A friend asked about the Empower brand of adjustable eyeglasses. I have been wearing Superfocus eyeglasses (originally "Trufocals"), and here is my response.

I have not seen or used this particular brand of eyeglasses. I wear the Superfocals, which use a different technology. =46rom what I can see, the Superfocals have the following benefits over the Empower brand:

• The focus is continuously variable, so you can select any distance you want, from

  close reading, to computer glasses, to distance. The other has two settings to

  my knowledge: close and far.

• The Empower glasses require recharging every night. Not an issue for mine, which do

  not use power.

The Superfocals are quite delicate, which is an issue for glasses that you manipulate throughout the day. Also, that means they tend to get smudges, organic detritus, etc. When you clean these glasses, you have to clean eight surfaces, and very carefully. The manufacturer recommends doing this every two weeks, which is really stretching things. They supply a special cloth, but it really takes liquids. My first pair leaked after about eight months, and they replaced them, free, under warrantee, without hassle. I was never rough with the first pair, but I am extra careful with this pair, using water, a touch of mild detergent, and great care to clean them.

All that said, I love these glasses: - bifocals are always at least half wrong - trifocals are always at least 2/3 wrong - "Varilux"-style continuous focals are always about 85% wrong (though I understand the sweet spot has improved over the years.

With the Superfocals, the whole lens is right. =20