Varifocals and riding

[HarryHornby]

Hi All, me again!  LOL


I'm of an age where varifocals are needed.


What would you guys who wear them recommend for riding?  Use your varifocals or use normal glasses/contacts to keep peripheral vision?


Just trying to work out best options and where best to put my money.

[Grahamm]

You can get bifocal contact lenses which are based around a Fresnel Lens that can do distance and close up at the same time (your brain ignores the unfocussed image).

I tried them when I started to need reading glasses, but unfortunately my eyes tend to water if it's cold and I got a lot of flaring and glare from car lights at night, so had to give up on them.

There's also an alternative where you have one lens focussed for distance and the other for close up, but I didn't like that because it compromised my binocular vision.

Talk to your optician and see what options are available for you.

[mtread]

I had to change to varifocals a few years ago. Had been riding using 'distance' lenses, which were fine, but completely lost focus on the instruments and satnav etc.
Varifocals solved all the problems. You need a pair with reasonable size lenses, so that the change is gradual. Was originally fearful, but you soon get used to them.


Just be careful when walking down stairs 

[unfazed]

I tried the Varifocals, but could not live with them, as they gave me headaches. I now have what they call excutive lenses, these are a spilt lens top half for long distance and lower half for reading.
Work great on the bike as I can see long distance and read the clocks. I have two sets one with a light tint for sunny days and the other plain for night and dull days.

[BBROWN1664]

I ride with varifocals with no real issues. You dont need to move your head so much to read the speedo etc.

[robbo]

Varifocals would be the way to go, with reactor light lenses if not too expensive. Worth taking a crash helmet with you to the opticians so that you choose a frame that’s compatible with being shoved over your ears repeatedly. Some stylish but flimsy frames won’t last five minutes, or are not rigid enough to be pushed past your ears at all.

[BBROWN1664]

Varifocals would be the way to go, with reactor light lenses if not too expensive. Worth taking a crash helmet with you to the opticians so that you choose a frame that’s compatible with being shoved over your ears repeatedly. Some stylish but flimsy frames won’t last five minutes, or are not rigid enough to be pushed past your ears at all.

Or wear a flip front one to save taking the glasses off

[robbo]

I'm not a flip front kind of a guy , but take your  point

[fazersharp]

I think the trick is to buy glasses just for the bike (helmet )
I am a glasses wearer for driving but do not need varifocals but I buy mine from glasses direct they send you 4 pairs to try at home at a time so I can try with my helmet on. No good so send back and try another 4. What's good is that they are so cheap I can buy a pair just for the bike so I am not buying them to also suit me day to day so it does not matter what they look like so long as they are good with the helmet. I find that rimless ones with a very thin arm that can slip between my head and the sponge are  the best ones.The ones I have are actually women's ones but fit the helmet perfectly.   
I find a stiff arm makes the glasses sit wrong with my helmet
Theses are mine, very thin arms that are also comfortable and do not press on the head and very good preferal vision due to no frame
These may not be much use with varifocals though as said you need a big lens to get the two distances in.

[mtread]

I didn't mean a big big lens for varifocals. Just not those letterbox type lenses, which are apparently fashionable

[Kenbob]

I absolutely couldn’t get on with varifocals, my peripheral vision was always blurred which I hated.
I wear bifocals and have done so for many years, much better for me.

[john roche]

I've been wearing varifocals for years now. I just pop them on in the morning and that's it till bedtime. It took a few days to adjust when I first got them but now I never think about it.

Cheers

John

[maddog04]

Had glasses for a few years now and at first was dubious if I could ride in them. I struggle with Distance and Near but the biggest bug bear was the frame being in the way of my peripheral vision plus the outer edge of the lens tended to "blur" a little in the same peripheral area.


I needed to go vari focal to solve my two sight issues .....basically, keep my head up and distance is ok, drop my eyes only and reading the clocks or satnav is great
I'm used to "scanning" so my head movement now negates the area where my peripheral was being compromised.


They take some getting used to, but no more than when you buy your very first pair of glasses.


I'd recommend you go for them Harry, I've never looked back

[maddog04]

They take some getting used to, but no more than when you buy your very first pair of glasses.

I mean in general day to day.......not on the bike. Once your eyes are ok with them, your eyes adjust no matter what you're doing



Edited to be able to read it - font size increased

[b1k3rdude]

My issue with varifocals is that the lense I got from spec savers were to me of very poor qaulity.

- when on the computer, look straight ahead and looking from left to right across the middle of the screen (so no deviating into the corners of the lenses, text and other UI elementas would be either in or out of focus.
- when riding the bike both mirrors were out of focus as well as the clocks. I would have to move my entire head just to see out of the mirrors or look at the clocks. Where as before I could just move my eyes. Moving my head is a lot slower then my eys, so imho this is a safety downgrade bordering on dangerous.

My main issue with varifocals is the the fact there is no perscription in all four corners of the lense, this easily 3rd or more of the lense that can't be used. I'm basically paying for a downgrade. So my question is there any bifocal/varifocal lense that -

- use all of the bloody lense from left to right.
- and where the transition in perscription is smooth.

[mtread]

Yep, mine do all of that. Took my Boots prescription to https://www.glassesdirect.co.uk

[b1k3rdude]

Yep, mine do all of that. Took my Boots prescription to https://www.glassesdirect.co.uk

So -

- Your perscription goes to all four corners of the lense
- Uses all of the lense from left to right.
- and the transition in perscription is smooth.

What type do you have bi-focal or varifocal..?

[mtread]

The prescription just gives the near and distance values. It's the way Glasses Direct constructed the lenses that gives the benefits you mention. They are graduated varifocals.. I can see instruments and mirrors sharp, as well as distance. Glasses Direct give you multiple options for type of lens

[fazersharp]

The prescription just gives the near and distance values. It's the way Glasses Direct constructed the lenses that gives the benefits you mention. They are graduated varifocals.. I can see instruments and mirrors sharp, as well as distance. Glasses Direct give you multiple options for type of lens

Sounds perfect distance straight ahead, instruments - near eyes down and mirrors sort of in the middle.
But wait a minute when you look at a mirror you are in effect looking at distance so the middle should not matter       

[mtread]

But wait a minute when you look at a mirror you are in effect looking at distance so the middle should not matter       

Not on a boxeye you're not. You're looking at your elbows