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Just got some varifocals. They said that I might want a second computer pair, but they made it sound like it wasn't a big deal. However with these standard ones the focus area is absolutely tiny at computer distance. About a 10cm circle is in focus. It's not even enough to view a whole webpage without moving my head; the edges of the laptop screen are nowhere near in focus and using my 32" monitor is basically impossible. Surely the focus area for middle distance isn't meant to be this small?
I know what you mean I’m a recent changer too and struggling with monitors having to move my head rather than eyes to see a screen
Ive bought some off the shelf cheapo glasses for monitor work as the varifocals are perfect for everything else
How large is the lens in your glasses? Or how tall are your glasses frames? The taller they are, the more area for each focal bit.
I'm needing to get myself new glasses as I think I need a slightly taller frame so the lens is a bit bigger.
Varifocals are great - but only when they work.without you have to keep readjusting your head...I'm now having to readjust and it is annoying me now.
I think size of field will depend upon lens size to some extent. My next varifocals will have a larger frame than the current pair.
I have worn varifocals for years. I agree they aren’t great for twin screens etc, and this is something that the industry twigged on in lockdown.
Hence the relatively recent creation of occupational varifocals, which are optimum for screen distance and close work, and get a bit fuzzy at over about 1.5m distance. I use them all the time when at the monitor screens, they are brilliant.
I'm just in my first varifocals. I'm slowly adapting but I will still need my office lesn for prolonged pc work. I think my screen area is also slightly to high
Sounds like you need some of these:
It's not even enough for.one screen, not even one document. There's no way I can move my head around rhat much.
Disappointed that they didn't say Id have no chance using a computer with these. Lenses are normal average size. Most of which does nothing, as it turns out.
What make are the varifocals? I have my 'good' ones (Zeiss) which are almost seamless, and some cheaper ones in my Oakley sunglasses which are nowhere near as flexible.
I have worn varifocals for years. I agree they aren’t great for twin screens etc, and this is something that the industry twigged on in lockdown.
Hence the relatively recent creation of occupational varifocals, which are optimum for screen distance and close work, and get a bit fuzzy at over about 1.5m distance. I use them all the time when at the monitor screens, they are brilliant.
^This. Although when I last changed my prescription my frame with occupational varifocal lenses is too similar to my "normal" varifocals, meaning it's too easy to forget to change them when going to a meeting/taking a break. Previous one were different shape and different colour frames which helped me mentally distinguish between the two. These two frames are now just too similar (he says whilst writing this on a 20min lunch break whilst wfh, and forgetting again to change my glasses!) The occupational lenses for multiple monitors and reading reports at the desk are great though.
I've got some from regalze galsses direct and they're great. Although the 2 pairs I had from RX Sports before these were great also. I didn't go for the cheapest ones though as I wanted a good size focus area. I can move my eyes around my screen, with only a very slight movement to move from screen to screen.
Current frames are Oakley Holbrook RX, so a decent size frame.
What make are the varifocals?
No idea, Specsavers' premium offering.
Since I only ever look at the screen, I don't read 'reports' at my desk because I'm not some 90s executive 🙂 I can probably easily use my old single focus glasses instead. TBH I might ask for another pair of single focus slightly updated. I could specify that I want them to work between say 40cm and 1m.
Depending on the lens (brand) as some have slightly restrictive areas for "side eyes", especially standard lens or "cheapo" brands.
Another factor is the frame size. i.e. the narrower the frame, the smaller area for viewing etc.
I have standard varifocals made by my local lens maker but due to the rather narrow frame, the varifocals are good for short and medium distance only but weak (less space) for long distance viewing. (he did ask me what I used more for - funny question considering they are varifoclas) My lens maker only offers one type of varifocals but I am not sure what the brand is but something "digital". They are not opticians and make lens for opticians and much cheaper.
I sit in front of three monitors (two 28" and 24") for work, and, yes, I need to turn my head around if I want to view the text sharply without using side eyes. If I use side eyes viewing, I can still see the text but they can be rather blurred (1.5m, font size 14). If I view for prolong period (more than 3 hours) the eyes can become tired (lighting also has an effect especially at night).
Since my work involve a lot of sitting in front of monitors, I have decided to get better lens to avoid putting pressure on my eyes etc (eye fatigue and pressure on focusing). After all without a good eye sight life will be rather stressful
Just last week I got a new pair of varifocals with wider, taller frame (not Dennis Taylor wide and tall), better varifocal lens, expensive but good. This lens suit me best (even in the far east I have using this brand) and amongst the best in the market.
