Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[soapdragon]

Having finally given in and gone to the opioticians (as YS calls it) I now, apparently, need vastly expensive varifocals as I am hopeless with small print and distance is a problem, too !

 

Apparently I have two options; one pair of prescription glasses for reading and another for distance or varifocals. It has to be varifocals as I'd never have the right pair of glasses in the right place at the right time otherwise !

 

What is really worrying me is that I have been quoted a min of £150.00 by Boots and advised that 'not everyone gets on with varifocals' . We have VERY limited funds and I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on glasses that I subsequently find that I just cannot wear !

 

I am prevaricating but I really do need to make a descision fairly soon as my eyes are obviously not going to get any better! Can anyone offer any wise words on the subject, please, so that I can get my head round this ?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Chickendoodle]

I have had them for some years - they do take a few weeks to get used to but after a while I didn't notice the change from the near to distance lenses

 

The only drawback I find is if you are trying to do something close and high up - like plucking your eyebrows - you have to tilt your head back so that you can use the bottom bit of the lens to see

 

I much prefer them to having to change glasses - my OH is constantly changing his.

 

Be warned though - they will feel exceedingly strange for some while and you have to wear them for a short time each day initially until you adjust.

[Goosey Lucy]

I agree with what Chickendoodle said. I wouldn't be without mine now. I was forever taking mine off, putting them down then not being able to find them again. My specs now go on when I get out of the shower in the morning and don't come off til I get in to bed.

 

If there are any extra funds available can I suggest you get a special anti-fog coating if available. I was very sceptical but it really does work. My specs no longer mist up when I open the oven door, walk into the swimming baths etc.

 

But they do take a bit of time to get used to. Good luck!

[Olly]

Mine didn't take me too long to get used to, and I love them now - there are very few occasions when I notice that I'm looking through the 'wrong' bit, one of them is when I am singing with the choir and I must have my head at a particular angle, but honestly most of the time I am not aware of any difference. They are expensive, but a good optician will not only prescribe the lenses but measure your eyes/face and make sure that they fit properly so that you are looking through the right part of the lense all the time. I couldn't have coped with two pairs of specs!

[Princess Leia]

A few years ago OH tried them. At the time Specsavers had an offer that if you bought varifocals and didn't get on with them, you could exchange them for normal ones. He didn't and got them changed. Since then, he's tried again with more success and wouldn't change back now. Might be worth checking if that offer is still valid. One word of advice - don't be tempted to go for a small frame style. Varifocals need a larger frame to get the most out of the lens, especially if you have a strong prescription.

[merlina]

I got varifocals a month ago - and hate them!

I walk round bobbing my head up and down trying to find the 'right' bit of the specs to look through.

People do say you get used to them and am persevering, but it's not getting any better.

The only great thing is that I can (with a bit of bobbing) see the sat nav properly when I drive - I suspect I will end up leaving them in the car and only using them for driving.

 

Specsavers are still doing the 'month trial' offer, but check the details if money is tight - about what you get back if you don't get on with the varifocals.

 

I also bought some 'office' varifocals - they have 2 zones, one for the computer and one for reading more closely - those are great and I'm getting on well with those.

 

The 'three zone' varifocals were very expensive. If you have a fairly 'normal' (ie both eyes need the same sort of help) age-related need for help with reading, you might find it more cost effective to scatter cheap reading glasses around for when you need them?

[sadietoo]

I've had them and hated them too....but had them on a get your money back if you can't get on with them deal so didn't lose out. The thing that varifocals offer is middle distance but if like me your middle distance isn't too bad you may also find them an irritation. I am short sighted so need driving glasses, but only need near distance for numbers and small print..mostly shopping labels these days ( ) but actually my middle distance is fine so I ended up with them on the top of my head a lot of the time when I was using the 'pooter, or jiggling my head around ( I did a good impersonation of my chickens actually ---- how do they put up with that all the time?) to find the right bit to look through for other times. I've now got a pair of half glasses for work, so I can look over the top of them, a pair of driving glasses, a pair of prescription sun glasses and a pair of bifocals of needlework/telly! I reused frames which were in good condition to keep the cost down but even so, it was probably dearer all in all than the varifocals. If you can get on with them fine... even with all those pairs of glasses I would not personally have varifocals again.

[patsylabrador]

I've had mine for a couple of years and can just about tolerate them. Somedays I can't get them right and rip them off in frustration. I walked around a quite blurry supermarket the other day because they were annoying me so much that I couldn't bear to wear them. I've ordered some bifocals to see if they're better.

I miss my younger, natural eyes that used to focus automatically. I think glasses are great though for hiding undereye shadows.

[Egluntyne]

I felt weird with mine.

 

I'd go to an independent opticians for another opinion if I were you. The High Street ones con you with 'special offers' and flog you all sorts that you don't need. Specsavers had me wearing contact lenses that I didn't need, with reading glasses too. Turned out that I only need readers, and that my distance vision is fine.

[WitchHazel]

I love mine.

 

My optician (Boots) was offering the guarantee service so that if I didn't get on with them, I could swap for ordinary ones. They were doing a two-fer offer (on frames, not lenses), and they were happy to delay me ordering my free second pair until I was sure that Varifocals were right for me.

 

I had been warned by the optician that they can take some getting used to, but I found I was fine. I wore them home from the optcians, everything was a little wooshy - but then it always is with new specs or new prescription. I wore them all evening. Next morning I put them on, walked downstairs without any problem, and wasn't even aware of having them. I went straight back to the optician and ordered my second pair (sunglasses).

 

There are different grades of varifocal lenses available, and this impacts on how much head movement you have to do. I went for the best, which was an extortionate price, but as I wear myspecs all day every day, I knew it would be worth the money. Even if I changed lenses every year, it was less than the cost of a daily paper.

