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I am at that (ahem) slightly more mature stage in my life where I need reading glasses and also have an astigmatism whereby I am marginal for needing distance glasses. No short of long sightedness. I’ve not worn glasses for years

The opticians are pushing varifocal but I am concerned about using them for cycling as the peripheral vision when you look over your shoulder is not as good with varifocals as with single vision lenses. I also wonder about the difference in judging distance with varifocals as looking theu the bottom and top alters the apparent distance. Also with my distance prescription as I turn my head things appear to move side to side

So Questions:
1) anyone use varifocal for riding? How do you find it?
2) anyone used the online sports prescription glasses people? Or do I need to bite the bullet and buy expensive branded sports glasses?

I’ve not bothered with varifocals (yet). My near distance vision is fine until I put my specs on, so I just lift them up or take them off if I need to look at a map or GPS etc.

I wear prescription Oakleys for riding – Transitions. Yes, they’re expensive but they’ve lasted me for years (8?) I’ve just had a new set of lenses made for them as my prescription had changed a little.

Can’t help with the varifocal bit, but for online lenses etc. I’ve always used RX Sport. Good people.

I use contact lenses when riding and glasses for my shortsightedness the rest of the time. Over the last few years the optician has been pestering me to use varifocals so when new glasses time came I went for it, about 6 months ago. I find only a very marginal improvement in reading ability but a real “woo, the world is spinning” feeling in the periphery . The thought of experiencing that while glancing over my shoulder or other quick manoeuvres when cycling would put me off, it’s fairly pronounced and unsettling. Don’t do it!

I use Uvex prescription safety / sports glasses for work and MTB (distance) – frame models 5508 and 5510 (5510 feels more the more durable frame of the two). Not sure on price as work pays for them…..

I wouldn’t use the same pair for riding as for work/home, just to protect them from falls and sweat. Maybe go online for a cheaper pair for riding.

I wear my varifocals for riding. After the first couple of days adjusting to the “most of the lens for distance, down and centre for close”, it’s no big deal. What is weird is when your specs or slide bounce off your nose and sit at a funny angle so you are looking through different bits of each lens.

Anyway, are you saying you can manage without specs for distance, but need them for map, gps, bike computer etc? If so how about safety specs with reading insert like these:

Amazon Bolle +1.5

I got a cheap pair of skiing/outdoor sunglasses from a hiking shop and had them reglazed at Specs-By Post, quite cheap and great service. The glasses were quite curved so I rang them up first to confirm if they could be reglazed with a prescription, while I was on the phone they looked them up online and confirmed they could do them. Very helpful people.

I thought I’d get bifocals rather than vari-. That’s with a big area for distance and a much smaller segment for looking down at maps. I didn’t really get on with them for riding, but they were great for driving, giving a clear view of the satnav. Then I bought a car with a deeper dash and the satnav is further away.

Mine are such that there’s always a jump at the edge of the lens. RayBans push this right to the edge of my visual field so I don’t notice it.

(edit) bought the RayBans as shades, replaced the lenses with pervert reactolights.

Even my readers prescription is a bit marginal – reading is fine in good light – its only in poor light or when tired I struggle.

However with a distance only prescription reading is actually more difficult. I would find it harder to read a map especially on a phone with just the distance script.

Just looking for others experiences to help me try to make up my mind what to do.

I wear glasses all the time. My normal ones are some sort of varifocal, anti fatigue thing, and to be honest I don’t really get on with them, but they cost a ton so I’ll stick with them.

My tip for riding glasses is to find a cheap pair of sunglasses that you like and send them and your prescription to Ciliary Blue to get them reglazed with some transitions lenses for about sixty quid (if I remember the price right)

I wear varifocals including for riding but I am becoming increasingly annoyed by them.

I have got used to the way in which they channel your view and you have to move your head side to side to look at the view in normal use but for riding this is becoming a problem. The distant view with the glasses is not as good as without and I would prefer to not use them. However, I then cannot see closer to view the track I am riding. I can’t keep taking off and putting on the glasses, so I keep trying to ride with them.

Also riding off-road they get shaken about and are constantly slipping down and I have to push them back. I also have a problem with dry eyes which makes them water all the time. This drips on to the lenses and impairs the view so I can’t even see properly through them.

I have reached a point where the glasses are affecting my appreciation of a ride so I put off going out.

Thanks folks – gives me a good help in deciding

I wear varifocals all the time,and don’t have any problems with them at all.
I recently got some varifocal sunnies (Puma, I think) from Specsavers, £100. Again, no problem with them.

Blind as a bat here, 6.75 both eyes, astigmatism and at aged 51 challenging to read. Have worn varifocals for past couple of years, all the time, incl on the bike. First few rides with them were a bit weird, then became normal. Can also read the Garmin too now !

Also riding off-road they get shaken about and are constantly slipping down and I have to push them back.

. Sounds like you need to speak to your optician for ones that fit better. I wear Oakley Wingbacks all the time and they don’t move around at all

Varifocals are fine on the bike for me.
I’ve been dispensing them for twenty years, only had my first pair last year. Couldn’t believe how easy they were to use. Most decent opticians will let you take them back if you don’t get on with them.
I hate wearing my old distance only specs.
Avoid wrap around frames though.