Varifocal glasses right for you or not

Men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses.

What a sexist and out-dated statement that is.

Spectacles can be so stylish these days that people opt to wear them simply as a fashion statement.

If you do need glasses to correct a sight problem you may find there is just too much choice although in truth there are probably only a handful of basic shapes and types.

But what if you need two pairs of specs one for close vision and one for long distance?

Varifocal spectacles or glasses have lenses that have a gradual change in strength. Unlike Bi-Focals, where the lens has two distinct halves the varifocal lens gradually changes. When such glasses are properly prescribed, they will correct problems with long distance, near-sighted and arms length viewing, without the need for separate pairs of glasses.

Gone are the days when you would have put on your reading glasses to read, and then would need to swap to your distance glasses when you were going out. A pair of varifocal glasses will fulfil all of these functions for you.

What are the benefits of wearing varifocal spectacles as opposed to spectacles with ordinary lenses?

There are many benefits to wearing varifocal spectacles if your vision is poor in both close and in distance viewing. The benefits can be:-

• Convenience
• Cost
• Ease of use

The initial cost of a pair of varifocal glasses will be more than single lens spectacles. However on the whole they represent great value fir money as you will not have to buy two distinct pairs of glasses.

They are also much more convenient to use than two such pairs of glasses.

The alternative often means having an alternate pair of glasses hanging around your neck say for use with the computer.

Instead if you are wearing a pair of varifocal spectacles all you will need to do is move your head a little.

The alternative can also mean remembering to take both pair of specs with you when you go out, go to work or go on holiday.

Are varifocals for me?

If your eyesight test has shown that you need both reading spectacles and distance ones then varifocals may work for you.

However not everyone finds them easy to use. It can take time to adjust to wearing varifocals but in some cases it never works out.

Your optician will ensure that you have your field of vision tested first. This will show if varifocals would not work for you at all.

Many opticians in the UK offer a 28-day money back guarantee with varificals. This means that if you buy a pair of varifocal glasses and cannot get used to them at all you can take them back. In return you will be able to purchase a pair of readers and distance glasses instead.

Make sure you check if this is available at your opticians before you commit to buy.

How do you use varifocals?

The lenses graduate down from the top. The top part of the lens is used to look into the distance. The bottom part is used for close work. This is why it is important that you are measured properly for such glasses.

You can buy on-line but make sure that it is a reputable dealer who carries out your instructions to the letter. A reputable High Street optician service may be best for your very first pair of varifocals.

Varifocal lenses are much better these days but there is still a knack to wearing and using them properly

You need to get used to angling and moving your head a little more. When you are going to cross a road turn your head right and left rather than just looking to the right or left. If you just look toward the edge of your glasses you may find that the view is a little blurred.

When you use a computer it is important that the chair is at the right height for you and the screen is angled for optimum use. You must avoid having to tilt your head up so that you can view through the bottom of your varifocals, as this can give you neck problems.

To bring a book into your field of vision it is best to bring it close under your glasses rather than up in front of you.

Personal experience and problems if any

I was lucky on the whole as I soon adapted to wearing varifocals. Having alternated between two pairs of single lens glasses for a year or so varifocals were great by comparison but they did seem a little strange at first. This was mainly when I wanted to look to the right or left. After wearing varifocals for a short time this was no problem.

You may need to persevere with wearing Varifocals

When my husband finally needed both reading and distance glasses he opted for varifocals.

I knew he would not get on with them but, as I had no problems, he thought they sounded a good ides.

Within two days they were returned to the optician and two single lens pairs of glasses bought.

The first day he wore his varifocals off we went to the town. I had crossed the road and suddenly realised he was not with me. Looking around there he was marooned on the grassy verge of the dual carriageway looking lost. He then proceeded to attempt to cross over to me looking every inch like a spaceman on the Moon!

Of course I could not help but fall about laughing which I guess did not help.

Before you purchase varifocals think about your personal needs and conditions. If you suffer from regular migraines, severe headaches or dizzy spells varifocals will probably not be for you.

​Overall though I cannot recommend varifocal glasses enough

Having experienced, even briefly, having a second pair of glasses swinging around my neck, hung on a cord, whilst I chopped and changed which specs I was wearing, I found varifocals to be a marvel.

Varifocals in general

Varifocals come in all shapes and sizes these days. Your frames will need to have sufficient space though to accommodate your lens properly. If the size is too small it is hard for the optician to make a lens that has the correct graduation.

However most modern frames are able to accommodate varifocal lenses.

You can opt for reactolite or varifocal transition lenses with an anti-glare. This means that they also go gradually darker in bright conditions, such as sunny weather. The anti-glare improves the glasses performance when using the computer.

Varifocal sunglasses are also available. Often opticians will have an offer which includes half price varifocal sunglasses when you purchase a standard pair of varifocals. Check out what is available locally for you.

Varifocal contact lenses are also available;

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses work in several different ways, depending on the design of the lens. The designs fall into two basic groups: "Alternating vision" (translating) lenses are so named because your pupil alternates between the two powers, as your gaze shifts upward or downward.