Magnifiers and glasses

[Dave_E]

Hi Everyone,

 

So this 64 year old has eyes that are bad enough not to see anything up close without my glasses. So I’m thinking I’m absolutely going to need either some magnifier glasses or an LED magnifier glass. Any recommendations? Pros and cons of either type? Maybe nothing and just good lighting?

 

Dave 

[mtaylor]

Good lighting is a must.  I have a set of magnifier "googles" with built in LED lights that I use along with some hand held magnifiers.  I also now have a pair of 4X reading glasses from my eye doc's office that was very reasonably priced and included the prism I need for one eye.  

 

Start with the lighting then go from there.   See your doc about reading glasses.  They can set the magnification and distance focal point for you.

[barkeater]

I use 5x glasses. I paid about $10 on Amazon. I like these compared to magnifying lamps because I can change my field of view without having to move the lamp.

Richard

[Dr PR]

I have several cheap headband magnifiers that I picked up over the years as my eyesight went downhill. They are very useful. Some have a flip-up lens that doubles the magnification, and this is very useful. One has an extra circular lens that can be swung into position in front of the main lens on the right, and it is useless. The simple screw mounting will not stay tight and this lens just flops around and is an annoyance. These all have plastic lenses and slip-adjustable head bands. The plastic lenses have scratched a bit over time.

 

Recently I bought another OptiVISOR "head-wearing magnifier" that has four switchable glass lenses. It isn't as convenient as the flip-up dual lens reg described above, but the lenses are much better. You have to snap out the lens and snap the next lens in, but this doesn't take much time. How long the plastic snap parts will last is to be determined. It has a knob-adjustable head band that didn't work - it was jammed - when I got it but I fixed it in short time. It also has knobs to tighten the position of the lens on the head band, but these don't work very well and I occasionally have to tighten them again to keep the hood from dropping onto my nose. But this really isn't much of a problem.

 

The four interchangeable lenses are 1.5X, 2X, 2.5X and 3.5X magnification, with focus distances from 20 inches to 4 inches. I have been using the 3.5X lens.

Edited November 24, 2021 by Dr PR

[DaveBaxt]

I ware vari focal lense glasses and have difficulty seeing anything up close usually better without them but still not great. I bought a pair of clip on 2.5 lenses which I clip onto my glasses but found the to be better but still not great. I have been looking at the ones previously mentioned which comes with a head torch and 3 different magnification lenses which require changing. Some sort of recomendation  for what to buy would be great if anyone uses these would be great help too.Great thread by the way.

[ccoyle]

I have both a cheap headband magnifier from Harbor Freight and a much more expensive magnifier with interchangeable flip-up lenses -- I can't recall the brand. I found that with the latter I didn't like having a large, unmagnified field of peripheral vision. I went back to the cheap magnifier, and the expensive one is stashed away in a box somewhere.  Just shows that different folks have different experiences using the same equipment.

[glbarlow]

I’m content with good lighting and a pair of 2.0 and 2.5x readers.  I tried the head magnifiers, didn’t like my field of vision restricted and for me they just weren’t comfortable. 

[kurtvd19]

1 hour ago, ccoyle said:

Just shows that different folks have different experiences using the same equipment.

Chris:

Hang onto the expensive set - especially if the lenses are glass - you will probably need the better setup as your eyes age.  I used a plastic lens Optivisor for years - a few years ago I tried an Optivisor with glass lenses at a trade show and it didn't take me more than a few hours later that day to order an Optivisor with glass lenses.  Difference is light night and day.

 

[RegAuthority]

My 1967 vintage eyes are supported by two sets of glasses for modelling.  I have varifocal set up for computer and reading (no good for driving), then a second prescription pair especially for modelling ( I think these are slightly magnifying as well) suggested by my optician especially for close up smallish stuff.
 

To these I have tried to use a head visor 1.5- 3.5 x  magnifying lenses but have to have head about 3 inches at most from item  (if I’m still allowed to use inches) to get the item in focus with the 3.5 x, so found more of a hindrance than help.  

