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Getting to the point where I put down my reading glasses and forget where I put them 😞So considering Varifocals but 3 opticians I've been to give different advice . I'm guessing they don't Mountain Bike ? I've been trying to gauge my head /eye position when riding and I think it's going to be ok ? I think when descending your head naturally tilts down , I was concerned that I might be looking through the magnified part of the lens giving quite a distortion but I reckon I'd only be looking at the front wheel doing that rather than about 3 feet ahead down the trail . Boots and Specsavers give you 30 days to change your mind but I'd rather get it right from the off , I also need Reactolite as well . So just wondering how anybody else has fared ?
I ride in safety glasses that are plain but with a reader patch (admittedly very small) at the bottom
absolutely fine for biking; never look through the bottom lens unless it's at the computer on the bars or when I'm stopped and fixing/examining something
err, FWIW
I ride in safety glasses and carry my varifocals in my backpack in case I need to read something. I've ridden in varifocal sunglasses and not found any problems - you tend to look through the centres of the lens when riding to the edge distortion isn't significant.
All my specs are varifocals, these days, no problems. *
*that I didn't have any way.
I’ve never used mine on the bike, I just take a pair of old reading glasses just in case I need to look at anything in detail.
The trick with varifocal is you need to get a good lens, a cheap lens gives you a narrow field of view.
You really need a Hoya or Pentax lens or another quality brand, however these are not going to be cheap and I wouldn’t want to loose or wear them on the bike.
you also look fairly forward when riding, I only struggle to read a bike computer etc, I wouldn’t wear variifocal on a bike just to see that, if needed I’d get the old readers out.
Hard to advise unless we know more about what you can and cannot see?
I’ve been wondering about this myself I know you can also get varifocal contact lenses now, has anyone used these?
I use these, they're not perfect but as has been said, don't want to risk my day to day glasses.
I've got a prescription of -4.00 and -2.25. My optician suggested putting 2x -2.25's in so that the under prescription lens would help close work and the normal one is good for distance. I was not convinced but you do seem to adapt to it quickly. Not tried it on the bike yet though.
Absolutely no issues with using my varifocals.
I wear an old pair of (good quality) rimless varifocals for riding, with a cord round the back to avoid losing them. Being rimless they are very light and don't bounce about. My normal varifocals stay in the car so that I can drive home whatever. I wear lenses for skiing and paddling, but if I wore them riding I'd need safety glasses as well, plus map reading is easier.
They are fine, I actually miss them when I wear just distance.
I used to warn people of all sorts of things till I got them myself, honestly very easy to get used to. As an early presbyope with a low ‘reading Add’ of say +1.00 to +1.50 there are very few distortions or blurry bits.
Everthing is just clear, also the cheaper Vari’s at Specsavers at least are very good at this early type of prescription. From ‘premium’ upward are all good, I’ve not tried below this.
I have riden in variifocals for years. My distance vision is okish but I need glasses to navigate. I have a pair of Oakley Flak frames with varifocal reactolight? prescription lenses. They mostly work fine on a bike and stay on my face. There is a problem that they make everything look taller and cause problems estimating the height of drops. I am a fairly sedate rider and have been able to cope with this but anything where you have to look down will take some getting used to.
No problems. You quite quickly get used to moving your eyes or head depending on which bit of lens you need. Though with my expensive (thick) prescription I can't get cycling specs made, so I use single vision inserts which are OKish.
I would avoid a wrapped sports frame though, unless they are Oakley or a properly compensated design.
I have varifocals all the time. There great road or mountain partially when looking at the Garmin mapping.
i even have spec saver JCB safety varifocals for site working that I use on my bike too.
dont be concerned.
I have varifocal specs, and also use varifocal contacts.
I just get on an ride and don't overthink it. They just work for me.
More detail.....
Specs are Specsavers thin and light rimless reactolites. +1.5 and +3.5 so a reasonable bit of difference between them. They just worked for me from the first time I put them on in the shop , drove the 20+ miles home in complete confidence.
Sometimes I just get on my bike and ride and don't even think about what I have on my eyes. My preference is contacts with Oakleys, but I just sometimes forget or CBA, and jump on in my specs. The reacto bit is good for that too.
I also run in my specs sometimes when I forget I have them on, and that is fine too, and have done 10 milers with no problem, whereas I would normally not wear any eye correction for running. With the specs on the reading bit isn't really a problem unless it's on very techy downhill trails.
For contacts I use a varifocal in my good eye, so +1.5 with "low add", with just a standard +3.5 in my weaker eye. This works well. You brain just sorts it all out and that combo allows reading and distance without having to dig readers our of my bag. I did try varifocals in both eyes, but that wasn't good, they are a little blurry at distance. I didn't even make it out of the opticians with those in. With the one of each I happily drove home by which time i'd even forgotten I'd got them in.
Thanks for all the replies folks so far so positive.
My everyday glasses are varifocals, but my cycling specs (Rudy Project Rydons with an insert) are bi-focals. This is mainly for cost but also varifocals have no real advantage on the bike where you are either looking at distance, or pretty close - not much in between.
No problem here, and am around -7.5 in both eyes, with astigmatism. First few rides were a bit weird, now don’t even think about it, 4 years later.
I use varifocals all the time riding with no problem. I did have some reactolite ones. But I gave up riding with them as they dont change fast enough. Going from open ground into a wood in summer the lens take a while to clear. I'm back to sticking with clear lenses.
No problems with varifocal glasses for my riding.
Not so keen on the contact lenses, but more to do with getting them in and out, just prefer glasses.
The vari focal contact lenses not so good for reading, could be an issue if reading a map or small print.
For those using varifocal, are you using standard glasses or did you buy a sport specific pair?
i rode doing navigation yesterday and it was a pain keep getting the old readers out.
For those using varifocal, are you using standard glasses or did you buy a sport specific pair?
When the sun's out, I use some Puma sporty type sunglasses I got from Specsavers (I think they cost me £100 at the time) . All other times I use my standard framed glasses.
Am I the only one who finds they make technical descents looks steeper and more dangerous?
Normally use my everyday Varifocals riding but just got some prescription sunglasses with VF lenses.
Stipulation was I had to be able to read my gps and see ahead without too much head movement which is not much too much ask but they said they couldn't do it as a non VF.
Anyway brilliant all round glasses although spec'd (sic) for riding so cheap frames (Oakley look a likes £39) and cheapest lenses I could get away with.
Personally couldn't get on with varifocals. I use my distance prescription with a pair of Hydrotac stick-on bifocals so I can read the Garmin (and pub menus etc). Works great for me, YMMV.