
you subconsciously move your head to compensate if there is a narrow tunnel eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q1RUUXLGjo
...obviously depends on prescription too if there is a wide difference between near & far correction.

maybe all of the varifocal lenses are now 'ground' on both sides but that used to be the distinction between different brands.
Click to expand...
Certainly have not experienced that at all and I have been using varifocals for about 20 years. Thanks.
 
Once you have tried a good set - and have gotten used to - of varifocals you'll love them. I struggled when I first got mine. Things felt distorted, and the actual 'in focus' area seemed small. Now I just don't notice that, and I wear them and forget. I've even got some of my sunnies done with the same type of lenses.

All of mine are Zeiss. I'm sure I'm overpaying - each set of lenses (including the active tint thing on a couple of them) were about 500 quid. I don't mind paying that as my prescription has been stable for years.
 
I recently bought a pair of varifocals from Specsavers getting the most expensive lenses. I’m actually very impressed with them, having tried a pair 5 years ago and hating them, and got used to them very quickly. Mine cost me just over £300.
 
ElliorR said:
I recently bought a pair of varifocals from Specsavers getting the most expensive lenses. I’m actually very impressed with them, and got used to them very quickly. Mine cost me just over £300.
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Exactly the same for me.Thought I would hate them, I adapted instantly. Got a second pair of varifocal sunglasses 'free' as well.
 
Anyone who has used specsavers , how extensive is their fitting process ?

looked back at the last 'fitting' I had which measures a lot of stuff to ensure varifocal lense is positioned correctly for frame. (eye glass distance ....)
41401751820_199c9cbbb4_o_d.jpg

This seems a good online store with branded essilor/hoya/nikon lenses from £175

I would need convincing that Specsavers own lenses are as good

For an online store how can they possibly get all the fitment details. ?
 
Yeah...I'd agree tbh. For 'normal' glass lenses I wouldn't really care where I went, but for the varifocals everything I read said fitting was king, so I got mine from the Tom Davies people.
 
I used to make contact lenses for 19 years and my specialist area was bifocals and toric lenses. In regards to glasses there are just a handful who make the lenses, the optician basically picks from a manufacturer.

The big players like Vision Express, Specsavers and Boots sign up contracts with the main providers, they promise the manufacturer that they will buy solely from them, then each time the contract is up for renewal the manufacturer has to basically bend over and get shafted as the optical chain force the price down further. I think Specsavers actually make their lenses in house now, they are also allowed to use the Pentax stamp as they are made to the required standard.

Now it won’t be much different but with contact lenses the manufacturer has tolerances, our largest purchaser was Boots, we had the contract for something like 12 years and the only way we made money was to be very lenient when it came to lenses being very close to the maximum allowed tolerance.

Large optician chains don’t check everything that comes through, they only tend to check things when there is a problem reported by the consumer. Smaller independent opticians can be a royal pain which is good for the consumer but not the manufacturer.

I remember Moorfields Eye hospital and an Optician named David Evershed Martin, my god were they strict, no such thing as a tolerance with them, it was spot on or take their business elsewhere. We had a hit list of opticians that we used to double check everything before the lenses left the factory.

In regards to Varifocals I just can’t get on with them, usually if you suffer motion sickness or can’t play the majority of Xbox types games as they give you a head ache then you’ll suffer getting used to Vaifocals.

Cheapest ones you might as well throw money down the pan, the field of vision is so slim. Personally for me it is reading glasses for reading and distance for driving.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy reply but if you want quality go to a smaller independent optician. I’m happy to use the specsavers and Boots of the world as I’m lucky and can tell straight away if something is wrong, I never accept the “getting used to something new excuse”.
 
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