The lens are ZEISS (German) and I think I got the Progressive ones with 1.61 thickness. This one has no problem using side eyes viewing. All good, but expensive. (the price different between UK and far east is that with the same specification, I get a Porsche Design Titanium frame included in the price).
Alternatively, you can get Essilor (Israeli) lens as they are considered 2nd best. Then you have the Japanese brands like Hoya, Pentax, Seiko or Nikon etc.
My view is that if sitting in front of PC monitor is your bread and butter, then invest in the best lens i.e. ZEISS. Yes, expensive but you will not suffer headache, blur vision and fatigue or even stress.
No idea, Specsavers' premium offering.
I am pretty certain they won't be a patch on Zeiss then. I barely even notice any difficulty in viewing anything at all at near, far, middle distance, nor in my peripherals. I use a two monitor set-up, and I can 'side-eye' and still read stuff I couldn't without my glasses on.
I am pretty certain they won't be a patch on Zeiss then. I barely even notice any difficulty in viewing anything at all (near, far, middle distance).
LOL, I don't think Specsavers offers Zeiss for their premium lens (I asked). Might be Essilor but you need to ask. They don't have the frame I like so I didn't use them. Besides, for the same price I can get better lens from my local lens maker (but Not ZEISS lens).
Some people are lucky with all types of lens but others may be better suited to a particular brand. This all depend on your eyes health.
P/s: My current optician has offered half price Zeiss (lens only) for my 2nd pair as backup within 90 days. I think I will use my old frame for that.
Just had three weeks of trying Varifocals (month free trial).
Handed them back on Monday to get Bifocal lens put in, I just couldn't get on with them.
Mostly they were ok,but had a weird parallelogram/tilt thing going on when using screens.
Also getting caught with out of focus zones if I glanced at things instead of moving my head.
What make are the varifocals? I have my 'good' ones (Zeiss) which are almost seamless, and some cheaper ones in my Oakley sunglasses which are nowhere near as flexible
I was about to say something similar. I went to Specsavers a year or so ago having previously shopped at a posh optician but currently unable to afford such luxuries. When they gave me the new glasses I felt like I was drunk, my life swimming in front of me. I went back and got the glasses made up using the same posh lenses as before (Hoya) and it made a world of difference.
Did you get the top spec Specsavers ones?
I find larger frames better for varifocal but it also depends on how big is your face.
Lens Height : 35mm to max 40mm (top end of medium to large)
Lens Width : 53mm to max 59mm (top end of medium to large)
Arms length: 145mm to 150mm (medium to large)
Bridge Width : 14mm to 18mm (medium to large) - Western people (male in this case) have higher nose bridge so 16mm to 18mm should not be a problem, while 14mm might be a bit tight.
Once you've got the right measurement for your specs, the next hardest of all is to select or to find a frame that looks good on you that fit those measurement without breaking your bank. This will be the headache because the frame selection/quality in the UK is rather limited and very expensive especially for titanium.
Some good titanium frame styles or brands that I have come across are: (think they are all German brands)
Porsche design (expensive in UK but search around)
Menrad
Flexon
P/s: for fitting make sure the arms do not touch the side of your face, rather they should "hook" on your ears. If the arms touch the side of your face and if they made of cheap steel materials, over time, it will corrode and dig into your skin due to sweat or rubbing etc and they will irritate the skin.
Did you get the top spec Specsavers ones?
Me? I think so. Or close to.
I've just been through this too. I had been advised varifocals wouldnt be great for screen work and would probably want dedicated screen glasses. I bought some Oakleys and the Oakley varifocal lens came out best price. I really struggled with it, the intermediate focus area was tiny and had lots distortion all around. I tried them for a month and had to go back to the optician. They swapped the lens for an Essilor one and it is much better, but still has a small focus area. The key change seems to be that the 'bad' bit on the new lens isn't as bad as it was on the other, so i'm not crashing into furniture or feeling seasick when walking along!
I am still getting used to these new ones after a few weeks. The thing that seemed to help most was getting a bit drunk with them on which helped me 'forget' i was wearing them.
I realised the benefit of going to my local optician with all this. They advised me that most of the lens makers have no quibble guarantees as they dont all suit everyone and swapped them over with no fuss.
I've had varifocals for many years. My current lenses are Specsavers premium, or one under. I don't tend to use them for the laptop and monitor which are on my desk because of the head movement issue. They're OK for a quick task but I just use my previous pair of reading glasses if I'm there for a while.
