How Much Can Glasses Do?!

[Scarlett]

I am short sighted and have worn glasses for many years. Now I'm older (43) I am finding it harder to read small print with my glasses on. I have to lift them up to read even medium small print, such as ingredients on food packaging. Is this just old age or do I need to get new glasses- can this be rectified with new specs or will I need bifocals?!

[rowanwitch]

I have varifocals

best advice I can give is don't wear them on the day you pick themup put them on first thing the next morning

I also have separate glasses for beadwork as the thread and beads are really fine and varifocal sunglasses I agree though get the best lenses you can afford as light and thin as possible and invest in the anti glare coating too.

[tubeway]

tried varifocals - was not worried about sickness etc, but just did not find they were that good. Fine for distance but did not help much for close work or reading.

[ubasses]

I have varifocals and took to them straight away.One thing to think about is if your short sightedness and reading sight deteriorate at different rates you may need to keep purchasing new lens/glasses when only part of the prescription has changed. This is a problem I have now my shortsightedness has stabilised but just accept the costs.

[joko]

price makes no difference at all.
besides what generally costs the most is the frame not the lens anyway,

a prescription lens is a prescription lens regardless of cost.

i have glasses that have cost about £20 and they absolutely fine

[ubasses]

Afraid not Joko I always buy frames about £125, my glasses cost nearly £500. The more complex the prescription the more expensive they are.

[Tilly2]

You could just stick with some new glasses and buy a magnifying glass for the things in the kitchen.

[gingejbee]

if buying varifocals, price DOES matter. Most lens manufacturers have several grades or "quality" of varifocal lenses...the cheaper ones are quite simple in their make-up, pricier ones are more sophisticated in the way they are made and are easier to get on with.

[shaneystar2]

Lol..I'd love to get some glasses for twenty quid !
Very high prescription ,varifocal,anti glare ,thinned lenses .Frame. Not much change out of four hundred notes.Unless I want to walk about with a pair of bottle bottoms stuck on my face .

[gingejbee]

shaney: I find it odd that people will fork out hundreds and hundreds of pounds for a new TV, laptop, tablet etc ...but baulk at the idea of paying more than £20 for decent glasses to see them with!

[shaneystar2]

Precisely gingejbee.I'm so short sighted I couldn't leave the house without my specs .I would be totally lost .My sight is precious to me and I don't begrudge the money .
I do mutter a bit though :)

[ubasses]

Ginjebee & Shaneystar, I do so agree with you, plus on top of that if like me you have to wear them from the minute you get up until you go to bed I want them to look good as well.

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds like you have the same thing I do. The lens in your eye gets stiff and can't be squeezed to change focus any more, so you end up with a single focal length. Varifocals, if you can get used to them, can help, but even then I take my glasses off these days for close or small stuff.

[joko]

my point was, that you don't need to go to an fancy expensive place to get good glasses ... not that all the extras and modifications you need for the prescription etc won't cost more - of course they do.

you can get all those extras from other suppliers, at a cheaper price.

[shaneystar2]

I've put my prescription into some of those cheaper outlets on line and they won't touch it because it's too complicated so have no choice but to divvy up .I don't use a chain either .I get better service at an independent optician .