Varifocals

Clem_Snide

In a sure sign that I am closer to 50 than 40 I picked up a new pair of glasses today which are Varifocals.

Anyone have any experience with these and how long it takes to get used to them? Have been wearing them on and off all day but can't last more than a hour or so at present without feeling a bit dizzy.

Not sure how long the transition takes. Paid for premium lenses with the biggest field of vision which is supposed to help, but am struggling at the moment.

Wilma

Couple of weeks max. If you've still got your old specs, take a break and wear those for a while. I alternated for a few days until I could wear the varifocals for longer periods. 

Covered End

SporadicAddick

Not really helping you but might give some hope to others needing to make the transition (it comes to us all!). Got my first pair a few years back (probably a similar age to you) and was warned that it might take time but had no issues at all and wore new glasses full time from day one. Hope you get used to them soon....

killerandflash

I got my first pair just over a year ago. I struggled at first, sometimes swapping back to my old glasses, but over a few days started wearing them more and more until I was wearing them all the time.

Be careful at first when walking down steps. I also found it a bit of a struggle walking on rough ground in the countryside, as because of the angle of my head, the trees were in focus, but the ground where I was treading on blurry. 

IdleHans

Like @SporadicAddick, absolutely fine from day one. 
Tried varifocal contacts later on, but had no joy at all with those.
Good luck!

SoundAsa£

Agree with what k&f is saying about steps and walking on rough ground.
I think you should be looking at around a couple of weeks to really wear them with reasonable confidence, with a few strange moments liable to occur for “possibly” a few months but certainly nothing serious. 

They get less and less until you either don’t notice them at all, or maybe it’s just you getting used to dealing with them.
I think to give you a definitive answer is a bit difficult, because I am pretty sure we are all going to be a bit different. 👓

SuedeAdidas

How many focus levels? Got my first pair about 3 years ago and they have 3 focus bands. Took me a good few weeks to stop the feeling that I was walking like a Thunderbird. 

SoundAsa£

I used to wear those half moon glasses where you look over the top…..they don’t wear out so quick. 😂

Mendonca In Asdas

watch out for the pavements!

Crusty54

I have worn varifocals since the mid 80s. My first pair lasted 2 days. I tripped on some stairs at work and smashed the frames on a wall. No problems since then. Was told to wear them for driving, working on computers and watching TV. That really amounted to wearing them all day. The only problem came with a new (and expensive) pair from Specsavers a few years ago. As soon as I put them on they felt wrong. After a couple of days I took them back and it became clear that the assistant hadn't got the measurements right where the reading and distance parts merge. The manager did measurements for new lenses which were fine. You do have to adjust your head position sometimes to focus correctly. Worth noting that ASDA have opticians in some branches (Isle of Dogs has them). They have been offering top quality varifocals for just £45.

Stig

As others have said, it takes quite a while. Reminds me of a rather cruel old psychology experiment I read about. They fitted prisms over chickens' eyes. For a while the chickens were pecking away at nothing rather than where their food was, but after a while the acclimatised. When the prisms were removed the chickens went back to pecking at empty spaces until they readjusted. It Ain't no fun being a chicken, but we all get used to it in time.

Clem_Snide

Stig said:

As others have said, it takes quite a while. Reminds me of a rather cruel old psychology experiment I read about. They fitted prisms over chickens' eyes. For a while the chickens were pecking away at nothing rather than where their food was, but after a while the acclimatised. When the prisms were removed the chickens went back to pecking at empty spaces until they readjusted. It Ain't no fun being a chicken, but we all get used to it in time.

Unfortunately I have bloody prisms in my lenses as well!

Thanks to all who have commented. Will persevere. I think the big issue for me was that I picked them up in Lewisham and then cycled home 5 miles. Was a nightmare. Should have taken my old bins as having such a bad initial experience put me on the back foot.

TEL

First pair were an absolute failure, second pair not much better, so Ive gone back to Contacts.......Mine are varifocals and arent too bad, but are worse in bad light.

