Four eyes gets more eyes!

[Phil]

I am a long time eyeglass wearer (40 years). I went for an eye exam last friday, can you believe I haven't been for five years? At my age (46) you are supposed to go every two years. Anyway, I was expecting some improvement, and the new set made me very happy, until the Dr. showed me what bi-focals would do...I was completely amazed!!!:eek:

I immediately thought of my current difficulty with paper modeling, I thought I wasn't getting enough light, the truth is, I'm just getting older, and my eyes aren't getting better, and they need more assistance.

It will be 4 to 6 weeks before I get the new specs but I am extremely excited!!! Maybe I too can stop trolling and do some modeling!:cool:

[-Jim G]

Welcome to the club Phil! Us old guys that can't see too much.

I got my first bifocals a year and a half ago. Nowadays, while I am building models, I commonly wear my bifocals AND an additional pair of reading glasses perched a bit further down my nose.

So what if I look wierd... at least I can see what I am doing (for now).

[Johnny]

I used to be Hawkeye.....now at 45 it's more fisheye....can't get enought light :)

[GreMir]

What you guys should get are trifocals - they do them in such a way now that you cannot tell anything until you put them on :D
Lowest part is for close-in work ea cardmodeling, center piece is for the computer screen and the top part is for regular use. There are no lines no "fish-eyes" - perfect!
I know, I wear one ;)

[blueeyedbear]

Be careful with the trifocals! Not because they are expensive, but they may drive you slightly nuts if you use a desktop computer. I wore trifocals for a while, but with the computer in my office I had to use the lower section for the screen and the upper section for the keyboard (talk about killing your neck!!!). The middle section was essentially useless! [With a laptop, I only need reading glasses.]

I discovered that, as my presbyopia progressed, I no longer needed the upper section and could see perfectly well with cheap reading glasses. ["Farsightedness" comes to us all with age, whether you are a Presbyterian or not. You know you are presbyopic if you have to put the newspaper on the floor to read it.]

I'll be 76 next month and the only problem I have now with vision that can't be corrected with "readers" is due to the cataracts that are developing in both eyes and the inherent glare problems. For driving, I use safety glasses with yellow lenses at night and copper-colored blue-blocker sunglasses in the daylight. And, believe it or not, I can stick a pair of readers under the sunglasses!

If you are old enough to be on Medicare, get a medical exam from a good ophthalmologist (an optometrist is not qualified to do this kind of exam and is not covered by Medicare)---you can get a free one from thru Medicare. Don't be too surprised if you are developing cataracts---most people our age do! (JOHNNY - DO THIS NOW. Your problem sound like something other than needing glasses)

Bob (the farsighted blue eyed bear)

[Stev0]

Laser eye surgery for me thanks. I find wearing frames give me headaches from the arms touching the area over my ears.

Spare no expense having this done too. I'm thinking it's going to run me about $1000-1500.

Also since I am getting up and years and only just started wearing glasses in the last 12 years and not having my presciption change that this may be a good option for me.

[B-Manic]

I hear you Phil. I'm due for trifocals soon. I hear they take a while to get used to but are worth it. Is it just my eyes or is your name upside down & backwards. Um, I must reflect on this.

[Don Boose]

Progressive trifocals are wonderful for aging eyes, but there is another issue beyond the computer problem -- they tend to make straight lines look curved when you look at things up close. I have learned not to trust my eyes when constructing stick and tissue fuselages if I am wearing my progressive trifocals.

I have a separate pair of "admin" glassed for use with the computer -- they give me clear vision from about 10 inches to about 24 inches, so I can look at the screen without craning my neck and I do not have to take them off to read material I am typing from. One day last week, I left them home when I went off to the exercise and by the end of the day had a terrible pain in my neck.

My other problem is my near vision. I can't get close enough to my work to build models with my regular progressive trifocals (plus, there is the above-mentioned problem with straight lines appearing bent). So I have a THIRD pair of close-up glasses that allow me to get a few inches from the work (but I'm blind as a bat when I look up). Recently, I have found that I still can't see well enough for close up work, so I use an additional flip-down magnifier with the close-up glasses.

What a nuisance. And at my last annual eye exam, I was informed that the cataracts are beginning.

I recommend against aging.

