Birding with varifocal specs (1 Viewer)

[Winterdune]

Hi all,

Age has caught up with me and I now need to get some specs for distance and closeup. I think I will get some varifocals. I'd be very interested to hear of the experiences/recommendations of other birders who wear them. I've read the other threads that mention them and basically what I'd like to know is:

1. Whether you should ask for anything in particular for birding (for example, it seems to me that having a smaller close region would be sensible so that more of the lens is distance vision).

2. If anyone has any recommendations about lenses or suppliers.

3. Are lens measurements critical meaning I should get them from a "real" optician or could I buy them online OK?

Many thanks,

Sean

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Sean
I'm an optician and have been using varifocals for a number of years now.
A major consideration if you are coming to spectacles for the first time is the eye relief of your binoculars. I had to change my binoculars when I started using the varifocals as the old bins were giving me a tunnel vision feeling as the relief was too short, my varifocals being my first pair of specs.
I've used several different designs over the years from a number of different manufacturers, and always found that the newer design was better than the older one, so obviously the manufacturers are investing in R&D.
I'm currently using the Independence design that Specsavers offer, this is one of the newer freeform type designs which give more natural vision, or that's what it feels like to me. However I think you will find that most of the newer designs are pretty similar in that respect.
Normally a varifocal is set with the distance part centred on your pupil when looking straight forward, I have found that it is better for the bins if the lenses are centred slightly lower than this, mine are 0.5mm lower than normal.
I would only recommend buying single vision spectacles online. The measurements required for varifocals are critical for them to work correctly for you. Much better to visit an Opticians and let them measure you up correctly.:t:

 

[Richard Klim]

Sean, I can't fully answer your specific questions. But I took the plunge about a year ago and changed to varifocals for the first time.

I was a bit worried that there could be problems when birding, but my fears proved completely groundless. When using optics (bins or scope) the view is through the distant zone of the lenses, and I haven't noticed any degradation. But a glance slightly downwards to view through the near zone makes it easy to read a map, fieldguide, iPod display etc without having to remove my specs. And for me, they're much better for driving, with good distant vision combined with a clear view of instruments, maps etc.

I bought mine at Specsavers. They have four 'grades' of varifocals (standard, premium, elite and tailor-made), which supposedly provide a progressively higher proportion of high-quality area – ie, upper (distant) & lower-centre (near) zones, vs lower-outer (blended) zones. I went for the 'elite' option, but I can't honestly say whether the performance improvement was significant. I just felt that it was stupid to begrudge an extra £60 when using £2K+ of birding optics! I also requested that the progression corridor (between distant and near zones) be positioned slightly lower than usual, to optimise the distant field of view and use with optics.

Richard

 

[Dave Williams]

I have been using varifocals for several years and don't find any problems now. However, my first pair were unused for a long time because I couldn't get used to them at all. If I hadn't broken my standard pair I might not be wearing them today but fortunately I did and was forced to persist with them for several days. I couldn't do without them now !

 

[Winterdune]

Thanks for the messages so far. Keith - I already wear specs for distance and don't have problems with eye relief on my Swarovskis.

So Specsavers seem alright to you guys. Anyone tried Asda? They used to do Zeiss lenses (got my last reglaze through them on the advice of an optician friend who told me they sold the lenses cheaper than his firm could buy them for) but now they only do Hoya I think.

Sean

 

[Surreybirder]

FWIW, I got varifocals several years ago and have never had any probs using bins. However, I take my glasses off when I use my scope (which is older than the hills). I go to an independent optometrist so I'm not sure who makes the lenses.
Ken

 

[Sy V]

Keith

Looks like you're the SME here so:
I use Specsaver varifocals.
I can live with them for use with my Canon 7D, but I have to remove them for my bins (which are an old pair of Sony general purpose bins that I bought in Saudi at the start of the first gulf war!).
In what do I need to invest; decent bins with longer eye relief?

 

[hollis_f]

Wow! A birding optician, that's handy.

Keith, what style frames would you recommend. These new-fangled, trendy, letterbox-styles are just too small for varifocals, in my opinion. But bigger frames just look horrible. So I've got a pair of, single-vision, John Lennon specs (younger readers would call them Harry Potter glasses). Would they be suitable for varifocals?

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Oh gawd... I actually specialize in contact lenses but I'll do my best.

Sy V,
It would seem that maybe better eye relief is needed with your bins. I tried several models from different makers and settled on the RSPB FG roof prism model as they had better eye relief for me and (as I was a volunteer with the RSPB at the time) I got them at cost so saved a chunk of money. I found that the Leica and Swaro bins were good but out of my price bracket, one of the Opticron models was okay but I can't remember which now. Didn't like the Elite range from Bushnell, nor the Kowa range.

Frank
Main concerns with the fitting varifocal lenses are the depth of the frame below your pupil as that is where the reading area is, and the design of the lens. Most modern varifocal designs have options for the shallower frames so that letterbox shape frames are not ruled out completely.
A pair of 'John Lennon' type frame should be okay with all designs of varifocals, and they never really go out of fashion do they?

 

[hollis_f]

Thanks for that Keith. I'm due a trip to the opticians soon and I'm gonna have to give varifocals another try as my close-up vision has got bad enough to make it impossible to see my camera settings with my specs on. So I'll be aiming for a pair of JL's with a small reading area just for birding.

 

[Sy V]

Thanks Keith.
Since I asked my question I'm closing in on a pair of Opticron 10x42 Imagic BGA SEs that have 21mm of Eye Relief and come very highly recommended.

You are going to hate me now (and so is Sean for dragging his thread off topic).
I struggle during the first hour of an early morning ringing session because once we've erected the nets and set everything up I invariably suffer from misted up lenses.
I've been wondering whether I should go back to SS and ask about contact lenses for ringing. I know that my eyes are slightly different (performance wise) and IIRC I have an astigmatism due to irregularly shaped cornea(s).
In your opinion, and I'm not going to hold it against you, is my theory worth pursuing (at least in principle)?

 

[Keith Dickinson]

SY V
There are a multitude of contact lenses now that can cater for the irregular cornea.
PM me your prescription details if you have them to hand and I'll pm some suggestions.

 

[Mannix]

I wear contact lenses for birding and put glasses on for reading. I don't think I could do with the hassle of trying to look through binoculars with glasses on. Especially if there is even a slight drizzle.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

I wear contact lenses for birding and put glasses on for reading. I don't think I could do with the hassle of trying to look through binoculars with glasses on. Especially if there is even a slight drizzle.

There are contact lenses that can do a good job for both distance and near vision, if you haven't got any astigmatism. Ask your optician about them, a few names to mention are Cibavision Air Optix Multifocal, Baush & Lomb Purevision Multifocal or Coopervision Proclear Multifocal, all these are soft contact lenses I have fitted to people with reasonable success. If you use a rigid gas permeable lens then the Cantor & Nissel Aqualine lens is a good one that I have used.
For anyone who doesn't have a distance vision problem but needs reading spectacles then the Safe-Gel Lectura Daily Disposable lens from No 7 Laboratories is pretty good, I use it myself for a days birding and it performs extremely well. Distance vision very good, near vision good enough for writing notes.:t:

 

[Sy V]

SY V
There are a multitude of contact lenses now that can cater for the irregular cornea.
PM me your prescription details if you have them to hand and I'll pm some suggestions.

Blimey!

Thanks Keith. I'll dig 'em out.
Superstar!