First Time Varifocals

Coat22

Hi All,

I had an eye test last week and as I expected I now have to take the plunge into varifocals for the first time. I wanted to get a pari of regular VFs and a pair of sunglasses with my VF perscrition in them and priced these at Vision Express (VE) where I had the test and have gotten my last 3 or 4 pairs of specs.

• For a pair of Police glasses similar to my current ones and similar sunglasses with VF lenses was coming out north of €550. This was after they offered me €60 off for choosing outside of their promotions.

• The VF lenses included in the above were €75 in each pair. These were the “base” lenses – their recommended top of the line lenses are €210 per pair.

What I am wondering is:

A) Are VE a rip off? Am I better off going elsewhere for my glasses. I know I am picking the expensive option in designer lenses but are VE operating on juicier margains than other independent opticians?
The lense options. Any views on this? Better to go with the better lense at €210 and forsake a cheaper frame if necessary? VE show you a screen with some sales blurb on it but hard to know when you’ve never worn them if this is just rubbish or actually the case.
C) I read somewhere that Carl Zeiss lenses are the best VF lenses to get. VE use a different brand but CZ lenses available locally with another optician – any views?

Many thanks for your help.

Daisies

Coat22 wrote: »

Hi All,

I had an eye test last week and as I expected I now have to take the plunge into varifocals for the first time. I wanted to get a pari of regular VFs and a pair of sunglasses with my VF perscrition in them and priced these at Vision Express (VE) where I had the test and have gotten my last 3 or 4 pairs of specs.

• For a pair of Police glasses similar to my current ones and similar sunglasses with VF lenses was coming out north of €550. This was after they offered me €60 off for choosing outside of their promotions.

• The VF lenses included in the above were €75 in each pair. These were the “base” lenses – their recommended top of the line lenses are €210 per pair.

What I am wondering is:

A) Are VE a rip off? Am I better off going elsewhere for my glasses. I know I am picking the expensive option in designer lenses but are VE operating on juicier margains than other independent opticians?
The lense options. Any views on this? Better to go with the better lense at €210 and forsake a cheaper frame if necessary? VE show you a screen with some sales blurb on it but hard to know when you’ve never worn them if this is just rubbish or actually the case.
C) I read somewhere that Carl Zeiss lenses are the best VF lenses to get. VE use a different brand but CZ lenses available locally with another optician – any views?

Many thanks for your help.

On my phone so can't go into too many details but
€210 for a top of the line varifocal is probably one of the cheapest you will get. I would go for a cheaper frame and put the money into the lenses as varifocals are really something that the varying quality can really affect you. With regards to Zeiss lenses, yes they are very good but the Essilor lenses that VE use are fantastic also. The Varilux Comfort is a very good lens.

In short, the lenses are what is going affect your vision and I would spend as much as you can on varifocals as the difference in quality once you go for a more expensive lens is HUGE.

Coat22

Thanks Daisy.

Got a second quote over the weekend for Carl Zeiss lenses at an independent optician and they were working out pretty pricey - €295. Throw in the price of a good frame and I was at €500 pretty quickly and still hadn’t talked about sunglasses.

I think I am going to go with the better lenses so have to decide between the Zeiss ones and the ones VE use. Leaning towards VE on the basis of your comment above that their lenses are pretty good too but will probably have a think about it for a couple of days.

Thanks again for your help.

Daisies

No problem hope it all works out. Varifocals are great once you get a good lens.