Varifocal adaptation

[dan_b]

So it finally happened, my eyesight has got to the point where I can no longer accommodate my standard glasses for both long distance and close-up work. I'm short-sighted with astigmatism, and a month ago I switched to varifocals for the first time.

The trouble is, I'm really struggling - every day I get really bad headaches, and although my vision starts off all round good in the morning, by the afternoon everything is slightly off, in particular my long-distance vision. Which makes driving 30 miles home from work unpleasant/unsafe.

I went back to the opticians last week and they're going to change the prescription in one eye to see if it helps, but is this sort of adaptation timescale/difficulty normal? Do I persevere or just give up and go back to standard distance lenses?

[Joeboy]

So it finally happened, my eyesight has got to the point where I can no longer accommodate my standard glasses for both long distance and close-up work. I'm short-sighted with astigmatism, and a month ago I switched to varifocals for the first time.

The trouble is, I'm really struggling - every day I get really bad headaches, and although my vision starts off all round good in the morning, by the afternoon everything is slightly off, in particular my long-distance vision. Which makes driving 30 miles home from work unpleasant/unsafe.

I went back to the opticians last week and they're going to change the prescription in one eye to see if it helps, but is this sort of adaptation timescale/difficulty normal? Do I persevere or just give up and go back to standard distance lenses?

Ahem... Day 4.5 since surgery, can read number plates at 50ft+ easy, up close work at 1ft is fine. Even closer than that is still coming in. Extremely good results, can't wait until next one is done.
https://camelot-forum.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... f=9&t=1134

[SafetyThird]

Great new Joe, it's pretty miraculous, isn't it.

[Oldgreybeard]

So it finally happened, my eyesight has got to the point where I can no longer accommodate my standard glasses for both long distance and close-up work. I'm short-sighted with astigmatism, and a month ago I switched to varifocals for the first time.

The trouble is, I'm really struggling - every day I get really bad headaches, and although my vision starts off all round good in the morning, by the afternoon everything is slightly off, in particular my long-distance vision. Which makes driving 30 miles home from work unpleasant/unsafe.

I went back to the opticians last week and they're going to change the prescription in one eye to see if it helps, but is this sort of adaptation timescale/difficulty normal? Do I persevere or just give up and go back to standard distance lenses?

I went through much the same years ago when I switched to varifocals. It took me a long time to adapt to them, well over a month, more like three months. My problem was exactly the same, I had a 50 mile commute home and would find that my eyes just weren't up to it by that time of day. Despite my optician telling me that I should just persevere with the varifocals and not switch back to my old glasses, I found that I was sort of OK if I used my old distance vision glasses to drive home from work. After a time I found that the side effects from the varifocals wore off and now I'd not be without them. The only time I go back to single vision specs is at home, where I can get by without glasses much of the time, but use cheap reading glasses for close work. I still keep an old pair of distance vision glasses in the car, just in case, but haven't had to use them in over a decade now.

[Joeboy]

Great new Joe, it's pretty miraculous, isn't it.

Miracle is a word SWMBO & I have used for this! Total game changer.

[Joeboy]

Great new Joe, it's pretty miraculous, isn't it.

When did you get your's done?

[richbee]

So it finally happened, my eyesight has got to the point where I can no longer accommodate my standard glasses for both long distance and close-up work. I'm short-sighted with astigmatism, and a month ago I switched to varifocals for the first time.

The trouble is, I'm really struggling - every day I get really bad headaches, and although my vision starts off all round good in the morning, by the afternoon everything is slightly off, in particular my long-distance vision. Which makes driving 30 miles home from work unpleasant/unsafe.

I went back to the opticians last week and they're going to change the prescription in one eye to see if it helps, but is this sort of adaptation timescale/difficulty normal? Do I persevere or just give up and go back to standard distance lenses?

I got used to the varifocal part of mine pretty quickly, the only problem was that they put the wrong prescription in the distance part, so everything was slightly blurred! They did change them and now it' s pretty good all round - I struggle with any kind of close up stuff with my sunglasses now, which I didn't get done at the same time - thought I would try with 1 pair to start with.
I know people vary a lot with how they experience them - my mum loves hers but my dad can't get on with them at all.

[John_S]

I have used varifocals for over 20 years now. would not be without them. I need them for close up and mid distance work but the prescription allows me to wear them for long distance too. About 3 years ago, I had to start wearing them for driving as, especially at night, I could not read everything on the satnav, eg distance to go etc.

I also keep a cheap pair of reading glasses to hand for close up work.

I always make sure that my eye tests are as late in the afternoon as possible, ie when my eyes are tired.

[AE-NMidlands]

So it finally happened, my eyesight has got to the point where I can no longer accommodate my standard glasses for both long distance and close-up work. I'm short-sighted with astigmatism, and a month ago I switched to varifocals for the first time.

The trouble is, I'm really struggling - every day I get really bad headaches, and although my vision starts off all round good in the morning, by the afternoon everything is slightly off, in particular my long-distance vision. Which makes driving 30 miles home from work unpleasant/unsafe.

I went back to the opticians last week and they're going to change the prescription in one eye to see if it helps, but is this sort of adaptation timescale/difficulty normal? Do I persevere or just give up and go back to standard distance lenses?

I think that some friends have told us that they just can't get on with varifocals. Others are fine with them, but one chap recognises that there's no way he can estimate whether a plank is straight by eye any more!

[marshman]

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