I think a lot of people have had problems with a new perscription and it always appears to have been a mistake made through the opticians.Go back and insist on them being checked.

I worked for a few years as an Optical Assistant at Vision Express and a small independent opticians.

Varifocals have the three fields of vision Distance at the top, the middle is arms length vision and the bottom is reading/near vision. Think of the shape of the vision areas like an hour-glass, outside this area your vision will be blurry as you are not looking through the proper area.

Depending on the brand you buy, the width of these fields differ. Some have a larger reading area than others, some the 'middle vision' area is larger. Depending on your job/hobbies some brands may be more suitable than others.

Another thing that can cause problems is the choice of frame. We always advised customers to get a large enough frame to allow for all three fields of vision to be accommodated. Small, narrow frames mean that you have even less of the lens accommodated and some opticians fail to point out that the reading/distance area will be reduced if you choose that frame.

Never look at your feet whilst running down-stairs, this will mean you will be looking through the reading area of the lens and you will end up falling.

We were told to teach varifocal wearers to always 'point your nose at what you want to see', rather than swivel your eyes to look at objects. To see ie: your wing mirror for example, you must move your head and physically look straight at the mirror, don't side-glance as this will mean you are looking into the side of the varifocal lens which is will be blurry. Possibly when you are watching TV, you are just looking slightly through the wrong area of the lens, just try slightly tilting your head to see if you can get the correct area to look through.

Some patients take a couple of months to adjust to them, hope you manage. x

Took me six months to get used to mine and that was after having them altered. Worth preserving though !

I got my first pair from a well known 'discount' company from the high street, and couldn't get on with them.

I then went to an independent optician, and my lenses had been made 'inside out' !!!

No wonder I couldn't get on with them. My new ones cost me nearly £400!!!

This is an old post, and I'm just back on, so hope you've had luck with yours. x

I worked in opticians for a few years and we always told people to point their nose at what they wanted to see, don't glance out of the side of your lens as this is the area that is blurry.

The fields of vision in your lens are (roughly) and hourglass shape (top middle and bottom for distance, middle vision and reading) - the sizes of the fields of vision vary quite a bit depending on the type of varifocal purchased and we used to try and match them to the customers lifestyle ie: someone who uses the computer a lot rather than does a lot of reading might appreciate a lens that has a smaller reading area at the bottom but a wider 'middle distance'.

Try to remember to move your head more rather than just your eyes and be very careful going downstairs not to look at your feet as you will be looking through the reading area and could easily fall - same with driving when checking your wing mirrors don't glance out of the side of your lenses move your head and physically look at the mirror, otherwise you may not see the cars properly!

Opticians know it can take a while to adjust to varifocals and most have a policy that if after you have tried for a while and cannot adapt they will change them for you either to another type (you may need to pay more)/bifocals or separate reading/distance pairs.

All good advice. I couldn't get on with them at all. I am long sighted. I fell down many steps when wearing them looking the wrong way up not down or vice versa. And they actually made me feel a bit 'giddy'.

But have to say I am seriously thinking of giving them another try and persisting longer this time. My eyesight is worse now and I am so fed up of on and off on and off with the specs all day long.

If I shop for clothes it's up on my head with them to look at the garment - back on my nose with them to see the size and price. Same in a shop. I can recognise the food items but not read the label or price on cans and boxes.

Taking them on and off all the time results in them getting scratched quickly (they often just fall off when I lean down!) and I've now got about 20 pairs of off the shelf ones - in the car, in the bathroom (can't read bath product labels), in my bedroom, my handbag - at all my kids houses!

Yes I am going to bit the bullet but think I will wait until I am over in the UK next. I wasn't happy with the last prescription 'designer' ones I got here - not with the fit or how they were for reading.

I have varifocal lenses and love them.

Are yours for short sightedness Bev?

Thing is with me - with my glasses on I couldn't see you properly just on the other side of the room. And can't drive with them on either. I need them just for reading and the computer.

Subtitles on TV are hell for me. With them on the movie is blurred. With them off I can't read the subtitles!