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flip up glasses for detail work

flip up glasses for detail work (post #161487)

gatordoc on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 10:35

General Discussion

Several years ago I discovered that one of my major problems in cutting dovetails was that I couldn't see well enough. My uncorrected vision is great at very short distance (e.g. marking and cutting dovetails) but lousy at distance. My problem is that any glass in front of my eyes decreases my ability to see details. I've tried bifocals, clear glass on the bottom, etc, but no lens is still the best. So I spent a lot of time taking glasses off, putting them on, taking them off, putting them on.

I think what would work best for me is find a pair of flip up glasses, like baseball players use for sun. My idea would be to have my prescription lenses in the flip up and have no lenses in the frame itself. Voila, flip down for distance and safety glasses and flip up for hand-tool detail work. My problem is that I can't find any frames that allow prescription lenses for the flip up part. If you've dealt with this issue succesfully, I'd love to hear about it.

Happy trails,

Steve

optical options (post #161487, reply #1 of 9)

by RalphBarker in reply to gatordoc [original] on Mon, 01/31/2011 - 09:35

You might look at glasses made for watchmakers, and such. Or, talk to your optician about what you need. They likely have sources for special frames that aren't typically displayed for conventional use.

Easily removable glasses for detail work (post #161487, reply #2 of 9)

by hgherb in reply to gatordoc [original] on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 14:45

I do not have an answer for you but am going to post so I can get an email if anyone else has this information. I am a custom painter and have been looking for prescription glasses i can flip out of eyesight with one quick motion for many years now, George

Same probem different purpose (post #161487, reply #3 of 9)

by Ralph Baker in reply to gatordoc [original] on Thu, 10/20/2011 - 07:00

Same probem different purpose -- as a photographer I'm forever lifting my glasses to get a sharper view of the viewfinder. Though I have yet to receive my order, here is the link that I found to solve my problem:

http://hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=...

Cheers,
RGBaker

glasses (post #161487, reply #4 of 9)

by TomHigby in reply to gatordoc [original] on Sun, 11/20/2011 - 18:11

I recommend an optivisor.

Tom

I wear glasses all day (post #161487, reply #5 of 9)

by popawheelie in reply to gatordoc [original] on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 15:12

I wear glasses all day long.But for work i have about five maybe six different

strengths of diopter for different tasks.

There are three different reasons for a given diopter strength and lens style I can think of.

One is the distance to the subject you are focusing on.

One is the size of the object you are focusing on.

One is the level of magnification you want.

For house painting I need the focal plane to be the distance of my paint brush

and the lense needs to be large bacause of the area I am painting.

But for highly detailed work where i am in one place I can up the magnification and

I don't need big lenses.

My diopter goes from 2.0 up to 6.

I also have a magnifying lense on an arm with a light in it.

That brings up the other part of the equation. High levels of light.

I use a portable light that I move right where i want it that is 200 watts.

I guess my point is there is no one pair of glasses that does it all.

I have a drawer in my shop just for glasses.

this where i got my last order. http://www.readingglassesshopper.com/3.50-power-readers-mens-full-frame.html

It helps if the arms are sping loaded and if the nose pads are adjustable.

When i get working i can sweat and you want the glasses to stay put and not slip down your nose.

"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
Will Rogers

Orvis: Flip Focal (post #161487, reply #6 of 9)

by rant in reply to gatordoc [original] on Tue, 11/29/2011 - 14:58

I use these for fly fishing, but they work well for the problem we older folks share with eyesight. And they're not too spendy.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=1269

Best,

Craig

Upside down bifocals (post #161487, reply #7 of 9)

by Endersgame in reply to gatordoc [original] on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 20:53

I have recently joined the ranks of the +40 and need a +1.5 for close up and almost nothing for distance.

I do construction and it's very important that I be able to see where I'm walking. A SV lens allows me to see close but the rest of the world is gone and I'm tripping all the time. A bifocal allows me to see close in the lower half and far in the top half but I still can't see my feet! In construction, most of what I need to see up close is in front of my face, not down by my belly button. When I look down, I'm looking at my feet and I don't need glasses for that.

With bifocals, I've either got my chin jammed into my chest to see my feet and my nose pointed up in the air to see what I'm working on. What I need is no perscription in the botton and put the bifocal in the top of the lens. Am I the first person in the world that needs this? Is it possible?

"fibocals" and visual "lysdexia" (post #161487, reply #9 of 9)

by RalphBarker in reply to Endersgame [original] on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 11:02

"Am I the first person in the world that needs this? Is it possible?"

No, you aren't the first, but you'll probably need more than one pair of glasses, since the "normal" arrangement of bifocal and progressive lenses are designed for book readers. Discuss your objectives with your optician, and they can probably fashion what you need. Upside-down bifocals are often referred to as "plumber's" glasses (i.e. close-focus at the top, for work under sinks, and such), but they wouldn't be suitable for normal wear.

Upside down bifocals (post #161487, reply #8 of 9)