Eyesight problems

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Eyesight problems

This topic has 28 replies, 22 voices, and was last updated 26 February 2012 at 20:18 by Sub Mandrel.

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23 February 2012 at 19:32 #85579
Windy
Participant
@windy30762
I am now at an age where my eyesight for close up work can be a problem.

Examples, vernier reading and welding.

My spectacles are thick and I have bifocals.

The optician made me safety glasses with reading lenses in the past but was only reasonably good on a fixed distance.

With my sight if I remove my spectacles up to about 5 inches from my eye it’s like looking through a magnifying glass and is good for reading fine scales etc.

My optician said he could make me some reading spectacles to focus at any distance that I require but the image will not be the same size as when my glasses are removed.

I envisage doing a fair amount of Tig welding and providing it’s bench work can manage without my glasses as I can keep to a fixed distance.

But when Mig welding awkward parts on car chassis work would have to wear spectacles because of variable distances and spatter.

I am using an automatic welding helmet now.

Wondered if varifocals would be any good or is there any spectacles that can give a magnified image over variable distances?

Windy
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23 February 2012 at 19:32 #22020
Windy
Participant
@windy30762
23 February 2012 at 19:43 #85581
Stephen Benson
Participant
@stephenbenson75261
Sounds like you need an Optivisor I would not be with out mine, I have one for close work and one use when I am working on my on my lathes.

There is a set with all the lenses but it is expensive £100+ there are cheaper options but I have not tried them.
23 February 2012 at 19:56 #85582
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
I wear varifocals and they are a b*****r in the workshop as one is always wanting to look at something close through the top of the lens! Really it would be nice to have upside-down varifocals with close focusing at the top and longer distance (but not very long) at the bottom.
23 February 2012 at 20:07 #85584
Russell Eberhardt
Participant
@russelleberhardt48058
Posted by John Haine on 23/02/2012 19:56:34:

I wear varifocals and they are a b*****r in the workshop as one is always wanting to look at something close through the top of the lens!

I agree, ever tried rewiring a ceiling rose?

Russell.
23 February 2012 at 20:22 #85586
Clive Hartland
Participant
@clivehartland94829
Interesting point raised here, Bifocal glasses with the Dioptre at the bottom of the lens and you are working looking up with your head back could induce a stroke.

There are other examples where women in hairdressers have had a stroke laying back over the sink when having their hair washed.

You will always end up with a crick in the neck looking up, at for example, the ceiling rose you are working on.

There must be something in it as workers who work on ceilings lie on a mobile trolley and get moved about like that.

Perhaps we need to invent a pair of 'Prism glasses' that allow us to look straight ahead but see upwards.

Clive
23 February 2012 at 20:23 #85587
Weldsol
Participant
@weldsol
Hi Windy

I had the same problem I needed safety specs but I need reader lens to see close up when welding

so if you have reader grade safety specs to walk around customers workshops I had to either lift them up or have them low so I could see over the top . Not good for safety reasons

Bifocal gave clear top part and reader bottom still very hard to use .

So talked with my local optician.

I now have tri focal clear centre portion and reader part top and bottom.

So when welding I can look down and have the right focal length and when doing positional welding i can look up and still have the right focal distance.

It turned out he had done these before for a decorator who had the same problem when hanging wallpaper.

The cost = no more than a pair of normal perscription safety specs

Paul
23 February 2012 at 20:38 #85589
KWIL
Participant
@kwil
They used to make "upside down" varifocals, in fact they worked both way, they were called "pilot" glasses because you could look up and see the overhead switch panels as well as looking down at the instruments. I wear varifocals all the time and agree looking upwards is a pain, but you have to cope. I would not be without them
23 February 2012 at 20:40 #85590
Sub Mandrel
Participant
@submandrel
Over the last five years my eyes finally went through the middle-age shift. I was very short sighted, but could see right down to reading range with my glasses on. Now I have reading glasses and my long vision glasses, but the readers are so weak, I prefer to take my glasses off and hold what i'm reading near my nose! I got intro the habit of wearing my old 'computer glasses' all the time, which are in the middle and give me reading up to about six feet away -ideal for the workshop. But since losing these for a couple of weeks (found now) I've discovered that after a wile my eyes compensate so i can do computer/machining with my normal glasses at about 1 foot range – I'm typing now the screen is clear but the keyboard is fuzzy!

I thought that the cheap +2…+4 readers my wife uses (at a rate of about a pair a fortnight) would be a cheap and easy solution to really close work, but i'm so short sighted I can't tell any difference!

My big problem is the continual temptation to look over the top at what I'm machining – not a good idea, so i have three or four pairs of safety goggles spread even;y around the workshop.

I hate the idea of bi- or even vari-focals, but role on the day when they make adaptive spectacles with autofocus!

Neil
23 February 2012 at 20:45 #85592
Colin Heseltine
Participant
@colinheseltine48622
I regularly have to work very low to the ground and trying to read miniscule serial numbers is damn near impossible, especially if in a poorly lit area. I quite like the idea of the trifocal glasses mentioned above, muist talk to optician.

Colin
23 February 2012 at 21:34 #85600
Stephen Benson
Participant
@stephenbenson75261
As I mentioned earlier I use an Optivisor one with a number 4 lens for lathe work and another with a number 5 lens for close work these work well with my varifocal glasses. I am a clock repairer so I am wearing my one my Optivisors most of the working day if you have never tried these you might be surprised.
23 February 2012 at 21:53 #85602
Roderick Jenkins
Participant
@roderickjenkins93242
These may help some of the problems outlined above: http://www.coleparmer.co.uk/1/1/14416-3m-bx-dual-reader-safety-glasses-2-0x-top-bot.html.

