Glasses

Axe_meister

Well I am far sighted so I need glasses for real up close work, i.e. reading a book/kindle/phone.
I don't need them for everyday distance viewing.
However my glasses don't work when looking at a monitor which is about 50cm from my face, but I feel I need them (even though it's a 32inch monitor (4K).
So is it bi-focal time, or two different sets of glasses?

John_P

I got some varifocals last time and it’s so much better - a few days getting used to moving your head or eyes depe if it’s a different distance or place i want to see if that makes sense but then they are great.  

Nitefly

I've been wearing varifocals for the last 10 or 12 years, much better than faffing about taking "reading glasses" off and putting "distance glasses" on.

I just got a new pair - £45 from Asda Opticians, including coatings. 

markv

It depends on what you need the glasses for.

I now have 2 pairs of glasses: 1 pair for general use, which are varifocals, and another pair specifically for computer use & reading. This second pair are apparently called "occupational glasses" and are effectively bifocals, although without the line in the middle.

The reason I have 2 pairs is that although the varifocals can work for reading or computer use, they're only correct in a very narrow range of the lens. Since I spend pretty much my entire day using a computer for work, the second pair is much more usable for this, because they give the correct focus for about an arm's length away and slightly closer, across a much wider range of the lens.

JAYJO

I think 2 pairs are a pain .But if you are using them for long periods of time for say working on a computer then the varifocals may not give you a big enough window and you could end up with tension in your neck. 

p90fool

I use occupational varifocals for work, they have a much wider central section for arm's length work. 

I'm long sighted (I'm 54) with a very mild prescription for distance and found standard varifocals awful for computer work. 

John_P

When I bought mine they had various price options for the width of the useable part of the lens and it felt worth it for the extra but a big chuck of extra cash.  

usedtobe

Varifocals!

Foster

Has anyone invented varifocal contact lenses?

Fishboy7

Foster said:

Has anyone invented varifocal contact lenses?

Yeah, I think so. Heavier at the bottom so they float in the right position. 

p90fool

Foster said:

Has anyone invented varifocal contact lenses?

I think these are available, though nobody has yet produced my idea of prescription car windscreens. 

It would be a perfect anti theft device, and you could make them bifocal so old people could still stare at the end of their own bonnet. 

Gagaryn

John_P said:

When I bought mine they had various price options for the width of the useable part of the lens and it felt worth it for the extra but a big chuck of extra cash.  

This! There are various options of where and how the prescriptions merge. I got my first pair about a year ago and they are great.

Phil_aka_Pip

I'm about to try varifocals. Time will tell if I get on with them

octatonic

I have varifocals for general use, but for computer work I have a dedicated pair.
Otherwise I find I’m tilting my head to look through the bottom of the varifocals.

Foster

p90fool said:

Foster said:

Has anyone invented varifocal contact lenses?

I think these are available, though nobody has yet produced my idea of prescription car windscreens. 

It would be a perfect anti theft device, and you could make them bifocal so old people could still stare at the end of their own bonnet. 

I thought I came up with that until I saw a clip of Parkinson Interviewing Billy Connolly in the 80s

Philly_Q

Fishboy7 said:

Foster said:

Has anyone invented varifocal contact lenses?

Yeah, I think so. Heavier at the bottom so they float in the right position. 

I wear both varifocal glasses and multifocal contact lenses.  But not at the same time.

The contact lenses don't work in the same way as the glasses.  With the glasses it's all about which part of the lens you're looking through - basically straight ahead or down.  The contact lenses have different "power" at different parts of the lens, almost like the rings on a target, and your eye just adapts to seeing through the right part of the lens.  Or something.  I think it depends how wide your pupil is, they don't work as well in dim light.

Neither of them are perfect though.  I can see fine for distance, looking at a computer screen or reading a book, but they don't work for all distances.  I still can't focus on anything really close up without taking off my glasses.

Snags

After ~35 years of normal specs, the last couple of which I've slowly moved from wearing them permanently to only putting them on to go out/drive, and taking then off as soon as I get in or sit at desk I cracked and got varifocals as taking them off/on all the time is a pain. Since when I've still just put them on to walk/drive, because the 'near' bit is too small and I have to hold my head at an odd angle.

 They're good for driving though, as I can see the dash and other vehicles. Which is nice.