Varifocal progressive lenses explained

Here are how varifocals or progressive lenses work. Here I explain the different areas that make up progressive/varifocal.
There are many different brands and types of varifocal available but in general, this is how they all work.
The area of soft focus at the sides can be more or less noticeable, depending upon the quality of lens you are wearing, your prescription and also you measurements (there's actually loads of variables).
I also touch on the way in which we can change the position of the reading area which may be better suited for some individuals depending upon their lifestyle.
Hope this helps, if you have any questions then as usual, drop them in the comments below and I'll get back to you!
Thanks for watching!
Colin
#varifocallenses #progressivelenses #howvarifocalswork

[@UsefulWisdom]

I bought a very expensive pair of variable focus glasses. They gave me a headache because I did not understand how they worked. Then I watched your video and it all became clear. I was straining my eyes because I was using the centre of the glasses for distance. Thank you for saving my sight. Your explanation is excellent.😎

[@aidanoleary1986]

So concise and informative. Thanks!

[@invicta4165]

An excellent description of how varifocals are supposed to work. Thank you.

[@colinfindlay1603]

Very good explanation. I have just received a new pair of varifocal glasses and the Reading area is much too narrow. I am having to peer through a very narrow field of view at the bottom of the Len’s. I can now describe this in a more informed way to my optician.

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Hi Colin, thank you for watching and for your comment. Glad you found it useful. As you say, now you can pinpoint the area that needs work. If you improve the width of thus area then it will also widen the intermediate and ling distance areas too. Also a good tip if you are experiencing a narrower reading area is to try and reduce how much your eyes scan the page left to right and to move your head with the text as you read. Hopefully that will help too 🙂 Is this your first time wearing Varifocals?

[@gerrygrimes8689]

Well explained. Many thanks

[@MrDynamart]

Very well explained👍

[@ND-ro2rz]

Thank you it was very useful.

[@zurie_weiss]

Now I get it. Thank you for the explanation.

[@precisionopticseyewear]

That's great, thanks for watching and your support, much appreciated 😎 Colin

[@finessequeen2070]

So helpful, thanks

[@JENNYJAY49]

Very nice. Thanks

[@miguelbinha]

The cone that is usable is very narrow on many lenses. Can't fathom why they don't make them with the exact same enhancing capability in the whole width of the lenses.

[@rob14]

I don’t understand why they can’t make them without the blurry sides.

[@Cotty360]

I don't understand why the reading area is so small, what can't it be all the way across the bottom of the glasses

[@goodwill6767]

Thank You for this informative video. I still wear lined trifocals at age 56 but I often hear that they will eventually be very difficult if not impossible to find because the blanks used to make them are harder to get and there their use declines more and more each year with some new opticians having never even seen one least of all made one. at least here in the states. This is discouraging because I like my lined trifocals. But if progressives becomes the only option I would be concerned about having minimal distortion and also having a vertically deep enough and horizontally wide enough intermediate space to accommodate a reasonable space to see a given object. So I understand correctly from this video that these higher end free-form lenses I hear about really do eliminate a good deal of the peripheral blur and thus allowing more space to read and see intermediate? I don't want to pay a lot of money and then be disappointed and then have to move back to lined bifocals and lose my intermediate because I can't get lined trifocals made any longer. Your advice would be appreciated.

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Hi William, thank you for your question. Yes I understand what you mean. I have clients here in the UK in exactly the same position, and as a manufacturer myself, you are spot on regarding the reduction in blank supplies etc as well as ranges of options within them. Yes, going for a wide Varifocal is a great idea, but make sure whoever supplies your lenses, that you get a non tolerance guarantee. For example with my clients they can try Varifocals for 60 days, and they can get a refund if they don't work, or pay the difference to upgrade to a higher level. It's worth a try most definitely, just make sure you have that non tolerance guarantee, any decent manufacturer should offer this. Even if its 30 days etc. With Varifocals you do get what you pay for. So try to strike the balance correctly, if you go too cheap, your impressions of Varifocals will be hindered by the poorer quality if that makes sense. Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on if you try them! Colin

[@goodwill6767]

@@precisionopticseyewear Thanks for your reply. Most optometrists here in the states will only change back to a trifocal or bifocal at no charge if someone cannot tolerate varifocals. I have heard that lined bifocals at least seem to beholding steady as far as availability is concerned. I have a friend who changed from trifocals back to bifocals but with the bifocal taken out a bit so it functions satisfactorily as both a bifocal and trifocal and the line raised a bit. Something to think about. But I suspect I will end up trying some kind of premium grade varifocal with a wide horizontal range and just hope for the best. I only hope that there will be sufficient vertical range in the intermediate area. Thanks again.

[@simonjames2152]

Great helpful video. You only mention the ability to raise the reading portion up…is it also possible to lower the distance portion down?

