Proper use of varifocals - move the head or the eyes to focus?!
Question: I just got these today, and am a bit disappointed as reading with them is uncomfortable (difficult to focus). However, I understand that there is an adjustment/learning period.
When I had a pair previously (also not very satisfactory for reading), the optician told me to move my eyes, not my head - but I've not seen this advice elsewhere.
Answers: I just got these today, and am a bit disappointed as reading with them is uncomfortable (difficult to focus). However, I understand that there is an adjustment/learning period.
When I had a pair previously (also not very satisfactory for reading), the optician told me to move my eyes, not my head - but I've not seen this advice elsewhere.
Assuming that you've been correctly measured for your Progressive bifocals, for normal reading you should be able to drop your eyes to read without bringing your head down. Key is this: When you want to see something clearly at a given distance, look directly at it. Reading may require you to follow with your nose across the page for it to be clear all the way across- (this is common for the lesser grade progressives) I have been in the optical business 25 yrs- and worn progressives for seven years- I will tell you that when I first got mine, I did not practice what I preach- for a couple of days anyway (and was miserable) but when I did what I am telling you, they worked much better for me and my adaptation time was relatively short after that.
This should have been explained and demonstrated by the prescriber or dispenser of the spectacles... That's very poor practice.
Find somewhere to sit or stand where you can see detail in the distance and and have some reading material to hand.
Looking ahead, normally , the vision should be clear.
(if it isn't and dropping the head slightly clears it, the glasses or lenses are sitting too high.)
To read, you need to use a different part of the lens.
Keeping the head still, drop your *eyes* to the print. It should be clear. Now let your head drop, and note that the reading vision fades out.
Go back to the clear reading postion.
Now keeping your eye on the same word, move your head right and left. The vision fades quite rapidly.
To see print off to one side, turn your *head* to line up with the text.
Similarly, to see close at a high angle of view, you will need to raise your head.
Looking behind reversing a car, where you are using the extreme edge of the lens, it often helps to drop the hed a little.
These moves all tend to be come automatic in time, but it does help to go through them deliberately once or twice.
(Oh, and one last one: varifocals are awful for laying back and watching TV: the reading bit comes up far too high!)