 

if you wear glasses (your profile pic has sunglasses which could be prescription) talk to your the optician for advice, mine was brilliant (Costco)

[GAStan]

+1 for the Optivisor.  Others have described it better than I can so I'll leave it at that.

 

I have tried other solutions, but I use the Optivisor. 

 

Glenn

[Altduck]

I like the Optivisors, with glass lenses, and the optional LED light frame that has 6 LED's around the lenses (not the single forehead located "Cyclops" light that is also available for those who like to get that light tangled up in their work).  Been using them for years for clock repair and other close-up detailed shop work.

 

I have several, of different focal lengths, #4, 5 & 7, but for general use, and for my eyes, usually choose the #5 lens.  4 gives a little more working clearance, and 7 more magnification but shorter focal length.

 

[Landlubber Mike]

57 minutes ago, Altduck said:

I like the Optivisors, with glass lenses, and the optional LED light frame that has 6 LED's around the lenses (not the single forehead located "Cyclops" light that is also available for those who like to get that light tangled up in their work).  Been using them for years for clock repair and other close-up detailed shop work.

 

I have several, of different focal lengths, #4, 5 & 7, but for general use, and for my eyes, usually choose the #5 lens.  4 gives a little more working clearance, and 7 more magnification but shorter focal length.

 

 

I use the Optivisor with LED light frame as well and love it.  I thought my eyes had gotten much worse the past month, but turned out the lights weren't as strong.  I replaced the batteries and voila!  Could see tiny PE again.

[popeye2sea]

I use the Optivisor with glass lenses. The only problem I have with this set up has more to do with my prescription. I wear contact lenses with one eye corrected for far vision and the other corrected for near. I believe they call that monovision correction.  It is an alternative to wearing bifocals.  Anyway, because of that when working with the optivisor, which changes the focal distance, any length of time working is headache inducing due to eye strain.

 

I need to come up with a better solution.

 

Regards,

[Tim Holt]

A while back I got a Vision-Luxo magnifier light on a 45" arm.   It wasn't cheap but I am so glad now I bought it.

 

It has good light, nice magnification, and the arm length is quite long.  I often just leave the light on and push it up and use as an adjustable desk lamp, but then can swing it down when I want to use the magnifier.  The LED has two intensities (not counting off), and will automatically turn itself off after 4 hours or so.  The light doesn't give me headaches like some older fluorescent Luxo style magnifier lights did.

 

Really I think what makes it is the 45" total arm length.  It means I can have it clamped off to the side out of the way, but easily bring it over in place when I need it.

 

Here's the Amazon link to the one I purchased -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SNGN43J/

Edited November 24, 2021 by Tim Holt

[DaveBaxt]

I have just taken the plunge and bought a cheap head band type with 4 x glass lenses . I didn,t want to pay a fortune, just wanted to try this type out . Even if they just give me an idea if I can live with them or not, it will give me an idea before I decide to by something more expensive. I wonder if it would eventually be worth a visit to the opticians as every ones eyes are different.I believe even unique to an extent.  

[cliff coppen]

I found my problem was not so much vision but lighting so I use regular reading glasses and the DanForce  LED head set lighting neither are expensive

[kurtvd19]

Lighting should be the first thing considered when trying to improve seeing the work.  Years ago my Ophthalmologist told me to use bright white light and recommended Halogen lighting for reading and model work.  I followed her advice and my eyestrain was no longer an issue.  Later when my eyes were changing with age the new Ophthalmologist told me to do away with the hot halogen lights and switch to white LEDs.  Changed my reading light and workbench overhead lights to LED and after getting a cataract fixed the LEDs look like the current answer.

I had switched to glass lenses in my optivisor before the lighting issue and the combo of glass lenses and LED lights has been my answer.

 

As to plastic lenses I wish they would just go away.  My Ophthalmologist has just told me I need a minor procedure to fix my recent blurred vision issues because my implant lens (plastic) is clouded just like some car headlight covers get.  A simple 5 minute laser procedure in the office will make the implant clear as the day it was implanted.  Nobody ever told me about this - I would still have done the implant because I went from 20/400 w/o correction to 20/20 with the implant and have been assured my vision will again be 20/20 after the laser procedure.  So if I have to get this done every 5-6 years no problem.  I am sure the plastic lens implant is better than an actual glass lens in the eye so I will live with a plastic lens in my eye but not externally to help with magnification.

