Reply To: Anyone use bifocals or trifocals?
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@GECKODEV Glad it helps. Other things I’ve found helpful, as I do struggle with seeing well:
1. Light. I can no longer get by with ambient light from overhead even though I’ve done a reasonable job lighting the shop. I have a gooseneck LED lamp on my bench that I am constantly moving about and aiming at the work, sometimes just to see, sometimes to change contrast and shadows. Mine looks like the IKEA Jansjo LED Gooseneck, the one with a base that plugs into the wall. I also have an OttLite LED Desk Lamp with Charging Station. It isn’t as versatile because it cannot be aimed, but the color and light quality is better, so when it can be aimed as needed, it is helpful. With patience, it can be found on sale for half off.
2. Donegan DA-2 OptiVISOR, 1.5x magnification, 20″ focal length. This goes over my glasses. I haven’t used it since getting the bifocals, but am sure I will again. I used it with my drugstore reading glasses or with no glasses. I couldn’t have done some of my carving without it.
Old eyes. Feh. But, I’m happy there are workarounds! I’m fortunate to have them. There are times when I feel like I’m guessing rather than seeing and then it is frustrating, but these things have helped enormously. If someone needs this but needs the least expensive way, I’d say the Ikea gooseneck (or similar) plus the Donegan visor along with drug store reading glasses. If the Ikea light isn’t available, or maybe even if it is, one option is a light made by Trond. I have the clip-on version on my bandsaw, but there is a table top version. It gives a wider, better distributed light than the Ikea light. On Amazon, it is called, “TROND Desk Lamp, Bright Dimmable Eye-Caring Table Lamp, 3 Color Modes 7 Brightness Levels, Flexible Gooseneck, Touch Control, Memory Function, Desk Light for Home Office Bedside Task Reading”