What I did today.

I have come back from another 2-day Granny duty stint with littlest DGS who has bronchiolitis and an ear infection. DD just getting over pneumonia, I hope that is the end of it for a bit! Starting sniffles myself - as JessM said - toddlers do like to spread the lurve don't they?

Been to collect new glasses from opticians, varifocals, totally rubbish for computer work. They have promised to change lens back to single vision if I can't get the hang of it in 30 days.

harri the first time I got varifocals, I insisted I couldn't wear them for driving (I was commuting into SE London). So I drove in wearing the single vision specs, then changed to the varifocals for the day, then back to single vision for the drive home. Then, one day, I got home and realised that I'd forgotten to change specs, and had driven home in the varifocals and never noticed! That was my varifocals epiphany. Never locked back since.

I love my varifocals but always have to pause at the top of stairs to 'refocus' which makes me feel very very feeble!!

Harri hang on in there. For seeing, I wouldn't be without mine, but I have to have really light (= expensive) ones as I can't stand the pressure on my nose. What a wimp! (Me that is!)
Do be careful with steps, up or down, I've never really sussed them!
Just noticed Kitty's post which says the same thing really!

I have varifocals and do agree that you have to be careful going down steps etc! I do get on well with mine, but when I had my desktop computer, I used to get a really sore neck. This was because I had to tilt my head back to be able to read the screen properly. I'm fine with the laptop, however.
Ogm, mine are lightweight and I got them from Asda's Opticians. I got them last year and at that time all specs were £95 all in. Nothing added on at all - which is usually the case . They'd had that deal on for ages, and I think it's still the same.

When I got my first pair of varifocals, I wasn't getting on with them at all, so went back to the optician who made a small adjustment in the fitting. That was at least fifteen years ago and I have never gone back to bifocals. The varifocals were a bit of a trial with a desktop computer but since I went over to a laptop I've been able to adjust the position of the screen and don't get any eye strain. So, harri, if you do have some initial problems, they might just need a little fitting adjustment. Good luck!

Thanks Marelli

harrigran adapting to varifocals can take a couple of weeks so I would say hang in there. Try pushing the frame up very slightly from the bottom rim, if your screen looks clearer then it is possible that an adjustment to either the frame or the lens is required.

If you have only had reading specs before then adapting to a smaller lens area can feel odd. The main advantage of varifocals is the convenience of one pair for all uses. I keep a pair of readers for when that's all I want to do but they are useless for work as everything beyond arms length is a blur.

I used to have a pair of reading glasses and another pair for TV/outdoors which were used in the car (I don't drive but they allowed me to focus on the view better, and not get dizzy with the scenery whizzing past in a blur)

For my last prescription, I got "office glasses" which are bifocals with a reading part and a computer part, which are useful for working on the laptop while referring to papers lying beside it. I still have the distance glasses, which are also perfect for a cinema screen or a speaker and projector screen at a lecture. I don't wear them just walking down the road.

I think I may get yet another pair for sitting reading or sewing though, quite often you want to see something clearly that is above the transition point, and if it were moved up I would not see all the laptop screen through the top half.

Varifocals have one great disadvantage - if lying (reclining even!) on the sofa or in bed trying to watch TV, I have to slip mine down my nose so that the distance bit moves down. But as I invariably fall asleep within 15 minutes, it's a small price to pay.

Thanks for tips, I wore them whilst reading in bed this morning but I felt like a noddy dog, there were fuzzy areas above and below the line I was reading. I will persevere but at the moment they are pulling the eye muscles.

Today, I abandoned all good intentions and went Racing!

gracesmum

Hope you adjust allright to your new glasses, harri. I didn't get on at all well with varifocals. Had to take them back because they made me seasick. Apparently this happens to some people. Got new lenses free of charge.

I feel unsafe when I am wearing them Bags it's not good to feel as if the floor is uneven. I voiced my concerns but the woman in Boots poo-pooed my reservations. Will give it a little longer but will change them if it does not improve.

I have two pairs of glasses - much better for me than varifocals I think - but I have been seen wearing both at once when working on the family computer. Need the reading glasses to type, but the screen is far enough away to need my distance glasses. What a sight I must look!!

I agree about the insecurity when going down stairs and wonder how many elderly (this excludes any of us of course) have falls on the stairs for precisely that reason? I always use a handrail in a public place - tube station etc, make a point of looking down and feel about 99 doing so

This morning we paid a visit to Howdens. Mr soop presented the nice man with a plan of our proposed new home and kitchen lay-out. We selected the units, flooring, oven and hob. Early next week we shall have a proper plan, together with costing etc. It was very exciting. Now all we need to do is sell this house, purchase the plot, and build another house in which to put the kitchen. Seems like a good plan!

soop that's so exciting Hope you get a quick sale.
I went out for lunch with 3 friends to South Queensferry. They always get dressed up and I feel like Cinderella (only a bigger, older version!) so today I made the supreme effort - dress, boots, makeup the lot and guess what - they all turned up completely dressed-down in trousers and casual tops; Perhaps they wanted me to feel comfortable . I really look forward to lunch out, but they only eat a main course and I do love starters so I felt a bit miffed (probably why they are all sylph-like and I'm not ))

Gally You are a lovely lady.

House will be officially on the market early spring. However, we're telling all and sundry that it is for sale, should anyone wish to make an offer. Sad thing is, we'll need to do a good bit of outside painting before it will look at its best. The terrible winds and rain have played havoc with the beautiful finish that we both worked so hard to achieve. All painting and decorating, inside and out, was down to us. We're ready for a challenge.

I HAVE fallen down stairs, several times. And that despite using a stairlift! I've fallen off the top step!

Good luck soop - sounds exciting.

Isn't it horrid Gally when every one else is being abstemious and you are thinking 'what the hell, we're out!!' I have friends I meet every month and we always have the same formula: soft drink, sandwich/jacket potato and a cup of tea and, although I wouldn't miss it for the world, I'd love to go mad and have sausage and mash or something equally daring!! They perhaps would too and are waiting for someone to break out!!

Harrigran do give your specs time. My wobbly floor lasted for about a fortnight after I first had varifocals but they are a boon if you can cope.

soop -what a good idea - build the house round the kitchen. You've got your priorities right!

Today I took my GD out to lunch at our local Italian restaurant. She is having great trouble in her new student house. Her room is in a brand new extension and is tremendously damp. She has mould on several pairs of shoes and some clothes. She has to air her bedding daily. I am fairly sure that it's a condensation problem owing to inadequate ventilation. She has asked the Council to contact the landlord who recently constructed the extension. Anyway, we had a happy hour together going through old photographs, including many pictures of her as a toddler.