"reading" Glasses For An Electrician.

[ProDave]

When i was younger my eyes were good, and I never needed glasses.

As I approached 40, I had the usual problem that I was having to hold a book so far away for it to be in focus that the print was then too small. So I bought a cheap pair of self select reading glasses.

These have served me well.  I forget what strength they were but everything was nicely in focus. and I could still see reasonably across the other side of the room with them on. So they worked well to wear most of the time while working.

Now a little over a decade later, my bi annual eye test told me for the first time I need distance glasses, mainly to correct astigmatism. So they said I should, also for the first time, have prescription reading glasses.

So I collected my new "reading" glasses yesterday, and tried them out for work today.

Oh dear. They don't seem to work very well.

They are fine for "reading" Sitting say at a desk, I can very comfortably read anything, even the very smallest print I can find in for example the telephone directory is crisp and sharp. So technically they are correct "reading" glasses for me.

BUT the usable depth of field is rubbish. Even something at full arm stretch is starting to go out of focus. And sitting at my PC, with the monitor set well back on the desk (further than arms reach) I can't use them, I'm still using my old self select ones in the office.  And trying to use them for work, they are on and off all day like a whores drawers. I can't even look down and see my feet in focus when standing with them on, let alone the other side of the room which is just a blur.

What should I do?

Accept that they are "reading" glasses, and stick to my self select ones for "work" glasses?

Or go back to the optician and tell them they are no good, and explain my requirements better?

The trouble is with my present self select ones is because my eyes have aged since I bought them they are not that brilliant now for close work in poor light, e.g stuck in a dim cupboard where you are stuck very close to your work, they don't focus well, which is where my new ones do work really well.

Or do I just have to admit I'm old, and I now need to carry a selection of different glasses for different tasks?

Just interested in the experiences of others particularly with prescription reading glasses.

 

[batty]

I feel for you Dave have exactly the same problem. I also suffer with diabetes so have had other problems with my eyes in fact one has been lasered three times and  injected twice. I have stopped using the decent ones for work as I break them. My long range is OK at the moment but I can feel they are deteriating  rapidly. I  generally buy them online as this seems the better way than buying them through the optician and I don't feel quite so bad when I break them at work.

 

[Sidewinder]

I have had cataracts in both eyes, and had them removed and have lens implants.

The result of this is that my eyes no longer change focus at all.

They are fixed focus at reading distance.

So, for everything else I need glasses, and really I need them for reading also as I have astigmatism due to the surgery.

I have varifocals, however, they do take some getting used to, I would however be stuck without them, I am guilty of wearing the same pair of glasses for everything though, so they get a hammering, I am due another eye test now, and I have just remembered I am overdue a hospital clinic appointment.

Varifocals work for me, they have to really.

I also have varifocal sunglasses for outdoor work, and varifocal safety specs.

One of the side effects I have suffered from the surgery is that I am very sensitive to sunlight & I always want the darkest sunglasses I can get.

PD, go back to the opticians and discuss this with them, and see what can be done, it will be worth it in the long run.

"My" optician is about to retire, he was the first one I saw after my first eye accident when I had the lens in my eye removed, and no implant fitted, so I had one eye that would not focus on anything, and one that was fine at the time.

I used to wear a single contact lens for distance vision.

I had reading glasses with one plain lens for reading, if I needed them, I could read fine with the one eye, my brain just learned to cope.

 

[NozSpark]

I'd at least go back and have a word with one of the assistants... I usually find them to be very helpful.

However, I'm short sighted and have problems finding glasses that fit; I've a rather large head you see - last time I went in the only glasses that they had that fit me were the identical ones to the ones that I wear so I didn't see the point in replacing them... I only had a very minor change to my prescription.

The only other option would be frameless glasses, but by the time I'd have paid for thin lenses etc they would have cost me nearly £400

 

[ProDave]

I guess the question I need answering, is with a correct pair of prescription reading glasses, what is the closes and furthest distance you can properly focus on?

 

[NozSpark]

God knows... I'd guess that everyone's different. I just wear my glasses all day for distance although I am starting to have to remove them for really close up work. Been wearing them for 27 years now.

 

[Steve3948]

You could always have one eye lasered for short distance and the other for long.

I had mine done 18 years ago and still no problem with long or short, best £800 I ever spent.

 

[Evans Electric]

Yes ...you're old  PD . 

I find myself peering over the top of my reading glasses in a work situation , then pushing them up my nose to focus on anything from 9"  to 1 mtr. 

Everything closer than 9" is blurred TBH .

Then distance for driving .

