Varifocal Glasses and the Eye Test: What You Need to Know

Varifocal glasses do a lot of work. The top of the lens is made for distance, the middle for the dashboard and the computer, and the bottom for reading. All of that is in one pair, with no visible line between the zones. For many drivers over forty, varifocals are the answer to a simple problem: the eyes can no longer focus at every distance on their own. But how does the varifocal glasses eye test work, and is a varifocal lens a help or a problem when you take the test?

This guide explains what you need to know about varifocal glasses and the eye test: how varifocals work, how they affect the test, how long they take to get used to, what to do if you have just got a new pair, and what the licence says about them. If you wear varifocals, or you are thinking of getting them, this is what matters on test day.

Varifocal Glasses Eye Test: What Varifocals Are

A varifocal lens, also called a progressive lens, has a smooth gradient of strength from top to bottom. Look through the top and you see the road clearly. Lower your eyes a little and the middle of the lens brings the dashboard into focus. Lower them more and the bottom of the lens is made for reading a book or a phone. There is no line across the lens, so the change of strength is invisible to other people, and you do not have to switch between two pairs of glasses.

The trade-off is that the sides of a varifocal lens are not as sharp as the centre. The lens is designed so that the clear corridor runs down the middle, and the edges have a small amount of blur and distortion, sometimes called the swim effect, because the world seems to sway a little when you move your head. Most wearers stop noticing it after a week or two, once the brain learns to look through the centre of the lens.

Varifocals are usually prescribed when the eyes lose their ability to change focus, a condition called presbyopia that starts in the forties. The optician measures the distance prescription and the reading addition, and the lens maker blends the two. The result is a pair of glasses that does the job of two, at the cost of a short period of getting used to them.

How Varifocals Affect the Eye Test

The good news is that varifocals do not change the standard you have to reach. The minimum for a car licence is still a visual acuity of 0.7 with both eyes together, and the test is taken with your glasses on. The chart on the wall is at the far end of the room, so you read it through the top, distance part of the lens, exactly as you would read a road sign. In that sense, the varifocal behaves exactly like a normal pair of distance glasses during the test.

Two things can make the test a little harder with varifocals. The first is the narrow corridor. If you turn your eyes to the side instead of moving your head, you look through the blurred edge of the lens, and the chart looks softer. The tester will ask you to keep your head straight and look through the centre of the lens, which is the natural way to use varifocals anyway. The second is a new prescription that you have not yet got used to. If you have only just collected varifocals, your brain has not yet learned where the zones are, and you may hesitate on the smaller rows.

There is one more thing to note. The test also includes a colour vision screening and a visual field check. Varifocals do not affect those parts of the test, because colour vision is tested with both eyes open and the field check is about what you can see at the edges of your vision, which depends on the frame rather than the lens. The frame matters more than the lens for the field check, so choose a frame that does not block your side vision.

The Adaptation Period: Give Your Eyes Time

Most people need one to two weeks to get used to a new pair of varifocals. During that time you may notice the swim effect, you may need to move your head more than usual, and you may find stairs and kerbs a little odd, because the bottom of the lens is made for reading, not for looking at your feet. These are normal, and they fade as your brain learns the lens.

Do not take the eye test on the day you collect new varifocals. You would be tested at your worst, and a result that is a little weak could be blamed on the new lenses rather than on your real vision. Wait until you feel comfortable in the glasses, and until you can read signs, a phone and a menu without thinking about which part of the lens you are using. If you feel confident after a few days, that is soon enough. If it takes two weeks, take two weeks.

If you are still struggling after three weeks, go back to the optician. The problem is often not the lens, but the way the frame sits on your face. A frame that slips down your nose changes the position of the zones, and a frame that is too high can make the reading zone hard to reach. The optician can adjust the frame in a few minutes, and that adjustment often ends the trouble.

Taking the Test with Varifocals: What to Do

On the day of the test, wear your varifocals as you normally do, and arrive a little early so that you are not rushed. Tell the tester that you wear varifocals and how long you have had the current pair. That helps them to understand any hesitation on the smaller rows, and they may give you a little more time. If the frames have slipped down your nose, push them up and let them settle before the test starts.

When you read the chart, keep your head straight and look through the centre of the lens. Do not turn your eyes far to the side to reach the last letters on a row. If a row is unclear, blink, look away for a second at a distant point in the room, and then look back. That short rest lets your eyes settle into the distance zone again. A good tester will not rush you.

Bring your old glasses with you as a backup, especially if your varifocals are new. If the tester finds that the varifocals are not giving you your best result, they may test you with your old glasses to compare. That comparison can show whether the problem is the new lens or your real vision. Do not be embarrassed to ask. The test is about measuring your vision, not about proving that your new glasses are perfect.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

The most common problem is a frame that slips. Varifocal lenses work only if the lens sits in the right place in front of your eye, and a frame that slips even a little moves the zones. The optician can tighten the arms, add nose pads, or choose a frame with a better fit. If your glasses often slide down your nose when you look down, say so at your next visit.

