Getting Used to Varifocals

Getting used to varifocals takes time, and that is completely normal. New varifocal glasses problems such as blurry edges, a swimming sensation or difficulty finding the reading zone are not signs that something is wrong, they are a natural part of the process.

Still deciding which varifocal lens to buy? Visit the varifocal glasses page first, this guide is for wearers who already have their glasses.

Follow these steps in order when you first put on a new pair of varifocal glasses. Take your time, you do not need to rush through them all at once.

Settle the glasses on your nose

Ensure your glasses are positioned comfortably as far up your nose as they can sit. Varifocal lenses are designed to work in a specific position relative to your eyes. If the frame sits too low, the vision zones will be in the wrong place.

Look straight ahead and check that your distance vision is clear. If it is blurry straight ahead, the frame position is the first thing to check. Push the glasses gently up your nose to see if this corrects the vision.

Find the distance zone

The distance zone is in the upper portion of the lens. Look through the top of the lens at objects far away. A wall, a window, the far end of a room.

Your vision at distance should be clear here. If it is not, take time to adjust the frame position up your nose first. Move your eyes slightly up and down within the upper portion of the lens to find the clearest point.

Find the intermediate zone

The intermediate zone sits in the middle portion of the lens, roughly arm's length. This covers a computer screen, a car dashboard or shelves across a room.

Hold a piece of reading material at arm's length. While looking through the distance portion of the lens, slowly tilt your head back until the text clears. That point of clarity is your intermediate zone. With practice, moving into this zone becomes instinctive.

Find the reading zone

The reading zone is in the lower portion of the lens.

From the intermediate zone, bring the reading material closer to where you would normally hold it for reading. Continue to tilt your chin slightly upward, or lower your gaze further, until the text clears. This is your near zone.

Remember: for reading, the movement is to lower your eyes and raise your chin slightly. Dropping your head rather than your eyes is the most common mistake new varifocal wearers make.

Manage the peripheral distortion

All varifocal lenses have a degree of blurring or distortion at the outer edges. This is a physical property of how the prescription changes from distance to reading. It affects every progressive lens design.

To avoid this, point your nose at what you want to look at rather than moving only your eyes sideways. Turning your head brings your gaze through the central corridor of the lens where the vision is clear. The peripheral blur typically reduces significantly within one to two weeks as your brain adjusts.

Going up and down stairs

Stairs and kerbs are the situation where new varifocal wearers most commonly stumble, literally. When descending stairs, lower your whole head, not just your eyes, so you are looking through the distance portion of the lens.

If you lower only your eyes to look down, you will be looking through the reading part of the lens. This makes steps appear closer or in a different position than they are. Take extra care for the first week until this becomes instinctive which areas of the lens you need to look through.

Varifocal Glasses Dizzy Feeling, swim, Sway and What Causes It

Dizziness and a feeling that the world is moving when you turn your head, sometimes called 'swim and sway', is the most widely reported problem when adjusting to new varifocal glasses. It is caused by peripheral distortion at the outer edges of the lens. This is where the prescription transitions through the different fields of vision.

Feeling dizzy with varifocal glasses does not mean the prescription is wrong. It means your brain has not yet learned to discount the peripheral distortion. For most wearers, the dizziness reduces significantly within the first week and disappears entirely within two weeks. The best response is to continue wearing the glasses consistently rather than removing them when the dizziness occurs.

Varifocal Glasses Blur at the Sides

Blurry or soft-focus peripheral vision is a normal feature of varifocal glasses blur, not a fault.

The clear corridor of vision in a varifocal lens runs vertically through the centre of the lens. The outer edges will always be softer than the centre because that is where the prescription transitions between zones.

Varifocal glasses blur at the sides cannot be fully eliminated from any progressive lens design, but it can be minimised. Our Varifocal Elite has the smallest peripheral blur zone of our standard lens range. Over time, your brain adapts to discount the blur and you stop noticing it.

Difficulty Finding the Reading Zone

If you cannot find clear near vision when reading, hold the reading material at your normal reading distance. Then slowly raise your chin until the text comes into focus.

The reading zone is in the lower portion of the lens. If you are looking through the bottom of the lens without finding clarity, the frame may have slipped down your nose. Push the pair of glasses back up your nose and try again.

If the focal point of the reading zone is still difficult to find after a week of consistent wear, don't hesitate to contact us. The optical centre of the lens may need to be repositioned.

Difficulty on Stairs and Uneven Ground

In the first week, stairs, kerbs and uneven surfaces need extra attention. When descending stairs, lower your whole head to look down, not just your eyes, so you are looking through the distance zone of the lens. This will give you accurate depth perception.

If you look down using only your eyes, you will be in the near zone, which distorts distances. This habit forms quickly with practice the more you wear varifocal lenses.

How long to get used to varifocals depends primarily on one thing, consistency.

The varifocal adaptation period is quicker for those who wear their new glasses all day, every day. Without switching back to old glasses. The adaption takes longer for those who take them off every time they feel uncomfortable.

Most wearers find the dizziness and swim-and-sway reduces significantly by the end of the first week. By the end of the second week, most wearers are no longer consciously aware of any adjustment symptoms. First-time varifocal wearers should allow up to three weeks for full adaptation.

The single most effective way to shorten the adjustment period is consistent wear. Do not switch between your new varifocals and old glasses, every time you switch, you partially reset the process.

Contact our team on 01494 307 345 or help@directsight.co.uk if:

• Your distance vision is not clear when looking through the top of the lens after the first two or three days of full-time wear. This may indicate a frame fitting issue or a prescription error.
• You cannot find the reading zone at all after one week of consistent wear.
• You are experiencing a persistent or severe varifocal glasses headache beyond the first five days.
• Your vision is noticeably worse in one eye than the other through the same lens, this is not a normal adjustment experience.
• You have been wearing the glasses full-time for four weeks and are still experiencing significant difficulty with any vision zone.

In most cases, varifocal problems adjusting can be resolved without returning the glasses. Often a simple frame adjustment, or a small repositioning of the lens within the frame, makes all the difference.

Our 365 day guarantee and 30 day returns policy cover all varifocal orders if a remake or return is ultimately needed.

When transitioning to varifocal glasses, it's important to give yourself ample time to adjust to the new lenses. Varifocal lenses offer a smooth transition between near, intermediate, and distance vision, but they may require some adaptation, especially if you're new to wearing multifocal eyewear. Initially, you may experience slight distortion or difficulty with depth perception as your eyes adapt to the different focal areas of the lens. Be patient and consistent with wearing your glasses, and remember to move your head rather than just your eyes when looking at different distances. If you experience persistent discomfort or vision problems, contact our customer service team who will advise the next steps to take.