Varifocal glasses

[toast1]

Great information, thanks, better than having 3 different glasses of various strengths!

Looking forward to starting with them.

 

[mikebell]

On 3/25/2021 at 9:07 PM, BritManToo said:

Zennioptical varifocals mail order for $50 (inc).

Never had any problems with them, sure the coatings peel after 18m-2year, but they're so cheap you can just buy more (10-14 days delivery).

 

The cheap ones weigh a little bit more, but I've never found it a significant difference.

Same glasses in Thailand cost me 8,000bht, and the frames broke after 18 months.

Agree with above sentiments; my last pair was bought in Vietnam at half Thai price and are still going strong.  Previous Thai pairs trumpet having a 'hard coating' to protect the lenses which disintegrates over (short) time leaving your vision misty.

[Yellowtail]

Right now I wear progressives, will I notice any difference with varifocals? 

[fangless]

On 3/31/2021 at 5:40 PM, Yellowtail said:

Right now I wear progressives, will I notice any difference with varifocals? 

No!

They are the same.

 

WHAT DOES VARIFOCAL LENS MEAN?

Varifocal lenses contain multiple prescription strengths ranging from close reading, intermediate and distance.

This variance is achieved by changing thicknesses on the front and back of the lens to create a vertically smooth “corridor” of corrected vision. This variability of focal power is what gives these lenses their meaning and their alternative name; progressives.

 

 

 

 

 

How varifocals lenses work | Banton Frameworks

Edited April 1, 2021 by fangless
Link added

[Yellowtail]

14 hours ago, fangless said:

No!

They are the same.

 

WHAT DOES VARIFOCAL LENS MEAN?

Varifocal lenses contain multiple prescription strengths ranging from close reading, intermediate and distance.

This variance is achieved by changing thicknesses on the front and back of the lens to create a vertically smooth “corridor” of corrected vision. This variability of focal power is what gives these lenses their meaning and their alternative name; progressives.

 

 

 

 

 

How varifocals lenses work | Banton Frameworks

 

Thanks!

[Mister Fixit]

On 3/28/2021 at 3:38 PM, sandyf said:

Ban Phaeo

http://www.banphaeoeyecenter.com/en_service.htm

Thanks.  I'll pass that on to my pal.  He's looking at getting some surgery.

[Yellowtail]

I'm torn on getting the surgery...it is scary...

[sandyf]

On 4/1/2021 at 7:54 PM, fangless said:

No!

They are the same.

 

WHAT DOES VARIFOCAL LENS MEAN?

Varifocal lenses contain multiple prescription strengths ranging from close reading, intermediate and distance.

This variance is achieved by changing thicknesses on the front and back of the lens to create a vertically smooth “corridor” of corrected vision. This variability of focal power is what gives these lenses their meaning and their alternative name; progressives.

 

 

 

 

 

How varifocals lenses work | Banton Frameworks

Exactly. The term is short for variable focal length where the focal length changes progressively, rather than a distinct step between focal length as you would see in bi-focals.

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

I'm torn on getting the surgery...it is scary...

Tell me about it, I was borderline petrified. It doesn't matter how routine something is, there is always a risk. All you can do is weigh up the odds and do what you can to try and minimise that risk.

The hospital was recommended to me by someone that had been working there for about 30 years and they had very little in the way of complications.

The quote I got for the highest priced mono focal lens was 13K but I paid an additional 5k to have the operation done by the hospital CEO, one of the best in Thailand.

I was offered a variofocal lens which would have been about 35K but having worn variofocals for decades felt that to be a step too far. You can take a pair of glasses back to be altered but an implant is a different matter altogether.

The only regret I have is not having it done sooner.

[Tanoshi]

@sandyf

Exactly what surgical procedure did you have, you mentioned implant?

 

Years ago I tried contact lenses, but couldn't get beyond 8 hours use before being forced to remove them. I have an astigmatism in one eye, which didn't help.

I've used varifocals ever since for years, considered laser surgery, but unsure the cost would out way the benefits.

[Mister Fixit]

38 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Exactly. The term is short for variable focal length where the focal length changes progressively, rather than a distinct step between focal length as you would see in bi-focals.

And whilst they are known as varifocals in the UK (and possibly elsewhere) here in Thailand, they are known as 'progressives'.

I remember getting blanks all round when I first enquired about getting varifocals here.

