Reading glasses

tsitenha

Nomad
Dec 18, 2008
384
5
Kanata
I am the new recipient of lenses to rectify cataracts. I now have better than 20/20 vision at a distance, can't read a thing close up.
Reading a compass is void unless I have reading glasses, actually reading anything is in the past.
I keep glasses all over the place and carry tri-folding glasses with me all the time.
Others in the same situation?
 

Cub Kaa

Member
May 31, 2015
36
0
North Devon
I use to have glasses everywhere, now it's just one pair of Varifocals. Steadily over the last four years my prescription has gone up each year. All down to age. The Varifocals took a couple of weeks to get use to but they are great now, the only time they come off is fo taking photographs.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Been short-sighted for a long time. (Said "Oh look at the horse on the beach!" when it was two chaps carrying a Canadian canoe to the water, so parents got me tested).
Only thing I found with glasses was that playing a lot of full contact sport and being out in all weathers for work and play that glasses weren't up to snuff. Use disposable contact lenses (keep a spare pair in my pocket when out) and I've never looked back. Do have glasses but wear them so rarely that most folk don't know I even need them.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
28
70
south wales
I can read a compass but need reading glasses for reading small print etc. I got varifocals in June 2014 and persevered but just could not get used to them, so that was two hundred quid down the pan, and had to spend getting on for two fifty for distance and reading specs. The next time I'm at the opticians I'll ask if laser treatment would work for me.
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,995
29
In the woods if possible.
Generally without a pair of glasses I'm more or less blind as a bat.
I can't even read the clock or dial a number on my mobile without optical aid, so a map or an accurate compass bearing is right out.

I have disposable contact lenses, but they're such a pain to use that a box of ten pairs will last me a year.
They don't compensate for lack of accommodation anyway, so if I can focus on a distant landmark wearing contacts I still can't read a map in my hand.

Instead, I buy assorted reading glasses (anywhere from 1.5 to 4.5 dioptres) from Home Bargains and similar for fifty pence a pair.
Then I variously lose them, sit on them, or walk into something wearing the wrong ones.
I'm not above wearing two or even three pairs to sort out the OS contour lines, or get up close and personal with some tiny electronic gadget that I have to fix.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,307
3,090
67
Pembrokeshire
Not cataracts - just plain old man's short sight for me!
I have my sewing room glasses, my workshop glasses, my van glasses, my field bag glasses, my computer glasses, my living -room glasses, my jacket pocket glasses and the pair I carry on me at all times.... plus some spares in rucksacks and in various places around the house!
You can never have too many pair of glasses around!
Most of mine are £shop readers - the pair I carry at all times are my prescription lenses...
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,307
3,090
67
Pembrokeshire
Mr Fenna all those glasses & no shot glasses???

Ach no!
I do not do "shots" - the measures are too small by far and no Spirits should be swallowed fast like Hemlock, but should be smooth, flavorsome and sipped with slow appreciation.
One drinks to see clearly how good life is - not to get blind drunk! :)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Everything Ged said +1 :D

I think I'm going to give the varifocals a shot though and see how I get on with them.
I must have 20 pairs of specs, from 1.25 tp 3.00, and four pairs of prescription ones too….those are blooming awful. My distance vision is good, my close up is shot, and none of those glasses replace the sharpness of close vision that was natural to me. That's why the multiple specs as I try to see as accurately as I took for granted.

Isn't getting older a joy ? you're comfortable in yourself, your contentedly busy, and the blooming body starts to need more than an MOT and a service :sigh:
I tell you, vim and vigour and good eyesight and cast iron guts are wasted on the young :D

M
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,241
385
74
SE Wales
I took to the varifocals a good few years ago now and I just couldn't get along without them - they've made a vast difference to the better for me and I can now see almost as well as I could in my youth; there's one crucial thing abot them, though, that for some reason the opticians don't seem to tell people. You have to take account of your physique in terms of flexibility as the whole thing works (for close up tasks) on moving your neck and head to change the position of the lenses in relation to the object you need to see. This became second nature to me in no time at all as I was advised well about the shape of the frame I used and how well it would suit the work I intended and the shape of my face/head.

Another hugely important factor is that you need to realise that good lighting is absolutely required when you're indoors, however light you think your space is. It's much easier and cheaper to accomplish now with the quality and price of daylight led worklights, which I find invaluable.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
That sounds very heartening Mac :) I'm going to give them a go.
One of my friends struggled so badly with them that the opticians gave her two pairs of ordinary ones in recompense.
I'm just becoming a bit fed up of layering up the specs to see the detail that I want.
LED lights are become so very good :) and none of the flicker of the fluorescents.

M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
There is no way I'm risking that crackled plastic vision if it goes amiss.

All that's wrong with our eyes is that the inner lens thingie has grown layers like a tree does, and it stiffens up just like a multi layered tree does, and doesn't flex properly any longer.

There's talk of a simple remove and replace, and the muscles will re-learn how to flex the new lens.
Now that's worth three grand I reckon, but lasers ? hmmmm ah ha'e me doots.

M

p.s. Scots to English translation.."I am extremely doubtful and dubious about the results".
 
Dec 6, 2013
417
5
N.E.Lincs.
If you can get on with the varifocals then they are great, the problem is not everyone can. I have a mate that literally looks like a nodding dog when wearing his and looks like someone that has had too much to drink and is doing his best to look sober when going up and down kerbs etc…..My first couple of pairs were large frames, for some reason when I chose them I thought the bigger the frame the better (I really don’t know why I thought that) the problem was you had to move your whole head to find the appropriate bit of lens, the pair I have now are much narrower and they are great, I can focus at any distance without moving my head. I would certainly never choose to go back to several pairs. It is always worth considering a second pair if you can get them bearing in mind that if you break them there are not several other pairs in various draws/pockets/bags etc to fall back on.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
.......There's talk of a simple remove and replace, and the muscles will re-learn how to flex the new lens.
Now that's worth three grand I reckon....

Interocular implants. I wish, but it's out of my price range for now.
 

tsitenha

Nomad
Dec 18, 2008
384
5
Kanata
Just got worse, along with need for reading glasses, I also tried shooting iron sights and realized I can`t see the sights properly. So 2 pairs of reading mid range shooting glasses will be needed.
 

ol smokey

Full Member
Oct 16, 2006
433
3
Scotland
After having my cataracts removed I was back to 20/20 vision for distance, so got the optician to make me glasses with
plain glass at the top and prescription bi vocals at the bottom for close work. Have had them a year or more now and they
are great. No needing to switch them over all the time, and they are on my face all the time. Worth considering !!
 

cranmere

Settler
Mar 7, 2014
992
2
Somerset, England
I had Lasik laser surgery to correct short sight so I went straight from walking into lamp-posts to needing reading glasses. I do what you do, lots of cheap pairs of reading glasses strewn around the house.
 

StJon

Nomad
May 25, 2006
490
3
61
Largs
The cat has hidden my good (expensive) prescription glasses, cant see them anywhere. The local bar sells Zippo branded glasses in camo, think I'll need to splash out the euros... :cool:
 

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