[design219]

I've been given a script for bifocals. Anyone using the no line models? How about the glass that darkens when outside?

Also, how do you photographers deal with glasses? Shoot through them, or take them off and adjust the diopter? I've been having to hold my camera at arms lenght the last couple months to read the menu, but I'm wondering how difficult it will be adapting to photography with glasses.

I've always had excellent vision, but at 45, I've suddenly got this issue. I'm getting just a slight correction for distance, and moderate for close up.

[alligator]

Honestly, I can't wait for the day that I need bifocals. I'm on the border of needing "typical" glasses, but there will be a day when I need bifocals, if family history is any indicator. The reason I like them is due to the respect that age earns. I have a better impression of people with glasses - they appear wiser.

I'd go with the line (easier to use), and do not get the ones that darken with light. They just appear creepy.

[nonhuman]

It's probably changed since the last time I used them (late 80s or so), but when I had the glass that darkens in the light they weren't very good at all. After a couple months they stopped getting clear anymore, so they were always slightly tinted. Not only was it annoying, but I look like a complete moron in any pictures from that time period.

As far as photography, I wear contacts now, but I've seen people both adjust the diopter and just push up their glasses while using the viewfinder.

[Laminar]

Dooooon't get the darkening glasses. Both my parents have had to get bifocals in the past few years. The no-lines a little bit harder to tell where to look through, but they look better than the lined kind.

[Teronzhul]

Well, I suppose I'll be the dissenting voice. I like my transitions lenses. I've only had them for about a year but I haven't had any issues with them not returning to a clear state.

[Buckaroo]

Bifocals without the line are called progressive. I have them, and I don't like them. Get Lasick. That way you won't have to wear glasses.

[Yose]

I have the invisible bifocals. The only problem with them is that if you have a small lens, the effective area is pretty small, which makes them hard to use when I'm working. I have another set specificly for use with my computer.

[centerchannel68]

[DigitalEl]

Another for Transitions lenses.

I also recommend any scratch-resistant coatings available. Same for any glare-reducing coating.

The one other thing I love and now won't do without is the so-called "Memory Metal" (usually titanium) which allows your glasses to bend like a pretzel, but snap back to their original shape no damage done. Makes a simple mishap like sitting on them in the case or having your child get ahold of them much easier to take.

You're wearing your glasses pretty-much your entire waking life. Selecting eyewear is no time to try to save a penny. You truly get what you pay for.

I usually get a second pair of glasses, without all the tricked-out stuff (save for the scratch-resistance) for home use. Wearing my "good glasses" only when leaving the house (and keeping them in their case otherwise) has greatly extended their life.

[mac128k-1984]

While I'm of the age that I'll need bifocals myself, my eyes have not succumbed to the inevitable but I do wear glasses.
I had the darkening kind a number of years ago and I didn't like what they did to my eyes - they made my eyes wicked light sensitive. I used them for a couple of years and after awhile I noticed that if I went outside I could not see a thing, until they kicked in or if I went w/o glasses eg, at a pool, basically blind as a bat (because of my eyes not adjusting to the bright light, not because I wasn't wearing my glasses).

Since getting regular glasses my eyes have readjusted and I can go outside and not feel like I need a seeing eye dog.

As for photography, since I've always had glasses I had not issues wearing them and shooting. I don't mess with the diopter since I wear my glasses when I shoot.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by design219 

I've been given a script for bifocals. Anyone using the no line models? How about the glass that darkens when outside?

Also, how do you photographers deal with glasses? Shoot through them, or take them off and adjust the diopter? I've been having to hold my camera at arms lenght the last couple months to read the menu, but I'm wondering how difficult it will be adapting to photography with glasses.

I've always had excellent vision, but at 45, I've suddenly got this issue. I'm getting just a slight correction for distance, and moderate for close up.

If you drive a lot, DON'T get Transitions (the glasses that darken when you go outside). Windshields have a special coating (I think it's the polarization that does it) that will more or less "confuse" Transitions, and they won't darken correctly.