Right now, having come back from a ride I've got my contact lenses in which are perfect (reading spec in left eye, distance in right).
From what I can tell, size of lens doesn't matter much* as all the lenses start the same size and they're cut down to suit the frame and the wearer.
* If the lenses are absolutely tiny they're not going to work.
I started using varifocals about two weeks ago and they do take a bit of getting used to. Thankfully I got a pair for looking at monitors and they are easier than the standard pair. I have dual 27" screens and while I can glance to the side to view the other monitor, a slight shift of the head improves the focus a lot.
I haven't a clue what glass make is in them but both sets cost me €480 and that's with a government subsidy.
I use 'occupational lenses' - which are basically vari-focals but designed for a screen (@50-80cm away) -> infintity instead of usual reading (30-50cm) -> infinity. Along with reflective coatings etc they work really really well for two screens and every day life like walking around and driving.
However, I used to have nice Nikon lenses. Mrs_oab persuaded us both to go to Vision Express to save some wonga - BAD move. The area for the varifocals is tall and narrow. They smudge/smear much more. They are an odd yellow tint. And not a patch on my old Nikon lenses...
My prescription is relatively low, fuzzy reading book or screen, but last couple of years my distance vision has gone...
Ohh, and by the way, if your optician identifies that you need to use glasses for DSE (Display Screen Equipment) for work use, your employer is obliged to pay for them (HSE thing). Naturally, it wouldn't cover the cost of top-spec lenses in designer frames, but you should get a contribution.
... if your optician identifies that you need to use glasses for DSE (Display Screen Equipment) for work use, your employer is obliged to pay for them (HSE thing).
Good point. I will ask HR again because they are rather vague when I asked them the last time. Any contribution helps.
Ive recently increased my varifocal prescription and this has been much harder to adjust to than previously. The last pair i got from specsavers was terrible. They remade them and they were still bad. They blamed the frames for being too big (aviator styles). in the end i got a full refund and had the same frames glased through an online supplier. The key was accurately marking the centre of my pupils on the dummy lenses. I believe both the vertical and PD measurements from specsavers were off.
I didn't get on with varifocals at all. Mildly rubbish sight at all angles. I went for super fancy lenses as I wear narrow, rimless Silhouette glasses. My conclusion was that varifocals are pants if you don't have a large lens as there just isn't enough "sight area" for them to give you good focussed vision by looking through different parts of your lens. I now have some glasses for computer work and some "normal" glasses. I can still take my glasses off for super near work, so I'm ok for the mo. Dreading the day I need a 3rd pair of glasses but varifocals just don't work for me. Saying that, I've got a work chum who had his lens replacement surgery under Bupa and he has 20:20 eyesight again. Need to make sure I get that done before I retire 😉
My experience for what it's worth...
Tried varifocals years ago at Specsavers, spent a month falling down stairs, tripping over things, gave up.
Couple of years ago was recommended to try Boots and they worked fine first time. The diagram of working lens area was instructive, cheapo lenses you get a G-string shape, mid price gets a normal pair of knickers, proper money gets you a pair of full on harvest festivals. I went for the best Boots ones (normal knickers).
Costco of all places does branded lenses for less than many, I'll try them next time.
I get my Varifocals from Glasses Direct, partly because they do Oakley frames and partly because they are significantly cheaper than Specsavers (who don't). I got the most expensive lenses (Kodak) with the largest viewing area and top scratch resistance (which is my only complaint; after 2 years the lenses on my first pair looked like I'd scotchbrited them...)
I've worn specs since i was about 6. I'm 53 now, so that's a LONG time. I had to go to varifocals in 2021 when i used a local optician as i was still not going into the office too frequently. They cost a chunk of money (might have got enough change out of £600 to get a pint) but they looked great and worked fine and i expected to pay a premium for a local shop
This year i got a new pair from Specsavers near my office. On the advice of the dispensing optometrist i went for the second highest lens choice, £370. They were awful. When my head was static they were fine but if i moved my eyes (in any direction: left/right or up/down, between focus zones) i felt like I'd been drugged as everything started swimming. I persevered but had to take them back as unsuitable
To be fair the service from Specsavers was great, they listened to my concerns and explained about the different options and the effect on focus zones as covered above. They suggested i buy a second pair of glasses for screen use, but as i pointed out, i use screens all day long, in different locations, and the previous pair had worked fine, so I didn't want a second pair, i wanted one pair that worked properly
Based on that they offered me a free upgrade to the highest lens option. That was MUCH better in that i could move my focus without the world going wobbly, but i realised that in order to work at a computer (im a software developer with twin monitors at eye level at arms length) i had to tilt my head back, or drop my monitors from eye level so they were resting on the desk.
