Eyesight going downhill. How do you cope?

neilm

neilm

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Isle of Anglesey
Hi.
Getting older now and the old eyes struggle a bit more each day.
How do you other oldies like me adapt and soldier on ?
So frustrating at times. Do you just grin and bear it ?
 
I avoid magnification where possible, but that's becoming increasingly difficult! For fine work, I use a variety of magnifying lenses in the form of magnifying lamps and sometimes magnifying reading glasses. I also use the old-fashioned jeweler's magnifying lenses that clip onto the temples of my glasses and a machinist's "triplet" magnifying lens. It depends upon the job which one I use. I was going to try those fancy magnifying glasses with the LED lights that surgeons and dentists are using now... until I checked the prices! (The one pictured below will set you back over a grand!)

The key to working under magnification in modeling is that you have to have both eyes viewing the magnified field in order to have the depth perception necessary to work in three dimensions. The articulated lighted magnifying lamp is my favorite because it gives me the most room to work below the lens and I don't have to wear anything that I have to look over or take off to see things outside of the magnified field of vision.

It's rarely mentioned that care has to be taken to cover magnifying lenses when not in use! If a magnifying lamp or similar lens is left uncovered, the danger exists that sunlight coming through a window can strike it and create a focused "hot spot" that can cause a serious fire when nobody's around. (Remember "frying" ants with a magnifying glass when you were a kid? :D) The newer models now have a hinged lens cover on them. The old ones didn't.

Obviously, the more important factor in doing fine benchwork is having sufficient light. A brightly lit field for working is every bit as important as magnification! That's one nice feature of the articulated magnifying work lights.

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Magnifiers are my go-to for the fine work, but with MD, the trail gets rougher with time. Doing what I can while I can.
I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger and I wish that I knew what I know now when I was stronger -- Thank you Mr. Stewart.
Allan
 
For me with a beginning cataract the key word is light. This is the (partly) solution for me for less than 50 euros a combination of an aluminum strip (40 x 4 mm) screwed to the sides of my table and a strip of high quality white led light.
Impossible to work without it, even in broad daylight.
(Don't look at the mess on my table. I did clean up last month. :))

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To be honest Bob, I stole the idea from internet. I don't remember where exactly, but just try a search and I' m sure you will find it.

For anyone who is interested to make one, here is what you need:
a strip of aluminum 2200 x 40 x 3 mm and some screws
A sticky LED strip 5 m daylight 24 V
A dimmer
An adapter: imput 100-240 Vac, 50-60 Hz, 1,8 A
output 24 V , 3.0 A

After long use the aluminium strip gets rather hot, but not to a degree that it leads to any danger. Worked for me for years.
 
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I had cataract surgery done a couple years ago for seeing far. I have a 40 watt led light above me and I went on Amazon and purchased a couple different pair of magnifying eye glasses. For $20 you get 2 pair. I got a 3.50 and 4.00 for up close work and they've been great. They fold up and fit in a neat little holder they come in.
 
My local pound shop (think dollar store) sells reading glasses - I don't need them for reading but find a 3.0 pair ideal for close work. I also use a magnifier/LED lamp combo- but more for the light than the magnifier.
 
I am 60 and have increased the lighting on my bench. I also try to carve out time in the morning instead of the evening to do detail work. I also started using flip-up, half-frame Telesight magnifier glasses that my neighborhood jeweler uses. Its like putting on reading glasses. The 2.5 power glasses with the 7" working distance is the one I use the most. I have the 3 power ones as well but they have a 5" working distance and I only use them occasionally.
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I bought a magnifier at Amazon. It has a rechargeable LED light and five different lenses. It works when I need magnification; otherwise I use my reading glasses. I had cataract surgery recently that helped.

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I’m 92. My eyes have been deteriorating for a long time. I’ve had two cataract operations, and my left retina is damaged. I’ve tried all the remedies suggested, but I can now barely see - or manipulate- anything smaller than 3 mm. So It’s difficult to handle small PE fittings, or strop a 3 mm block. I keep losing parts and have to improvise replacements.

I can just about manage if I use a very bright daylight light, an optivisor, and many little jigs. Rigging is particularly hard. I’m having to simplify the rigging on my Vanguard Alert in innumerable crude ways. I’m thinking of going for Pavel Nikitin’s Drakkar kit for my next project. The rigging is comparatively simple, and at 1/25 scale it should be easier to see what is going on.
 
neilm said:
Hi.
Getting older now and the old eyes struggle a bit more each day.
How do you other oldies like me adapt and soldier on ?
So frustrating at times. Do you just grin and bear it ?
Click to expand...
1.There is a logical sequence - optometrist, ophthalmologist.
2. Some "easy" things to consider are - eyeglasses, cataract surgery, corrective surgery on the eye muscles, and probably many new procedures that I am unaware of.
3. Make appointments.
 
neilm said:
Hi.
Getting older now and the old eyes struggle a bit more each day.
How do you other oldies like me adapt and soldier on ?
So frustrating at times. Do you just grin and bear it ?
Click to expand...
I go on Amazon and by the next size of reading glasses. Three for twelve bucks!
Plus 2.75 is a good place for me. I hate working through a magnifying glass and these are a great alternative
 
Roger Pellett said:
Whenever I need new glasses, I also get a second pair of shatterproof shop glasses. Both my regular and shop glasses are prescription bifocals. I do not like working under magnification.

Roger
Click to expand...
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I use lots of light and a ~3 power lighted magnifier for most stuff. But for the tiniest parts, such as the PE benches for this 1:400 Titanic model, I use a 10x binocular microscope shown on the left side of the desk. I’m 73.
 
Ab Hoving said:
To be honest Bob, I stole the idea from internet. I don't remember where exactly, but just try a search and I' m sure you will find it.

For anyone who is interested to make one, here is what you need:
a strip of aluminum 2200 x 40 x 3 mm and some screws
A sticky LED strip 5 m daylight 24 V
A dimmer
An adapter: imput 100-240 Vac, 50-60 Hz, 1,8 A
output 24 V , 3.0 A

After long use the aluminium strip gets rather hot, but not to a degree that it leads to any danger. Worked for me for years.
Click to expand...
A very great idea! Thanks a lot Ab, I certainly will try to make one myself!
 
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