[Yellowtail]

Just now, Mister Fixit said:

And whilst they are known as varifocals in the UK (and possibly elsewhere) here in Thailand, they are known as 'progressives'.

I remember getting blanks all round when I first enquired about getting varifocals here.

 

Called progressive in the US as well...

[sandyf]

14 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

@sandyf

Exactly what surgical procedure did you have, you mentioned implant?

 

Years ago I tried contact lenses, but couldn't get beyond 8 hours use before being forced to remove them. I have an astigmatism in one eye, which didn't help.

I've used varifocals ever since for years, considered laser surgery, but unsure the cost would out way the benefits.

I had standard cataract surgery, where they remove the natural lens and replace it with an artificial lens, with various options on the lens you can have.

Cost is a huge  variable, I was in total about 40K baht for both eyes, including diagnosis and aftercare.

Benefit is a matter of perception.

I had one eye done by hand and before having the second eye done about 8 weeks later the hospital had set up a new theatre with laser equipment, so second was done by laser.

There was more discomfort during the laser op than by hand but the first eye had scar tissue which took about a month to clear. That didn't happen with the laser.

I also had astigmatism and was told that would probably be corrected with the surgery and believe that to be the case. I don't  know for sure as I never had the 3 month check up. I had the operation in Dec 2019 and was due to go when the pandemic started and have not been back since. I live in Chorburi and it's right round the other side of Bangkok. The 4 week checks showed 20/20+ in both eyes. 

[Mister Fixit]

3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Called progressive in the US as well...

I thought as much.  Thailand tends to copy American English.

[Yellowtail]

27 minutes ago, Mister Fixit said:

I thought as much.  Thailand tends to copy American English.

 

That has not been my experience...

 

 

[Mister Fixit]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

 

That has not been my experience...

 

 

It has mine, and I've been teaching English here for almost 17 years.  

 

I'd say getting on for 90% of English signage here is American English.

[Yellowtail]

25 minutes ago, Mister Fixit said:

It has mine, and I've been teaching English here for almost 17 years.  

 

I'd say getting on for 90% of English signage here is American English.

 

Coincidentally, my son has been learning English here for 17 years (18 years in June), he visits the US most every year and I think he would side with me. He just took the IELTS which is administered my the British Council, which makes little sense if it is the intent of Thailand's educational system to teach American English.  

 

I can't hear the signs, so I can't speak to he English signage, but there certainly does not seem to be any real constancy from one area to the next as to how things are spelled or whether Prachinburi is one word or two...

 

 

[Mister Fixit]

9 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Coincidentally, my son has been learning English here for 17 years (18 years in June), he visits the US most every year and I think he would side with me. He just took the IELTS which is administered my the British Council, which makes little sense if it is the intent of Thailand's educational system to teach American English.  

 

I can't hear the signs, so I can't speak to he English signage, but there certainly does not seem to be any real constancy from one area to the next as to how things are spelled or whether Prachinburi is one word or two...

 

 

 

Your son should have been taught TOEFL and not IELTS if he expects to eventually stay in the US and anyway, he has been exposed to US English through you and his regular visits there, so I'd say he was wrongly placed by not being placed on a TOEFL course.

 

TOEFL is the US equivalent of IELTS, although most Thais prefer to do TOEIC because it's supposedly easier.  I've taught them all an to my mind, TOEFL and TOEIC are both utterly boring, mechanistic systems, but there you go.

 

But somehow you have managed to misunderstand my post, as you evidenced in your second sentence and which I have highlighted to assist you.

Somehow you have conflated my assertion that most English in Thailand uses American spelling and somehow came to the conclusion that it was Thai education policy to teach American English.  It isn't and never has been and I can't see how you managed to come to that conclusion.

 

English in Thailand is allowed to be taught by anyone who has even a semblance of knowledge of the language, and the education department have no idea of a teacher's skill level or pronunciation ability or anything else, because their own level is so low that they don't have the ability to do that.  They obviously know that NES (Native English Speakers) will have some semblance of ability in the language,  (but may not be good teachers) but they also allow Russians, Azerbaijanis, Iraqis, Filipinos, Kenyans, Nigerians and Uncle Tom Cobley to teach and there is little discrimination as to ability.  