The second common problem is a wrong prescription for one eye. With varifocals, a small error can be more noticeable than with a simple lens, because the corridor is narrow and the lens is doing several jobs at once. If one eye seems much weaker than the other, or if the chart is clear with one eye and blurred with the other, ask the optician to recheck the prescription. A small adjustment often makes a large difference.

The third problem is simple dirt. Varifocal lenses collect smudges and dust, and a dirty lens makes the chart look hazy, especially under the bright light in the test room. Clean your glasses before you leave home, and bring the cloth and the spray with you. A clean lens is one of the easiest wins in the whole test.

Varifocals or Single-Vision Glasses for the Test?

Some people keep a pair of single-vision distance glasses for driving, alongside their varifocals. A single-vision lens has the same strength across the whole lens, so there is no narrow corridor and no edge blur. For the eye test itself, a distance pair can be easier to read with, because the whole lens is sharp. Many drivers keep both: varifocals for everyday life, and a distance pair for driving.

That is allowed. The licence code 01.01 covers glasses in general, not one particular pair. The test is taken with whichever glasses you will use to drive, so if you plan to drive with a distance pair, take the test with that pair. What matters is that the glasses you test with are the glasses you can see best with, and that you can drive safely in them.

There is no reason to buy a second pair only for the test. If your varifocals are comfortable and give you a clear view of the chart, they are fine for driving too. But if the optician offers a distance pair as an option, and you find it easier, it is worth considering, especially for long drives at night, when a clear, wide view matters most.

The Licence Code and What It Means

If you pass the eye test with varifocals, the code 01.01 is noted on your driving licence. That code means that you must wear glasses when you drive. It does not say which kind of glasses, and it does not say varifocal. If you later switch to contact lenses, tell the licensing authority and have the code changed to 01.02. If you later have laser surgery and no longer need glasses, the code can be removed with a new eye test.

The code matters if you are stopped by the police. Driving without the glasses noted on your licence can lead to a fine, because the licence was granted on the basis that you wear them. Keep your varifocals in the car, and always put them on before you drive. If you lose or break them, get a replacement as soon as you can, and do not drive without them in the meantime.

Our guide to the eye test with glasses explains the codes and the rules in detail, and our article on getting new glasses before the eye test covers what to do when your prescription has just changed, which is exactly the situation many varifocal wearers are in.

Varifocals and Driving at Night

Driving at night is the hardest time for varifocal wearers. The distance zone is at the top of the lens, and you use it to read the road, but the light from oncoming headlights scatters in the lens, and the blurred edges of the varifocal corridor can make the glare worse. If you find night driving uncomfortable, ask your optician about an anti-reflection coating, which reduces the light scattered by the lens and can make a real difference on dark roads.

Keep the windscreen and the headlights clean. A dirty windscreen scatters light just like a dirty lens, and the two together make night driving much harder. Clean the inside of the windscreen as well as the outside, because a film of dust on the inside is a common cause of glare, and it is easy to forget. A quick wipe of the inside glass once a week is enough to keep it clear.

If your varifocals are new, avoid long night drives for the first two weeks, until you have got used to the lenses. Your eyes need to learn where the zones are, and night driving asks more of your vision than daytime driving. If night driving still feels hard after two weeks, go back to the optician and ask for the frame to be adjusted, because a frame that sits a little low can put the distance zone in the wrong place.

Conclusion

Varifocal glasses are no barrier to the driving licence eye test. The standard is the same, the chart is read through the distance zone of the lens, and the certificate is the same. What matters is that you have had time to get used to the glasses, that the frame fits properly, that the lenses are clean, and that you look through the centre of the lens. Give yourself one to two weeks with a new pair, arrive rested, and tell the tester that you wear varifocals. If something feels off after three weeks, go back to the optician and ask for an adjustment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take the eye test with varifocal glasses?

Yes. Varifocal glasses are allowed for the eye test, and the test is taken with the glasses you will use to drive. The standard of 0.7 is the same, and the chart is read through the distance zone at the top of the lens.

Do varifocals make the eye test harder?

They can, if you have only just got them and have not yet got used to the narrow clear corridor. Wait one to two weeks after collecting new varifocals before you take the test, and make sure the frame fits well.

What if my varifocal glasses are brand new?

Do not take the eye test on the day you collect them. Give yourself a week or two to adapt, and bring your old glasses as a backup. If you are still struggling after three weeks, ask the optician to adjust the frame or recheck the prescription.

Does the licence say I wear varifocals?

No. The licence only carries the code 01.01, which means you must wear glasses when you drive. It does not say which kind of glasses. If you switch to contact lenses, the code is changed to 01.02.

Are varifocals better than single-vision glasses for driving?

Varifocals let you see the road, the dashboard and a map with one pair, which is convenient. A single-vision distance pair can be sharper for the road itself, because the whole lens is clear. Many drivers keep both.

Can I drive without my varifocals if I pass the test with them?

No. If you pass with glasses, the code 01.01 is noted on your licence, and you must wear glasses whenever you drive. Driving without them can lead to a fine.