Glasses (spectacles) - How much to pay ?

[Mick Mac]

I seem to have a complex prescription due to having an asigmatism.

Also as I need to see very small numbers at work and distance for driving (golf balls) they are suggesting verifocals.

Lenses ?318 (japanese shop...) ! plus frames on top.

Is anyone decrepid enough to need verifocals and are they a good idea? Apparently they take a bit of getting used to.

Otherwise its compromise on the near sight or the long sight. Or two sets which I don't fancy at all.

[HAL9000]

I've heard that some suppliers offer a refund if after, say 30 days, one cannot get used to varifocals.

Bi-focals?

[Marmora Man]

I use varifocals - costs vary from Specsavers c?500l (includes lens, frames and often a second "free pair") to C ?900 at an independent opticians with Nikon lens and designer frames. So your ?318 right

As to getting used to them - first day can feel a little woozy as eyes adjust, but after a short while it settles down and you become used to them. The lower half is the "reading" half which can mean having to tilt head back a touch more when using a PC - adjusting PC screen height and angle can resolve this.

[Ladygooner]

I can't comment on varifocals but I can tell you the cheapest place to buy glasses in on line from Glasses Direct.

[nashoi]

Apparently they can be quite bad for driving (cars) at night. Oncoming headlights hit the lower half and the light is dispersed across your eyes, so I've seen it recommended you keep a pair of monofocals in the car, particularly as you get older and your nightvision gets worse anyway.

[louisiana]

Mick Mac, I have exactly the same set of vision issues as you.

I took a look at varifocals a few years ago, but they looked like they were going to take a lot of getting used to. A friend of similarly advanced years suggested monovision daily contact lenses. This is where you have one contact based on distance vision, and the other based on near vision. I tried them out, and found the brain only took a few seconds to adjust. Now, quite a few years later, I'm still a happy user of monovision contacts. They do not give you the top, top sharpness you'd get with glasses for one specific purpose, but for me they are fine. Also means you can wear ordinary sunglasses/goggles/whatever over the top.

I still have a pair of cheapo glasses for nearer work e.g. if I'm sitting at the computer all day long, as I don't like wearing contacts all the time.

[PeckhamRose]

Glasses Direct are cheap because they do not have a wide range of lenses. I am plus 10.75 and they stop their prescriptions at +8.

Hang the expense, go for surgery? (I would if I could afford it.)

But I shall follow the thread because I need new glasses too!

[intexasatthe moment]

Mickmac - I'm decrepit and have worn varifocals for several years .

I did not find them diffucult to get used to - top tip was to start off as if you were looking down your nose .

But ....you get what you pay for ,if you go for the cheaper varifocals you will find that there is distortion at the edge of your vision which is very off putting .

My partner ,being a cheapskate ( whereas I'm a cost per wear person ),went for a cheap pair and then found it impossible to get on with them .

[Sue]

I wear varifocal specs, and also varifocal contact lenses. I also have astigmatism.

I tried monovision for the lenses and couldn't get used to it.

The varifocal lenses are slightly adjusted so that one eye is weighted for reading and one for distance, but it's not as pronounced a difference as the monovision lenses were, and I don't really notice it except when driving at night or in dim light, when I wear driving glasses to correct the reading eye for distance.

I get my spex on the internet from spex4less (but then I'm not vain and don't want designer frames :)) ) They have a system to get the varifocal lenses right. I did have to send the first lot back but it was no hassle, they corrected them free.

My optician was horrified but they are fine and they cost about twopence :))

I also get my lenses on the internet, identical make and prescription for half the price I would pay at the optician. You do have to shop around though and the cheapest option depends on the make and prescription so where I get mine might not be cheapest for someone else.

I find the varifocal spex are fine for driving, including at night. I've had no problem with headlight reflection or anything else.

ETA: Varifocals are very weird when you first start wearing them, but in my experience you soon get used to them. Some people might have to persevere maybe. But I remember when I was a student learning about experiments which were done with people wearing different kinds of lenses, including ones which completely reversed everything so they were seeing things upside down, and the brain after a while compensates for it so that things are perceived "normally".

Strange but true :)

ETA: Hey Mickmac, enough of the "decrepit", I feel ancient enough without having it pointed out that if I wear varifocals I must have one foot in the grave :))

[concita]

I have worn the varifocals for the last 9 years and had no problems, unless I need a new prescription. They are expensive if you chose the various options the optician offers, whisch is reactive to light, extra light, extra clear, scratch proof etc.. At specsavers they offer good ones, from ?69 onward, excluding the frames, sometime 2 for the price of one ( i lost the second pair in the burglary. Sic!). If you travel to France and speak the lingo, they will cost much less. Unfortunately in England we are ripped off by everybody.

If you work and use the computer often, remember that the employer can offer you vouchers for the sight visit and also vouchers toward the cost of new prescription glasses. That can help towards the costs

[Sue]

concita Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

They are expensive if you chose the

> various options the optician offers, whisch is

> reactive to light, extra light, extra clear,

> scratch proof etc..

