diff --git a/src/varname.jl b/src/varname.jl
index a154d0f..a0a56fa 100644
--- a/src/varname.jl
+++ b/src/varname.jl
@@ -754,118 +754,6 @@ function vsym(expr::Expr)
     end
 end
 
-"""
-    index_to_str(i)
-
-Generates a string representation of the index `i`, or a tuple thereof.
-
-## Examples
-
-```jldoctest
-julia> AbstractPPL.index_to_str(2)
-"2"
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.index_to_str((1, 2:5))
-"(1, 2:5,)"
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.index_to_str(:)
-":"
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.index_to_str(AbstractPPL.ConcretizedSlice(Base.Slice(Base.OneTo(10))))
-"ConcretizedSlice(Base.OneTo(10))"
-```
-"""
-index_to_str(i::Integer) = string(i)
-index_to_str(r::UnitRange) = "$(first(r)):$(last(r))"
-index_to_str(::Colon) = ":"
-index_to_str(s::ConcretizedSlice{T,R}) where {T,R} = "ConcretizedSlice(" * repr(s.range) * ")"
-index_to_str(t::Tuple) = "(" * join(map(index_to_str, t), ", ") * ",)"
-
-"""
-    optic_to_nt(optic)
-
-Convert an optic to a named tuple representation.
-
-## Examples
-```jldoctest; setup=:(using Accessors)
-julia> AbstractPPL.optic_to_nt(identity)
-(type = "identity",)
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.optic_to_nt(@optic _.a)
-(type = "property", field = "a")
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.optic_to_nt(@optic _.a.b)
-(type = "composed", outer = (type = "property", field = "b"), inner = (type = "property", field = "a"))
-
-julia> AbstractPPL.optic_to_nt(@optic _[1])  # uses index_to_str()
-(type = "index", indices = "(1,)")
-```
-"""
-optic_to_nt(::typeof(identity)) = (type = "identity",)
-optic_to_nt(::PropertyLens{sym}) where {sym} = (type = "property", field = String(sym))
-optic_to_nt(i::IndexLens) = (type = "index", indices = index_to_str(i.indices))
-optic_to_nt(c::ComposedOptic) = (type = "composed", outer = optic_to_nt(c.outer), inner = optic_to_nt(c.inner))
-
-
-"""
-    nt_to_optic(nt)
-
-Convert a named tuple representation back to an optic.
-"""
-function nt_to_optic(nt)
-    if nt.type == "identity"
-        return identity
-    elseif nt.type == "index"
-        return IndexLens(eval(Meta.parse(nt.indices)))
-    elseif nt.type == "property"
-        return PropertyLens{Symbol(nt.field)}()
-    elseif nt.type == "composed"
-        return nt_to_optic(nt.outer) ∘ nt_to_optic(nt.inner)
-    end
-end
-
-"""
-    vn_to_string(vn::VarName)
-
-Convert a `VarName` as a string, via an intermediate named tuple. This differs
-from `string(vn)` in that concretised slices are faithfully represented (rather
-than being pretty-printed as colons).
-
-```jldoctest
-julia> vn_to_string(@varname(x))
-"(sym = \\"x\\", optic = (type = \\"identity\\",))"
-
-julia> vn_to_string(@varname(x.a))
-"(sym = \\"x\\", optic = (type = \\"property\\", field = \\"a\\"))"
-
-julia> y = ones(2); vn_to_string(@varname(y[:]))
-"(sym = \\"y\\", optic = (type = \\"index\\", indices = \\"(:,)\\"))"
-
-julia> y = ones(2); vn_to_string(@varname(y[:], true))
-"(sym = \\"y\\", optic = (type = \\"index\\", indices = \\"(ConcretizedSlice(Base.OneTo(2)),)\\"))"
-```
-"""
-vn_to_string(vn::VarName) = repr((sym = String(getsym(vn)), optic = optic_to_nt(getoptic(vn))))
-
-"""
-    vn_from_string(str)
-
-Convert a string representation of a `VarName` back to a `VarName`. The string
-should have been generated by `vn_to_string`.
-
-!!! warning
-    This function should only be used with trusted input, as it uses `eval`
-and `Meta.parse` to parse the string.
-"""
-function vn_from_string(str)
-    new_fields = eval(Meta.parse(str))
-    return VarName{Symbol(new_fields.sym)}(nt_to_optic(new_fields.optic))
-end
-
-# -----------------------------------------
-# Alternate implementation with StructTypes
-# -----------------------------------------
-
 index_to_dict(i::Integer) = Dict("type" => "integer", "value" => i)
 index_to_dict(v::AbstractVector{Int}) = Dict("type" => "vector", "values" => v)
 index_to_dict(r::UnitRange) = Dict("type" => "unitrange", "start" => r.start, "stop" => r.stop)
@@ -918,6 +806,33 @@ vn_to_dict(vn::VarName) = Dict("sym" => getsym(vn), "optic" => optic_to_dict(get
 