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Hi, thank you for watching, glad it was useful. Yes, it definitely is. It's just as easy to make the reading area positioned lower down in the frame. Do you wear Varifocals? Colin

[@loveloulabella5764]

So helpful thank you for this video. I’ve just had a new pair and although the lens is equivalent to the ones I had last time, there is way more distortion on the distance with this pair than on my previous pair (similar size frames). The only difference is that I think there is a longer corridor on this pair as I work on a computer so use the intermediate range a lot. Is the distance distortion something that is likely to be fixable? Or is it likely to be worse distortion bcos of the change in corridor size?

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Thank you for question. Interesting one here. Thanks for the info too. Is there a change in your prescription at all?

[@bidenisasnake9932]

I'm suffering with the modern Progressives where the Distortion IS most of the lens. What happened to good lenses?

[@bridget1702]

Thanks so much this is really helpful and interesting. I find I have to lift my varifocal glasses for reading as seems not much reading area - would larger glasses help (larger field of vision for all 3 areas you describe) or would it all be the same?

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Hi Bridget, thanks for your question. OK, so there could be a couple of things happening here. I mentioned in the video about the position of the reading area. There are a couple of reasons as to why you may be struggling and having to adjust things to get into the good area of near vision. Firstly the reading section could basically be positioned too far down towards the bottom of the lens, this can be fixed by making a new pair but with what we call a 'short corridor' lens, this is when we can have the reading area higher up in the lens. This in turn then means you will look through the reading area sooner when looking down, hopefully preventing you from having to lift the frames up. The other issue could be that whoever has made your glasses has cut if a portion of the reading area when manufacturing, hence whynyou feel the need to go right to the bottom of the lens. So going for larger glasses is not the solution to this, if anything it could even be worse. You next step would be for you to get your glasses looked at by someone who can mark up the lenses to see where about the reading area is positioned and to see if its due to the lens design. Sometimes a simple adjustment (if you have nose pads on your glasses) can help loads, you can squeeze these together to make them sit a bit closer, this will raise the frame and therefore make your reading area higher. I would say to still see someone, as making adjustments yourself can then put other areas of vision out so sometimes it's best to leave that to a specialist. Hope this helps. Kind regards Colin

[@bridget1702]

@@precisionopticseyewear Hi Colin, Thanks so very much for your really helpful detailed reply. So much useful advice to go on here - what you say all makes sense (esp as I have plastic frame & it may sit too low). I'm going to ask my optician to check out my lenses at my appointment next month. Have a strong feeling the reading area is too low just as you say. Thanks so much again for such great advice.

[@precisionopticseyewear]

@@bridget1702 my pleasure. Good to hear that you are seeing them to get it checked out. Please would you let me know how you get on, would be great to know 🙂

[@bridget1702]

@@precisionopticseyewear I will do that. Thanks again & have a great day.

[@precisionopticseyewear]

@@bridget1702 thank you, have a great day too 😁

[@GordonGEICO]

Taking cost out of the equation, are high-end free-form progressive lenses able to match something like a dedicated office progressive/degressive lens in terms of distortion-free width in the center/intermediate area? I've been using a fairly inexpensive 1-meter office progressive for computer work (programmer, so spend all day on the computer), but I'd really like to have a single pair of glasses that I could wear everywhere, and be able to clearly see down the hall. I just don't want to sacrifice the wide field of the view the office lens gives me while at the computer. If the free-form progressives are actually distortion free as wide as you marked on those glasses... that would probably be as wide as my office lenses are.

[@skullcrawler18]

I have a question i can't afford a big tv so, is there any lense or glasses made by humans to give illusions of depth for 2d screen like if we wear them we should be able to look at our phone which should be some inches away after putting the glasses it should look like cenima hall depth without eye strain

[@darrenelkins5923]

I’ve just paid some 460 for new lenses I was told they are their boost lenses - can’t find the actual definition While walking I’m getting sea sick. The distortion skews everything outside the focal area I said I need the glasses for computer work The area on a screen that is in focus is around 6 cm width. Around two to three words in focus with everything thing else very blurred As I move my head the words tilt at the top opposite to my movement I can barely see anything in focus. It’s like looking through the wrong end of binoculars and seeing a very small area with head movevement like looking through two panes on glass that distort either side of centre. It’s like looking through a spy hole. To read anything on the screen in moving my head in 3 planes to find focus every 6 cm. I’m seeing a lot of word shadows too. To read a standard paperback, I have to move my head three time to read a line of text It’s exhausting! I went to a respectable independent and was told that these were quality lenses. ( my previous glasses bought elsewhere were cheaper including the frame that I’ve reused) Is there a way that I can determine the width of the part of the lens that contains the focal corridor? As they are closed over Christmas I’ll go back in the new year, but I’d rather be armed with some evidence that tge quality of these progressive lenses are not as they have suggested. Thanks

[@precisionopticseyewear]

