(OT... Sorta...) Vision Issues for Modelers

I recently went to the eye doctor and explained I could see distances fine (w/ my glasses/contacts) but when doing close work, (modeling) it helps to remove my glasses as my eyes don't adjust too quickly to short distances. He's pushing me towards bifocals though I don't need glasses for close work. Am I looking at this the wrong way? (pun intended; sorry) I've worn glasses all my life and the bifocal contacts I'm trying are awful. Is there anyone who's got some insight (again, sorry!) or similar experiences? At 43, I thought I'd be too young for bifocals and the folks in the doc's office tell me it'll be a little bit of a transition to them. Right now, they just feel wrong... Thanks for any views (ugh!) you may have...

Frank Kranick

Reply to
Francis X. Kranick, Jr.
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For close work I use tha cheap reading glassws you can buy in drug stores. My optometrist said I could get bi-focals but it probably wasn't worth the expense if the reading glasses do the job. WRF

"Nooooooo! Stop me before I build again."

Reply to
rfranklin

FWIW That's what I did some years ago. I bought a set of glasses prescribed for close work and keep them on the workbench.

Bill Shuey (66 this month and the eyes ain't what they used to be)

Reply to
William H. Shuey

I can read fine without glasses or contacts but still need to use an Optivisor for close up modeling work. My far vision, though, is horrible and I wear a contact in just my left eye to correct that. Check with your optometrist - maybe you can do something similar.

Reply to
Al Superczynski

I've worn glasses all my life. I had the same thing happen a couple of years ago, so I got bifocals in a safety type lens (so the company would pay part). I wore them only at work, taking off my glass lenses at home when reading or doing close up work. This January, I was sent to school (we go to classes a lot), & I spent so much time taking off my glass lenses to read the book & putting them on to see the board I finally gave in & now wear the bifocals all the time. It just took some getting used to. They are the graduated type, & there is no prescription in the lower portion. I am now 46. I also have one of those round magnifier flourescent lights attached to my modeling desk.

Francis X. Kranick, Jr. wrote:

Reply to
the Legend of LAX

i'm still searching for a seeing eye airbrush.

Reply to
e

Getting old sucks except when considering the alternative.:-)

Cheap drug store glasses as well as an illuminated set of magnifying lenses (model RR shop) solved my problems. If you need more than that, there are good low cost stereo microscpoes but HO probably won't drive you that far unless you are a totally hopeless rivet, nail and bolt counter. :-)

About 43 sounds right.

Jim Klein

Reply to
West Coast Engineering

Man this subject hits close to where I live. I just turned 43 and never have worn glasses as my vision was always perfect. About 6 or so months ago I started having trouble focusing my eyes. I came up with all sorts of reasons from working in low light conditions at work to sitting too freakin close to the monitor for the last 8 years. Maybe there was something to it when dad yelled at me for sitting to close to the tv and it ruining my eyes. Back then I got yelled at for sitting four feet away from the screen and now my head is only a foot away from the CRT!

I guess I have 43 year old eyes and this is a normal part of aging. I am kind of not wanting to get glasses because it is an admission to losing something I had all my life. I went out and bought a pair of magnifiers at the dollar store. A 1.25 magnification makes things crystal clear. It just is a pain trying to read a magazine now and then look up to see something else. I have to remove the glasses. I know, boo hoo, but like I said I never have needed glasses and this is taking some adjustment. I am just worried how much and fast eyesight declines. I don't want to be blind come retirement age when I plan on building my vast collection of kits in the basement. !@#$ing ironic isn't it. When I am young and have perfect sight I have to devote my time to career and family, with little time to model. When I am old with all the time on my hands I will be blind or too shakey. I can't wait for all those years of listening to heavy metal music (still do) with the stereo cranked to eleven, through headphones to bite me in the ass.

Heres look>

Reply to
Max Bryant

Perhaps, but I got a little suspicious of my first eye doctor. It was around the time I hit 45 that I decided to do something about my vision. I went and got tested and found I needed glasses for close-up stuff like reading and working on models. About a year later they installed heavy-duty lighting in one part of the plant and I had trouble seeing where I was going. The local power company had already made it hard for me to get around at night by installing sodium lighting. Both situations suggested something amiss.

