varifocals: it's official, I'm middle-aged

banjo brunette

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Hi All

I went for my annual diabetic check up/eye test at the optician's last night and it's official: I need varifocals. Which in my book means middle-age!!!! I'm 46, BTW, which is over half-way to 90 :shock:

What are other people's experience of varifocals? Will I have to buy big round "granny" glasses?

This news aside, at least my diabetic screening results were OK.

Cheers, BB :D

PS No insult intended to any grannies reading this post :oops:
 

graham64

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Hi BB, I've had varifocals for the past 2 years they are expensive though I paid £300 for mine :shock: I you can get used to them they are great.

Cheers
Grandad Graham :twisted:
 

Synonym

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Hi BB

Not all of us Grannies actually need glasses anyway! 8) :lol:
 

banjo brunette

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Hi Graham
Yes, I know they'll be expensive - one optician quoted £360 for the lenses alone :shock: I'll be SO glad if they work though - I've been doing that school-marmy looking over my specs thing to read stuff.

Hi Synonym
Of course they don't :D :D :D

Cheers, BB :D
 

kegstore

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BB, varifocals are fantastic, I've had mine for just 6 months and am a total convert. Also "only" 41...!
 

Ardbeg

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I'm 48 so officially well into middle age.

I started wearing glasses a couple of years ago; particularly for when I'm on my laptop or the pc at home (like now).

Initially I did go for variofocals, but couldn't wear them as it make me feel dizzy and physically ill. The optician (specsavers) let me swap them for two different normal pairs; one for close work like now and the other for driving or simply when my eyes get tired.

I am thinking about getting bi focals as I'm always misplacing one or other pair of glasses as I dont wear them constantly. With Bifocals I'd probably just wear them all the time..............then I would look middle aged as well as just feeling it. :wink:
 

Fujifilm

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I was supposed to get varifocals the last time but I knew best :roll: and decided to go for normal ones because the thought of varifocals made me feel old :(

But I am due for another eye test and this time I am going to get varifocals because I am sick of peering over the top of my glasses to read. :lol:

But just the thought of going through the hassle of buying glasses depresses me, my local optician are a total waste of space, should have gone to specsavers. :lol:
.
 

hanadr

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I've used varifocals for years (I'm 63 in 2 weeks time) I find them very good , except for reading and computer. For those activities, i do without glasses.It was bifocals I couldn't manage :evil: My current glasses are fairly modern. Teardrop shaped lenses in gold frames. I don't have the right face shape for those little slit shaped glasses, but I think they can do varifocals in pretty much any frame.
Hana
 

gillyb

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Hi BB
Tee hee - am your classic "peering over the top of your specs" case. Just had my lenses updated, single vision, am a stupid moo because my long sight is still fine. Specsavers do varifocals and also told me that they give you a period to adjust to them as they are not for everybody. So I will be going the varifocal route very soon, they do them in tints to (me also worried about the "coke bottle" effect!
 

hanadr

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gillyb
I have found Specsavers to givean excellent service.
Hana
 

banjo brunette

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To cap it all I wandered round the poshest, trendiest optician's in town this afternoon..... and they've got in all those owly Anglo-American specs in that I remember from the early '80's :shock:
Cheers, BB :D
 

PatrickSutton

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That was my thought too, when I started wearing varifocals nearly three years ago (at age 50). Took to them at once, and have found Specsavers' service to be excellent.
 

noblehead

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Hi BB,

I can confirm to you that you are indeed middle-aged. I bought the T-shirt and proudly wear it! 8)

My mother in-law wears varifocals, she swears by them, but when she wears them she looks the double of Deirdre Barlow from Coranation Street, there enormous! :lol: I am sure you can get much more fashionable glasses now.

Nigel
 

shirleymarye

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I have been wearing varifocals since my 30s and I am 71 now,I have a pair which are rimless and cost me £500 and everyone says how nice they are.
 

banjo brunette

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noblehead said:
Hi BB,

I can confirm to you that you are indeed middle-aged. I bought the T-shirt and proudly wear it! 8)

My mother in-law wears varifocals, she swears by them, but when she wears them she looks the double of Deirdre Barlow from Coranation Street, there enormous! :lol: I am sure you can get much more fashionable glasses now.

Nigel

Nigel, thanks SO much! It was our Deidre I was thinking of but I couldn't for the life of me remember her name :D They're just the specs I don't want....
Cheers, BB :D
 

kegstore

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BB, I'm a totally self-confessed and paid-up slave to fashion, design, labels etc. and am really surprised at the variety of frames that can have varifocal lenses squeezed into them, there's something for everyone whether your name is Deirdre or Donatella!
 

noblehead

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banjo brunette said:
Nigel, thanks SO much! It was our Deidre I was thinking of but I couldn't for the life of me remember her name :D They're just the specs I don't want....
Cheers, BB :D

No problem BB! :D

Kegstore................................who the hell's Donatella? :?

Nigel
 

Moogie1947

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Ardbeg said:
Initially I did go for variofocals, but couldn't wear them as it make me feel dizzy and physically ill. The optician (specsavers) let me swap them for two different normal pairs; one for close work like now and the other for driving or simply when my eyes get tired.

I had a similar experience, some years ago I tried them and felt disoriented and kept seeing multiple images too. So swapped to bifocals and mid distance for computer use and lecturing.
More recently I tried again and found I could not use the mid distance part for computer use as it was not in the right place.
I think it may be because I hold my head in an awkward position so never look thru' the right bit.
Anyway I'm back to bifocals, with single lenses for driving and over the counter reading glasses in the bedroom for reading in bed. I still using the old mid distance ones.
 

Synonym

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As one who doesn't require glasses yet I am shocked at the prices you quote! :shock: I hope I won't need any for a while as it could take a while to save that amount. :shock: