Motoring Discussion > Varifocals and driving	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: CGNorwich	Replies: 41

Mon 1 Oct 12 21:57   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

I have always got by with a pair of specs for distance vision, I am shortsighted and don't really have a problem reading or using a computer without glasses. My optician suggested that I try varifocals which I have now had for a few days. As far as driving is concerned they are certainly an advantage in one way in that I can now see the dials and radio more clearly but I really don't like the effect on peripheral vision especially looking right at junctions. Effectively you need to turn your head fairly hard to the right to get a clear view which I am feeling is tiresome. Not doing so give me a blurred image since I am not looking through the sweet spot in the centre of the lens and is downright dangerous . Anyone else have this problem? My views at the moment are to chuck the things and go back to a simple distance lens. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 21:59   Varifocals and driving - MD

I returned mine toute suite. Ruddy awful. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:06   Varifocals and driving - Shiny

Best thing I ever did was switch to daily disposable soft contact lenses. The peripheral vision correction they give is a revelation as well as the lack from frame and not having to constantly wipe the lenses. Most opticians give a free trial in the price of the test and then try and sign you up to a direct debit, but just cancel that and buy them online. You can also get them for astigmatism and varifocals, don't know if they are good as I have never needed them. Last edited by: sooty tailpipes on Mon 1 Oct 12 at 22:07 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:07   Varifocals and driving - Manatee

The thing with varifocals, even when you have had them before, is that you really have to wear them for a while before you know whether they are right. I got some new ones a couple of months ago, and tables / work surfaces appeared to be canted. Now they are level. Very odd. Mine aren't like CGN's in that I have next to no distance prescription; the VFs are are to allow me to have good inter/near vision without taking specs on and off. I have no problem with sideways/peripheral vision - the top part of the lenses is to all intents plain, so my experience isn't really that helpful ;-) I'd give it a week or two but then don't be slow to take them back if you aren't happy - if they haven't been measured spot on they won't be right and it's entirely possible they aren't. Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 1 Oct 12 at 22:09 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:15   Varifocals and driving - Zero

>> The thing with varifocals, even when you have had them before, is that you really >> have to wear them for a while before you know whether they are right. Absolutely, you need to get used to them. >> I got some new ones a couple of months ago, and tables / work surfaces >> appeared to be canted. Now they are level. Very odd. The effect is worse when walking down stairs! Very precarious thing to do at first. Your brain just seems to adjust after a while tho, and you can switch from single vision glasses to varifocals with ease once you have, >> Mine aren't like CGN's in that I have next to no distance prescription; t Mine probably are, I have distance and reading correction. I would have needed tri focals! Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:32   Varifocals and driving - Lygonos

I recall some experiments where subjects wore glasses that flipped everything they saw upside down, and had to wear them 24/7. The first couple of days they were hopeless, stumbling about/fumbling trying to hold things - then they becamse used to them and could function normally. Until they took the things off and had to relearn normal vision. Last edited by: Lygonos on Mon 1 Oct 12 at 22:32 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:36   Varifocals and driving - Zero

>> I recall some experiments where subjects wore glasses that flipped everything they saw upside down, >> and had to wear them 24/7. It actually flipped things the right way up. I understand the image of what we see arrives at the brain upside down normally, where it corrects the image. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:52   Varifocals and driving - Lygonos

I was going to say that but didn't want to sound like a dullard ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:04   Varifocals and driving - Zero

You may have been dispensed a poor prescription, possibly forced by poor choice of lens size and shape? I drive in varifocals and dont have the problems you have described. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:31   Varifocals and driving - Bill Payer

>> You may have been dispensed a poor prescription, possibly forced by poor choice of lens >> size and shape? I drive in varifocals and dont have the problems you have described. >> Same here - my wife and I both got them a few years ago for the first time and I read all the horror stories about stairs and driving etc but neither of us had a moments difficulty. We did get Essilor something or other lenses, which were fairly expensive but were assured were the best available for us. I've worn glasses since I was a kid and had avoided the chain opticians but got these from SpecSavers and felt the Optician and Dispenser did a very through job. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:32   Varifocals and driving - Bromptonaut

Had varifocals since the mid noughties. Three zones: close reading, PC screen and distance. Certainly remember them being odd on stairs at first and perhaps a need to move head rather than just eyes to ensure optimum vision at junctions and when on the bile - soon adapyed though. I think however Zero has a point about lens size/shape. For me only 'oval plus' aviator style lens shapes will do. Simply cannot cope with idea of viewing the world through letterboxes. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:45   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

I don't think there is anything wrong with the prescription. I can see clearly at long ,mid and short distances if I look through the correct part of the lens. Walking down the road for example they are fine. I was told by the optician that to look right my moving my eyes rather than my head would result in less than optimum vision and this is indeed the case. The problem I am finding when driving is looking right at junctions. I am used to turning my head only slightly and moving my eyes. I find it rather awkward and odd to have to turn my head so far especially since I suffer from a somewhat stiff neck. I must admit I feel safer driving with my old glasses. I will persevere with the things but at the moment the odds are with them going back. They are on a 30 day trial. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:50   Varifocals and driving - Dutchie

I have varifocals never had any problems regarding driving or reading.Took me a couple of days to get used to the glasses. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 22:53   Varifocals and driving - Zero

>> I don't think there is anything wrong with the prescription. I can see clearly at >> long ,mid and short distances if I look through the correct part of the lens. >> Walking down the road for example they are fine. The prescription is not just about the various dioptres required for sharp vision, is about the size and location of the transitions with respect to the centre of your eyeball and natural head inclination. A larger lens gives you more chances to get it right. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 23:07   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

Yes I understand that. I don't think there is anything wrong with the lenses though and for most purposes they are fine - I can see well in most respects but it the loss of clear peripheral vision when driving that concerns me especially the need to turn your head rather than your eyes to see clearly to the right. From what I understand this is an inherent feature of the design of a varifocal lens and I am not comfortable with it. Perhaps I will get used to it . Time will tell. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 23:35   Varifocals and driving - bathtub tom

I'm sure this subject has been done to death a couple of times before. I had them for a month and couldn't cope. I've got bifocals with the distance part extending to the bottom, outer extremity of the lens for that glance into door mirrors. I have recently found my bifocals to be restrictive for reading items on shelves, being out of range of both lens. Perhaps I need to try varifocals again. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 23:57   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

"I had them for a month and couldn't cope. I've got bifocals with the distance part extending to the bottom, outer extremity of the lens for that glance into door mirrors." Don't have a problem with the door mirrors - that's only a small turn of the head - At the end of the day I suspect my problem stems from lack of mobility in my neck which is probably compensated for by me turning my eyes rather than my head. That doesn't work with varifocals. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 00:52   Varifocals and driving - John H

Your eyesight deserves the most expensive varifocal lenses you can afford. I have a cheaper Specsavers own brand pair for use as a spare. it is terrible compared to the much more expensive Varilux pair that is my main pair. www.varilux.com/en/Pages/homepage.aspx Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 23:45   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

This explains it better than I can. It is the soft focus ( marketing speak for out of focus?) area at the edge of the distant vision part of the lenses which which bother me. www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/varifocals/ Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 1 Oct 12 23:42   Varifocals and driving - Avant

People - and their eyes - vary: I suspect that varifocals are more of a problem for those who haven't always worn glasses than for those like Bill Payer and me who have worn them since childhood. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 04:33   Varifocals and driving - Pat

I'm another fan of Varilux lenses and in the distant past had experienced slightly the same problem as you CG. Upgrading to a more expensive lens cured the problem completely. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 09:10   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

"Upgrading to a more expensive lens cured the problem completely." I bought the most expensive lenses that the optician offered. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 09:24   Varifocals and driving - Zero

We could of course comment on the fact that relying on your peripheral vision when looking right at Junctions, is not ideal, indeed possibly not safe. Maybe getting some mobility in your neck may be the next best step? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 09:37   Varifocals and driving - madf

>> We could of course comment on the fact that relying on your peripheral vision when >> looking right at Junctions, is not ideal, indeed possibly not safe. >> >> Maybe getting some mobility in your neck may be the next best step? >> I find gently moving your head round in circles up sideways down sideways - a yoga exercise - has made a great difference to neck mobility. I suffered a neck disk problem 20 odd years ago and after that always suffer from neck problems . I still do but far less as a result of exercises.. although if you do it when walking - as I do - people tend to look strangely at you... (but then they often do ! :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 09:42   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

Its a matter of degree. My neck is not completely immobile, simply a little stiff at times but to get the best vision with the varifocals requires virtually a 90 degree turn of the head to the right. This is often uncomfortable With the normal distant lenses it requires far less head turning than that as indeed does anyone with uncorrected vision. I am also concerned about the loss of peripheral vision when driving looking straight ahead. An internet search reveals that I am not alone with this problem and there seems to be a substantial number who believe that varifocals are inherently unsafe for driving. Motorcyclists to whom peripheral vision is a matter of life and death seem particularly concerned. As I said I will persevere but at the moment I don't see varifocals providing more benefit than disadvantages. After all I don't need specs to read or use the computer. If I can't drive safely with them I might as well go back to the distance lenses. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 10:09   Varifocals and driving - Zero

The problem is that peripheral vision is never in focus anyway. The way the eye works simply does not allow it. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 11:42   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

"The problem is that peripheral vision is never in focus anyway. The way the eye works simply does not allow it." But the view through the sides of varifocals is not as focused as the view through the middle hence the recommendation to turn your head rather than your eyes when wearing them. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 10:35   Varifocals and driving - L'escargot

CGNorwich, now that you've explained that you don't need reading glasses or glasses of a different prescription for computer work I'm wondering why you've bought varifocals. My understanding of varifocals is that they're an alternative to bifocals for people who need two different focal lengths in the same lens. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 11:38   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

I bought the varifocals at the suggestion of my optician to avoid the problem of removing my glasses for close work. For example if I buy some petrol I need to remove my distance glasses when paying and entering my PIN in the card reader. Also when driving with distance lenses I can't see the trip computer figures very clearly although the speedo and rev counter are ok as the numbers are larger. The varifocals solve this problem but at the moment I feel the problems I have outlined outweigh these benefits . Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 12:01   Varifocals and driving - L'escargot

>> I bought the varifocals at the suggestion of my optician to avoid the problem of >> removing my glasses for close work. For example if I buy some petrol I need >> to remove my distance glasses when paying and entering my PIN in the card reader. You could do the cool thing and temporarily raise them up onto the top of your head. Anyway, it sounds as if you need reading glasses. Bifocals would solve the problem. Last edited by: L'escargot on Tue 2 Oct 12 at 12:02 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 11:11   Varifocals and driving - John H

>> An internet search reveals that I am not alone with this problem and there seems >> to be a substantial number who believe that varifocals are inherently unsafe for driving. Motorcyclists >> to whom peripheral vision is a matter of life and death seem particularly concerned. >> Everyone has different shaped eyeballs and lenses. No two are exactly the same. Having said that, unless all these people have tried the best "bespoke" varifocal lens for their eyes, it is just unscientific internet self selected data. >> As I said I will persevere but at the moment I don't see varifocals providing >> more benefit than disadvantages. Good opticians, Specsavers included, will usually take your varifocals back. Go back and ask if they do the Varilux or other high quality branded lenses and choose the top of the range. >> After all I don't need specs to read or use the >> computer. >> As Les says, it is a puzzle why you have varifocals in that case. Last edited by: John H on Tue 2 Oct 12 at 11:13 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 07:32   Varifocals and driving - L'escargot

I tried varifocals and had exactly the same problem of the fringes of the view being out of focus and having to turn my head to compensate. Looking through the distance part I saw a circle in focus and around that it was out of focus. I had to turn my head to see in the door mirrors. Looking through the reading part, the middle of an A4 sheet was in focus and the sides were out of focus, so I had to keep turning my head from side to side. I went back to the optician and he gave me a pair with a different transition between the distance part and the reading part but they were no better. I'd decided to try bifocals in the first place because I thought I might be able to comfortably do computer work looking through the transitional section. However, the transition between the two parts of the varifocals was so critical that I would have needed a vernier adjustment under my chin to be able to tilt my head by exactly the right amount to focus on a computer screen! In the end I went back to bifocals. (Fortunately there was no extra charge for having had the three types of lens.) The disadvantage of bifocals is that I have to tilt my head right back to look at a computer screen through the reading part and that makes my neck ache, so my final solution was to have bifocals for normal use and a separate (cheap frame) pair of single vision spectacles for computer work. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 07:40   Varifocals and driving - madf

Glasses worn for the past 20 years. varifocals for the past 15 years. No real issues.. though a built in photosensitive tint makes prices eye watering...:-) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 13:51   Varifocals and driving - No FM2R

The focus on your lens works on a horizontal line and a vertical line. When you have varifocals, then rather than a hard split on the horizontal, it varies gradually across the lens. All fairly obvious. However, a seemingly little known fact is that you can also vary the focus to the left and right (i.e. the vertical split). the brand name for this when I first got it was "Panamics". Or at least it was in Brazil. The effect of these is that in the same way one does not have to look up and down to focus on something in front of you, then you do not need to look left and right to focus on something off to one side. I know you can get them in the UK, because I’m wearing a pair right now. However, firstly I don’t know what the name for them in the UK is, secondly you MUST ask for them specifically. Every time I forget to specify the wide angle thingy, then they don't offer it. And half the time when I do specify it, they arrive without. But it makes a huge difference. I can hold a broadsheet out in front of me and read it by moving my eyes, not moving my head. I cannot do that with ordinary ones. If I can get hold of my optician I'll find out exactly what I’ve got and what they’re called, but probably yours will know. There are different types which have a wider and wider view. You will need to investigate, and they're not cheap. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 18:00   Varifocals and driving - Mike H

The other factor that doesn't seem to have directly come up in this thread, although it was touched on with specifically mentioning it, is that I was warned some years ago regarding loss of accuity towards the edge of lenses in the context of high refractive index lenses. The higher the index, the thinner the lens can be, but the loss of accuity (clarity & the ability to focus) through the lens in any direction other than straight ahead was worse with high index lenses. Now, it might be that things have moved on, and that the more expensive lenses overcome this problem whereas the cheaper ones use basically inferior materials, and therefore the previous comments regarding buying the most expensive lenses come into play. The other interesting point regarding varifocals is that one of the opticians I visited here in Austria offered more than 5 different lens patterns, giving different zones of focus - some wider, some taller, some towards the edges etc. The ones I thought would be most suitable, with a focussing zone virtually all the way across, turned out to be mainly used by commercial vehicle drivers, and were the most expensive. This was however only at one optician, and I have never seen a similar choice in the UK despite wearing varifocals for some years. I have no problems driving in them, although the ones I wear now are only about 8 months old and I do notice that I can't just swivel my eyes to look sideways, but I'm sure that it wasn't like that with the last pair which were UK sourced. I shall get them investigated at our old optician next time we are in the UK. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 18:11   Varifocals and driving - Pat

>>turned out to be mainly used by commercial vehicle drivers, and were the most expensive.<< Sounds like something similar to the ones I've always had. When I tell them what job I do there is one optician who makes me sit and pretend I'm driving a lorry. He then asks me to look in both cab mirrors as I would normally while he's measuring the area for maximum vision. Varilux allow for this to be done, but whether others do, I'm not sure. With reactolite lenses though I never get away much under £300 even with £65 frames. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 18:36   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

" I never get away much under £300 even with £65 frames." I paid a lot more than that Pat. Door mirrors are fine - its turning right and the edges of my vision that I'm not happy about. After walking about in the centre of the City today and doing a bit of shopping I find that they are quite good for some things. Reading labels and the like without removing my specs. Beginning to think I need 3 pairs. Varifocals for general use. Distance glasses for driving and a pair for reading although I could probably dispense with the reading glasses as I am short sighted in the right eye so can read fine without specs. Not really what I had in mind originally though! Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 20:34   Varifocals and driving - John H

There is a possibility that a technician at the Lab has fitted cheaper lenses. Go and "see" your optician again. Last edited by: John H on Tue 2 Oct 12 at 20:34 Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 6 Oct 12 22:57   Varifocals and driving - CGNorwich

Gave up on the varifocals. Got my money back from the optician this morning and went across the road to Specsavers and got two pairs of distance specs for £85. Made up in 1 hour. Over £300 saved and I can see properly again. Result. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 3 Oct 12 04:21   Varifocals and driving - Pat

Cab mirrors need a lot more of a turn of the head though as they're further away! It's hard to explain...I like to sit in a lorry cab looking forward but always have a half of my right eye on the o/s mirror so I always have an idea of what's going on and what's behind me. I found with my first pair that I couldn't do that, but after explaining to the optician, he recommended variflux and altered the area of vision when he measured them up. I'm also surprised your optician suggested varifocals for your needs...could he have had a quiet week? Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 2 Oct 12 18:14   Varifocals and driving - Alastairw

I have ordinary non varifocal lenses, but they are in a very high refractive index due to my vanity. When I use periferal vision I get a colour change effect ie: I can see coloured edges on letters etc. Blessed with a mobile neck due to yoga, I simply turn my head. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 3 Oct 12 06:49   Varifocals and driving - L'escargot

>> I have ordinary non varifocal lenses, but they are in a very high refractive index >> due to my vanity. Some people choose varifocals rather than bifocals purely through vanity. Needing reading glasses is a sign of advancing age, and the visible line on bifocals emphasises this. Reply to this message | Report message