Hi, thanks for your question, much appreciated. So it sounds like 2 main elements here are at play. 1 the design/type of lens 2 the width and length of the corridor 1. The design of the lens with the increase in the lower portion is what is creating the disoriented feel. As you walk your peripheral vision will notice this, more so the floor etc when walking. Sometimes this can not be noticed as much when sat still (hence why people say "they were great when I tried them on in the shop") but when you walk you notice it, this can be due to the stronger part of the lens at the bottom. Its also common for wearers to notice the distortion at very edges as well. This is part of where the different parts merge together. You can have the stonger part lowered so that you do not notice it as much when walking, however this can require you to lift your head more when reading etc. This is where we come to the corridor width and depth, which is also part of determining the quality of a lens. To reduce the horizontal peripheral distortion and to help reduce head movement, like you say when reading, you would need a wider corridor lens. If they say you have the "best", ve aware that there are lots of brands and makes, that could just be their best lens, not the best on the market. Keep in mind, some peop will still notice issues even with the best lenses, it's a case of the brain and eyes getting used to it. In terms of the other elements of the corridor, it would be interesting to see if they can provide you with a name so that I can give you more information on the lens itself. Some lenses are designed for more specific things, like you can get occupational lenses which are Varifocals for computer office use, which has the intermediate part at the top and reading at the bottom, this has nearly or no long distance part at the top. All of this has to be taken into consideration with your prescription and frame type too. Hope this helps a bit. Let me know how you get on and what lenses they supplied you. Is this your first time wearing Varifocals? Many thanks Colin

[@darrenelkins5923]

@@precisionopticseyewear i have asked them several times for an emailed invoice but the only reply ive had so far is that there is an invoice awaiting me at the shop. Not very helpful, but anyway. My previous glasses were my first glasses and purchased elsewhere. They were listed as 'office lenses' on the invoice. They were pretty good and no noticeable distortion if any. My main problem with them was that they set the top of the lens to my requested screen distance at 700mm, whereas I expected that dist to be in the centre of the lens and the top to be set to some 1 metre. So, it was a pain to sit in a rigid position for long periods. My prescription has changed a little - not much - but i initiate a test and new glasses as the office glasses had honeycomb tech and anti reflection and the anti reflection had flaked off, requiring me to remove the remnants (and so the honeycomb) as they were impossible to see through. Not being impressed with the AR flaking i decided to go elsewhere, which is a pain now as its 20mins drive and there are problems to resolve! I also had a second pair for driving and general distance as my eyes are light sensitive. Both pairs totaled a shade more than the one pair i recently bought. I fully explained my requirement for computer use - multiple screens and a wide screen - and i was okay with having a pair that would allow me to see distance and read. However i simply cannot read a screen at all. Ive persevered for a week now. General use it great, but i have to keep removing them to read a screen, as its imposssible. To work on the computer, im actually now using a pair from Lidl that cost £2! I notice from my invoice in 2019 that there is no mention of manufacturer. If this recent optician gives up the manufacturer info, ill let you know cheers

[@darrenelkins5923]

@@precisionopticseyewear received a receipt this morning But hand scribbled info and simply says ‘lenses’ fro the lenses Also didn’t realise that they charged me £50 to recycle my frame

[@darrenelkins5923]

@@precisionopticseyewear Hi again. thanks for the message. Its all very helpful ideed. At long last ive been sent the lens information. Its; Hoya Daynamic 1.6 index with sensity Coating is high vision long life blue control Any advice always greatfully received!

[@bidenisasnake9932]

All eye glasses shops are thieves.@@darrenelkins5923

[@vRSPagey]

Varifocal Virginia here. I struggling a bit unfortunately, firstly if I am.watching tv and lean back, I look through the intermediate portion, so part of the image is distorted. I'm not sure how big the intermediate area is but it's almost useless for DSE work. I think I need to firstly change the frames, as the design is quite shallow. But also, having the distance running lower, and a larger intermediate area would be good.

[@vRSPagey]

Virgin......🤪

[@gbxd]

I got the similar frame from this video and first time using a Varifocal/Progressive lens. Sad to say i was not satisfied the way my lens was setup and can't redo the lens unless i pay again. I tend to lower down my head for most of the time to see clearly from distance and a slight tilt up with get some slight blur... For my next pair i would prefer the D = 50% / I = 20% / R = 30%.

[@vRSPagey]

Should have gone to Specsavers 🤣

[@katrinahowieson]

I picked up my first pair of varifocals yesterday. I'm struggling to understand why there is any distortion at all, can you explain why it's there please?

[@precisionopticseyewear]

How are you getting on now. When you have these for the first Time it's so important that your expectations are managed, especially with things like this. We're you offered different types? It's basically the combination of 3 different powers and how it's been made

[@bidenisasnake9932]

Because there are no cut lines. the blending is a two faced demon.

[@tiger-zq5xx]

사기 상품

[@bidenisasnake9932]

WTF did you say?

[@robk7129]

Why ?