 

 

[Roger Pellett]

A good opthalmologist is important to keeping one’s sight up to snuff.  I recently have been complaining about lights in our house being dim, and assumed that it was time for cataract surgery.  After examining my eyes the opthalmologist reported that cataracts are not the  problem.  Droopy eyelids are.  She referred me to a plastic surgeon who specializes in correcting this.  I have a consultation with him next week.

 

Roger

[Dr PR]

I second what Roger said about going to an eye doctor. I had extraordinary eyesight as a kid, and when I went into the Navy at 23 they tried to get me to be a pilot because of my eyesight. When I got to 40 my eyesight started downhill, but was still 20:15. Over the years I used a series of ever increasing magnification cheap store-bought eyeglasses to correct the changes, but eventually went to an ophthalmologist when I was in my 60s and my vision was 20:45.

 

She prescribed progressive lenses that corrected back to about 20:15! It was an amazing improvement. But that was 12 years ago, and things have continued to go downhill. Now even with new glasses that correct my right eye to 20:20 I have trouble reading small print and text on the computer screen with my left eye, and it can't be corrected with glasses. This really interferes with modeling - both CAD and physical!

 

A visit with a cornea specialist revealed serious distortion of the cornea due to a growth that was induced by UV light (I have always hiked a lot). So corrective surgery is coming up early next year. Then I probably will have new lens implants. We don't know just how much improvement all this will make, but it is pretty much guaranteed to eliminate the distortion.

 

I was reluctant to go to the eye doctor. But it has paid off. Every time they have improved my vision. And that is priceless!

 

My mother had similar problems, and when she was in her 80s she had some type of eye surgery. I called her afterward to see how she was doing and I could tell something was not right from the tone of her voice. "I didn't realize I had so many wrinkles" she said!

Edited November 26, 2021 by Dr PR

[Canute]

I use a setup similar to Tim's with white LED lighting and a magnifier on the swing arm. The magnifier has a lid, too. That plus the cataract surgeries earlier this year allow me to work with just a pair of reading glasses. My far vision is back to what I was seeing when I was flying. The near is OK, but I use the readers for the fine print and my modeling work. You can't have too much light for your modeling work. Just go with the LEDs, since most everything else generates heat.

[Tim Holt]

One more positive to the lit magnifier on an extended arm...

 

Not only can you move it and use as a desk lamp, you can also pivot it down towards the floor to help find those parts that decided to drop onto the floor and promptly become invisible.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Tim Holt

[thibaultron]

Yes, I've used mine for that more times than I care to admit to!

[Canute]

Oh yeah. Cut, bend,fit, rebend, refit. Reset the tweezers to get some glue and.... ? Happens too often for me, but luckily, I can still get down and back up off the floor. Just a few snap, crackle. pop moments.

[Dave_E]

Good Discussion,

 

I got the headband magnifier set from Amazon, it had an LED light, 5 different magnifier lenses... all pretty much useless for me as I wear glasses and could not make them work over my glasses, even though some can, I couldn't. Repackaged and sent back. Ordered one of the lit, round magnifiers on a flexible stand. I suspect it will work OK.

[DaveBaxt]

21 hours ago, Dave_E said:

Good Discussion,

 

I got the headband magnifier set from Amazon, it had an LED light, 5 different magnifier lenses... all pretty much useless for me as I wear glasses and could not make them work over my glasses, even though some can, I couldn't. Repackaged and sent back. Ordered one of the lit, round magnifiers on a flexible stand. I suspect it will work OK.

The headband magnifier I recently bought and mentioned on here works just fine if I shut one eye . Ha ha. No this too is pretty much useless combined with my varifocal   glasses. I am really struggling with the small dead eyes 5mm and their associated brass securing ring. supplied by Caldercraft which has the tiny little tabs that are supposed to fit into a hole drilled into the recess of the channel I too have returned to the swing arm desk lamp with a light as I think the light maybe a problem I am having too as it is only fitted with an ordinary type bulb. I might need to think about an upgrade.