I went back to the original doctor and all he wanted to do was fit me for bifocals. My distance vision is still pretty good so I didn't think that was it. I checked with my local Blind Assn. and they got me hooked up with an opthalmologist who did extensive testing. My eyes are photophobic (nah, not 'afraid of light', just light sensitive). It made sense as I've had reactions to bright light before. We never did find out how sensitive they are because that meant a trip to Wills Eye Hospital in Philly and the company wouldn't pay for it.

My thought is the first guy was just too eager to sell me a new prescription and wasn't going to recommend anything else.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Bill Banaszak

I can't abide the idea of wearing contect lenses,though my wife eventually adopted to the bifocal contacts. I wear conventional blended lens bifocals with tempered glass, precisely because of modeling--tempered glass is less likely than plastic to scratch when that high velocity bit of debris bounces off the lens. I'm fortunate that even at 51, the total correction is small enough that glass lenses don't weigh an uncomfortable amount. I've had the bifocals since the mid-forties, FWIW.

Mark Schynert

Reply to
Mark Schynert

Simple glasses. I use a 2x. In this area the best are by Dr.Dean Adel. Inexpensive and they have a pattented locked hing screws that don't fall out.

A desk mounted lighted magnifier is a must. Drilling out 1/72 scale MG barrels and exhaust pipes warrent the expense.

Tom

Reply to
Maiesm72

I was in my early 20s when the need for glasses became apparent. I went to tempered lenses because I ended up with broken glasses 2 years in a row as a result of activities at Army Reserve summer Camp. Tempered lenses don't break as easily either.

Bill Shuey

Reply to
William H. Shuey

I'm in the same boat at 44 (I've developed astigmatism) - I can see distances just fine, but the transition from far to near takes time. I just got reading/near vision glasses a week or two ago. If I try to look over distance through them I get dizzy...fast. Now that I have two sets of glasses, I wonder if I shouldn't have tried bi-focals, but I'd have to agree that I would avoid contacts for glasses. I usually take off my glasses for working on models, though - it's all close work and the transition effect isn't usually a problem. I do have to stop and rest my eyes more often now.

Reply to
Rufus

I've tried using a magnifier and just couldn't get the hang of judging depth under it. Hats off to you folk that can.

Reply to
Rufus

Welcome to middle age, Frank. In my case, I have no problem seeing long distance, it's when I try to work on anything within finger tip range that I need glasses. Lately, I find myself using one of those magnifiying glasses with circular light.

The worst part of it is I think I'm doing some pretty good work, but damned if I can see it.

Reply to
Allan K. Lindsay-O'Neal

Gee, I guess I do have a real advantage in being severely near-sighted (my glasses cost more now, since Coca Cola quit using those great bottles with those thick, refracting bottoms in them!). I'm still quite able to take my

1/4" thick glasses off, and get right down on whatever I'm working on.

It does sound like you are a candidate for some close-up lenses though, be they bifocals or just strong reading glasses?

AA

Reply to
EmilA1944

Being dazzled by bright lights can be an early sign of cataracts. This is particularly noticable while driving at night, especially when coming face-to-face with cars with those new Xenon headlights. The cataracts (within the lens of the eye) cause light beams to scatter.

A person can adjust to cataracts to a great degree, but eventually surgery will be called for. The entire lens of the eye is replaced with a plastic implant. The good news is that the new lens can be graduated to correct nearsightedness, etc.

Reply to
Alexander Arnakis

You might want to ask your optician about "high-index glass." This allows lenses to be made up to 30% thinner.

Reply to
Alexander Arnakis

Alexander Arnakis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I just had this done for that very reason. I've lost my precious close up vision but that will be dealt with by perscription. I'm using Optivisor and 3.25 reading glasses (depending on circumstance) for now.

On the plus side my basic vision is much better than ever before. I may be able to shoot my rifles now. The rear sights are blurred and disappearing and the front post is clear. I think I might be able to shoot over open sights for the first time.

Reply to
Gray Ghost

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