Varifocal problems · Liverpool
Struggling with your varifocals? Get a second opinion.
Swimming floors, tilting your head to read, a narrow band of clear vision, or a pair that went in the drawer after a week. Most varifocal problems are a fitting problem, not a you problem. Bring them to Park Road and we will tell you which, in plain English.
- ★★★★★213 five-star Google reviews
- Varifocal experts since 1998
- Essilor Visioffice X measuring
The four things we see most
We see people every week with varifocals bought elsewhere that they cannot get on with. Nearly always it is one of these.
Measured wrong
A varifocal has a narrow channel of clear vision that has to sit exactly in front of your pupils. A millimetre or two out and your eyes fight it all day. We measure on the Essilor Visioffice X, in the frame you will actually wear.
The reading part gets in the way
If the reading area sits too high, it creeps into your distance vision, so walking, driving and steps feel wrong. It is a fitting height problem, and it can be put right.
The screen zone is too narrow
The middle of the lens is what you use for a computer or a dashboard. On some designs it is too narrow to be comfortable. The right design for how you spend your day fixes that, and for long hours at a desk, office lenses.
The frame is the wrong shape
Varifocals need enough depth in the frame for distance, screen and reading. A shallow or badly adjusted frame squeezes them out. We tell you honestly whether your frame can work.
What happens when you bring them in
We look at the glasses on your face
Where the lenses sit, how the frame fits, and how you hold your head. Bring your prescription if you have it.
We tell you what is wrong, and whether it can be fixed
Sometimes it is an adjustment. Sometimes it is the lens design. Either way you leave knowing which, and the choice is always yours.
If new lenses are the answer, they are measured properly
On the Essilor Visioffice X, in your frame, and fitted by Gavin himself. Essilor, Nikon, Zeiss and Hoya designs to choose from.
“After struggling with my varifocals for three years I thought I’d give it a go. My lenses are 100%, it’s like seeing in a whole new world. There was no hard sell. 100% worth travelling for.”
“I decided to go for the Nikon lens and the difference is like night and day compared to my five-month-old lenses from a well known high street chain.”
How long does it take to get used to varifocals?
Most people settle into new varifocals within a few days to two weeks: wear them all day from the start, and move your head rather than your eyes to look to the side. First-time wearers and big prescription changes can take a little longer. If you are still struggling after two weeks, something is usually wrong with the measurements, the design or the fit, and waiting longer will not fix it. Bring them back: we refit ours free until they are right, and we check varifocals bought elsewhere.
Headaches with new glasses? See new glasses giving you headaches.
Common questions
Varifocal problems, answered
Why can't I get used to my varifocals?
Usually one of four things we see every week: they were measured wrong, the reading area creeps into your distance vision, the screen zone is too narrow, or the frame is the wrong shape. All four can be checked, and none of them mean you “can't wear varifocals”.
Can you check varifocals I bought somewhere else?
Yes. Bring them in with your prescription if you have it. We measure where the lenses actually sit on your face and tell you plainly whether it is the fitting, the frame or the design.
Do I need another eye test first?
Not always. If your prescription is under two years old and your sight has not changed, we can start from the glasses themselves. If a test is needed we will say so, and it is £45 privately or free on the NHS if you qualify.
How are yours measured differently?
On the Essilor Visioffice X, in the frame you will actually wear, rather than with a felt-tip mark on a demo lens. It measures how you hold your head and where your eyes sit to a fraction of a millimetre, and Gavin fits the finished pair himself. See why we measure on the Visioffice.
Which lenses do you use?
Essilor, Nikon, Zeiss and Hoya. The right design depends on your prescription, your frame and your day, which is why we ask about all three before recommending one.
How long do new lenses take?
Sometimes as little as 48 hours. It depends on the lens design you choose, and we tell you the timing before anything is ordered.
Bring them in
252 Park Road, Dingle, opposite Tesco Extra, free parking. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Five minutes from Toxteth and Aigburth.
Or call 0151 726 0622
Written by Gavin Winstanley, who has been making eyewear on Park Road since 1998 and fits the varifocals himself. Last updated .