Variflux lens, cost and aging

[Turn7]

I’m at the age where my eyesight is changing downwards fairly rapidly now.

I have always been very critical of my vision , so tend to buy high end varificals.

Current specs cost £700 in March 2023 and now I need new ones as my close vision has changed for the worst.

Reglaze is £600 using Essilor XR , previous were Essilor X.

I’m more than a little disappointed that I’m at the stage of needing this to be an almost annual expenditure.

Should say that I am using Latanprost to mitigate oncoming Glaucoma, have had SLT and also Uveitis in the left eye earlier this year.

Any advice welcome ….

Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 10th November 17:43

[Slow.Patrol]

I feel your pain.

I used to be exceptionally shortsighted until my cataract operation.

Now I only need a small distance and +2.50 for reading. I have severe astigmatism.

Having worn glasses for over 60 years, I don't feel dressed without them, so get varifocals. And they are £600-800 a pop from a proper opticians.

I've had my current ones for a year and the coating is starting to peel off.

Next time I am going to give one of the online guys a go. I priced up a pair and they will be about £150-200

Edited by Slow.Patrol on Sunday 10th November 20:51

[DKL]

Turn7 said:

I’m at the age where my eyesight is changing downwards fairly rapidly now.

I have always been very critical of my vision , so tend to buy high end varificals.

Current specs cost £700 in March 2023 and now I need new ones as my close vision has changed for the worst.

Reglaze is £600 using Essilor XR , previous were Essilor X.

I’m more than a little disappointed that I’m at the stage of needing this to be an almost annual expenditure.

Should say that I am using Latanprost to mitigate oncoming Glaucoma, have had SLT and also Uveitis in the left eye earlier this year.

Any advice welcome ….

Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 10th November 17:43

I'm thinking hard but I don't think I can spec an XR that gets to £600 for the lenses only. Maybe a 1.74 XR transition might get vaguely close. What exactly are you after?

[Turn7]

Been quoted £595 for XR 1.65 iirc with transitions and crizal coating

[HelenT]

Turn7 said:

I’m at the age where my eyesight is changing downwards fairly rapidly now.

I have always been very critical of my vision , so tend to buy high end varificals.

Current specs cost £700 in March 2023 and now I need new ones as my close vision has changed for the worst.

Reglaze is £600 using Essilor XR , previous were Essilor X.

I’m more than a little disappointed that I’m at the stage of needing this to be an almost annual expenditure.

Should say that I am using Latanprost to mitigate oncoming Glaucoma, have had SLT and also Uveitis in the left eye earlier this year.

Any advice welcome ….

Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 10th November 17:43

As an Optometrist, I wouldn't expect to change prescriptions so quickly unless there is an underlying reason , especially if you have had uveitis and probably had steroids has anyone mentioned cataracts? Might be worth asking, if cataracts are present addressing them may also reduce your pressures. I'd refer on rapidly changing prescriptions especially in someone with raised pressures. I don't tend to do many Essilor lenses as we mainly deal with Hoya as local so can't comment on the pricing but also make sure the specs are fitting correctly as a big factor with varifocals

[egomeister]

Slow.Patrol said:

I feel your pain.

I used to be exceptionally shortsighted until my cataract operation.

Now I only need a small distance and +2.50 for reading. I have severe astigmatism.

Having worn glasses for over 60 years, I don't feel dressed without them, so get varifocals. And they are £600-800 a pop from a proper opticians.

I've had my current ones for a year and the coating is starting to peel off.

Next time I am going to give one of the online guys a go. I priced up a pair and they will be about £150-200

Edited by Slow.Patrol on Sunday 10th November 20:51

Assuming they were a decent branded lens and you haven't been using your clothes to clean them then I'd expect the lens to be replaced under warranty. I had coating failure on some Nikons a while back and they were replaced no bother. Speak to your optician, and if they aren't helpful then find a new optician.

[Turn7]

HelenT said:

Turn7 said:

I’m at the age where my eyesight is changing downwards fairly rapidly now.

I have always been very critical of my vision , so tend to buy high end varificals.

Current specs cost £700 in March 2023 and now I need new ones as my close vision has changed for the worst.

Reglaze is £600 using Essilor XR , previous were Essilor X.

I’m more than a little disappointed that I’m at the stage of needing this to be an almost annual expenditure.

Should say that I am using Latanprost to mitigate oncoming Glaucoma, have had SLT and also Uveitis in the left eye earlier this year.

Any advice welcome ….

Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 10th November 17:43

As an Optometrist, I wouldn't expect to change prescriptions so quickly unless there is an underlying reason , especially if you have had uveitis and probably had steroids has anyone mentioned cataracts? Might be worth asking, if cataracts are present addressing them may also reduce your pressures. I'd refer on rapidly changing prescriptions especially in someone with raised pressures. I don't tend to do many Essilor lenses as we mainly deal with Hoya as local so can't comment on the pricing but also make sure the specs are fitting correctly as a big factor with varifocals

Pressures are fine , and all is well within the eye apparently.
Have just paid for all the latest scans available at an
Optician and also was at the glaucoma clinic earlier this year.

Current optician says distance is ok but close add is f what they would have recommended , and having seen the difference I agree.

