Best Varifocal Lenses?

erehwon

I need to replace my old varifocal glasses and wondered who is offering the best value premium varifocals. I have had premium ones from Specsavers previously but when I had my eyes tested in Vision Express, they commented that their own premium ones have a wider view.  Now I know this might just be marketing, or the fact that my glasses are old and they are all improving.  I wondered what other people's experience was with different companies.

I have seen some people saying how good Asda are.  Do they have comparable lenses?  And what about their frames?  I tend to keep my glasses a long time so am looking for good quality frames.

lisyloo

I recently bought varifocals from Asda (£120 for 2 pairs) and I'm really pleased with them.
Personally I prefer the field on them to my specsavers "bespoke" ones that were much more expensive.

They have a cheaper range but they don't have the nose pieces although I did buy a pair from the cheap range for sunglasses. They were tinted, varifocal and thinned to prescription with all the coatings for £45.

It brilliant value so I don't see why you have keep them a long time.

The only caveat is that I think it might depend on your prescription.
Might isn't that bad and therefore the varifocals are perfectly acceptable.
If you had a very strong prescription I couldn't comment.

I don't think the frames are any different as they are all the same brands e.g. Nike, Laura Ashley etc. etc.
They have several price ranges but I've found plenty to like in the £80 or £120 for 2 pair range.

The issue is that the Asda stores that have opticians are few and far between.

I had a very poor experience at Vision express (went there as my insurance covers up to £500).
They didn't fit my varifocals properly at all which is quite major.
Also I didn't really need new readers but they were very keen for me to have new glasses I didn't need.
One good thing about Vision Express is that they do honour their 100 day no quibble refund, but who has the time to mess about?

I think experiences vary hugely depending on the store/staff as I've heard both good and bad about all of them.

erehwon

Thanks @lisyloo, they are really useful comments.  I hadn't considered Asda before I came here but I'm definitely going to visit them now.  (Luckily I have one with an opticians near)  It's really interesting about you preferring their field of vision.  And my prescription isn't that strong.

goodread

I've bought my glasses from Asda for about 12 years now, with varifocals for the last 6 or so. There is no choice of varifocal lenses with them, so no premium version, just a standard lens, but I've always been happy with mine. The big plusses are the varifocals not costing any more than single vision, and the anti-glare coatings and thinner lenses being included in the price. 

I'm lucky enough to live close to a couple of Asda stores with optician departments and find it very useful to compare the ranges of frames available in both. That will depend on your own local area though, of course. 

Note as well that you can get your eyes tested at any opticians you choose. Asda will accept your prescription regardless, as with any other opticians. 

erehwon

Thanks @goodread.  I plan to have a look in my local one today.

KECbythesea

I’ve just had a new prescription at a very good but expensive optician in my town. The outcome was recommended varifocals because I’m too sloppy to remember two pairs of glasses and keep changing them. I have very different prescriptions so one eye works for close and one for distance.
They and the other optician that come very highly recommended locally are charging about £400-500 for their mid range varifocals (ie one off the top bespoke ones). I did go to Asda who were ridiculously cheap (under £200 for two pairs, one could be sunglasses, and that even covers transitions on at least one pair) BUT I’m concerned about the level of Lens of its too basic having never had VFs before. Also the lady in Asda was excellent and challenged the option of VFs as she said my brain could kick in an refuse to adjust as my eyes are so different from each other. She did say they were excellent at customer service and would change them to distance and reading pairs free of charge if I didn’t get on with them.
But it’s that standard lens thing that’s worrying me; I was looking at better peripheral vision windows on the higher priced ones.do you get what you pay for or is Asda worth a punt? There’s also a pop specs concession in my local shopping centre that does the basic (essilor liberty) lenses which the expensive independent opticians would not stock; are Asda similar to those rather than the XR essilor I’ve been quoted for locally?

GDB2222

KECbythesea said:

I’ve just had a new prescription at a very good but expensive optician in my town. The outcome was recommended varifocals because I’m too sloppy to remember two pairs of glasses and keep changing them. I have very different prescriptions so one eye works for close and one for distance.
They and the other optician that come very highly recommended locally are charging about £400-500 for their mid range varifocals (ie one off the top bespoke ones). I did go to Asda who were ridiculously cheap (under £200 for two pairs, one could be sunglasses, and that even covers transitions on at least one pair) BUT I’m concerned about the level of Lens of its too basic having never had VFs before. Also the lady in Asda was excellent and challenged the option of VFs as she said my brain could kick in an refuse to adjust as my eyes are so different from each other. She did say they were excellent at customer service and would change them to distance and reading pairs free of charge if I didn’t get on with them.
But it’s that standard lens thing that’s worrying me; I was looking at better peripheral vision windows on the higher priced ones.do you get what you pay for or is Asda worth a punt? There’s also a pop specs concession in my local shopping centre that does the basic (essilor liberty) lenses which the expensive independent opticians would not stock; are Asda similar to those rather than the XR essilor I’ve been quoted for locally?

It is a bit late now, but I have just bought single vision glasses from Asda, and they seem like a bargain. These are just for reading in bed, so I’m not too concerned about the frames, and I chose £45 frames which include the cost of the lenses. 

The thing is that I have quite an extreme prescription, as I have a lot of astigmatism, so they gave me the higher refractive index lenses at no extra charge. 

The long and the short of it is my optician wanted to charge well over £400, and Asda did the whole job for £45. 

pmduk

The only time I've had varifocal glasses, they were bought from Asda and were great. Following cataract surgery, I've been able to revert to OTC reading glasses only.

luvchocolate

Used Asda for 15 years...last purchase was 1 pair reactor lenses..I pair normal. 
Both pairs thinned down varifocal lenses 
£240 in total