Glasses?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have been quite lucky, making it 50 years without needing glasses, but all good things must come to an end.  I just picked these up an hour ago and I'm trying to get used to them.

I don't actually need glasses, but these are helping.  So far they are just readers and I am amazed that they don't just enlarge things so much as they enhance them. 

I am trying to get used to them, and also trying to decide what to do with them.   

My conundrum is this- these are readers and I am concerned that I likely won't have them when I need them.  I often read in the evening and so these will probably be on my nightstand as I am trying to read fine print on engineering plans at work, not doing me any good.

My options are:

Find a way to carry them in a safe manner everywhere I go, which means I'd like to know what EDC options you all have.  After all, I can't imagine I'm the only person here with reading glasses

Get another pair of progressive lenses that have readers at the bottom and deal with my astigmatism everywhere else.  Naturally that is a much more expensive option, but I think it may be the way I need to go.   

Anyways, this is all very new to me, so any input or advice anyone has would be much appreciated.   

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Well congrats on making it this long, I’ve had a couple which I just think the optometrist was just trying to collect insurance, but these I need, it could very well be the Rx, back in the day I was on a Rx which gave me a blurred vision so I had a pair, but now anything up close I can’t read, further then 5ft nada prob, but any closer forget it, without these I gotta struggle holding it at an arms length and can’t make it out!
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

Thanks buddy.  I am also quite surprised I made it this long, but as I have already had the biggest phone on the market, I think it was time to throw in the towel.   

I have pretty much decided that I am going to have to get the progressive lenses and wear glasses all the time as these readers only seem a bit too inconvenient for constant use.  Unless I am going to wear them down on my nose, which I feel is pretty uncomfortable (at least so far) I am going to have problems with these.

I looked up from the computer and the long distance distortion was quite unnerving, akin to a drug trip.... not that I'd know what that's like.... 

It also occurred to me that these may help flying drones, at least as long as I am looking at the screen.  The second I try to look up at the drone the readers I have are going to really be in the way, so again, down on the nose wear.

I hate the idea of wearing glasses all the time when I don't actually need glasses, but I feel like it is going to be way more frustrating to not have them when they'd be handy, or be constantly switching between my glasses and sunglasses etc.  I am feeling like just getting the self darkening lenses (I think they are called Transitions?  That may be a brand though...) and glasses I just wear all the time might be a better choice.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Oh, and these are prescription reading glasses.  I figure I have insurance, might as well use it.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Yeah I can’t wear these all the time, cause everything in distance looks blurred, in the pic the glasses are slid down a little so as I sit here I can focus down at my iPad, yet since we’re also watching tv I just look up a little and the glasses are below the tv making it totally clear, and yeah being insurance you might as well get what your paying for, kinda like me, each year I can get a new pair, so I got my new pair in the living room(which I’m using) the older pair in the bed room, the pair before that in the dining room and even the pair before that in the bathroom, lol.. but idk about carrying them everywhere, I have to carry a pair of sunglasses because my eyes are so sensitive to light, and always wearing a pocket-t there perfect, but not for two, yet if we go for a ride with our neighbor and decide to stop and eat the freaking menu is crazy, I have to hold it at an arms length to see if I can even read it, I can’t win,
JR

[Whoey]

Going on something like 25 years for me now... I think they make me looking smarter than I actually feel most of the time. In my case it's for long distance not short.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I can still read the copyright notice on an eye chart from thirty paces, but not as easily as I used to. 

That's sort of what frustrates me about wearing glasses all the time- I don't need them all the time.  But I need to get over that and think of them like any other EDC item.  I don't always need my SAK, but it's always there.

Def

[AzteCypher]

I was told I needed bifocals at the beginning of this year but I couldn't deal with them.  Walking down the stairs annoyed the hell out of me because the bifocals made the stairs look weird and honestly anything where I had to look through the bottom half of my glasses.  That's when I decided to buy these readers on Amazon.  They fold nicely into their case and they are part of my daily EDC whether I leave the house or not.

https://a.co/d/4myIJxF

[MadPlumbarian]

I can still read the copyright notice on an eye chart from thirty paces, but not as easily as I used to. 

That's sort of what frustrates me about wearing glasses all the time- I don't need them all the time.  But I need to get over that and think of them like any other EDC item.  I don't always need my SAK, but it's always there.

Def

Well back in the day after I was taken off that one Rx that gave me bad vision and I needed glasses, I took the test the optometrist told me I had 20/15, I was like is that bad, he was like no any better and you could read the “made in Taiwan” label on the bottom of the board! Yet here I am again, distance is sharp as a tack yet up close looks like when the kid was young and scribbled!
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

I forgot them at home when I went to work today.   