Baldybonce

Can't get on with them at all.

thai malaysia addick

I’ve always loved my varifocals. I’ve never had a problem but learning to move the head can take time. For example, when looking down at bumpy ground, move the head so you are not looking through the reading part of the glasses. Good luck.

ME14addick

It didn't take me long to become used to varifocals and I think they're brilliant.

Before I had varifocals it used to be such a pain when out shopping, having to take off one pair of glasses off and put on reading glasses, just so I could read labels.

Keep persevering I'm sure you won't regret it.

bobmunro

I only wear glasses for close work and switched to varifocals a couple of years ago - top half for screen work and bottom half for close reading. Took a bit of time getting used to just moving my eyes to look down when reading rather than my head as well.

SporadicAddick

bobmunro said:

I only wear glasses for close work and switched to varifocals a couple of years ago - top half for screen work and bottom half for close reading. Took a bit of time getting used to just moving my eyes to look down when reading rather than my head as well.

Aren't they bifocals?

stockportaddick

Never did get to grips with mine and gave up in the end, gave me headaches 

bobmunro

SporadicAddick said:

bobmunro said:

I only wear glasses for close work and switched to varifocals a couple of years ago - top half for screen work and bottom half for close reading. Took a bit of time getting used to just moving my eyes to look down when reading rather than my head as well.

Aren't they bifocals?

Technically I suppose yes, but they are a graduated one piece lens rather than two separate lenses joined. I thought that was the definition of varifocal but I'm probably wrong! I don't need distance vision help as I'm pretty much 20/20 on anything beyond a metre or so.

NorthheathAddick

I’ve fallen into the same boat Clem,I’ve now joined the glasses wearing crew…I picked up my new wears only last Monday & same as u,I paid out top dollar for Verifocals all terrain…keep forgetting to put them on most of time tho,but I really should be putting them on to wear all time…after reading this thread at arms length…🙄,I shall try wear constantly & get used to them & literally see how I go…good luck yourself 

killerandflash

thai malaysia addick said:

I’ve always loved my varifocals. I’ve never had a problem but learning to move the head can take time. For example, when looking down at bumpy ground, move the head so you are not looking through the reading part of the glasses. Good luck.

Yes, I found that a bit odd, especially when walking past people, as looking down all the time either makes you look shy or like a shoegazer band!

man_at_milletts

Have had varifocals for a couple of years now,  and had trouble getting used to the issues with my peripheral vision like making sure I turn my head when crossing the road etc.  Still banging my elbows on the door jams in the house and missing the occasional step, a sign of ageing as well I suppose.

DICKIE PLUMB

I have had them for years and got used to them fairly quickly (within a few days). However I played golf when they were brand new. The ball wasn’t where I thought it was and, as a result I kept doing air shots - I didn’t realise what the problem was until much later but I never played again! A sad loss to the Ryder Cup team…….

thai malaysia addick

DICKIE PLUMB said:

I have had them for years and got used to them fairly quickly (within a few days). However I played golf when they were brand new. The ball wasn’t where I thought it was and, as a result I kept doing air shots - I didn’t realise what the problem was until much later but I never played again! A sad loss to the Ryder Cup team…….

Yes, I know what you mean. Catching a ball that comes down from height can be tricky. The worst bit (and most dangerous) was changing radio stations in the car when you need to look away from and back to the road quickly. I like the voice recognition stuff in my new car as it means I can keep my eyes on the road.

Lincsaddick

been wearing them for a few years now .. after a few days you don't notice the difference .. saves keep switching from reading to long distance specs 

EveshamAddick

Put off getting them for a while as wasn’t sure how easy they’d be to adjust to. Then my wife got some and she was fine straight away so I took the plunge. Took me a couple of months to get used to them.

Stuart_the_Red

I’ve worn varifocals for a few years now. The most difficult part was getting used to moving your head when looking at something, rather than just swivelling your eyes. Took me about two weeks to really get used to them, no problems since then!

cfgs

I am 47 I have a pair that I got earlier this year for a first pair of glasses, wear them for about half an hour a day. Got used to them after a week or two, it is the looking down that is the hard bit.

McBobbin

Got mine at 40... The walk home from collecting them felt like I'd just left the pub, but only took a few days to get used to them