There are many styles of frames these days with a neat sunglasses piece that snaps on using magnets that are placed near the hinges on either side of the frames. The look is quite seamless and is cheaper than buying a separate pair of prescription sunglasses. If your vision is good enough that you only need glasses when shooting pictures or reading at home, you probably won't need sunglasses at all.

Also - don't be conned into thinking you need to go to a private optometry clinc to get your glasses. When I was a kid, all my frames and lenses were from Wal-Mart. It sounds cheesy, but they were well-made frames and lenses, and they lasted plenty long - and that's when I was an irresponsible kid! Try Sears optical or the vision center at Target stores. Lenscrafters and Dr. Tavel are a little too expensive IMO. The frames that I'm wearing now were not expensive (maybe $100, I think), and they've lasted for nearly four years now.

My boyfriend's got a decent digital camera now with a diopter, and we both use it with our glasses on when taking pictures. He's nearly blind without his glasses, and it works great for him.

[Dakarʒ]

I just got tested recently, and I was amazed that I had 'degraded' to 20/20 since 14 years ago. [/brag]

[design219]

Give it a couple years. I had 20/15. (brag back).

[Dakarʒ]

Well, I expected it to be much worse after having worked on computers for an equal amount of time. (and yes I was only 20/17 back in the day).

[design219]

It's the computer's fault. I should have known. Curse you Apple.

[Dakarʒ]

Curse whoever made the monitors.

[Laminar]

Besides what they did in elementary school, I've never been to an eye doctor, so I couldn't tell you what I am. But I don't have any problems seeing, so it can't be that bad.

[Dakarʒ]

Mine was high school.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

Bifocals without the line are called progressive. I have them, and I don't like them. Get Lasick. That way you won't have to wear glasses.

LASIK won't work for people with astigmatism. You have to get vision surgery.

[olePigeon]

I have polycarbonate anti-scratch lenses with a Flex-frame. They're pretty stiff, actually. Not bendy at all. But if you accidently sit on them or get hit in the face or something, they do a good job at bending back to their original shape. Since the metal doesn't fatigue like aluminmium, they won't break if that happens.

My glasses also cost $385. And people say Oakley is expensive. Pfft.

[design219]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

LASIK won't work for people with astigmatism. You have to get vision surgery.

Yeah, LASIK was not mentioned as an option. I was thinking I should have asked about that after I left.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by design219 

Yeah, LASIK was not mentioned as an option. I was thinking I should have asked about that after I left.

LASIK is also temporary, I've known a lot of people who got it, it worked great for most but then 2 or 3 years down the road they were back to wearing glasses again. That makes sense because your eyes continue to degrade as you age, its not a once only occurrence when you hit your 40s.

Add in the possible risk to your eye sight means that I'll avoid this option personally. If the doctor's cannot guarantee 100% that nothing will go wrong then nobody is touching my eyes.

I had a co-worker who's LASIK procedure went wrong, and for months he had issues some minor some major (major was not being able to see).

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

My glasses also cost $385.

But you can incinerate an ant from 50 feet, so its not all bad.

[design219]

Yeah, like most people, being without eyesight for a while would be a major problem. I don't like the idea of glasses, but I really don't like the idea of eye surgery.

[design219]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

But you can incinerate an ant from 50 feet, so its not all bad.

That's worth $385.

[Dakarʒ]

You can't put a price tag on that.

[SVass]

If you live in an area like Seattle that has minimum sun, then get lenses that darken automagically. If you live or work in a southern state with coral beaches, then get a separate set of DARK prescription sunglasses. I have both and use the sunglasses for driving on trips. Sturdy, flexible frames are a good idea as are ones with screws that do not come loose.

Take your wife/girl friend along to select frames that look good on you. sam

[design219]

Originally Posted by SVass 

Take your wife/girl friend along to select frames that look good on you.

Yes, I took my wife to get a quick look, and decided that I need to find some places with a bigger selection. This also gave me time to consider the no-lines and darkening options. I think you might be right about a second dark set.

[Laminar]

Yeah, if you want to look like a total dork, get the auto-dimming glasses.

[zipperzap]

design219:

LASIK won't work for people with astigmatism. You have to get vision surgery.

Yeah, LASIK was not mentioned as an option. I was thinking I should have asked about that after I left.

