Does Visilab offer a replacement guarantee if you can't see with the specs they make based on their vision test?
Tangential question:
We are talking about the same thing: he is long-sighted or far sighted and needs glasses to see things close up. But he is so far-sighted that even for driving he needs correction. He can recognize people and things that are off in the distance, but needs glasses to be able to read street signs, and a much stronger prescription again to be able to read a book. The optician explained that his prescription for reading is so strong (+5.75) it's not possible to make lenses with adequate correction using the cheap materials used to make off-the-shelf reading glasses: they would have to be impractically thick. Apparently +4.0 is about as high as you can go using cheap glass, above that you need to start using more expensive glass with a higher refractive index.
We are lucky that his prescription for driving (+3.50) is within the limits of what you can buy off-the-shelf, otherwise he would have been in real trouble.
Yep, came here to say what you've already found out - variofocals are seriously expensive in Switzerland. Mine cost me CHF800 without the rush service, and to add the icing to the cake, I barely wear them because the variofocus makes me queasy.
Yes they do.
Good to know! Based on this thread, and mentions in others, I just might head down there...
Had to toss yet another new pair of specs recently. Can't see a thing out of them, but the Optiker insists that the Rx is right so no refund.
Guarantee is now the first thing I look for.
(I think the next member of the Muttley Crew will be a guide dog...)
If variofocus make you queasy, buy Seiko glass in France (not cheap but they are a game changer for sensitive people), and give yourself enough time, even using distance glasses in duo during the period when you get used to your variofocus. I am very sensitive and did the transition this way. The effort is worth it.
Exchange guarantee from Visilab are no use to me, didn't like any of their glasses and believe me I have an extensive knowledge of variofocus glasses.
Now I'm intrigued...
May I ask, how are these different from 'normal' variofocals? Is it a different type of glass, different placement of the correction, different way of measuring, testing, etc.?
Does Seiko glass cover the 'lens real estate' differently? If so, I'd be tempted to try.
And may I ask: How expensive? 'Normal' varifocals from the large company generally thought to have low prices run close to 800+ per lens, so hitting 2K even with cheap frames is easy. From a small independent Optiker, lots more than that. Were your Seiko glasses significantly more than that?
And would you believe it, I just got a phone call that the famous missing glasses have been turned in to the Glaciers 3000 Lost & Found office. So this story which had a happy middle now has a happy ending.
File this under 'This is Switzerland'.
Be prepared to pay a reward ... (TIS)
For those who have time and are in the Léman area, pay a visit over the border to Les Rousses in the Jura. It used to be the centre of the glasses industry in France and the main street is pretty much one optician after the other.