Varifocal spectacles - good or bad?

[GaryLH]

I tried.. Never got used to them. I am extremely near sight and due to the astigmatism I can only get close to 20/40 w/ contacts not glasses. With glasses I am around 20/70 or so.

Gary

 

[grandallj]

Do they have "that Zeiss 3D" look . . . ?

I have similar issues, but recently solved them with my new Zeiss ASPH custom ground eyeglass prescription. The lenses are custom ground to match what the doctor ordered - highly variable lenses with a +3 reading and large anti-astigmatism range. Very different left/right eye needs - works great.

Provides far better accuracy across the entire lens. Also has much wider middle area without any distortion. I've never had better glasses.

 

[DtheG]

Off to have an eye test at the weekend and the optician is recommending varifocal lenses. I can have these on a trial basis and if I don't get along with them I can exchange them. I have astigmatism and currently have a pair of distance glasses and a pair for reading. I always use the distance ones when shooting.
However, I was wonder edging how many here wear varifocals and are they any good from a photographers poiny of view. Would like to hear your opinions.

I tried them once, people told me "you have to get used to them", but I didn't. It seems like a good idea, not having to change specs all the time. But I found having to move my head all the time to bring things into focus was far more trouble than just looking over the top of my half-moon reading glasses. I thought they would be useful for driving, able to see distance and dash at the same time, but I felt very unsafe: having to move my head for peripheral vision. In fact even crossing the road as a pedestrian I felt fragile.

 

[TXForester]

Presently trying out contacts for the first time at 48yrs old. Doing the mono-vision thing (dominate eye at infinity, other eye pulled back to bring in closer objects) so far so good.

I tried that for a couple days. I got used to them within minutes. However, I'm left eye dominant and right-handed. I use my non-dominant eye (and the one with better vision) for taking photos, shooting guns and bows. Sort of pain when you see the sights on the rifle, but not the dang target.

Awaiting the outcome of the thread as I wear multifocal contacts, but not glasses. I need to get new contacts and glasses in a week or so, and I'll need something other than single focal glasses.