Thread: Bifocal Safety Glasses

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

How do members who need reading glasses manage with Bifocal Safety Glasses?

I agree - a bt tricky

I'm lucky that I have one eye that, provided there is enough light, can still just read 12 point font, but distance vision in that eye is poor.
The other eye is not so good up close, but (once again provided there is enough light) I can read street name signs while driving.
Anything smaller than 12 point and I'm stuffed.

I use a 3D face shield with for most things rather than safety glasses because shields provide much more protection and I can then use my regular glasses underneath but as you said the area of sharp vision is quite narrow.

If I need to see fine detail I prefer to use head magnifiers rather than glasses because of the wider field of view and the ability to magnify detail way more than glasses can. However these are not compatible with either safety glasses or face shields so I'm forever swapping between magnifiers, glasses, shields etc. Also I spend a good proportion of my time walking around the shed looking for where I put then

I have a pair of reading glasses which I usually use at night to read in bed, sometimes I do use these when welding i.e. under then helmet.

I'd be interested in what others have to say about this.

Hi Dean
I suggest you go see your local optometrist. Years ago I had a set of bifocals made with the prescription part on the top insted of the usual location on the bottom of the lenses. More expensive but I ended up with glasses that were useful for the application rather than having to swap glasses frequently.

Roger

The thing with bifocals is that they really need to be done for you by an optometrist. This is not so much getting the two different magnifications right - reckon I can get that right from experience with off-the-shelf glasses. It's because the size (area) of the higher mag areas has to be assessed, and it's position on the glasses, to suit the shape of your face and what you are doing.

Bifocals sure take some getting used to.

I'm in the same boat, when I do welding I find that I have trouble seeing, I use multi focals, with plastic lenses, (my first were glass. big mistake for a welder), to get to be able to see I end up tilting my head back which is most uncomfortable. I'm thinking of getting a pair of glasses that are for close up work, and another for a bit further away. My first pair were Bifocal and I couldn't wait to get rid of them. WoFTAM . I also spend half the time looking for stuff, maybe my trailer is to big 2.5 X 5 X 2.1, fully enclosed with a 3.5 X 1.8 lift up side and 2 X 2.1 back door.
Kryn

The other eye is not so good up close, but (once again provided there is enough light) I can read street name signs while driving.

Both eyes now need assistance for distance vision when driving. Not so much for legality as I think I am still inside the requirements, but to see them dang roos. I want the best vision possible. I have a pair of multifocal safety glasses supplied by work, for work. I think I will try them in the shed. They cost an awful lot of money. Around $700 I think. I have not been game to use them. I have tried them for driving and they are useless. Totally unsafe. No peripheral vision at all. The roos would have a field day.

I am finding that light pays a huge part in the equation. I was doing some welding today, building up a worn part from a ride-on mower deck engagement lever. It had only worn a bit, but it was enough to allow sufficient sag to cause havoc with the belt. I set up a 20w LED spotlight on a broom handle stuck in the welding rod holder (1.25" Galv pipe) on the welding table. Shadows were still an issue in some positions, but the lighting was hugely better than just overhead fluouro's. I have a nice led head light and have started using it for precision type work such as when milling off the weld buildup on the lever above. I have the LED Flood working on my mill now (as mentioned in one of the LED light threads recently), but this lever had to sit in the vice in a way that blocked the light.

I use a 3D face shield with for most things rather than safety glasses because shields provide much more protection and I can then use my regular glasses underneath but as you said the area of sharp vision is quite narrow.

I find face shields fog up, otherwise this would be an option for some situations. I don't know why they fog up but I have this problem a lot at work. We have to wear face shields (Goggles with attached lowere shield) when using caustic for example and by the time I get any distance I am nearly blind. I have a mesh shield which I like but it does restrict vision for close work. Mostly just use it for grinding. I still need glasses tho as grit still gets thru.

If I need to see fine detail I prefer to use head magnifiers rather than glasses because of the wider field of view and the ability to magnify detail way more than glasses can. However these are not compatible with either safety glasses or face shields so I'm forever swapping between magnifiers, glasses, shields etc.

I have a head magnifier as well as numerous cheap loupes, but my main issue is with using the lathe or mill.

Also I spend a good proportion of my time walking around the shed looking for where I put then

I don't think I want to start on that one.

I have a pair of reading glasses which I usually use at night to read in bed, sometimes I do use these when welding i.e. under then helmet.

I carry a pair of cheap reading glasses at all times. These get used under my welding helmet. They also get used as less than ideal safety glasses as mentioned before. I have another pair for bedtime reading as I cannot be bothered to get up and get the other pair out of my pants.

Dean

Dean

It is an old problem and more so for those of us who don't need to wear glasses all the time.

I have to wear safety glasses for my workplace and have prescription glasses made with side shields. My regular glasses have two presciptions: The lower half is suited to reading close up such as a book while the upper hald is for reading at a short distance such as a computer screen.The safety glasses are the same prescription and this work very well for me. However I also have a pair of saftey glasses which have a small magnifier in the lower inside corners and I use these for walking around the plant when I anticipate only being required to read something occassionally. I cannot wear prescription glasses all the time and, for example, don't need them for driving.