Again, i went back. Again, they were great. They explained about the focus zones being set based on where the frame sits compared to your eyes, and remade the lenses a second time (after i refused for a second time to buy a second pair of glasses).
They were worse. I still had to tilt my head back but then the medium focus zones was so narr ok w it was easy to overshoot and go into the near focus zone
At Specsavers suggestion i called the opticians where i got my previous set of varifocals, my first. I'd got those they'd been perfect from day 1. The local opticians confirmed the lenses were made by Rodenstock, based on the shape of my actual eyeballs as measured by scanning them. The lenses i had currently cost £410, and while they'd been top of the range when i got them, an even better lens is now available for £495. Plus, of course, the cost of the frames
Based on that, Specsavers refunded me. I'll be going to my local opticians when I'm back off holiday. You only get one set of eyes and you use them all the time. Spend the money where it matters
I gave up and put contacts in (multifocals, which are remarkable) but just taken them out again for another try. I think the gradient of the focal length does not match what I need. If I look through the top of the lens at my monitor, it's much better (still not perfect at the edges mind). I've raised my monitor and it's consequently better as well. So perhaps if they change the centre of the lens it'd be better. I don't really want two pairs if I can help it. My main aim will be contacts with glasses as backup so they don't need to be perfect, but I'd have hoped they'd be better than this. I think that currently I am looking through the full close-up part at my monitor, but it's far enough away I could be looking through the distance part.
I will tap my employer for a second pair with the computer specific lenses though, if it's going to be free (or nearly).
OP - specsavers will allow you to change, well they did with me. The lenses were re made. However They still made me feel sick and I never got on with them
My current ones are vision express. Could wear them straight away .
Using a monitor they I have to lower the monitor height but they are ok for a few hours work but not a full day
Weirdly they make me feel sick on the mtb, but I’m fine on a road bike
Interesting comment above re vision express above like there’s my lenses get covered in grime very easily despite allegedly having a fancy covering.
Mrs FD has vision express but the top quality lenses and has no issues. I have the next level down.
Might go elsewhere for my next set, does sound like it’s worth spending more on decent lenses !
My varifocal system is a range of cheap glasses from Lidl, Aldi and the local chemist that range from +1 to +3.5. For detailed work I sometimes wear two pairs. I have my computer pairs +1 Or +1.5. My phone pairs +2 or +2.5 which I also use for reading. And +3 pairs for small print or detailed work. I didn't get beyond the test phase for varifocals, I realised the field of vision was going to be a handicap and decided not to buy. For riding I have a stick on +2 patch on the bottom of one side of the glasses - enough to read a map or fix the bike one eyed. I've broken three pairs in the last six months - sat on, dropped and slipped spaner, at a few euros a pair my clumsiness isn't an issue.
I like varifocals but it is important to buy the best, as the price increases the width of the higher index part increases. I really couldn't be bothered with carrying around loads of different pairs of glasses.
I don't however wear them for working at computer screen as they cause neck ache from raising head and keeping at same angle for hours. I have a specific pair for that which were made to be best at computer screen distance.
I'm not sure how much difference your focal range makes to how varifocals can perform. I've been about -2.5 most of my life but with ageing I lost close focus so went to varifocals. After a while I found screens difficult and my employer paid for a pair of computer varifocals. I found I could use these around the office as well as for screens, even in presentations there was a big enough distance spot - but they weren't suitable for driving (both in my own perception and what the ophthalmologist said).
Last year my prescription shifted a bit and I had new lenses (expensive, probably Zeiss) and they are great for everything, screens and driving. Whenever I've had new varifocals I've been told there are different 'patterns' of focal range, and it's a matter of finding the compromise that suits you - but it does seem that the more expensive lenses seem to have less compromise. Maybe grinding the ideal pattern is expensive?
i'm on my second round with varifocals, first time i got the middle quality and took some time to adjust. This time i got the top ones (they had a sale on), much better coverage and much smoother changes in prescription.
Ohh, and by the way, if your optician identifies that you need to use glasses for DSE (Display Screen Equipment) for work use, your employer is obliged to pay for them (HSE thing). Naturally, it wouldn't cover the cost of top-spec lenses in designer frames, but you should get a contribution.
Have you a source for that statement?
