I can no longer deny that readers are an absolute must for me. Stretching my arm as far as can be in hopes I might see print large or small hasn't made a difference for quite some time, so readers strewn about my house are a given.

Another given of late has been that those readers go off and on, off and on, up and down depending on what I'm doing. I put them on to check my phone, take them off to see the television across the room. Put them on to read a restaurant menu, prop them atop my head to converse with my dining mate. Put them on to read recipe ingredients, take them off to put those ingredients into action.

The Lenora in Black bifocal readers from readers.com

The off and on, up and down of my readers has been the primary annoyance of not needing specs full time. Yet I truly don't need specs full time, as my long-distance vision is fine. Close-up is the problem.

So when I heard Readers.com makes bifocal readers (who'da thunk?), I jumped at the chance to try them out. Readers.com allowed me to choose three pair of bifocal readers free for review. I happily perused their bifocal reader selection then picked (from top in the photo above) the Lenora in black, the Dunlap in tan tortoise/black, and the Gwendolyn in matte floral.

After a few weeks of swapping out sporting the stylish specs, here are a few things I learned about bifocal readers from Readers.com:

What I can now do wearing bifocal readers

the dunlap in tan tortoise/black bifocal readers from readers.com

I can now mess around on my phone while watching television without having to remove my glasses. I can look at the phone then tv, phone then tv. Without touching my readers. I can see the remote buttons, too, while switching, searching, selecting what to watch on the big screen.
I can now share smartphone photos and fun with grandkids at my side and clearly see not only what I'm sharing but the delight on their faces as I do.
I can now read a restaurant menu and converse with fellow diners at the same time. Alternating between looking them in the eye while they talk and scanning the menu while I choose. No glasses up-down-up-down dance necessary.
I can now read scripture and scribble sermon notes in my lap alternated with glimpses of the preaching pastor at the front of the church on Sunday mornings.
I can now whip up new recipes—and old ones to which I've forgotten the steps—with ease, going from recipe to ingredients to stove or such without removing (or adding) glasses. No more messy specs for this grandma!
I can now read my grocery list and walk the aisles of the store without the previous off-on-off-on of basic readers. The time I spend on my least favorite chose has been significantly reduced!
I can now focus on reading a book, glance up when someone dares interrupt me, give them the evil eye then return to the spot where I was so rudely interrupted—with nary a nudge of my readers.

What I cannot do wearing bifocal readers

the gwendolyn in matte floral bifocal readers from readers.com

I quickly learned the bifocal readers are not conducive to working on the computer. Yes, the lower half of the lens is magnified, but looking directly forward to my desktop monitor is blurry. So unless I want to assume a seemingly pompous position with my nose in the air in order to see the screen clearly, I'm better off wearing regular readers.
I cannot wear bifocal readers full-time. I thought bifocal readers might work a bit like progressive lens glasses but found the stark change from looking through the upper, unmagnified portion to the magnified lower portion disorienting—and especially dangerous on stairs.
I cannot pretend the glasses aren't bifocals as that magnified portion is quite obvious, unlike "no-line" progressive lens glasses.

In spite of those "cannot do" bits, I think Readers.com bifocal readers are ingenious. And stylish, with numerous frames—and strengths—to choose from. All at low prices, beginning at $15.95.

Learn more

Read the Readers.com Newbies Bifocal Guide to learn more about bifocal readers, then peruse the myriad bifocal reader options at Readers.com .

Disclosure: I received this product free for review; opinions are my own.