To go to work without reading glasses would be a pointless excercise as I can't see slots in screws etc .     Just trying looking at the keyboard without specs on ............ evyting iz  blurted .

We are all different PD   but you may find you adapt to the new specs ,   sounds like varifocals or swapping & changing for evermore .   

 

[Sidewinder]

You could always have one eye lasered for short distance and the other for long.

I had mine done 18 years ago and still no problem with long or short, best £800 I ever spent.

I can't! 

It would probably just melt the plastic lenses, and as it is the lens muscles they laser to shorten the muscle in the relevant direction to correct the lens that would be no good either as the muscles are not connected to my lenses.

So Steve, did you get one lasered for short and one for long, or both the same?

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I had to get my first pair of glasses just over 2 months ago.

Sat down, had eye test, 2 weeks later pair of glasses made just for me. wore them on the way home, took them off after 1/2 mile couldn't clearly see anyone or anything too close, great for reading number plates on cars the other end of the road.

I took them back and got a refund.

Went to another optician, explained my problem, they suggested and made varifocals, not cheap but oh, so much better, i can read the opticians eye chart over the road they are that good and I can read the tiny print on jars of things.

I would say, if you like the place, give them another chance, but don't take no "you will get used to them" rubbish yes you will need to get used to wearing prescription glasses, but they must work for you from day 1.

My OH tried varifocals, could not get on with them, now just has single vision for reading.

 

[OnOff]

Short sighted since about age 11! Every sight test they got steadily worse. We're talking -6 / -6.5. Approaching 50 as I am and a year or so ago I found myself taking my glasses OFF to watch the telly, read a book etc or looking over the top to mark off using a tape.

Turns out my eyes have both IMPROVED by a full diopter in one and a tad over in the other. BUT..........the apparent bad news is that it means I'm getting OLD! The start of the change to long sight seemingly.

Was offered bi-focals but have stuck with a lowered prescription and peering over the top when measuring!

(I blame the years of self abuse tbh.................... :lol: ).

 

[Steve3948]

I can't!

It would probably just melt the plastic lenses, and as it is the lens muscles they laser to shorten the muscle in the relevant direction to correct the lens that would be no good either as the muscles are not connected to my lenses.

So Steve, did you get one lasered for short and one for long, or both the same?

Well the idea was 20/20 but they recommended long and short, but after wearing glasses all day for 20+ years I wanted good vision so opted for 20/20. In those days it was PRK only, where they scraped the top layer before laser, so one eye at a time. When I had the 2nd eye done after 2 days I ripped a bit of sandpaper off a roll and it flicked round and cought me in the eye I had just had done. Had to go and get it checked, they said it had done some damage and it would be hard to say until healed what the affect would be.

As it turned out the result was what they recommended, so one eye is perfect for distance and the other slightly under for reading, works really well best of both.

The wife had just one eye done for reading, and swears by it.

 

[ProDave]

I do feel there is something "wrong" with the readers they have given me.

Reading another thread on another forum someone got the wrong glasses. He said he knew that because turning them upside down made no difference.

Well just for fun I tried that.

With them upside down, I don't get the horrid distortion of the PC screen, and I can focus over a greater range, I can even see my feet in focus when stood up. but they are not right like that, the left eye is never really quite right at any distance.

So I think I'll have to go back, explain the problem and see what they can come up with.

The "test" for the reading bit was in hindsight a bit basic.  He gave me a card with different size texts and tried different lenses until we found the best ones. but of course that was close up reading, not VDU distance or "work" distance.

It's the horrible distortion of the PC screen that gets me most. I've never heard a spectacle wearer mention that before, and I really don't think I could ever get used to it. and I shouldn't have to, I don't see that issue with my self select ones.

Otherwise it's back to the pound shop.

 

[revjames]

my wife paid £200 for 'prescription reading glasses" never wears them and always uses the cheap ones..... last time I had an eye test (at work) they were really impressed. Not only did I read down to the bottom line but I squinted and said slowly "stanley printing works Holyhead"..... I did cheat for that bit (had a close up look when nurse was out of the room)....

 

[Evans Electric]

I do feel there is something "wrong" with the readers they have given me.

Reading another thread on another forum someone got the wrong glasses. He said he knew that because turning them upside down made no difference.

Well just for fun I tried that.

With them upside down, I don't get the horrid distortion of the PC screen, and I can focus over a greater range, I can even see my feet in focus when stood up. but they are not right like that, the left eye is never really quite right at any distance.

So I think I'll have to go back, explain the problem and see what they can come up with.