 dict_to_vn(dict::Dict{<:AbstractString, Any}) = VarName{Symbol(dict["sym"])}(dict_to_optic(dict["optic"]))
 
-vn_to_string2(vn::VarName) = JSON.json(vn_to_dict(vn))
+"""
+    vn_to_string(vn::VarName)
+
+Convert a `VarName` as a string, via an intermediate dictionary. This differs
+from `string(vn)` in that concretised slices are faithfully represented (rather
+than being pretty-printed as colons).
+
+```jldoctest
+julia> vn_to_string(@varname(x))
+"{\\"optic\\":{\\"type\\":\\"identity\\"},\\"sym\\":\\"x\\"}"
+
+julia> vn_to_string(@varname(x.a))
+"{\\"optic\\":{\\"field\\":\\"a\\",\\"type\\":\\"property\\"},\\"sym\\":\\"x\\"}"
+
+julia> y = ones(2); vn_to_string(@varname(y[:]))
+"{\\"optic\\":{\\"indices\\":{\\"values\\":[{\\"type\\":\\"colon\\"}],\\"type\\":\\"tuple\\"},\\"type\\":\\"index\\"},\\"sym\\":\\"y\\"}"
+
+julia> y = ones(2); vn_to_string(@varname(y[:], true))
+"{\\"optic\\":{\\"indices\\":{\\"values\\":[{\\"oneto\\":2,\\"type\\":\\"concretized_slice\\"}],\\"type\\":\\"tuple\\"},\\"type\\":\\"index\\"},\\"sym\\":\\"y\\"}"
+```
+"""
+vn_to_string(vn::VarName) = JSON.json(vn_to_dict(vn))
+
+"""
+    vn_from_string(str)
 
-vn_from_string2(str) = dict_to_vn(JSON.parse(str))
+Convert a string representation of a `VarName` back to a `VarName`. The string
+should have been generated by `vn_to_string`.
+"""
+vn_from_string(str) = dict_to_vn(JSON.parse(str))
diff --git a/test/varname.jl b/test/varname.jl
index ffa2a6d..94a1d5b 100644
--- a/test/varname.jl
+++ b/test/varname.jl
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ end
             @varname(z[2:5,:], true),
         ]
         for vn in vns
-            @test vn_from_string2(vn_to_string2(vn)) == vn
+            @test vn_from_string(vn_to_string(vn)) == vn
         end
 
         # For this VarName, the {de,}serialisation works correctly but we must
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ end
         # addresses rather than the contents (thus vn_vec == vn_vec2 returns
         # false).
         vn_vec = @varname(x[[1, 2, 5, 6]])
-        vn_vec2 = vn_from_string2(vn_to_string2(vn_vec))
+        vn_vec2 = vn_from_string(vn_to_string(vn_vec))
         @test hash(vn_vec) == hash(vn_vec2)
     end
 end