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spex4Less also often has offers on these - my varifocals are light reactive.

I paid ?125 in all in May 2008 - was ?85 plus ?40 for the reactive coating or whatever it is.

[sedgewick]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mickmac - I'm decrepit and have worn varifocals

> for several years .

> I did not find them diffucult to get used to - top

> tip was to start off as if you were looking down

> your nose .

He should be used to that, as he lives in ED. *smirk*

I Think I now need glasses, I keep getting this problem where I cant see or focus on anything and everything I look at has a frosted look to it. When my sight returns to normal I get a really bad migraine headache and I vomit.

I have spoken to my Doctor who seemed to look at me as I were making it all up.

An optician is my next port of call.

Anyone else had this sort of terrifying experience?

[Sue]

sedgewick Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> I Think I now need glasses, I keep getting this

> problem where I cant see or focus on anything and

> everything I look at has a frosted look to it.

> When my sight returns to normal I get a really bad

> migraine headache and I vomit.

>

> I have spoken to my Doctor who seemed to look at

> me as I were making it all up.

>

> An optician is my next port of call.

>

> Anyone else had this sort of terrifying

> experience?

xxxxxx

I suggest you see another GP - ASAP :-S

ETA: Unless you're joking

[sedgewick]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> sedgewick Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > I Think I now need glasses, I keep getting this

> > problem where I cant see or focus on anything

> and

> > everything I look at has a frosted look to it.

> > When my sight returns to normal I get a really

> bad

> > migraine headache and I vomit.

> >

> > I have spoken to my Doctor who seemed to look

> at

> > me as I were making it all up.

> >

> > An optician is my next port of call.

> >

> > Anyone else had this sort of terrifying

> > experience?

>

> xxxxxx

>

> I suggest you see another GP - ASAP :-S

>

> ETA: Unless you're joking

No joke, it is rather worrying as I'm experiencing this quite frequently now.

[Ridgley]

I to wear bins I am short sited, I am also very quirky with my taste in specs I not keen on spec savers there glasses tend to look the same. I buy my specs from a gothic style website called Dead Men?s Spex if you like retro or Mad Men type ladies spectacles they wore back in the day it is a great website it cost me ?125.00

[sedgewick]

Double posted.

[Sue]

sedgewick Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> No joke, it is rather worrying as I'm experiencing

> this quite frequently now.

xxxxxxxxx

If you are actually vomiting it does not sound like something an optician could sort, and if it was me I'd be hammering on my GP's door asking for an urgent second opinion.

Has your GP not given you any diagnosis at all?

[sedgewick]

Sue Wrote:

> If you are actually vomiting it does not sound

> like something an optician could sort, and if it

> was me I'd be hammering on my GP's door asking for

> an urgent second opinion.

>

> Has your GP not given you any diagnosis at all?

He said it was more than likely eye strain, nothing sinister. I may need glasses and recommended that I see an optician.

[Sue]

Oh well fair enough, but I find it odd that eye strain could cause you to vomit.

[Mick Mac]

I have gambled on the online route and bought glasses and lenses for ?120 from lensway.

I have not gone for the verifocals at the mo until i get the online versions and give then a try, so i'm not getting the "reading" part of the prescription.

Online is fantastically easy and they cope with any prescription (except prism).

Obviously you don't get to try them before you buy, but there is a free return if not satisfied.

If no good I'll have to go for the mega expensive verifocals. B)

[Sue]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have gambled on the online route and bought

> glasses and lenses for ?120 from lensway.

>

> I have not gone for the verifocals at the mo until

> i get the online versions and give then a try, so

> i'm not getting the "reading" part of the

> prescription.

>

> Online is fantastically easy and they cope with

> any prescription (except prism).

>

> Obviously you don't get to try them before you

> buy, but there is a free return if not satisfied.

>

>

> If no good I'll have to go for the mega expensive

> verifocals. B)

xxxxxxx

Varifocals are not mega expensive online though :)

[lpool]

Suggest checking out designerglasses.co.uk. I got my Orgreen frame and lenses there for fraction of local price. The big plus is they have a shop in centre of Greenwich so you can try out frames and then ask them to match their internet price.

[OutOfFocus]

I have had a number of varifocals - they are quite good but I find for serious reading or computer use you need dedicated glasses. Otherwise you spend your whole life adjusting your head position.....

[Sue]

OutOfFocus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have had a number of varifocals - they are quite

> good but I find for serious reading or computer

> use you need dedicated glasses. Otherwise you

> spend your whole life adjusting your head

> position.....

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I haven't found that at all, I use varifocals all the time :)

The spex are fine for all uses.

The only time I need separate glasses is for driving in dim light or at night when I am wearing varifocal contact lenses, but that is only because my left eye is slightly adjusted for reading so the driving glasses corrects it back - but still varifocal.

[jackoinc]

I was using Varifocals for quiet a long time, then I tried varifocal contacts and they I didn't look back. Give it a try!