I have found myself - so the important thing is that if your normal prescription would cover DSE use, then employer does not pay for glasses. If you have glasses only because of your job, then employer should pay...
If you have glasses only because of your job, then employer should pay...
Well yes, I did say that 'if your optician identifies that you need to use glasses for DSE (Display Screen Equipment) for work use,' Perhaps I wasn't explicit enough in my description of the law?
I like varifocals but it is important to buy the best
Coming round to this point of view. The salesperson seemed to suggest that premium was what I wanted and I thought 'ok', and I knew there are certain areas in and out of focus, but I had no idea the useable area was so small. The bottom half of the lens is only usable dead centre, the bottom left and right quadrants do not seem to focus on anything. I might as well have triangular glasses.
The thing is I don't just sit at a computer 9-5 then stop. I am on and off different screens in different places all the time, so whilst digital lenses might be good whilst I am at the computer, I don't want to depend on always having them with me. If I were to do that, I might as well just have two pairs of glasses anyway.
I had a look on the Specsavers website and I see the different types. I think I paid £90 but I can't remember if that was before or after the 50% discount I got from being a contact lens customer. If it was before, that means I'm on premium lenses and I can upgrade to elite. If it was after then I'm already on the 'tailor made' ones and if so, it's a bit shit. I'll call them.
I tried Specsaver varifocals. They went back after a week. I drive for a living. I hadn't realised that I check my rearview mirror just by moving my eyes. Or how frequently I checked it. Having to turn my head every few seconds to get the focus area on the mirror while my peripheral vision to the front went blurred just didn't work.
I went back to bifocals which work for me. Distance vision is near enough perfect. Close up I am +2. I could drive without glasses but unless I am running, or biking or walking in the rain they go on in the morning and stay on all day.
Just gone through this myself. I have contact lenses subscription with vision express so i get glasses 50% off.
I went for the Oakley batflip frames with everything ticked on the lenses. I was a bit shocked when they came out at £570 but at 50% off i wasnt too disappointed.
Premium frame, Top of the range lenses, Transitions, Varifocal, Thinner lenses, Driving whatever they put on them etc.
I basically got the most expensive option on each. I noted on the varifocal they did give budgets and it effected the amount of varience and how this effected the field of vision. It gave %. Maybe this could effect how they are to use.
One of the main benefits i have with this is i have 100 days to take them back and get them changed. I am seriously considering removing the transition element but the varifocal has been fine.
@TheLittlestHobo this is good to hear. I think the Oakley lens i tried was the 'basic' varifocal. This has such a narrow field of vision I really struggled. I also need some sunglasses and am thinking Oakley as the prescription sunglass varifocal seems to be this top lens. Hope to get them as part of the buy 1 pair, get the second half price as they are mega pricey.
At my last checkup, it was suggested I could go varifocal, but I found and still find my older slightly weaker prescription glasses work fine when I'm at the pc ~60cm from the monitor. The newer specs with a wrap around sunglasses frame, come into their own when I'm watching TV from ~4m away, plus unlike any glasses I've had for ~30 years actually work well on the road/gravel bikes.
This thread is reassuring as a new varifocal user.
I’ve worn reading / close up glasses for 6 years or so now and after my last eye test went decided to try varifocals.
I baulked at the optician’s price for their lenses (£565 for their top of the range, plus frames) so ordered new readers from them and went to the cheap glasses shop in town for varifocals.
5 weeks in and I’m on my second set of lenses and will be going back this weekend. The close up focal point is too narrow, low and distorted so whilst they work for viewing a phone screen they are near useless for screen work. Even reading a pub menu has me moving my head around in a fit to find the clear spot.
However I’m determined to persevere as I do now have a low prescription for distance vision and they’ve been a revelation when I’m out and about and I see a time coming when I need to wear glasses all the time including riding but I was coming to the conclusion that I need to ask the shop to go away from whoever their normal supplier is and find me a premium lense.
If you already have frames Lensology were good for me. £200 for 1.74 varifocals with wide field of vision.
This represents the difference quite well between best and Good --> https://lensology.co.uk/varifocal-lenses-buying-guide/?utm_term=&utm_campaign=Performance+Max&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7257346223&hsa_cam=17569317580&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22503603538&gbraid=0AAAAADs49FNAG3sqPISDbpnSuIkR1PvK_&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn8XFBhCxARIsAMyH8BuoCIYsIyNaziEvCn7hGB4HOIbVSQSRiF-rKBnrXcusd5JPyVeM5A4aAr9xEALw_wcB
This page seems to cover what you can and cant get from VE with regards to varifocals. I got the advanced option. I also paid for thinner lenses.
