I need new varifocal spectacles

carly

I currently wear varifocals bought from my local optician. The lenses are Hoya  iD workstyle  V+ space.   I will be going for a routine eye test when the opticians  reopen and anticipate a new prescription.   My current spectacles were expensive and I need to reduce my outgoings.  Does any one know if any of the online companies use comparable lenses?  I know that Glasses Direct use Essilor lenses, but not which type /version.  I had some varifocals from Specsavers several years ago ( their "superior line ") and couldn't get on with them at all. I know some people get on fine with them but I had that "swimming , giddy feeling " most of the time which is how I ended up with the Hoya lenses.  If I could save some money yet still be able to buy suitable lenses I would be  happy.  Is this feasible ?  Thanks for any info

Undervalued

carly said:

I currently wear varifocals bought from my local optician. The lenses are Hoya  iD workstyle  V+ space.   I will be going for a routine eye test when the opticians  reopen and anticipate a new prescription.   My current spectacles were expensive and I need to reduce my outgoings.  Does any one know if any of the online companies use comparable lenses?  I know that Glasses Direct use Essilor lenses, but not which type /version.  I had some varifocals from Specsavers several years ago ( their "superior line ") and couldn't get on with them at all. I know some people get on fine with them but I had that "swimming , giddy feeling " most of the time which is how I ended up with the Hoya lenses.  If I could save some money yet still be able to buy suitable lenses I would be  happy.  Is this feasible ?  Thanks for any info

That can sometimes be an issue if you have a significant difference in prescription between your two eyes. I have run into the problem a couple of times having been talked into mid range varifocals. Their main advantage is less distortion if you look sideways without turning you head but an unintended consequence is that this benefit varies with the strength of the lens. That can sometimes give strange effects. I found that I had to either stick with basic varifocals or go very upmarket, in my case Zeiss.

I am currently wearing SelectSpecs most basic varifocals, bought online in quite nice frames for less then £60! For my use I find then at least 90% as good as the previous Zeiss ones costing six times as much at an opticians. That said I have detailed understanding of optics and am able to adjust the frames to get the lenses sitting in exactly the right place which is critical with varifocals. 

If you do buy varifocals online I would strongly suggest posting them an old pair that worked well for you, along with your new prescription, so that they can take measurements. The PD is also fairly critical and the standard optician's prescription doesn't normally tell you that crucial number as for some reason they are not legally obliged to. Again it can be measured from previous glasses.

roddydogs

Been said many tines, but if their is an ASDA opticians near you..................

carly

roddydogs said:

Been said many tines, but if their is an ASDA opticians near you..................

Sadly there isn't an Asda with an opticians within 25 miles of me. 

baza52

i used Asda for my varifocals for the first time 2 years ago and the lens's are terrible. I ended up going back a year later and had another eye test and asked for standard bifocals but these were just as bad. My local optician are way more expensive but ill be going back to them this time.