Help for aging eyes?

[eTraxx]

Bernard. That's some good info. Think I will drop by my local optometrist and see about getting me a pair like that .. reading glasses with inserts that magnify ... cool!

[mad gerald]

G'day all,

I usually wear multifocal glasses (ZEISS glasses), which are really excellent, but are really disadvantageous while using the "reading" area of the glasses for modelling, because you have to bend the neck backwards to get a straight line from eye (through glasses) to the objekt. Therefore I got another multifocal glasses only for working purposes, means reading and/or working in front of the computer, which are far better but there's still some trouble focussing objects at a distance of approx. 25cm ...  

... Think I will drop by my local optometrist and see about getting me a pair like that .. reading glasses with inserts that magnify ... cool!

... therefore I'm getting curious, if reading glasses with magnifying inserts would do better ...  

EDIT: spelling mistakes

Kind regards

[Philip Smith]

Hi Guys

the most important consideration in this debate is simply that you only ever get one pair of eyes,  You don't get a second chance if you stuff-up the original pair.

this model builder fell for the cheap specs from the drug storeand promptly did irreperable damage.  this was compounded by using Optivisors which are even worse than the elcheapo over the counter specs because the lenses are set at the wrong angles etc.  The subsequent professional advice from a professor of opthomology was also simple:  prescription lenses or nothing.

I now use a pair of bifocal spectacles, prescription ground, with the upper lense set for my normal reading requirements and the inset at 5.6 magnification.  absolutely superb and worth their weight in gold.

My message is now also very simple, proper prescription, professionally ground lenses are not expensive, they are priceless.

have fun
Bernard

Please elaborate on set at the wrong angle..you have me scared now. I have notice lately when viewing small parts I'm having difficulty seeing, or I'm used to viewing with magnified devices. Also, I'm not sure if we Americans have access to pro ground lenses with all the outsourcing going on?

seriously

Philip

[HOn3_rr]

One of my tech. ratings was ophthalmology while in the Navy.  Something that is missing from this conversation is lighting.  When viewing with magnification make sure to increase your light levels to assist in the viewing of the object.  There are some hands free magnification lamps which have a magnification lens in the center of a ring lamp which some folks like.  There are hands free units which do not have lights and then there is the head units like the Optivisor. 

If you choose to go the Optivisor, spend the few extra $$ and get the glass lenses.  You will be happy that you did so. The Optivisor will also fit over glasses.

Returning to the lighting for a moment, if you can use natural lighting by placing your workbench by a window to get as much light as possible.  If you use lamps, try to use the same bulbs when coloring your models as what your layout will be viewed under as the type of bulb will change the color of the model.  Make sure to test paint a few 'test structures', be it ground cover, castings, structures, engines or cars by placing "the test item' on the layout and viewing it under the layout lighting conditions.  I suspect that you will discover that you will need to go to a bit lighter of a color hue at the work bench to approach a good color on the layout as the bench lighting will probably be much stronger than the usual lighting on the layout.

[Design-HSB]

It is of course important to obtain information grievances with the eyes at the eye doctor.
Just helps good light and optimum ergonomic seat position when tinkering.
But there are very fine work for the best visual aids such as magnifying glasses as.



These glasses have the advantage that it provides a detail of the small as a credit card is the normal distance.
The glasses are normally used in micro-surgery and helps me with my 63 years too much, and I still have an eye for decades suffering.

[DaKra]

I just returned from my ophthalmologist for a check up.  I took my Optivisor with me, and some photos of my work, to get a professional opinion about potential harm from using the Optivisor 8 hrs a day or more, as I sometimes do.  He says its safe to use.   

I also asked him about more powerful lenses.  He described some devices made for surgeons, but they are very expensive, and suggested I keep on using the Optivisor, if it works for me.   

I trust his judgment because he's treated my family since the 90s and performed eye surgery on both parents, successfully.   Also my eyes are in good shape for my age, despite thousands of hours of peering through an Optivisor.  There will be differences of opinion.   When in doubt, do what I did, take a pair in to your ophthalmologist and ask if there's any harm in using them. 

Dave
 

[chester]

Thanks Dave, I've had concerns that looking through lenses that merely magnify all day long was doing my eyes harm also.