I’m a tad sceptical as it’s an easy sell, in the same way a dentist suggests a small filling…

However , I’m aware my current vision range isn’t acceptable to me.

[DKL]

Actually about the right ball park. About 10% more than us.
Early cataracts will give you more and more frequent prescription changes whilst each time your visual acuities at the time of the test will be fine.
If you're into frequent varifocal changes then you are the right age for this to be likely.
It is reasonable to have a case for surgery argued if they are changing every few months, even if your best vision each time is "good". I've done this before, but annual changes possibly not.
Lenses - you could try physio 3 or comfort max which will be £50 and £100 cheaper. They are still good lenses but not as far up the range. Might be a compromise to consider.

[DKL]

Slow.Patrol said:

I've had my current ones for a year and the coating is starting to peel off.

If they are a branded lens they will almost certainly have a 2 year guarantee against the coatings failing in that time. If essilor, hoya or nikon then definitely. Take them back and ask.

[phil4]

I'm on the same lenses as you, and also on daily latanoprost.

I've always been short sighted, but the recent small amount of close up reading longsightedness is the reason I've moved to varifocals. I value my sight, so would rather have good lenses (I've had cheap varifocals before and the chromatic aberration was noticeable), but will just whether I need a new set as and when I'm being tested and can see the difference.

I skipped this year as close up was too similar. Cost is usually about £800-1000 with new frames.

[mikeiow]

HelenT said:

As an Optometrist, I wouldn't expect to change prescriptions so quickly unless there is an underlying reason , especially if you have had uveitis and probably had steroids has anyone mentioned cataracts? Might be worth asking, if cataracts are present addressing them may also reduce your pressures. I'd refer on rapidly changing prescriptions especially in someone with raised pressures. I don't tend to do many Essilor lenses as we mainly deal with Hoya as local so can't comment on the pricing but also make sure the specs are fitting correctly as a big factor with varifocals

As NOT an optometrist, I am also perplexed at why a prescription would change *every* year. Feels like some bigger underlying issue.

We had our first test in 5 years recently - I know, but Covid and then life (& indeed death) got rather in the way. For me, aged over 60, one eye was 0.25 different, & my reading both increased +0.25.

My last 6 pairs of varifocals have been bought online without any issues.
This time we stuck with Vision Express who did our eye test. They had some specs we both liked, if you get 2 pairs they offer 25% off and zero % finance over 2 years. A fair deal - around £400 for two pairs..

I am also considering buying a pair from https://www.goggles4u.co.uk - offer good prices, & have nice looking frameless which our small VE didn’t have….

[Turn7]

HelenT said:

Turn7 said:

I’m at the age where my eyesight is changing downwards fairly rapidly now.

I have always been very critical of my vision , so tend to buy high end varificals.

Current specs cost £700 in March 2023 and now I need new ones as my close vision has changed for the worst.

Reglaze is £600 using Essilor XR , previous were Essilor X.

I’m more than a little disappointed that I’m at the stage of needing this to be an almost annual expenditure.

Should say that I am using Latanprost to mitigate oncoming Glaucoma, have had SLT and also Uveitis in the left eye earlier this year.

Any advice welcome ….

Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 10th November 17:43

As an Optometrist, I wouldn't expect to change prescriptions so quickly unless there is an underlying reason , especially if you have had uveitis and probably had steroids has anyone mentioned cataracts? Might be worth asking, if cataracts are present addressing them may also reduce your pressures. I'd refer on rapidly changing prescriptions especially in someone with raised pressures. I don't tend to do many Essilor lenses as we mainly deal with Hoya as local so can't comment on the pricing but also make sure the specs are fitting correctly as a big factor with varifocals

Pressures are fine. Optometrist mentioned tiny signs
Of cataract, as did the eye doc when I had uveitis.

My close up vision is very bad, and the new optician are saying my current lens don’t have a big enough add basically .

[Turn7]

mikeiow said:

HelenT said:

As an Optometrist, I wouldn't expect to change prescriptions so quickly unless there is an underlying reason , especially if you have had uveitis and probably had steroids has anyone mentioned cataracts? Might be worth asking, if cataracts are present addressing them may also reduce your pressures. I'd refer on rapidly changing prescriptions especially in someone with raised pressures. I don't tend to do many Essilor lenses as we mainly deal with Hoya as local so can't comment on the pricing but also make sure the specs are fitting correctly as a big factor with varifocals

As NOT an optometrist, I am also perplexed at why a prescription would change *every* year. Feels like some bigger underlying issue.

We had our first test in 5 years recently - I know, but Covid and then life (& indeed death) got rather in the way. For me, aged over 60, one eye was 0.25 different, & my reading both increased +0.25.

My last 6 pairs of varifocals have been bought online without any issues.
This time we stuck with Vision Express who did our eye test. They had some specs we both liked, if you get 2 pairs they offer 25% off and zero % finance over 2 years. A fair deal - around £400 for two pairs..

I am also considering buying a pair from https://www.goggles4u.co.uk - offer good prices, & have nice looking frameless which our small VE didn’t have….

Having had very low quality varificals , I would never go back.

I’m aware of the slightly cheaper options from essllor but if I’m spending 500, what’s another 100 for best quality ?