Don

[Lex]

Not using bifocals now but they're definitely good... With eyes deteriorating I genuinely hope those scientists get a biomechanical replacement eyeball out soon.........

[Barry]

Don I know that feeling getting old is a nuisance I have a pair of clip on specs but they are too heavy and the whole lot falls off. I think my rails might be a bit more upright if I get some new glasses. I've got the cataracts forming too.

[Zathros]

I just splurged on a set of glasses. They are what is called "2 handed glasses", as you need to hands to put them on. They are semi-rimless, auto shading, w/titanium frames. They are so light they you can hardly tell you have them on. Even with my eye care plan they still costs $248.00. It is the first time I purchased other than standard glasses.

[dansls1]

I recommend against aging.

Don

Good idea - any thoughts on how to put this plan into action? :confused:

:p:D

[birder]

Geeze, my eyes are not good anymore either. I couldn't complain until aging made my lenses stiff and can't see up close as we all do, I'm wearing a 5$ headset lens from Harbor Freight it even has little flashlights! I think it makes my desk look cool too.(more stuff a-laying about):)

[billy.leliveld]

If You gentlemen won't mind, I'll join the club..
I have some Italian "designer' reading glasses, and they work perfectly, wear them like a neclace..:D
Sometimes I get coments "I think they broke"

[Jim Nunn]

Frankly, I could not build models without some sort of magnification. I have tried several types including the OpptiVISOR which are the best optically I have used. Lately I have been using a magnifier that I purchased on sale for 5 or 6 bucks at Harbor Fright http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95890 (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95890)

Optically they are very good but I really like the openness of the visor the lens swing up out of the way and are interchangeable. How bad is my near vision I use these and bifocals when I am working on a model.

Jim Nunn

[Don Boose]

That's a neat-looking visor magnifier, Jim. I take it that the lens comes down far enough that you can look through the bottom of your bifocals?

I may give it a try, but suspect I will still have to use my close-up glasses.

Don

[Phil]

Is it just my eyes or is your name upside down & backwards. Um, I must reflect on this.

Actually, my avatar is a mirror!

Bi-focals, tri-focals, quadri-focals...whatever helps!
I'm too scared of surgery...especially anywhere near my head.

I like that link you gave Jim, it slightly resembles riot gear, and for ten bucks, how can I go wrong!

[dansls1]

I'm going to throw my 2 cents in here, but wondering how many fit my situation. I'm near-sighted. I have to use glasses to drive and just about anything I do. The only 2 things I do without glasses are occassionally reading, and modeling (well and obviously sleeping). I can see things close up much better with my glasses off. So long as I don't try to watch TV at the same time as modeling (which causes me to strain to try and see the TV) I'm good to model without glasses. Honestly it's a nice little bonus to building models - to be able to spend time without the glasses on.

[Zathros]

I'm going to throw my 2 cents in here, but wondering how many fit my situation. I'm near-sighted. I have to use glasses to drive and just about anything I do. The only 2 things I do without glasses are occassionally reading, and modeling (well and obviously sleeping). I can see things close up much better with my glasses off. So long as I don't try to watch TV at the same time as modeling (which causes me to strain to try and see the TV) I'm good to model without glasses. Honestly it's a nice little bonus to building models - to be able to spend time without the glasses on.

I have the same situation as you. I do enjoy the time without the glasses building models also.

[KCStephens]

I also suffer from poor eyesight especially after a few hours of close up work. I normaly use a pair of reading glasses that I picked up at the dollar store and they work pretty good... but if I need some extra magnification I break out the lighted visor rig from harbor freight....When I wear that my wife says that I look like the old guy from Toy Story 2 that fixes up Woody after he has been damaged.....She's probably right, but that guy is much better looking.....
http://myhometheater.homestead.com/files/screen3.jpg

[Jim Nunn]

That's a neat-looking visor magnifier, Jim. I take it that the lens comes down far enough that you can look through the bottom of your bifocals?

I may give it a try, but suspect I will still have to use my close-up glasses.

Don

Don,

Your question made me think about how I use the visor. I usually use the 2.5-power lens and the lens does not cover the bifocal area on my glasses. This allows me to look down through the bifocal area and get far vision to study the assembly drawings. You can lower the visor brim down to use your bifocal lens this appears to give 4.5 to 5 magnification level that is uncomfortable for me.

