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Over 50's club

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Flatlander Jul 2021 5:43pm, 6 Jul 2021 2,124 posts	Quote Pin Flatlander I echo the previous comments about VFs. It depends on the individual as to how one gets on with them. If one doesn't, good opticians will replace the lenses with single vision lenses. VFs have a egg-timer shaped viewing area in each lenses. The top part is for long distance and the bottom part for near/close up/reading. The middle part is the "transition" area between "far" and "near" vision and is is effectively "middle" distance. It tends to be this middle area which has the greatest range of quality. From a High Street chain store, the lenses are (much) cheaper, but the transition area is very narrow making it difficult to focus on middle distances in some people because it is not easy to find the narrow viewing area. From "quality" opticians, the transition area is much wider (and therefore the lenses are more expensive) which makes viewing much more comfortable as there is a larger area through which to see. When I buy my VFs, I choose frames which can accommodate larger lenses to give increased areas of each part. I'm not an optician, the above is my experience and what I have researched.
LindsD Jul 2021 6:35pm, 6 Jul 2021 48,235 posts	Quote Pin LindsD I'm like Sharkie. VF lenses. Often read without correction at all.
LazyDaisy Jul 2021 7:49pm, 6 Jul 2021 33,738 posts	Quote Pin LazyDaisy I've had VFs for quite a few years. The quality of the lenses is paramount, I'd say. I bought my first pair of online VFs last year and they're ok for the price, but I do notice the transition area is shallower than I'm used to from my independent optician. Mind, for the cost saving (£££s) I can cope!! When you first get VFs, take care going down stairs and steps - it takes some people a little while to get used to focusing properly in those circumstances.
bja61 Jul 2021 7:54pm, 6 Jul 2021 2,347 posts	Quote Pin bja61 ^LD stairs are the only downside I’ve ever had from VF, and down escalators total freak me out. Other than that they are great, but I have always gone for very expensive patterns. However I start at -9.00 prescriptions so I think it’s quite tricky getting it right. VF Contacts work well too, although not quite as well as glasses.
Mushroom Jul 2021 8:00pm, 6 Jul 2021 1,708 posts	Quote Pin Mushroom Well, I never knew about VF contact lenses, and using them on stairs is a point worth remembering too..! Thanks for the info all - mostly positive which is good reassurance. I've looked at some online options but I'm conscious that I need to get it right, at least initially. I'm using a local independent optician so will buy from them this time.
DoricQuine Jul 2021 8:33pm, 6 Jul 2021 5,892 posts	Quote Pin DoricQuine I got varifocals for the first time just over a year ago. I have had a complex prescription ever since childhood ie a lens of greater power than -10 diopters but had no problems at all with them despite having the smallest frames I could - they are actually children's frames!! I tried varifocal contact lenses but couldn't get good enough vision with them, despite wearing contacts for over 40 years so just stuck with single vision and pop on readers when I need to.
GimmeMedals Jul 2021 8:55pm, 6 Jul 2021 21,205 posts	Quote Pin GimmeMedals I've worn glasses since I was at primary school, switching to contact lenses on my 21st birthday then back to glasses on my 50th birthday as I needed varifocals and couldn't get it to work with CLs. The first pair of varifocals were fabulous but I had them replaced and this pair have been quite frustrating. Stupidly, because my job was full on, I didn't make time to go back to the opticians to ask for them to be sorted out. I can see well enough, but the computer screen at work was hard going; I had to wiggle my specs around to find the right position to be able to see the screen clearly.
Surrey Phil Jul 2021 8:58pm, 6 Jul 2021 6,715 posts	Quote Pin Surrey Phil Got my first prescription when I was about 12 but only wore them for TV as I was a bit scared in wearing them to school in case I got a bit of verbal. First varifocals was about two years ago and get on with them quite well. Not quite so good for computer work and needed a PC-specific pair.
cathrobinson Jul 2021 8:59pm, 6 Jul 2021 9,566 posts	Quote Pin cathrobinson I bought the most expensive VF I could justify when I first converted. I also have a pair of ‘middle distance’ glasses that I use for work - as I’m behind a computer screen all day. I avoided VF for several years as I decided arbitrarily that I was ‘too young’ for that sort of thing whereas these days I wear my glasses around the house for most things (I didn’t used to - my prescription isn’t that bad, I have astigmatisms).
Fizz :-) Jul 2021 9:04pm, 6 Jul 2021 5,970 posts	Quote Pin Fizz :-) For my first varifocals I splashed out on Tiffany frames. If I had £1 for everyone that commented on them, they would have paid for themselves. Sadly now discontinued my replacements are nowhere near as pretty.