Varifocal Lenses

When I had my optician supply me with varifocal glasses they failed to tell me that I had a choice of width of reading area. This is important if you need your spectacles for extensive periods of reading or using a computer.

Varifocals provide focus at all distances with the long distance focus at the top of the lens and close-up, or reading at the bottom.

The basic varifocals have a limited width of reading area and this can be tiring after a while, wide varifocals have a reading area that can be thirty percent and more and extra-wide or superwide even more. Be warned though, choosing extra wide can almost double the cost of the lenses.

If you are ordering your spectacles over the internet be sure to get the pupillary distance correct. This is more important if you are ordering glasses with high magnification or varifocals. -- Rashel (4eyes) Alhoudi

Distorted Spectacle Frames.
Always remove your glasses in such a way that the forces are applied equally. Over time they will become twisted if you always remove them by one side - usually the right hand side if you are right-handed.  Check your friend's specs, they will usually have the right hand leg slightly bent out more than the left side. Unsightly indentations can show when spectacles are removed, these marks can be avoided by gently adding some curvature to the legs, this applies mainly to men but women can benefit too as it improves comfort -- Davina

Lens Coatings
Washing your glasses in dish soap (washing up liquid) can damage the coating and cause it to flake or detach. Always use a clean cloth, which should preferrably be microfibre - and NEVER use paper towels, they can contain abrasive mineral powders. -- Davina