Varifocals are designed to give you clear vision at all distances—from reading a book to seeing down the road. When customised correctly, they can eliminate the need for constant switching between reading glasses and distance glasses, making your day-to-day life considerably easier. But with great promise often comes frustration. Why do so many people struggle with varifocals, ending up disappointed and sometimes switching back to single-vision lenses?
There’s usually a good reason for that, and as we often tell our new varifocal customers at our dispensing opticians in Digbeth, it’s all about getting the right fit and design. Here’s how we can help you get the most out of your varifocals.
Common Issues with Varifocals
Distorted Vision or “Swimming” Effect:
"When I look towards the sides, my vision gets distorted."
"Moving my head makes everything seem like it’s swimming."
"I can't get the entire width of my iPad in focus."
“Why do I have to lower my chin to see clearly in the distance”
Or the absolute classic - “Why do I have to lift my head to be able to read”
Before diving into solutions, let’s get real—no lens will ever be as good as your eyes were at 20. But as you approach (or pass) 40, our specialist varifocals in Digbeth are your best bet for regaining the ability to see across all distances. Most of these issues stem from a quirk on all varifocals which is that they contain a central zone where the vision is optimum, and as you move your eyes horizontally away from this point it starts to degrade. This can be especially irritating when you first wear them or when you are doing tasks like using a computer or viewing objects spread across a table.
With that being said, a well-tailored varifocal should be comfortable, perfectly usable and not limit or negatively affect your experience. Most commonly, these issues are caused either by inaccurate measurements taken before crafting the lens or a choice of varifocal lens design that is not compatible with your lifestyle.
The Solution
When we talk about varifocals, we often compare them to custom-tailored clothing—versus something off-the-rack. Our tailored varifocals in Digbeth are designed to fit your unique vision needs and lifestyle, making all the difference.
The trouble is though that when it comes to your vision and the uniqueness of each person’s lifestyle, the one-size-fits-all solution just doesn’t work, which is why you have been asking ‘Why am I having problems with varifocal lenses?!’ and have landed at Doctor Oculus today.
The 4 Steps to Varifocal Success
1) Choose the Right Lens Design:
Varifocals come in many types, designed by different manufacturers with varying technologies. The right choice depends on your prescription, lifestyle, and budget. There is a mind-blowing array of options and outcomes, it’s vital that the correct type of varifocal is selected for you, and this is achieved using the results of a lifestyle consultation from your dispensing optician.
2) Accurate Tailoring & Measuring:
Your varifocals are only as good as the measurements taken. Our varifocal specialists in Digbeth take precise readings of your pupil centres, posture, and how your chosen frames sit on your face. Often, we ‘compensate’ the measurements, that is to say, to use figures that are outside of the true objective measurements, to help you adapt or to account for lifestyle parameters.
3) Using a Suitable Glasses Frame:
Most modern glasses frames are suitable for varifocal lenses, but not every combination of frame style and facial anatomy is. If your glasses are too wide, have a large frontal wrap, or are sitting too high up or too low down, then even the world's best varifocal design and measurements will produce undesirable results. This is again the role of a good dispensing optician to guide you into something that achieves your desired look and function.
4) Invest in Quality Lenses:
Yes, varifocals can be an investment, especially with extras like thinning or photochromic lenses. But quality matters. That doesn’t mean everybody needs to go premium, the law of diminishing returns means that people with smaller prescriptions will benefit from the best lenses but they will get less benefit than someone with a higher prescription.
We always recommend going for the best lens you can afford, and we back that up with a 2-year warranty on scratches and lens damage. When you invest in good varifocals, you’re investing in your comfort and clarity.
The Last Word
Even with perfectly tailored varifocals, there’s an adaptation period. It’s normal because your brain needs time to adjust to the new way of seeing things. But if you follow the steps outlined above, you’re set for a seamless transition into the clear, versatile vision that varifocals can offer.
Tailoring varifocals is our specialism. We're qualified dispensing opticians in Digbeth, with years of experience at independent eyecare providers. We bring our expertise and our ethos of affordability and ethical consultation to clients in Birmingham. Book a Bring Your Own Prescription Appointment online today.
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