Lasik Didn't USED to work on folks with astigmatism - many can now use it.

I had exceptionally bad eyesight and in 1996 (one of the first, I think) I had it done. WONDERFUL 29/15 ever since. I'm 62 in June - best thing I've ever dome. I only wear sunglasses now.

Check it out!

[Thorzdad]

I've been wearing eyeglasses since the third grade. About 8 years ago, my doctor moved me into progressive bifocals (might be trifocals...I can't remember. I forgot to take my ginko this morning) I hate the bifocals. As someone noted upstream, the focal area on these things is very restricted. Unlike single-vision glasses, where you can just move your eyes to see something to the side of you, you have to pretty much move your whole head to focus on side objects. Right after I got these, driving a car was nerve-wracking because I constantly had to move my head around to read street signs, rather than doing the quick glance I used to use.

You get used to it. But the acclimation process is insane.

[OreoCookie]

Concerning photography, you are definitely more sensitive to the size of the viewfinder. That's why I kept my old camera for as long as I did (Olympus E-20) … 

Whether you take off your glassed or not is a matter of taste. In my case, one eye is pretty good (-0.5), so my brain shuts off the bad eye if it needs to and I can see something without glasses (i. e. when you take your eyes off the camera). But I usually end up keeping my glasses on.

[SVass]

My old fashioned camera has a viewfinder that allows a slide on adapter that can be purchased with a sort-of sun shade and my eye doctor ordered a corrective lens that I installed in the adapter. Voila, correction for my camera.
sam

[design219]

Yuck.

Doing a little Internet research, I came across this:

AirGlasses How They Work for EyeGlasses, Reading Glasses and Sunglasses

Glasses that attache to magnets implanted into the skin like ear rings. They are looking for early adopters to try it for free.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by design219 

Yuck.

Glasses that attache to magnets implanted into the skin like ear rings. They are looking for early adopters to try it for free.

eww that's gross, regardless that will not work for me. I have two little girls that seem to have a knack of whacking me in the head. Those glasses would go flying

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by SVass 

My old fashioned camera has a viewfinder that allows a slide on adapter that can be purchased with a sort-of sun shade and my eye doctor ordered a corrective lens that I installed in the adapter. Voila, correction for my camera.
sam

Most newer slrs have a slider (at least my F80, E-20 and D70 do).

[medicineman]

Early transition lenses did have a problem of not reverting to clear over time. The newer ones are much better. You can choose either a grey or brown tint. They do not darken in a car. They require full sunlight to change. A newer type is being introduced that do have darkening potential without full sunlight. These are still in a 'initial' phase of introduction. Progressive lenses are ground with a smooth transition from the distance portion to the reading add. While the reading portion is smaller than that of regular bifocal lens, it is easily adapted to. With the smooth transition from far to near, you have an infinate scale of diopter power. There is no 'jump' from the far to near as you cross the segment line. Specialty lenses can always be made. I have a pair with the reading segment on the top, rather than the bottom, of the lens. This I use for measuring eye distances and can be used for photography as well. It's much easier to tilt your head down a bit, rather than raise up. 'Computer glasses' are 'usually' 1/2 of your reading add, as reading is designed for an 18" focal distance, computer use is about double that.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by design219 

Yuck.

Doing a little Internet research, I came across this:

AirGlasses How They Work for EyeGlasses, Reading Glasses and Sunglasses

Glasses that attache to magnets implanted into the skin like ear rings. They are looking for early adopters to try it for free.

Sweet. Only if they install implants to give me 30x optical zoom in my retinas by pressing my left temple.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

Sweet. Only if they install implants to give me 30x optical zoom in my retinas by pressing my left temple.

The Six Million Dollar Ca$h?

[Laminar]

I'm waiting for the x-ray vision.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

I'm waiting for the x-ray vision.

Outside the girls' dormitory.

[Laminar]

Yeah, getting inside has been hard.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by design219 

Yuck.

Doing a little Internet research, I came across this:

AirGlasses How They Work for EyeGlasses, Reading Glasses and Sunglasses

Glasses that attache to magnets implanted into the skin like ear rings. They are looking for early adopters to try it for free.