Note the visor has two lens clips about .5 in apart using different combinations of the lens and extends the magnification levels. As I said the optics are very good viewing a straight edge you do not get the bowing effect that you get with inexpensive lens.

Jim Nunn

[Don Boose]

Jim -- Thanks for all the information. I just ordered one of these magnifiers from Harbor Freight. We'll see how it works out, but from your description, I think it will be a good investment. Since my progressive trifocals introduce the bowing effect you mention, I'll probably continue to use my close-up glasses with the visor, but I'll experiment. In any event, I will expect a miraculous improvement in my model-building skills and a 20-pound weight loss. Don

[member_3]

Don - and you'll look twenty years younger and will once again speak and read Japanese like a native!

PS - Tick-tock-tick-tock.

[Matthew From Florida]

Is there anybody that doesn't use glasses yet?:eek: I'm still enjoying good vision of about 20/10, but I'm only 19 (almost):cool:. My eyes are sensitive to light changes though, which can start a headache:mad:
-Matthew

[Padre]

i still take them off to do cutting and gluing. Have progressive and even read without them........

[lee4752]

I've been using glasses since I was 8. When they get the prescription right, my vision is about 20/15. I have to go get the prescription tweaked though. My left eye is currently at 20/30. Without glasses, I'm pretty close to legally blind. Does that make me illegally blind?

[B-Manic]

I have 20/20 hindsight but wear pharmacy reading glasses or a magnifier-visor when working on models. They say your sight is the second thing to go with age, I can't remember what the first is.

[rickstef]

I guess I am one of the lucky ones, I am 38, and my family has a history of glass wearers, and I am not one of them.
At the office I run the highest resolution on my monitors, more work space for me.
And most others hate the resolution because they can't see anything

some day it will catch up with me, until then......

Rick

[lee4752]

I have 20/20 hindsight but wear pharmacy reading glasses or a magnifier-visor when working on models. They say your sight is the second thing to go with age, I can't remember what the first is.
I always heard that as memory is the second thing to go. I have an excuse though. It's the dain bramage.

[Matthew From Florida]

Rick, I'm with you on monitor resolution, my highest is 1400x1050 pixels.

[rickstef]

Matthew,

my 3 24" panels in my office are set to 1920x1240 or it might be a tad higher

[shrike]

Now, do you have the software to use all three of them in your favorite flight sim?

20/20 @41yrs BTW. Used to be 20/5 @18 which had the USAF all excited 'til the Ishihara tests came back.

[rickstef]

I have two linked in Nvidia Dualview, and unfortunately I can't goof off like that in the office

The Mayor might want to join in

[Matthew From Florida]

Shrike, did you really have 20/5 vision?:eek::eek: my eye doctor did not have charts that went lower than 20/10, so mine may be better:cool:. FYI, a hawk, I beleive, has about 20/2 vision.

Sounds like you have a cool office, Rick. Have any models on your desk?

[rickstef]

yup, i have a model of a Dakar Race truck on my desk

[shrike]

20/5 with mild lack of accommodation and red/green(green) colour blindness on the second and thrid series Ishihara tests. The last was the killer- Found this out on day two of my physical on the fast-track to ROTC flight training.

In school I used to routinely 'Bugs Bunny" the eye charts
"Read the lowest line you can,"
"Acme Medical Supply Company, Kenosha Wisconsin..."

[blueeyedbear]

I'm now 76 and have excellent distance vision, except at night. Close up, I use one of three different strengths of reading glasses, one for the computer, another for general reading, and a "4" for modeling. That may change, since I'm developing cataracts in both eyes.

If you're on Medicare, you can get a free eye exam from an opthalmologist (MD). DO IT!

A tip for all of you: if headlight glare bothers you at night, buy a pair of night driving glasses with yellow lenses from a mailorder place like Carol Wright Gifts or any of a bunch of annoying companies that send free catalogs. These glasses really help. And get a pair of "Blue-blockers" for sunglasses, and wear them.

Bob

[dansls1]

I've got what's called 'arista' anti-glare treatment on my latest pair of glasses - incredible stuff. I used to hate driving at night, even a couple blocks would start giving me a headache. None of that anymore!