types of varifocal lenses

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Mo
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types of varifocal lenses

Post by Mo »

When I went for an eye test I found that although the person who did the eye test was the same the shop was owned by a new company.
And instead of just making up my new glasses I was offered a range of lenses with a horrendous difference in price, then lens coating, again 2 sorts with rising prices.
I wasn't sure, as she said that normal varifocals are distorted at the outside. I'm having difficulty at the moment, with cateracts, but don't know how much better the dearer lens are.
Has anyone any experience. Was it just a marketing scam?
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Gwenoakes
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Gwenoakes »

I have worn varifocals for about 20 years now and never, ever been asked or told for that matter about the distortion at the outside. I have not just gone to one place either, possibly been to about 6 or 7 over those years.
I do know that you can have two different types of shading, one of which and cannot remember which one, totally annoys me by making pinks a different shade.
The last time I went for an eye test some months ago they said I had the start of cataracts and no one suggested or talked about different lenses to me, Mo.
I have noticed especially this last time with the buy one pair get one cheaper/free that the lenses in the cheaper pair were very difficult to keep clean, by this I mean I was cleaning them 3 or 4 times a day, so possibly they were cheaper lenses but nobody told me about it.
Hopefully someone will come on here with more info and we will both learn something.
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wendy
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by wendy »

I don't wear glasses as such.
But have varifocals for indoors when I am sewing. As when I look at the TV from close work it is blurred and I don't want to strain my eyes sewing without help. Although I don't have any poblems and can still thread a needle.
So of course I walk around the house wearing them sometimes.
I can't say I have noticed a 'distortion' with them. I also have cataracts that we are talking about having done and they don't seem to be a bother with them.
But you would probably be better hearing drom someone who wears them all the time.
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Mo
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Mo »

I changed from a chain optician (Dollond & A) to this one at a friends recommendation and noticed
a) his lenses were much cheaper
b) he didn't offer any BOGOFs or half price silliness (if you can do them so cheap, why not do the first one cheap)
c) he offered to use my old frames (at my own risk if they broke).

This new woman persuaded me to get new frames.
Since I've started wearing varifocals all the time I notice that my frames don't break as I'm not taking them on and off all the time.
She also suggested glasses that go brown in sunlight rather than grey - I wonder if things will start looking pink, Gwen. She said that grey ones make it look gloomy on a sunny day - certainly true when I wore ordinary sunglasses for driving.

I did try to ask the woman who did my eye test if the expensive lenses would be better, but she said she knew nothing about it except that she wore them. And the other woman said that technology improves all the time (hint, hint, don't tell her she'll be fine with the cheap ones)

Because I have been struggling with my old glasses I did go for the dearer ones. I could afford them since I've been frugal and suspicious and never bought anything unless I was sure. But the same suspicious frugal attitude makes me wonder if I've been 'done'.
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Gwenoakes
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Gwenoakes »

Not sure if you have been 'done', Mo but if the woman that tested you was wearing the more expensive ones and 'didn't know anything about them' then I would be kind of worried, unless of course she got them at a discount price with working there. Even so, it is a bit of a throwaway remark to make and not imho very professional. As part of your payment you are paying for their expert knowledge and professionalism and that would bug me that they did not have either. May as well go to one of the cheap supermarkets and get some magnifying glasses for pennies...…………
Have you tried looking on line for any answers for or against cheap or pricey?
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Meanqueen
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Meanqueen »

It's not normally the person who does your eye test who helps you choose frames and lenses, two different jobs. Sounds like they are trying to maximise sales by cutting corners, one person for two jobs.

I don't know about distortion around the edges, never happened to me. I did have to walk back into the shop once after getting some new specs, because my vision was all blurry. Couldn't see any distance at all, couldn't have driven with them. It was fixed by an adjustment to the angle they were sat on my face. A five minute job.

I have never been offered a wide choice of lenses, I get varifocals, slightly tinted that you can't notice, and that's it. If someone started giving me a dozen different choices I class that as sales chat, and stop listening. I know what I want when I go in there.

My eyes were tested and checked, last week. Slight variation in the right prescription, but as I can see perfectly fine to legally drive I said I wouldn't be buying new glasses.

I don't know if you have been conned or not, but I always mention that price is an issue with me. I tell them I can't afford to spend a lot of money. That seems to dampen their spirits and don't usually push the issue. I go to the big green shop in the High Street by the way, have always found them to be helpful.

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Mo
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Mo »

Meanqueen wrote:It's not normally the person who does your eye test who helps you choose frames and lenses, two different jobs. Sounds like they are trying to maximise sales by cutting corners, one person for two jobs.

No, 2 people, 2 jobs, but I wondered if the tester, who know about my cataracts would which she said were blurring the centre of my L eye, would recommend the expensive ones
Meanqueen wrote:If someone started giving me a dozen different choices I class that as sales chat, and stop listening. I know what I want when I go in there.

Yes I thought that, but on the other hand sometimes you don't know what is available.
I walked into Honda (4 years ago) knowing that I wanted the cheapest model, the one I'd had before. Basic, no optional extras. And since they were bringing out a new model Hurrah, I can get a discount. Then I called into another make's showroom, just for a look (and to get a part-ex quote), and was shown a car with a speed limiter. Went back to Honda and when he started the 'what would make you decide' chat said that I was tempted by it. He told me about all the driver assist features the new model had. So I went away and though and ended up with the only car I've ever been enthusiastic about. Takes away so much of the multi-tasking that I never was good at and less so as I age.
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Mo
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Mo »

It's sometimes hard to know if it's a case of
'you get what you pay for'
or
'more money than sense' - 'they'll charge whatever they can get away with'
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fabindia
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by fabindia »

Of course, what we have to remember as 'older folks' is that we are entitled to go to any opticians and get an eye test free on the NHS, then just ask for our prescription and walk out. The optician gets a good sum for doing the test from the NHS and you are then free to shop around as you please or even buy glasses off the internet.
Michael
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by Gwenoakes »

I agree with what you say, Michael, but if you wear varifocals the lenses need measuring as to where your eyes line up to look long distance and then close up. I must say after wearing varifocals for years and knowing how long they take to do these measurements it concerns me that if bought on the internet how they get those measurements correct.
I think I have read somewhere that they do take your old glasses, so I guess could measure from them, but what happens if you only have one pair of glasses. I would certainly be at a total loss without my glasses.
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Re: types of varifocal lenses

Post by fabindia »

Fortunately, I am short sighted and my near vision without glasses or contact lenses is quite good. However, I do need to take my glasses off or my contacts out id I want to do close work.
Michael
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