Like Kryn, I use them for welding (with the auto darkening helmet too of course ) and would be lost without them.

The catch is that the prescription safety glasses cost around $300 to $400 depending of the specification. It is probably worth hunting around for price. Fortunately for me, my workplace considers them essential safety equipment and coughs up for the cost. The regular safety glasses with the little magnifiers are quite cheap.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

The thing with bifocals is that they really need to be done for you by an optometrist. This is not so much getting the two different magnifications right - reckon I can get that right from experience with off-the-shelf glasses. It's because the size (area) of the higher mag areas has to be assessed, and it's position on the glasses, to suit the shape of your face and what you are doing. .

I've never had any luck with off the rack glasses, one of my eyes is different to the other and I suspect the same is the case for a lot of people but they put up with just being able to see something.

Originally Posted by rogerbaker

Hi Dean
I suggest you go see your local optometrist. Years ago I had a set of bifocals made with the prescription part on the top insted of the usual location on the bottom of the lenses. More expensive but I ended up with glasses that were useful for the application rather than having to swap glasses frequently.

Roger

The thing with bifocals is that they really need to be done for you by an optometrist. This is not so much getting the two different magnifications right - reckon I can get that right from experience with off-the-shelf glasses. It's because the size (area) of the higher mag areas has to be assessed, and it's position on the glasses, to suit the shape of your face and what you are doing.

Cost is a factor here. See my previous post. Those glasses had all the extras tho. Progressive tinting, tough surface finish and multifocal. Maybe I should price some basic bifocals.

I know that your requirements have to be assesed, but the tiny area used for closeup on these common safety glasses is just plain ridiculous. I could manage fine with the bottom half as closeup and the rest plain.

Bifocals sure take some getting used to.

I have already got used to peering over my reading glasses as I move around. That is sort of bifocal isn't it? Problem is I need to look down to avoid tripping over junk. I tried to get used to multifocals a few years ago. Could not do it. It seemed to me that the optometrists tell everyone what the story is and they believe them. See previous statement about driving. I was meant to read by turning my head from left to right with each line! ! I was not going to do that. Normal reading glasses work here. I asked about bifocals with distance vision on top half and plain on the bottom, but apparently you cannot get them like that.

Dean,

My "superceded" glasses were bi-focals for everyday use. The bottoms were for reading and the tops 'sharpened' up my distance sight. They were slightly different grinds for each eye. Now I just use multifocals whenever needed; which is becoming more frequent. I find them good for computer, lathe and mill work with the differing focal lengths. Shed work is hard on them so I get the cheaper ones from spec savers.

Ken

Multifocals are the goods , best thing ever , sometime called computer glasses , choose the two field depths that suite you maybe 30" and 10" and the lens is ground gradually between the two so all you have to do is tilt head slightly and you can find sharp vision all he time , I wear mine on a lanyard and drop them down when walking about , a little expensive but well worth it.

I wear readers ...only need them for reading etc
because they sit on the lower half of the bridge of the nose I find I can use safety glasses behind the readers

Not all safety glasses are comfortable to do this with but I do find that the Bolle Mini B are good for my facial configuration...
I think the mini B are no longer available, but some safety stores still have stocks

A long time ago there were glasses that had hollow lenses filled with a clear fluid and a piston to vary the focal length ...... found them

http://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/variable-focus.htm looks like they arent made any more but may be worth googling for something similar.

May be of interest.

Bill

Originally Posted by stix012

Multifocals are the goods , best thing ever , sometime called computer glasses , choose the two field depths that suite you maybe 30" and 10" and the lens is ground gradually between the two so all you have to do is tilt head slightly and you can find sharp vision all he time , I wear mine on a lanyard and drop them down when walking about , a little expensive but well worth it.

Sometimes I cannot tilt my head back far enough either because my neck doesn't bend that far or I'm restricted in an awkward position and I can't move my head. It's particularly difficult when looking under something because lifting the head takes the object of interest out of view and I cannot get any lower to keep it in view. The worst situation is working under a vehicle or machine where I rely on full range of vision.

This happens way more than I ever thought it would - very frustrating. I'm lucky I can still read 12 point font if the lighting is strong enough and this is why I use lighting in my shed even during the day.

As a small contribution to the discussion I can add that I wear opto-grey bifocals all the time, but found them wanting in a few situations:
- useless when using the auto welding helmet, the two auto darkening features get all at sea, and the head had to be tilted back to get the focus.
- when operating the lathe, a close view tilts the head up too far and the face is a bit too close,
- the addition of a magnifying optical vizor, on the lathe or bench, tilts the head backwards uncomfortably.

I fixed all the problems by getting non auto-grey prescription spectacles with the focus fixed at 600 mm.
These are simply long focal length reading glasses.
I specified exactly what I wanted at the optometrist, who promptly supplied normal reading glasses, and they were very surprised when I returned, pointed out their error and requested an exchange - I think they did not believe the 600 mm number.

The spectacles are situated on a shelf in the middle of the workshop and I frequently swap as required.
The long focus means that I have a comfortable stance at the lathe, they work fine for welding and I can even move around the shop doing general work with them on.
At the electronic bench with the vizors, the difference in comfort is astounding.

Just my way,
John.