Sure it's my first day back but I feel like this is going to be a common problem.

It's feeling more and more like I should have gotten the progressive lenses and just wear them all the time.  It seems like if they are on my face they are less likely to be broken, lost or forgotten.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

  it’s the first day, relax..it will happen!
JR

[andywork]

In a few months time, I’ll be a fully paid-up member of ‘Club Hawaii (5-0)’ too.

I’ve also just got my first pair of glasses as well.
Though, mine are for long distance. Very long distance.

I can see a number plate (license plate) from about half a mile away, but I can’t see my mobile phone (cell phone) with them on at all.

I’m interested in a way to carry them too as I’m just stuffing them in a sling bag, at the moment.
I can see them getting crushed pretty easily in there, unless I get a hard case of some sort.

I look forward to some of the helpful replies about the different carry options.

(Though, I have just seen they make “tactical” glasses cases) 

[gregozedobe]

I bought some "Thinoptics" and stuck the case onto the back of my phone.  That way I have them with me wherever I am away from home.  I use regular reading glasses at home.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've got them with me today and I am seeing even more reasons for switching to progressive lenses.  Mostly because I am constantly (about a hundred times an hour, no exaggeration) switching from looking at my notebook or laptop screen to looking up at people working or driving by. 

The readers are nice for seeing stuff up close but a real pain in the ass for looking at distances.  I also find them quite uncomfortable when down on my nose to try and manage both.

Def

[PitCarver]

I've had to use cheaters for more years than I care to remember.   I now have a pair almost everywhere I might be.  I keep a pair of folding readers, from Foster Grant,
https://www.fostergrant.com/gavin-fold-flat
that always stay in my phone case.   The local Walgreens had them on a buy one get one free deal awhile back.

Don't think I can complain too much.  At 66 my distance vision is still good.  Had zero issues with my tests to renew my driver's license last year.
I am thinking though that we need to get a larger television because every time there's some of captioning it's nearly impossible to read.

[MadPlumbarian]

Well I must say the glasses came in handy today, I actually took them outside because the kids car had a prob, the brake switch under the dash went, not only did I have to find it but get up under the dash, oh yeah I was sitting on the drivers seat, but my feet were in the back seat, as my head was under the dash! Trying to focus on finding everything was a pain, the kid would just stand there and pass me everything or take everything as I handed it back, without the glasses forget it, everything just looked like a bunch of mechanical stuff weaved around..
JR

Here’s a pic, you can see my hands and the one you see with the door open is my right hand, so I’m under there!
JR

[gustophersmob]

I've been wearing some sort of vision correction for over 25 years, mostly glasses.  I spent about 5 years messing around with contacts, but just could never get on with them and went back permanently to glasses about 15 years ago.

My vision is the opposite of yours, Grant.  I can read the "authorized signature required" writing that makes up the signature line on a check (cheque) without glasses, but can't see clearly more than 20-30 ft away without correction.

My solution has always been to get glasses that were narrow enough I could look under them to read, but that style/size is really hard to find.  The ones I've had the last few years I need to take off to read, which I find more annoying that I probably should.

Oh well, getting older isn't for the weak, I suppose.

Edit to add:
Its kind of funny, in all my years thinking about multitools, SAKs, watches, and EDC gear in general, I've never thought that much about my glasses.  But they are one thing that it would be legitimately difficult to function without.  Maybe I should get a backup pair...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes, getting older is an inconvenience that has been denied to too many.  I may be a bit frustrated trying to figure out how to carry and wear them, but if that's the worst problem I face I figure I'm doing pretty darned good.

I'm basically at an "all or nothing" point with glasses now.  I feel like I'm not likely to use them much, except possibly in bed, which is about the only place I read that I don't also look around.

For everything else, I can still see well enough to read most things, although I'll admit I struggle on fine print.  It's still doable though, and in a worst case scenario I can simply use the camera on my phone to magnify things as I have been doing.

My big concern with that plan is eye strain, and making things worse by not wearing glasses when I should.

So, the solution seems to be to get a pair of glasses that I just wear all the time.

Def

[andywork]

[…]

I looked up from the computer and the long distance distortion was quite unnerving, akin to a drug trip.... not that I'd know what that's like.... 

[…]

I’m struggling with a similar problem at the moment, but only when I look down. Though, I can’t find out why it’s happening.

Perhaps looking through the lenses, away from the optimal viewing angle, could distort the image as it refracts through the glass?

