Glasses...

[Oscar Avalle]

Ok, once you hit the 50 mark things start to go downhill. I mean the vision of the course. Hank asked me about the numbers on my electronic tach... It seems to me that the numbers and letters in these wonderful screens that we spend our money on become smaller and harder to read... So you revert to glasses... and here is my question to you.

 

Daylight: What sunglasses do you use? I bought some that incorporate correction lenses for nearsightness. But what options to you use?

 

Night: What do you do when you fly at night or when it is cloudy? I use my reading glasses... But it feels strange in particular when you break out at night after an ILS approach.

 

So advice?

 

Oscar

[wiguy]

I use the lower power fixed 'reading glasses' from the pharmacy, and everywhere else. I still get by stock with distant vision. I've gotten to the point of having the reading glasses around various areas, truck, work bench, and packed away more often.

When one needs more than the reader's it's time to check in with the optometrist. I'm surely not an expert there yet.

[Marauder]

Hey Oscar -- welcome to the club! I have several pairs of "cheater" sunglasses. They have a small bifocal (1.25X in my case) area on the bottom which is clear and a sunglass on the top.

I also have a pair that is completely clear but with the bifocal on the bottom.

I also have the stick-owns that I put on my Serengetis. I will post some pictures for you.

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[Marauder]

Here are some pictures. The stick-ons you can get at Aircraft Spruce as well as the site I provided below.

http://www.boomersintheknow.com/avbisunrewic.html

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[chrisk]

I went with "Executive" bifocals.   They have a full flat line across the lenses.  To determine the height of the line, I put reading glasses on and sat in the landing position.  I then put tape (blue painters) across the lenses so it lined up with the glare shield.  For the prescription, I had the eye doctor measure in the dark at the panel distance.  Take the reading glasses and prescription to Sam optical and they will fill them with the line at the tape boundary. --An added benefit of the "executive" bifocals from Sams is that they are cheap, under $100 for the frames and lenses.

 

Anyway, the bifocals are great at night.  I can see the panel perfect and the runway is perfect too.  I had tried progressives, but they just made me feel dizzy.  I had also tried reading glasses, but there was always a bit of juggling with them.  I couldn't see over them, or I couldn't see as much of the panel as I wanted.

[Marauder]

I went with "Executive" bifocals. They have a full flat line across the lenses. To determine the height of the line, I put reading glasses on and sat in the landing position. I then put tape (blue painters) across the lenses so it lined up with the glare shield. For the prescription, I had the eye doctor measure in the dark at the panel distance. Take the reading glasses and prescription to Sam optical and they will fill them with the line at the tape boundary. --An added benefit of the "executive" bifocals from Sams is that they are cheap, under $100 for the frames and lenses.

Anyway, the bifocals are great at night. I can see the panel perfect and the runway is perfect too. I had tried progressives, but they just made me feel dizzy. I had also tried reading glasses, but there was always a bit of juggling with them. I couldn't see over them, or I couldn't see as much of the panel as I wanted.

Progressives are rough for me as well. I have perfect distance and I tried a progressive to clear. Just didn't work. Too much distortion.

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[bonal]

I also have the stick-ons that I put on my Serengetis. I will post some pictures for you.

Me too (now I am worried) Sadly I have a stigmatism in my R eye so cheaters don't really work great. Thankfully I can still count the tree tops on a hill 20 miles away but inside 2 feet its bad.  I got a pair of corrective prescription bifocals for work that weren't quite right but found they are PERFECT for the flying. What I am finding is eye site is kind of a moving target as your eyes don't just start getting bad and then stop. wearing them did kind of screw up my landings a bit

[Mooneymite]

When you go for your FAA physical, just opt out of the eye machine and ask for the wall chart.

 

Remember this handy phrase:  Def Po Tec.

 

It happens to be the line you gotta see on that standard chart.  DEFPOTEC

 

 

Wear whatever glasses you need to see, but pass the physical with ease!

[Marauder]

When you go for your FAA physical, just opt out of the eye machine and ask for the wall chart.

 

Remember this handy phrase:  Def Po Tec.

 

It happens to be the line you gotta see on that standard chart.  DEFPOTEC

 

 

Wear whatever glasses you need to see, but pass the physical with ease!

 

I'm one of those who have no issues reading unless the light is too dim. Well, it wasn't on my last physical. 

[bonal]

I'm realistic enough to accept the age issue but starring at a computer monitor for the past 20 plus years has not helped.  I keep trying to remember to do my eye exercises they do help when I remember to do them.

[Piloto]

Yes Oscar after 50 is downhill but after 60 is free fall with cataracts. 

 

José

[cujet]

I'm 51 and now need glasses. My prescription is +1.75 in both eyes (for distance) and +3.00 in both for reading. 

Up until my mid 40's, focus was not a problem at any distance as I had enough focus accommodation. I'm hyperopic. 

