Maui Jim varifocal sunglasses

[Forty_Two]

Bought a pair of Maui Jim wraparound varifocal sunglasses. First time varifocals for me, always used bifocals.

I find them ok for reading, even intermediate is good albeit rather narrow. They gave me a short "channel" so the change from distance to reading is a shorter vertical distance than normal. This was because I had tried a pair of similar Bolle sunglasses that had to go back because the reading part was so low i had to lift the glasses up to focus for reading.

The issue i have is the distance part. I was surprised that it was a bit narrow, maybe 10 deg either side of center. Is this just the way it is with varifocals?

Anyone else with similar MJ's have any comments please. I have a couple of weeks before rejecting or accepting.

Thanks, Paul

 

[gjgm]

Had a few varifocals and I would agree that the reading part of the lense always seems too small..so I don't think it is MJ specific- though others have said I just need to spend several times more on the lenses..let's see what others think!
I did ask a while ago about plain sunglasses and got a few recommendations for MJ and I must say they are very good sunglasses indeed.
I do have some varifocals that I intended for boating, but gave up with them,tbh....reverted to a pair of five quid disposables that seem much more successful !

 

[benjenbav]

+1 for concentrating on getting the lenses right. There's a world of difference between very basic and top class varifocals.

I tend to buy sunglass frames I like (currently RayBan) and have the lenses made to the same specifications as my other specs.

 

[Richard10002]

+1 for concentrating on getting the lenses right. There's a world of difference between very basic and top class varifocals.

I tend to buy sunglass frames I like (currently RayBan) and have the lenses made to the same specifications as my other specs.

I think the reason for buying Maui Jim are the lenses, rather than the frames. That would have been my reason for buying them, when I came close a few months ago. In the end, I did what you do... Rayban frames with opticians lenses.

 

[Forty_Two]

There's no doubt the MJ's are good lenses. Mine are the Brilliance range, eye wateringly expensive . Being curved wraparounds is the problem i expect.

I always used Bolle before i needed prescription lenses & really missed them in SoF. Been using regular aviator style bifocals with polarised tint etc. Trouble is they let light in at the sides & the top. Thats why i tried the Bolle wraparound varifocals. Lovely glasses just couldn't get them to work for me.

The MJ's do solve everything really, i dont mind the reading part being a bit narrow, the inter is useable i was just surprised at the narrowish distance part of the lense. My guess is this is the best it can be with the wraparound style.

It's a bit difficult at the moment as i am not using them much so my brain hasn't built its visual model to suit them, be different in the summer with weeks of use down south (i hope!).

Probably not helping that i use bifocals for non sunglasses useage.

 

[pks1702]

I am mildly short sighted so dont need vari's and only use them for driving or on the boat.

This outfit are excellent and been around for about 25 years, always great service and accomodate perscription lenses.

https://www.optilabs.com/

No connection just used them for years.

 

[Forty_Two]

I am mildly short sighted so dont need vari's and only use them for driving or on the boat.

This outfit are excellent and been around for about 25 years, always great service and accomodate perscription lenses.

https://www.optilabs.com/

No connection just used them for years.

Thanks for that link, missed them completely. I see they do bifocal which i would prefer.

 

[Forty_Two]

Just to close this...

I returned the Maui Jim's for a full refund. I really tried as they were lovely glasses but for me hopeless to see through. My prescription is nothing special either.

The distance was limited to about 10 deg either side of the center line & the reading was about the width of a phone. Looking at a tablet page in landscape was hopeless as you could only focus on about a third of the width without head movement.

Glancing at the car nav screen was lethal as you spent a couple of seconds finding the extremely tiny intermediate portion of the lense, I reckon they would have killed me or someone else like that, totally impractical.

So I bought a pair of wraparound polarized bifocals from Optilabs as suggested by 'pks1702' (thanks again). I am really pleased with them, they do what they are supposed to do.

I guess I am a bifocal kind of guy, will never go near vari's again that's for sure. They are just a compromise too far for me whereas the bi's give full width vision. Goes to show throwing money at a problem isn't always the solution.

 

[gjgm]

FT..how does polarised work with the plotter? It rendered mine pitch black !
Incidentally on the varifocals, I just got them to redo them again. This time they seem to have tamed down the prescription a bit and this has lessened the blurry areas. They are now much better for long distance and mobile/sat nav/plotter but still useless for pc monitor or a book. So for me, in the end, of some use, but not a one size fits all.

 

[Forty_Two]

Polarised works ok. Not an issue for me unless I tilt my head. Certainly need polarised in SoF.

I use a regular 15" PC monitor as i use PC for nav. Ok on ST60 screens as well.