Varifocal lens options | Varifocals lens pricing | Vision Express
I've worn specs since childhood and varifocals for over 20 years. I use them for everything with no issues. I have a strong prescription (-10) and largely because of this I have always shelled out big bucks for high quality lenses. For a very long time Zeiss were the gold standard but my current pair highly recommended by my optician are Shamir. Apparently there is some vary clever machining going on whereby the prescription is partly the back surface and partly the front surface which I'm told was not always the case. Anyway they are brilliant but so were Zeiss and my take away is if you value your eyesight and want lenses which work pay for top quality and go to an optician who knows how to measure you properly and get the lenses correctly set up in your frames. That might mean that like me you may have to pay over £500 for lenses and frames, but it's your vision for God's sake and compromise doesn't come into it.
Oh and I don't quite the head movement thing. Because the prescription changes across the lens it's inevitable that your head has to move to look through the appropriate bit of the lens. It shouldn't be a conscious thing, you just do it.
Used to use bifocals from Specsavers and decided to give their varifocals a try and they were awful particularly for driving, ended up with single vision for driving and an old pair of reading glasses, at no time was I offered or advised of any different grade of lens. At my last eye test went to Boots on a recommendation and ended up with a top of the range Zeiss varifocal lens. Difference was night and day, couldn't be happier and now wear them all the time without a second thought. On a side note I'm sure I read somewhere than Specsavers operate franchises, so that could explain some differing opinions, all I know is I won't be back
Re the head movement - the worst experience was when looking for something in a shop. Normally my eyes would dart about scanning the shelves, but I can't move my head as fast as my eyes. Basically everywhere I looked was blurry.
... at no time was I offered or advised of any different grade of lens.
Most likely due to higher profit for the cheaper lens hence no need to offer you higher grade lens if you don't complain or can get use to cheap lens. I always ask and in the end ZEISS still come out the best.
That might mean that like me you may have to pay over £500 for lenses and frames, but it's your vision for God's sake and compromise doesn't come into it.
Mine is slightly less than £500 but includes a super doper German titanium frame (Menrad).
Also lighting is very important for if need to wear glasses to read or see.
I’ve been using varifocals for years. I agree standard varifocals that I wear all day are useless for computer use if ots
more than about 20 minutes. I got some occupational varifocals that only work across the range of an arms length, that’s how far my monitors are from me , and closer for writing in a notebook. These work brilliantly as they are only varying the focal point my 1 m so the focus area is large and the transition very gradual compared to my normal pair that work from infinity to reading focal lengths
^^^ that’s what I said in the 5th post on this thread too 🤪
I know about those and was told. The question is how functional should a generic pair of varifocals be? Should I be able to see more than a 10cm circle of a laptop screen?
I'm going back on Monday
I know about those and was told. The question is how functional should a generic pair of varifocals be? Should I be able to see more than a 10cm circle of a laptop screen?
I'm going back on Monday
that partly depends on your prescription and which varifocals lens you have opted for. Needless to say the more expensive are better. The stronger the prescription and the bigger difference between your distance and reading prescription the smaller the focal area is. If I use my normal varifocals on the computer then I do have to move my head round the screen a fair bit
Should I be able to see more than a 10cm circle of a laptop screen?
In compete contrast to the post above, I have expensive lenses as I explained previously and have no problems seeing monitors without consciously moving my head, so my answer is “yes, you should be able to see more than that” but you may need to talk to your optician to get them to explain why you should spend more money on two pairs of glasses to the things you need rather than one pair that does everything
The stronger the prescription and the bigger difference between your distance and reading prescription the smaller the focal area is.
Yes, I thought that would be the case. I'm -3.25 and -4.75. I'm not sure what the close up prescription is, however it may be a little too strong because whilst it's nice to be able to see pin sharp phone screen at 20cm distance, it's not really necessary and I might trade that for a wider field of view at 80cm distance. If I am wearing glasses and I need to see something really close up e.g. threading a needle etc, I can simply lift my glasses and hold the thing 10cm from my face. Of course these are compromises, but it's about finding the compromise I want.
This morning I've had a long breakfast now I'm on my way out to work on the car, but I stopped at the laptop to check in on STW and check the problem still exists after another day or two of wear. It does, but regarding digital lenses there's no way I would be digging out a different pair of glasses for a quick 5 min stop at a laptop.