I just have age related long sightedness. I wear a pair of 1.0 dioptre glasses in the workshop with a pair of these: http://www.sportfish.co.uk/fly-fishing/sunglasses/magnifier-clip-on-flip-and-focus.html , strength 3, flipped down for close work. I find them more comfortable than a head magnifier.

cheers

Rod
23 February 2012 at 21:57 #85603
the artfull-codger
Participant
@theartfull-codger
Hi Stephen, I've been looking for some sort of magnifier [it's my age!!!] I was looking at what appeared good quality headband loups with glass lenses from ''the loupe store'' after much ringing & emailing by my brother & myself they didn't even bother to reply so I'm interested in an optivisor, sounds just like the piece of equipment I'v been looking[he he] for.
23 February 2012 at 23:41 #85608
Ady1
Participant
@ady1
eyesight problems…ass problems…hip problems

welcome to the problems club

I seem to remember David mentioning an old hand who worked on the lathes for years and when they gave him an eyetest he was retired as virtually blind, yet he was still turning out decent work

So don't give up too quickly

Edited By Ady1 on 23/02/2012 23:42:36
23 February 2012 at 23:45 #85609
Mark Foster 1
Participant
@markfoster1
Hi guys Ihave a lens that goes behind the carterage on my welding helmet .it is great . ask at your welding shop I use a 1.5 a breath of fresh air for us older members
24 February 2012 at 00:11 #85610
jason udall
Participant
@jasonudall57142
I too find myself taking my varifocals off for close work

two things come to mind

1 DONT WEAR CONTACTS WHEN ARC WELDING I am told even the slightest uv flash can'weld' them to your eye ball

Hate the things anyway but….

2 BRIGHT light helps loads…
24 February 2012 at 00:28 #85612
Windy
Participant
@windy30762
Thanks for all the advice I will try to get a lens for the welding helmet that might be the solution for the welding problem.

Windy
24 February 2012 at 08:42 #85620
Martin Kyte
Participant
@martinkyte99762
Dont forget that you always have the option of getting different lenses for each eye. maybe bifocal for one eye and plain field at an appropriate distance for the other. You do loose some binoccular function but I am sure there are successful one eyed welders out there.

Martin
24 February 2012 at 08:43 #85621
john fletcher 1
Participant
@johnfletcher1
Regarding contact lenses and arc welding that was discounted years ago, we had posters made at work all about the claim then had to have them removed.Keep the helmet on,any flash is bad for the eyes.Ted
24 February 2012 at 09:29 #85626
maurice bennie
Participant
@mauricebennie99556
Hi Windy. I have same problem .Have tried bi -focals tri focals and now have vari focals , all ,as every one says U.S, for looking up or laying under the car .I now have my varifocals plus a pair of reading glasses plus a pair of flip down head band type magnifiers .Plus ,and this is most important ,an extra strong light system, I know this is all a pain ,but its working for me .

Hope this helps Maurice.
24 February 2012 at 09:37 #85627
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
A good number of years ago in ME there were letters aboutcontact lenses and welding, and they came to the same conclusion as Ted. Ian S C
24 February 2012 at 09:55 #85628
Gordon W
Participant
@gordonw
I need glasses for all normal walking about things, but can read and see very small stuff without aid. Welding ,or any work under a car is hopeless, take them off to see detail, can't find the way out, roll onto glasses. I don't have a solution yet but a good light makes all the difference, the new LEDs are very good, might be to do with the wavelength/colour. Keep old glasses for work, new ones for driving etc. Will keep checking for any ideas.
24 February 2012 at 18:47 #85671
Windy
Participant
@windy30762
I liked Marks comments of magnifier on the welding helmet cartridge.

As I have a cheap headband magnifier with some spares a lens was cut to length to fit the welding cartridge and taped on.

It looks good my vision has improved of the job.

Next is to do some test Tig welds at the weekend.

Thanks to the forum for another door has opened.

If you have a problem someone might have an answer if you ask.

A skilled engineer showed me the other week how to centralise hexagon bar in a 4 jaw self-centring chuck which was so quick and easy to do.

Something I thought you could not do with that type of chuck.

Windy
24 February 2012 at 19:09 #85673
Anonymous
Posted by Windy on 24/02/2012 18:47:55:

A skilled engineer showed me the other week how to centralise hexagon bar in a 4 jaw self-centring chuck which was so quick and easy to do.

Something I thought you could not do with that type of chuck.

Windy

Easy, just think about a coincident square and hexagon……

Regards,

Andrew
24 February 2012 at 20:09 #85686
Robert Miller 1
Participant
@robertmiller1
There is a product currently being advertised in the USA called Superfocus. Basically, it is a pair of eyeglasses that can be focused by adjusting a slider on the bridge between the lenses. They aren't cheap, but in theory they are a whole lot better than bifocals, trifocals, varifocals, or multiple pairs of glasses. They are also not too stylish – unless you are into the John Lennon look.

These are something I intend to give a try for my next pair of glasses, but right now the only Canadian retailer wants an additional $200 per pair, so I'll have to get the prescription and order from the US.

http://www.superfocus.com/
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