OT - reading glasses

[sweetheart]

This is hardly a DIY except I was wondering if anyone had a similar problem and how they solved it.

I normally wear distance glasses. I am myopic ( short sighted) but its only a mid range short sight.... but thats not the problem really ( might be relevant to a solution though),

Recently having reached THAT age, I have found I can no longer read with my glasses. I went to the optician and they sold me a pair of varifocals for this ( it was that or bi focals but I didn't want to put it on show my eyesight was ditzy, besides I have to move between distances of reading and distance sight at work. The other option they told me was a dedicated pair of reading glasses, which isn't really useful when I constantly need to swap.

Or have I just got to wait it out until my reading vision is poorer? I tried some reading glasses from a supermarket but none of them work , not even the smallest magnification

Anyway, I have distance glasses and varifocals ( and my old glasses - distance) but I cant tell the difference My varifocals are next to useless for reading, they blur the words. I may as well do what I do with distance glasses and take them off ( which isn't very good when you are in a class of rowdy kids and you need to see quickly what the little b*ggers are up to whilst reading some other kids paper or reading from notes or a book etc.)

My distance glasses are next to useless for reading too. I read well by just taking my glasses off or looking over the top of them which means I have to push them down my nose till they are nearly off , but the reading section of the varifocals is useless. I need to swap quickly and effectively between close vision and distance in my job.

Anyone been here, done that and got a solution?

[Dave Liquorice]

Varifocals do take a bit of getting used to (some people can't handle the "swooping world" at all as you turn your head from side to side).

I get on well enough with mine, just looking down with the eyes is enough to bring the close focus part into play for reading. Eg. If a just move my eyes down to look at this keyboard it's in focus, if I actually move my head and look directly at it, it's not. You also have to get used to acting like a nodding dog to get the close focus correct on fixed things. This can mean that you have to tilt your head quite a long way back.

If the close focus section of the lenses doesn't bring ordinary newsprint into sharp focus at "normal reading distance", say 8", then take 'em back to the opticians and complain. Otherwise there is a learning process to go through which takes a week or three.

[sweetheart]

Thank you. I did wonder. This is the problem. I cannot see to read a magazine or book at what should be normal distance ( as I said, I may as well not use glasses at all).

The distance vision on them is fine, its just I cannot see to read with them .

So, they will have to go back.

[Dave Liquorice]

[Moonraker]

I had no problem with mine from the set-go. Though you do have to look through the appropriate part of the lens, the nearer you are looking the lower down you have to look through. I found a few minor irritations, for example I can no longer slouch and watch TV, as that would mean I was looking through the bottom of my glasses. Also reversing a car is a little awkward as the lens alters towards the side as well as the bottom, lastly, and most relevant they are a bit of a pain with some d-i-y jobs as it is impossible to look through the correct area of the lens.

[Dave Liquorice]

When using the bottom of the lenses?

When the test was done you should have been given something to read when held at "reading distance" and the test lenses adjusted to bring that into focus.

[sweetheart]

Yes, precisely. The top half works fine. I can watch TV ( I never slouch) but I cannot sit and read a book normally.

I was, but obviously it has not been translated into the lens has it?

[chris French]

nor me, There was slight oddness for the first couple of minutes, that soon went. I never notice it otherwise.. I did have the higher end lenses though, rather than the basic ones. And I've only just started to need them in the last couple of years.

Yep, for really small print I fidn that it's easier to remove the glasses still, otherwise it all works fine.

It does sound like the Op need to go back to the opticians.

Most annoying thing for me, as I like lying on the sofa to watch the TV.

[Chris J Dixon]

So, what exactly were all the figures on the lens prescription?

Chris

[Tinkerer]

I have used varifocal for years and never had a problem until my present set. I collected them and, like you, found I could not read with them. Took them back and the optician realised that the lens maker had provided distance instead of the ordered varifocal. New set made and fine now. If it happened to me, it could have happened to you - check it out.

[sweetheart]

Thanks, I do have my suspicions. I ordered these glasses and they took an age to arrive. My second pair ( ordinary distance) did arrive) . When I questioned the time factor, one of the assistants let it slip that the glasses had arrived but had been sent back to the workshop because ( her words) " they were not within tolerance levels on the lenses). I am wondering if the matter was not sorted out and I was just presented with these glasses and left to it.

They certainly are not right on the reading part. I cannot tell the difference on the distance part, they are just like my usual distance glasses on that.

I paid a lot of money for special lens surfaces and all sorts as well as the nice frame on these varifocals as they were supposed to be my daily glasses . The only thing they have going for them now is that they are comfortable on my nose and ears.

[<me9]

Change opticians! I was sold varifocals too early, and struggled for several years with difficult reading. changing to bifocals for everyday use, and single vision for sustained reading/computer made life much easier. Varifocals have too small an area at each strength to be of much use.

The change of optician also led to a much more comfortable distance prescription too. I wish I'd changed earlier.

Starting varifocals too early allows you to not use the accomodation muscles in the eye, hastening the age related weakening of the muscles -- use them or lose them!

[geoff]

In message , sweetheart writes

I find the easiest thing is just to take my glasses off for reading and close work

[geoff]

I've not found that they "pull in" far enough

I might just get some reading glasses for the £10-20 that a new pair will cost

[Invisible Man]

Over the years I have returned 3 pairs of single vision specs and one pair of varifocals. Sometimes the eye test is not as good as it could be and sometimes the lenses are not made accurately.

The current varifocals I have were the first of 3 pairs I have had where I could immediately see distance, to read and the PC naturally without having to deliberately move my head. DIY will always be a problem when trying to look at things close up that are high up.

[geoff]

In message , sweetheart writes

Not more than £150 I hope

[Invisible Man]

I have prescriptions of over minus 6 both sides. To avoid looking like I am wearing bottle bottoms I go for very high index plastic. For rimless I got 2 quotes of over GBP700 but eventually got the best varifocals I have ever had for under £300.

Not sure why English (GB) spelling checker on Thunderbird had to be taught varifocal and varifocals.

[Bob Eager]

Think that's bad...the message system on Facebook doesn't know the word "Facebook".

[Pete Zahut]

Someone called "R D S" (Rick) used to frequent this group but he's not been in for a while now AFAIK. He's based in Darwen, Lancashire if you happen to be around there

- if not, you need to find your own Rick near to you. He doesn't do eye tests, he's a manufacturing and dispensing optician. You get your eyes tested wherever you want, take the prescription to him, choose your frames and he has all the machinery to cut, grind, shape and polish the lens blanks and fit them to your chosen frames. If he's got the time he'll do them while you wait, or if not, certainly within a day or two.

Last time I went over to his shop I had four sets of frames reglazed with new lenses (reading pair and spare, distance (driving) pair and spare) and I bought a complete new set of frames and had shaded distance lenses fitted in them for driving in the sun - all for £75.

[Archon]

I don't understand why people still wear annoying bins all day when contacts are so comfortable I forget to take the things out at night. I;m short sighted and contacts give me perfect clear vision, no reflections when night driving, no wiping them off in rain, no steaming up when entering warm rooms. I just get a cheapo dollar shop pair of reading glasses as I can't see close up too good with contacts due to astigmatism. JC JC