 

The plain fact is that if you go to any shopping mall, department store or TV advert or look a any road sign, 90% of the spelling is in US English. 'Center' immediately springs to mind.  And I think that is due to the presence of many US troops in Thailand during the Vietnam War 50-ish years ago, when Thailand was a less than third world country and was dragged into modernity by the influx of foreigners and had to adopt and adapt and as they were then only exposed to US English, they adopted that as they knew no other way.

 

But you have taken the thread way off topic so let's get back to varifocal glasses, shall we?

 

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, Mister Fixit said:

English in Thailand is allowed to be taught by anyone who has even a semblance of knowledge of the language...

 

Clearly

 

1 hour ago, Mister Fixit said:

But you have taken the thread way off topic so let's get back to varifocal glasses, shall we?

 

Let's

[sandyf]

12 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

It has mine, and I've been teaching English here for almost 17 years.  

 

I'd say getting on for 90% of English signage here is American English.

Generally I would agree with you but a lot depends on where you live and the tutors involved.

In this area there are very few native speakers and it then reflects on where the tutor was taught. My niece was taught by a Filipino who spoke American English, have to keep explaining the differences.

 

Good job there are only single letters on the eyesight cards.

[Mister Fixit]

49 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Generally I would agree with you but a lot depends on where you live and the tutors involved.

In this area there are very few native speakers and it then reflects on where the tutor was taught. My niece was taught by a Filipino who spoke American English, have to keep explaining the differences.

 

Good job there are only single letters on the eyesight cards.

 

Agreed.  In Bangkok, there's quite a mix of teachers and many more NES teachers, but up country tends to be where you get the Filipinos, Ghanaians, Croatians etc, because they will accept less pay.

 

And yes, although I am British, I always explain the difference between the two to my students because a lot of them watch American films.  

 

But do you mean sight cards in an opticians?  With every eye test I have ever had in Thailand, they have  numbers on the big thing on the wall and also some small cards.  Never seen letters on one here.

 

[Yellowtail]

So are you guys teaching British of American English?

 

 

[sandyf]

22 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

But do you mean sight cards in an opticians?  With every eye test I have ever had in Thailand, they have  numbers on the big thing on the wall and also some small cards.  Never seen letters on one here.

 

Yes, cards in the opticians. I have been buying glasses her for over 20 years and never seen a card with numbers. Initially in Pattaya then at opticians on the Samut Prakan side of Bangkok and again at the eye hospital.

As usual, same same but different.

[Neeranam]

On 4/3/2021 at 9:01 PM, Mister Fixit said:

It has mine, and I've been teaching English here for almost 17 years.  

 

I'd say getting on for 90% of English signage here is American English.

I taught English here for 25 years and have found the opposite. Thais copy most British things rather than the US. The complete legal system and government for example. Well-to-do Thais want their kids to study in the UK, not the US. 

[Mister Fixit]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I taught English here for 25 years and have found the opposite. Thais copy most British things rather than the US. The complete legal system and government for example. Well-to-do Thais want their kids to study in the UK, not the US. 

 

Not my experience at all in 17 years.  Tell that to all the kids I have taught who have gone to the US to study - although to be fair, it's probably about 50-50 with the UK and a bit of Australia too.

 

The legal system is far more US-centric too, with it's codified laws.  

 

The only reason the governmental system is similar to the UK is because they have a monarchy here.

 

Anyway, what's your post to do with varifocal lenses?

Edited April 6, 2021 by Mister Fixit

[Yellowtail]

8 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

Anyway, what's your post to do with varifocal lenses?

 

Or yours....

[DogNo1]

DDDDave: the 6/10 foot focal length glasses are for TV viewing, right?  I have them too.

BTW, there is a Japanese-owned chain in Bangkok with branches in Gaysorn (2 floor)and Central World which sells quality glasses for a reasonable price.  I had progressive lenses put in frames purchased in the US for 6,500.  

Regarding US vs UK English, there seems to be a mix used here. My hotel here is named Grande Centre Point.  In the US, a British accent is considered prestigious.

[Mister Fixit]

On 4/7/2021 at 5:59 AM, Yellowtail said:

 

Or yours....

My posts were solely in response to your off-topic posts, but you still didn't get the message ...

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

My posts were solely in response to your off-topic posts, but you still didn't get the message ...

 

Oh what a wicked web we weave....

 

 

[Mister Fixit]

3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Oh what a wicked web we weave....

 

 

Would you please mind not responding any any more of my posts?  Thank you.