 

I had lower quality lenses put in my sunglasses, on the basis that I wouldn't be wearing them so much and I couldn't afford two x the best lenses. There is a definite difference.

 

I then had my old pair of specs relensed by Ciliary Blue, which was much cheaper than getting them done (or buying another pair) with a a High Street optician.

[chickencam]

I had my first varifocals from Vision Express and although I adjusted to them quickly, they were never right, I still took off my glasses every time I needed to read something, until I got to the point where I couldn't read small print without glasses. I should have returned them because despite being the highest grade of lense they were obviously just set up incorrectly. When I eventually went to Boots for new glasses about 18 months later they said that the reading sector in the lenses was way too small ans low down, and that the lenses were a little on the small side. I now have a much better set and Boots were very good when I needed to replace my supposedly unbreakable titanium frames which had snapped where the nose bridge was. The only time that I find them a little strange is at dusk especially if I have been at the allotment doing close weeding, then my eyes struggle to focus, but dusk light in general makes me feel a little woosy when I am wearing the varifocals.

 

I would say that investing in the best lenses is important and make sure that you go back if you are not happy.

[The Dogmother]

I am reading this with interest as I've been told by the optician that I will need varifocals next time around I am long sighted but my far vision has just started to deteriorate.

 

My ex boss had real problems getting used to his; they made him feel dizzy and sick. he ended up with two pairs of specs.

 

The Boy had varifocals and took a long while to get used to them - he's an Illustrator, so what they call a 'critical observer' as his vision is very important in his job. He went back for various tweaks and is now very happy with them, although he does that head bobbing thing you describe. I think his lenses are the best ones.

 

Am not looking forward to wearing specs full time and having to get used to the new way of seeing.

[Olly]

I know that Boots and Specsavers and so on have fully qualified opticians and that they can often offer special deals, but after a bad experience with a 'chain' some years ago I am sticking with my independent optician. I really had no trouble adjusting to mine, and I'm sure that's because he spent ages measuring my eyeline and checking where the 'divide' would be. I like the fact that he has all the records from previous visits, and because of a family history of glaucoma and diabetes its really important that I have a photo of my retinas taken every year. I'm a big fan of the independents.

 

If I could though (not possible for me), I'd have laser surgery for the short sight and then just have reading glasses.

[Chickendoodle]

I also use a local independent optician - the same practice for over 20 years. My lenses were an extortionate price and this coupled with my nickel allergy so I have to have titanium frames or similar means they are quite an investment.

 

I went for lenses that are especially thin so that they look good in metal frames and they have the best ( apparently) gradation between the near and distance lens so that there is no jarring when you change vision. I don't know I am wearing them really as my eyes automatically look through the right part of the lens ( apart from the aforementioned eyebrow plucking )

 

Now my optician might just have done a really good sell on me but I wonder if the cheaper lenses do such a good job ? £150 is actually quite cheap for varifocul lenses I think and if there is a big quality difference you might be better with separate pairs? I have only ever used one sort so not speaking from direct experience, just what my optician told me.

[soapdragon]

Thanks everyone - many wise words, as always!

 

I have spoken to Specsavers who offer a 3 months 'cooling off' period and Tesco's who don't! Will contact another couple of opticians over the next few days too to see what they offer.

 

I have always had excellent long sight but have noticed things getting blurry at a distance now - tho I don't drive very much it is beginning to worry me slightly. Equally, reading is a prob now but middle distance is fine! Having always been fortunate enough to have 20/20 vision I feel as though this is rather the beginning of the end I wonder what will 'go' next

[Daphne]

Not sure if this is helpful or not but a couple of months ago I was told I need varifocals by Tesco. Made me feel at least 100 I've been short sighted since a teenager and wear glasses for driving/TV/cinema but my eyes have changed very little in that time, although I am beginning to find reading tiny print on food/toiletries impossible. Note to manufacturers and us - why is this allowed to happen, I can't be the only person desperately trying to see what is in my food/shampoo etc

 

Anyway, I digress. I took the prescription to the small lens manufacturer around the corner and they said, do you actually want these as your prescription is very marginal. I said I didn't really (vanity, particularly as I have a small face and I understand you have to have large glasses for varifocals. I can easily wear children's specs). I could read their smallest print line on the sight card, so I opted for a new pair of regular glasses with the new prescription for the short sighted bit.

 

I'm not saying Tesco were trying to encourage me into varifocals unnecessarily, and I know that with the passage of time I am going to need them, but for the moment I can get by quite happily without as the only sight problem I have is a tiny part of my life, I have no problems reading regular size fonts.

[soapdragon]

That is interesting, Daphne! I called Specsavers and Tesco Opticians yesterday and Specsavers were really helpful and said that had a 3 month cooling off period but the person at Tesco Abingdon just said that everyone could get on with varifocals, it was all in the mind, no one ever brought them back etc. I got really annoyed as she clearly was not listening to me or registering my concerns so I won't be going to Tesco - however many vouchers I can use!

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I have not long had varifocals, they have taken a lot of getting used to. My eyesight is awful, short sighted but my eyes can't adjust at all well either. My varifocals are three stage ones, long distance, middle distance (for computer and piano)and close work. I do wear plain lenses glasses for driving and cycling. The worst thing is going shopping but at least I can read the list without having to do the glasses on and off thing.

 

I hated giving in to wearing varifocals but it does save me constantly changing specs. Fortunately because I need glasses for work under the DSE work had to pay a contribution which took some of the sting out of the price ( the total price of the specs was £244)

 

Just don't move your head too suddenly to start with because it does make you feel quite dizzy. I stupidly wore mine to give blood......not a good idea, next time I'm wearing my plain specs! I thought I was going to keel over