Enhanced reading glasses

I have varifocals at the moment and don’t really get on with them. Have just had my eyes tested and am thinking about a two pair strategy,  one just for distance and driving and one for reading, computer (majority of time at work) and TV (2 to 3m away). Don’t like the sound of occupational lenses, any thoughts on enhanced readers, especially comparisons with varifocals? Is the transition between viewing areas much less noticeable?

I thought occupational/hobby lenses just had larger areas of the close and computer prescriptions, the transition between them can be progressive if you prefer that.

I’ve thought about getting some. Varifocals are always a bit of a compromise, so when working at a computer and reading you have to shift positions for them to work. But I’d still keep the variafocals I think for the rest of the time, as I don’t want to be switching glasses every time I want to look at the phone, read etc.

I used to use occupational for computer work, varifocal take some getting used to, i don’t really need to wear mine all the time but you get used to seeing everything in high definition.

I wear varifocals and am very long sighted. But for work on a computer, I use fixed focal length set at 1-1.5m. Occupational glasses are varifocals with a reading portion and stronger near distance for the main view. I did not want those as I do not read much on the desk whilst working. The fixed lens means zero distortion. They have been fabulous. I can’t drive in them as distance is blurred. But I can watch tv at about 3-4m and get around daily with indoor chores.

Get some and don’t be fobbed off. Any decent optician will allow you to sit at a computer and they will select the best fixed focal length for reading a screen. I also have the same glasses just for computers when I am wearing contacts (which I do for cycling with my Track/TT visor), so I leave them in for working.

It was explained to me that enhanced readers have lower section for reading and then upper set for middle distance between say 1.5 and 3m for computer and TV, occupational have a small section right at the top for distance. Don’t like the sound of that

@TiRed I was thinking of the same sort of thing but the guy (not the optician)  recommended the enhanced readers due to my fairly pronounced astigmatism. How do you get on with watching TV with the fixed distance? I do value your advice as I’m now on a size large Defy following your online bike fit a couple of years ago, and it fits me so much better!

It was explained to me that enhanced readers have lower section for reading and then upper set for middle distance between say 1.5 and 3m for computer and TV, occupational have a small section right at the top for distance. Don’t like the sound of that

You can just tell the Optician what you want and they’ll tweak the prescription accordingly and you can get custom varifocals which do exactly what you need.

Not enhanced, but I have just got a new pair of boost lenses. So like a varifocal but it’s an oval blob of reading lense near the bottom then distance everywhere else. I had no idea how I would take to them, but it’s fine and they are very good imo. I wear them for everything now except sport.

Double astigmatism here too. I tried ordinary Boots readers with my contacts to see how a computer screen would be with contacts, and the correction for astigmatism helped sharpen up the screen. But for watching TV at 4m, I can use them just fine. Its driving and longer sight lines around the office at work I struggle with. But I much prefer the clarity to my varifocals. And I am very happy with my varifocals for daily use. Just not computer work.

I got some enhanced readers as described above – varifocals effectively – computer distance at the top, readers at the bottom.

At first they made me a bit nauseous but I’m fine with them now.  Think it’s because you need to look at things more square on than with basic readers – once I worked that out I’m ok.

I find them really useful – especially when I’m working both on screen and using a notebook.  I also use a big main screen and laptop screen simultaneously and they work for that too.

Whether they are worth the extra – not sure.  I am a cheapskate with frames so previously got one pair computer one pair readers both for £50 max from spec savers.  The new ones were more like £180 for a pair of enhanced and a pair of regular readers

Long story short,

I had varifocals and kicked them back. I now have a distance pair for driving and an “occupational” pair for mid-close work such as sitting at the computer or fiddling at stuff on the bench. It works for me, but I had to talk with a senior optosomething who went back to brass tacks in order to get to this point.