For example, when I look down, both my feet and the ground appear a foot (30cm) closer to my eyes than normal.
I feel as though as soon as I look down I’ve shrunk a foot (30cm) in height. And at 5’ 6” (168cm) I’m short enough as it is. I don’t need to feel shorter.

And it makes it impossible to judge the heights of kerbs (curbs) and steps as I’m staggering down the street.

Maybe that’s why they are called “glasses” because it makes you feels like you’ve had a few glasses of something when you’re wearing them?   

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hahaha I know exactly how you feel!

I don't need my glasses for things like working at the computer, but they do make it easier.  That is, until I lean back in my chair and everything distorts and disappears!   

I have been trying to force myself to remember them and use them, but as I can do just about everything without them, I am often left wondering if I really needed to bother.

Def

[powernoodle]

I don't know about elsewhere, but here in The Colonies you can get glasses very inexpensively at zennioptical.com.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

I did it- I went and got regular glasses and now I am wearing them all of the time.

Well... since yesterday afternoon anyway.   

I am having trouble getting used to tilting my head to focus things by finding the right magnification for the right thing I am looking at, but I am sure that will come with time.

It is a very bizarre feeling.

I also got the Transitions lenses (or whatever they call them) so they will darken when I am outside.  Megan says that is just for old people and doesn't think she likes it, but I'll give it a shot.  Allegedly they can remove that if I don't like it.  I do like not having to also switch to sunglasses, or as happens more often, I forget my sunglasses.   

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I kept trying to clean my glasses and couldn't realize why there was a film on them after repeated cleanings.

I don't want to admit how long it took me to realize the issue.   

Def

[gregozedobe]

I kept trying to clean my glasses and couldn't realize why there was a film on them after repeated cleanings.

I don't want to admit how long it took me to realize the issue.   

Def

 

I guess you needed clean glasses to be able to see what the underlying cause of the problem was.  You probably won't make that same mistake again.

[fullbreakfast]

I hate the idea of wearing glasses all the time when I don't actually need glasses, but I feel like it is going to be way more frustrating to not have them when they'd be handy, or be constantly switching between my glasses and sunglasses etc.  I am feeling like just getting the self darkening lenses (I think they are called Transitions?  That may be a brand though...) and glasses I just wear all the time might be a better choice.

Def

Speaking as someone who has worn glasses all the time for about 45 years now: you’ll soon get used to it and won’t see it as a problem.

I compare my situation to that of my wife, who wears glasses only for certain things. She is always putting them down and nearly every single day they are mislaid and one or both of us has to spend time hunting for them. I never mislay my glasses, because if I’m not in bed or in the shower, they are right there on my head. I know which of these things is the more convenient.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've managed to keep mine on most of the time, unless I am doing something like working on the cottage where they could get damaged.

I've only forgotten them and gone to work without them once this week, which is pretty good, at least for me.  I keep my readers in the truck for when I do forget to wear them, and then I forget those are readers and I get out of the truck only to find the world very messed up!

 

Def

[RobertMcc]

I just buy mine from like Zenni Optical. Why pay 400$ just to break them, or mess them up working in the Garage.

I just hate you need glasses to see, but you spend most of the time, with dirty glasses as they never stay clean.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have invested in a case of isopropyl wipes.  I hate producing that much waste but I have a heck of a time keeping them clean otherwise.

Fortunately I don't need them, they just make things a little easier to see.  I'm at the point now where I barely forget them at home once a week, so progress!   

Def

[Jack the Zipper]

I don't even remember NOT having glasses, so that means I've had them for 50+ years. They grow on you, you stop paying any attention. When you get a new pair, everything looks clear and sharp for some time, then they get scratches, your vision deteriorates (or sometimes improves, who knew) when you get older, and you get used to the world being blurry again. They're not cheap, but since you have them on all day every day, you don't worry about them, until you break them. My last pair caught a shard of metal from angle grinding - why wear goggles when you have €500 protective lenses on you already... In the army I just went without them, except for target practice, and still managed to get them stepped on by a buddy. Turns out I shoot equally badly with or without glasses! Circa 1988 I wore contacts (and a mullet) for about one month and decided it's too much of a hassle, and went back to steel aviators. Had a brief John Lennon style period as well.

There are amazing offers anytime now, it seems, so I always get two pairs and sunglasses, too. And then I never bring a spare pair.

[Antti Lammi]

I got my first glasses when i was army (20 years ago), it felt first that i cannot use them all the time but when i get out of army those were more than necissity for my life since i was having hard to see far, now when over twenty years glasses has grown on me, i have 4 pair of glasses now, one for daily use, one for spare and one safety glasses for work and one sunglasses