 

I am also an avid amateur astronomer, so I have a basic understanding of optics, and especially understand what good optics can do for you. 

 

Here is my solution: (It works wonderfully at my age) 

 

I use +2.25 contact lenses. At my age, my eyes have about 1+ diopter of accommodation. I use this "overcorrection" to my advantage. I can focus close and far without any issues. It simply took about 2 weeks to be fully adapted to the strong contact lenses. This won't work when I get older, as my eyes will soon lose the little ability they now have to focus. I've been doing this for 6 years now with great results. 

 

I've suggested this to a couple friends, and some have had good results with it. Simply use daily contact lenses (they are thinner and for me, more optically accurate) that are +.25 to .5 diopter "higher" than your prescription. Note: I started out with 2.0's and moved up to 2.25's over time. 

 

I also have prescription sunglasses with readers and conventional bifocals. My landings are far better with contacts.... And, better still, I can more easily transition from instruments to outside with the contacts. 

[TTaylor]

I have slowly gone from the stick-on and hardline bifocals to a good pair of progressive bifocals.  I had my main glasses done in transition lenses that darken in sunlight with progressive bifocals.  After a little time for adjustment I now like the progressive bifocals because they are nearly infinite in focal length.  I just move my head slightly and different ranges in the cockpit are in focus.  Not cheap but I can fly the Mooney and my glider without any problems and I can see near and far instruments on the panels.   I use a pair of clip on Solar Shield sunglasses that match my frames if I am flying in real bright conditions ($10 or less at drugstore or eBay).  Yes, it is hell getting old, but as they say it beats the alternative.

[Mooneymite]

I have slowly gone from the stick-on and hardline bifocals to a good pair of progressive bifocals.....

 

 

Yes, I like my progressives, too, but I've started voting for Democrats because everything looks progressively fuzzy.  

[kmyfm20s]

I just started to have to use cheaters. I went to Costco and bought a bunch to put everywhere. I started to think I was losing my mind with my vision because I couldn't find them in the places I was putting them. I finally figured out my 5 year old daughter was picking them all up and playing Librarian with them. Thank God I'm not losing my mind too!

[Marauder]

I just started to have to use cheaters. I went to Costco and bought a bunch to put everywhere. I started to think I was losing my mind with my vision because I couldn't find them in the places I was putting them. I finally figured out my 5 year old daughter was picking them all up and playing Librarian with them. Thank God I'm not losing my mind too!

Too funny! I have done the same thing. But I'm the guy who tends to move them to one location and then I need to distribute the 9 pairs again.

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[carusoam]

I put in the effort as did Chrisk....

Delivered dimensions/distances of the instrument panel, both plane and automobile to the eye Dr...

It would probably be good to have the line...

I went with the progressives.

Woke up one day, forgot they were there. Haven't remembered since....

Was this an eye discussion or a memory talk,

-a-

[jlunseth]

I have three pairs that I use. Two are Ray Ban aviators that are custom made, the difference between them is that the shading on one is quite dark and on the other is medium brownish for overcast days. Part of the vision issue is that we have fewer rods and cones as we age, and thus we do not see as well in dark conditions, and the instrument panel is dark compared to the view out the window. So my glasses are progressives in two ways, one the prescription in the top is for distance vision and in the bottom is for "computer" distance, that is, a magnification that works for things that are at arms length or a little further. Like sitting at your desk looking at your computer. The other progression is that the tops are dark and the bottoms are clear, adjusting for the light difference for the view out the window and the darker view on the panel.

This combination works best in a tall lens, that is tall top to bottom, and not in a short lens. The progression does not work well. The Aviator frame is ideal.

When I figure this out I had a clear pair made without any shading. They were not made using the Aviator frame, but a frame that is nearly as tall. I use those at night, especially for night landings.

The combination works excellently, veery close to when I had young eyes and 20/10 vision, and I get compliments on the Aviators quite often.

[mikerocosm]

I use exactly one pair of glasses/sunglasses for flying/driving/everything else outdoors, and these are clear, unshaded, lined trifocals (which I've needed for years, and of which I get the so-called flat-top 10x35s, but executive-style is great if all you need is bifocals) behind flip-up dark lenses mounted on springs and held down by magnets in the Scheyden Dual-Rx Titanium frames. These are still rigid and have shown no problems after four or five years of daily use. The prescription lenses can be updated as needed, assuring that you can see the panel as well as possible, and being able to just flip the sunglass part out of the way as needed is pure gold. You lose no visual acuity, even for a second, but you can see your iPad on your lap, or accommodate a turn into the sunset or whatever with a simple flip with your finger. Regular glasses for inside, the Scheydens for outside, especially for flying and driving. I really like them and I've been very happy with the quality, and the service from Scheyden. This is not a paid recommendation, but do tell them I sent you.

 

Mike