I have varifocals that I use for riding. They’re photochromatic so they even work as sunglasses when it’s sunny – though not in a car as the windscreen blocks the rays that the lenses react to. Love mine.

Happy varifocal user here.

No regrets going to a good opticians for advice/service over cheap online places..

Blind as a shortsighted bat here.

I have high refractive index, varifical, photochromatic with a mild stigmatism. They work great for everything BUT I wouldn’t ride in them.

Personally I’d reccomend a separate set for riding just in case any ground jumps out at you and punches you in the face.

IMO do without varifocal for riding. you can live without near vision when riding. If you need to read your phone, gps just get arm extensions or take your glasses off.

Different approach here, I wear contacts normally but need reading glasses with them. I also have a quality pair of glasses with the contact lens prescription. I have another pair which I think are described as PC use, great for close up but also good enough to watch the telly. I have actually driven in them by accident one evening but won’t do so deliberately. Effectively I have indoor and outdoor glasses.

Probably not relevant to you but I have the same with contact lenses. I have a small supply provided by my optician where the right hand lens is normal distance prescription but the left hand lens if more like a reading prescription so about half my normal prescription for that eye. Works surprisingly well, the idea is the brain switches to the eye most in focus.

I have a pair of varifocals for general wearing – I think I got 2 for 1 at Specsavers – and they are my Do Anything glasses.

I bought a pair of cycling specific varifocals online somewhere so I didn’t ruin my normal glasses in mud. They also stay on better and don’t steam up.

I spend a lot of time in front of the computer screen so have some computer glasses that are left on the keyboard which are not varifocal but are the correct focus length for the screen when sat at the desk – these are great compared to varifocals or reading glasses when using a screen and I would strongly recommend them for anyone sat in front of a computer for long periods.

Lifetime glasses wearer (50 years). Have two sets; conventional varifocals and mid-distance fixed focus for computer work. It’s a great mix and all I really need. I also have contacts for distance and mid-distance correction (less contact prescription) for computing when on a cycling day.

Adding reading glasses to contacts seems an anathema to me, but it does work well. I have just ordered a nicer pair which will correct my astigmatism and add anti-reflective lenses. The £15 Boots +1 readers were just the test for glasses plus contacts for computer work.

Quite apart from the fact I can’t get on with varifocals there’s the idea that your eyes get lazy as they never have to change focus because the wearer moves their head instead.

There’s also an idea that the earth is flat

Varifocals for me…. 3 different pairs

every day glasses – tv, reading, driving, DIY etc.

Sunglasses – walk about, driving etc

riding – photochromatic

regular varifocals here too, wear for riding also, and have a high prescription and astigmatism.  I have quite fussy eyes and use a local independent optician, expensive but great service.  I also have ‘occupational varifocals’ which I am wearing now while looking at 2 screens on my desk – they go from reading to about 2m distance but beyond that are a bit blurry – they have been great for me when working at screens as the field of view for screen distance is much bigger than my regular varifocals, which obviously need to work from reading to far distance.

I also have contacts, that I wear swimming (goggles on all the time to avoid pool water infections) and have recently swopped to one distance, one near, as i found I couldn’t read the locker combination padlock with distance lenses in both eyes !

Moved to Variofocals a few years back after faffing around with reading and distance glasses plus daily disposable contacts for cycling. I now have 3 pairs (blimey) of Varifocals: one pair for all daily use, a pair or variofocal sunglesses (fixed tint, really for summer outdoors and driving) and another pair (Rad8’s) specifically for cycling which have stronger polycarbonate frames and transition lenses. The variofocal cycling glasses are a bit of a revelation TBH and work well off the bike too.

Hi Ton, PM me if you want any detailed advice.
But yeah- varifocals.