The "test" for the reading bit was in hindsight a bit basic.  He gave me a card with different size texts and tried different lenses until we found the best ones. but of course that was close up reading, not VDU distance or "work" distance.

It's the horrible distortion of the PC screen that gets me most. I've never heard a spectacle wearer mention that before, and I really don't think I could ever get used to it. and I shouldn't have to, I don't see that issue with my self select ones.

Otherwise it's back to the pound shop.

That shouldn't be happening with the screen PD ...never heard of that problem before  . 

I just tried the peering through upsidedown thing ......  the screen and the wall behind seem to be leaning away from me .    As far as I know you should have everything in comfortable focus in the short distance ...............so in my own case , in my tiny office here, everything is blurred without specs , printing especially ....with specs , everything comes into perfect focus up to 1.5m  to 2mts .  

My sight changed when about 40 ,  called presbyopia  I think ,   another word  old phartdom .

Think you have to go back . 

 

[ProDave]

I was looking at the actual prescription. it says:

Right Eye sphere cyl axis

dist +150 -025 180
near +200 add


Left eye sphere cly axis

dist +125 -050 10
near +200 add

I've looked up what it means, and if I am understanding it, they sat I need +3.5 reading glasses (the add means you add the near figure to the far figure)

Well that's just nonsense.  My present old self select glasses are only 1.something (I forget exactly and can't find it written on them anywhere) And I have another pair that a guest left behind that are +2.75 and I find those are too strong.

Definitely going back soon and see if I can get them swapped for something more appropriate.

If not then it's back top the pound shop.

 

[brman]

I could be wrong but reading your original post I think the problem is probably just that you have reading glasses which is not what you need. Computer glasses might work better  

What I mean is that the glasses have probably been specified to give correct focus at reading distances (eg around 18 inches?) without the eyes being stressed by trying to focus. ie. they bring your long focus distance down to 18 inches (or whatever).

The trouble is that means you eyes need to focus beyond infinity (if you see what I mean) to focus further away than reading distance. Something they cannot do, hence your feet being blurred.

I think it might depend on how far your eyes have gone (ie how much focussing ability you still have) but I suspect what you need is to get glasses that give you normal vision at whatever you need as a maximum focus distance when working (perhaps whatever the distance to your monitor or maybe a bit more). Then rely on your eyes focussing that down for reading distances. It will give you more range but also more eye strain when reading so might be a bit of a compromise.

I suspect that is why your old reading glasses worked better. They aren't strictly strong enough for reading but are good for middle distances and your eyes (so far) have managed to focus closer (with their help). 

I could be wrong about all this but it would definitely be worth discussing you requirements in more detail with the optician.

 

[brman]

btw. I have a similar problem, hence the fact I have been reading up on it. According to wikipedia a young person has 13 diopters adjustment range, by the time you reach 45 to 50 it is 2 diopters and by 70 it is affectively zero. 

So that is what you have to look forward to...... :lol:

 

[Evans Electric]

I could be wrong but reading your original post I think the problem is probably just that you have reading glasses which is not what you need. Computer glasses might work better  

What I mean is that the glasses have probably been specified to give correct focus at reading distances (eg around 18 inches?) without the eyes being stressed by trying to focus. ie. they bring your long focus distance down to 18 inches (or whatever).

The trouble is that means you eyes need to focus beyond infinity (if you see what I mean) to focus further away than reading distance. Something they cannot do, hence your feet being blurred.

I think it might depend on how far your eyes have gone (ie how much focussing ability you still have) but I suspect what you need is to get glasses that give you normal vision at whatever you need as a maximum focus distance when working (perhaps whatever the distance to your monitor or maybe a bit more). Then rely on your eyes focussing that down for reading distances. It will give you more range but also more eye strain when reading so might be a bit of a compromise.

I suspect that is why your old reading glasses worked better. They aren't strictly strong enough for reading but are good for middle distances and your eyes (so far) have managed to focus closer (with their help). 

I could be wrong about all this but it would definitely be worth discussing you requirements in more detail with the optician.

Naw ! Brman  PD was born with blurred feet .  :innocent

He,s just getting old like the rest of us .  It'll  be his hearing next .      I remember a few years back ...everyone started mumbling in low voices ...............always in noisy environments like pubs or factories ...its an age thing .

 

[ProDave]

Naw ! Brman  PD was born with blurred feet .  :innocent

He,s just getting old like the rest of us .  It'll  be his hearing next .      I remember a few years back ...everyone started mumbling in low voices ...............always in noisy environments like pubs or factories ...its an age thing .

Pardon. Can you speak up a bit.