Prescription glasses and magnification

Dad of 3

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Well I picked up my new glasses and have a few questions. I'm working towards mid 40's and i noticed over the last year my close up vision has ben going away. The eye Dr told me this pair of glasses is the last pair before I start bifocals. He said i really could use 1.5 boost now for reading but I have a very high prescription as it is with a high astigmatism. I have been trying to see well enough with an optivisor (cheap harbor freight rig and a decent one). I did try bifocals but had to send them back as they really didn't work for me for whatever reason. The Dr says another lens material and amount of bifocal area would maybe help but i didn't try that yet.
On to my question here, what about having a pair ground with my script plus 2 or 3 in the entire lens to just where at the bench? Would that allow me to see better than just boosting with a optivisor?
 

mtlctr

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I'm guessing with that xtra boost your depth of field would be decreased meaning your nose would be right down on your work contributing to neck strain. depth of field refers to the working distance the object would be in focus. I have bi-focals & use an Optivisor with a 5 or 7 lens.
 

Kevin Scott

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When I was about 40, went thru what you are going thru. Got a prescription partly between a reading and regular prescription for work and reading. Worked very well for a couple of years. But things were blurry past about 10 feet.

Then went to progressive no line bifocals. Thought I would never get used to them. Made me dizzy, especially when driving. But did wear them a couple hours a day. Then, suddenly, after about 2 months, i was fine with them. Like not wearing glasses at all, but every distance in focus.

Now have lined bifocals in addition to the no line. The lined are much better, no eye strain, except can't get from about 2 feet to 5 feet in focus. And I never notice the line. Sometimes have to take my glasses off to see which ones I am wearing.

Also have prescription reading glasses. They are the best for reading and work. But out of focus past about 2 feet.

Sounds like you will need bifocals in a couple years. When you get them, keep trying to wear them for a couple hours a day, even though they are hard to get used to. Eventually you will get used to them.

Good glasses, and wearing them all the time will help your eyes from getting worse. And might make them stronger.
 

DKanger

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I'm guessing with that xtra boost your depth of field would be decreased
If you have a good optometrist, explain to him/her what you are doing. They can grind your lenses for whatever you desire. With my regular bifocals, I have to tilt my head up to read the computer screen. Over the years this has resulted in neck strain. I had a dedicated pair of glasses ground that contained only my bifocal prescription for the whole lens. The focal length is 24" and I can look straight ahead with them. However, you can't read up close or far away with them. They are dedicated only to that distance and I only use them for computer work.
 

tsterling

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I have a special pair of glasses for studio work with my close prescription (plus a little bit of magnification) in the entire lens. Makes walking around a little bit dicey, and I have to put my regular glasses on in order to find the graver blank I just dropped, but they work great with either Optivisor or microscope. Be sure to get real safety glass in the special lenses, since we work with lots of abrasive stuff and plastic lenses rubbing on your microscope will get fogged pretty quickly.

Growing old isn't for sissies! Best of luck!

Tom
 

diandwill

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When I reached my 40's, I had to start wearing glasses. I quickly went to the progressive lenses and have been pretty happy. I swtiched away from the optivisor because the headband rode on my hairline, and it seemed it was helping it to recede. I use clip-on magnifiers now, and have since the early 1990's. They are fine for most things. I do most of my close up work using a microscope, whether it is engraving or pave' , single line thread, channel stone setting. I can use my glasses with the scope, but have found it much easier to go glassless with the scope. The eye pieces are individually adjustable, for different eye strength, and they focus right on. I love it! Big engraving items don't fit under the scope, so use the clip ons and do just fine.
 

monk

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after cataract surgery, i don't need glasses at all. but i am cursed with a jittery or 'wandering " eye. not good at the scope. ended up with a special prismatic lens ground to prevent this. no luck there ! so i'm pretty much using the optivisor now. way less problematic that way. as above, i think you'll need to really get the help of the eye docs in your particular case.
 

Dad of 3

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Well I went back to have the lens in my left eye checked to make sure it was ground correctly and it was. I have another eye Dr(different Dr than first script) appt Wednesday afternoon. The prescription was about 4.5 months old so maybe my eyes happened to make an adjustment since then and now I need a different script. I have had glasses since I was 3 but no question my eyes have caught up with my age lol.
I like the sound of a pair of glasses with my reading script in the whole lens. I will ask the Dr. about all my options. Does GRS have microscopes set up to try out if I drove out to Kansas?
 

Big-Un

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I tried having prescription glasses ground for really close work and couldn't get used to them....felt I was going cross-eyed with them and they gave me a headache. I have progressive lenses now, don't really like them as I have to point my nose at what I'm looking at to keep it in focus. I'll be going back to lined bi/trifocals as I usually use my eyes more when reading, don't like having to turn my head to see the edge of the page. I keep my glasses on with the optivisor (get a good one, not a cheapie) and take them off with the 'scope. My optivisor is 35 years old and I have replaced the headband several times, but it still serves me well. I also had cataract surgery on both eyes, correcting my astigmatism and each eye has a different lens, one focusing close and the other far. Not what I wanted, but that's what I got, so I've learned to deal with it.

Bill
 

monk

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there are long eye relief aids in the range of 2-about 4x in power. 2 types telescopic and galilean. the long (telescopic) ones were quite uncomfortable on my nose. i got a galilean style that's far more comfortable. they are around 3-4X. the optical clarity is good. these do take a bit of getting used to. the focal length is about 14 or so inches. useful depth of field is around .5-.7". you can find them on the bay quite cheaply.
 

Dad of 3

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there are long eye relief aids in the range of 2-about 4x in power. 2 types telescopic and galilean. the long (telescopic) ones were quite uncomfortable on my nose. i got a galilean style that's far more comfortable. they are around 3-4X. the optical clarity is good. these do take a bit of getting used to. the focal length is about 14 or so inches. useful depth of field is around .5-.7". you can find them on the bay quite cheaply.

Hey Monk can you send some sort of link to what you are talking about?
 

monk

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Hey Monk can you send some sort of link to what you are talking about?

just go on ebay . type in dental/surgical loupes. these are good for some, not too useful for others. i got a cheap set of the galilean style for dental technicians.don't get too much in a hurry if you decide to buy. you'll find the exact same units selling for quite a spread in price. may as well get the least expensive one. they are cheap enough, that if you don't find favor with them, you aint dropped a fortune on them.
the very expensive ones can be made to a particular script i think. they're darn good, but the price is too !
a very nice side effect of the cataract surgery, i no longer suffer eye strain. the implanted lenses are fixed focus. so there's no acommodation to deal with, like in your natural lens. good luck in your quest
 

Dad of 3

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Well I have 2 new sets of glasses coming. One a new set just for distance with a new script in them and another set of progressive lens. Zeiss HDV lenses which are one of the top lens out there from what I've been told. Hopefully I can get something I can live with.
 

Dad of 3

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Thank you for sharing your exp with me guys. We are trying a different lens again. something to do with a different base curve. They should be in any day.
 
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