Stick on reading lenses - a sad PIREP.

[Ross Taylor]

Hi MS friends,

I wanted to share my experience with something I really wanted to like.  I bought two pair of these OPTX (Hydrotac) stick on reading lenses to add to sunglasses.  They're sold on Spruce and also on Amazon.  The Amazon reviews are mixed...some love them, some can't get them to stick.  I'm afraid my wife and I are in the second camp.  Neither one of us could get full adhesion of the lenses to our glasses.  It sees that the curve/contour of our lenses doesn't precisely match the form of the lenses, so they wouldn't adhere properly and were not very optically clear (even after removing them, cleaning them, and trying again as instructed).  Maybe your experience will be better than ours, but I wanted to pass this on to the others in my need-reading-glasses-age group.

I do see that Flying Eyes has a model of sunglasses with a built-in reader option, so it looks like I'll go that $190 route instead of these $15 stick-ons.

Ross

[Oscar Avalle]

I use them and they work. I find that you have to put some moisture on the interior of the glass and then pressure them a bit on. 

[Ross Taylor]

17 minutes ago, Oscar Avalle said:

I use them and they work. I find that you have to put some moisture on the interior of the glass and then pressure them a bit on. 

Yup, the instructions are pretty clear about running them under water and pressing them into place, then letting the water dry.  And I even read the instructions (I had to...my wife was watching).    They stuck in the middle for us, but wouldn't stay adhered in a crescent near the top.  Even on the part that adhered, when dry, they weren't as clear as I'd like.  But, I'm glad they work for you!  I have nothing against them and really wanted to love them.

Edit to add:  I just dug through the packaging and there are actually two sets of differing instructions.  One says put a drop of water on the lens, the other (which I followed) says to wet them under running water and apply the lenses under running water.  I'll try the one-drop method and report back...

[MooneyMitch]

2 hours ago, Ross Taylor said:

Hi MS friends,

I wanted to share my experience with something I really wanted to like.  I bought two pair of these OPTX (Hydrotac) stick on reading lenses to add to sunglasses.  They're sold on Spruce and also on Amazon.  The Amazon reviews are mixed...some love them, some can't get them to stick.  I'm afraid my wife and I are in the second camp.  Neither one of us could get full adhesion of the lenses to our glasses.  It sees that the curve/contour of our lenses doesn't precisely match the form of the lenses, so they wouldn't adhere properly and were not very optically clear (even after removing them, cleaning them, and trying again as instructed).  Maybe your experience will be better than ours, but I wanted to pass this on to the others in my need-reading-glasses-age group.

I do see that Flying Eyes has a model of sunglasses with a built-in reader option, so it looks like I'll go that $190 route instead of these $15 stick-ons.

Ross

+1 on the Flying Eyes with reader option.  I recall different reader strengths are available.

I loved mine....... unfortunately they were eaten by a dog !   Bad dog, very bad doggie!! 

[Greg Ellis]

I have a couple of pair of these from Dual eyewear.  I like them.  They are light, comfortable and only cost 70 bucks.

https://www.dualeyewear.com/dual-q1.html

 

[Hank]

2 hours ago, Ross Taylor said:

I do see that Flying Eyes has a model of sunglasses with a built-in reader option, so it looks like I'll go that $190 route instead of these $15 stick-ons.

You can always shop at www.zennioptical.com, and get several pair for half of that price . . . . 

[MooneyMitch]

21 minutes ago, Hank said:

You can always shop at www.zennioptical.com, and get several pair for half of that price . . . . 

Are the zennioptical units designed with flat side arms which help with attenuation like the Flying Eyes or dueleyewear units? 

[MooneyMitch]

34 minutes ago, Greg Ellis said:

I have a couple of pair of these from Dual eyewear.  I like them.  They are light, comfortable and only cost 70 bucks.

https://www.dualeyewear.com/dual-q1.html

 

I’m not reading any information on the Dual sight regarding non-breakable or at least break resistant.  

My Flying Eyes were fairly tough...... except for dog teeth. 

[EricJ]

I tried the stick-on thingies on the inside of a diving mask back when I did that stuff.   Those were pretty disappointing as well.   I seem to recall a dive when they were kinda just sloshing around in the mask, and other dives where they'd move around and be in random spots inside the mask. 

I used sunglasses with the reader built-in for a few years but for me it was only a couple years until my distant vision changed enough that I needed a full prescription, and then I just got prescription sunglasses.   That's been very good for me ever since.

 

[Bolter]

Also needing reading glasses, I got these that are aviation specific:  http://www.av-sun.com/

Note they are a gray gradient tint.  Quality is good, had them for years for flying use only.  Despite thin arms, I still prop them over the ear muffs for a good seal.  

Edited July 10, 2020 by Bolter
fix typo

[Hank]

7 hours ago, MooneyMitch said:

Are the zennioptical units designed with flat side arms which help with attenuation like the Flying Eyes or dueleyewear units? 

They have hundreds of frame styles, look around and see. I get regular glasses and prescription sunglasses [a pair for each vehicle so I never leave them in the other car], but I wear Halos in the plane so really don't know about arm thickness; I generally get thick ones on my sunglasses anyway, so I can tell by feel if I'm wearing them or my regular glasses. 

[steingar]

Big fan of Zenni.  I get progressives at a fraction of the price than I can do at any store with insurance.

 

[MooneyMitch]

3 hours ago, Hank said:

They have hundreds of frame styles, look around and see. I get regular glasses and prescription sunglasses [a pair for each vehicle so I never leave them in the other car], but I wear Halos in the plane so really don't know about arm thickness; I generally get thick ones on my sunglasses anyway, so I can tell by feel if I'm wearing them or my regular glasses. 

 

14 minutes ago, steingar said:

Big fan of Zenni.  I get progressives at a fraction of the price than I can do at any store with insurance.

 

Thank you for these enlightenments.

Ah yes, my optometrist...... my best friend........ I’d be lost without you! 

[Marauder]

I’ve tried the OPTX on my Sergenti’s. I got them to stick okay but found they weren’t optically clear. And even with the 1.25X power, I found the top edge of the bifocal very noticeable and irritating.

Not that I’m a cheap bast$&d but I found the cheap bifocal available at www.boomersintheknow.com work fine and are CHEAP.


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[V1VRV2]

Maui Jim sunglasses makes some of their models in reader. Great glasses!

[Ross Taylor]

An update on this.  After Oscar's comment, and digging to find the second set of differing instructions, I removed the lenses and cleaned them well...then I tried installing them again, but this time with just a drop of water (and not under running water).  They did stick pretty well this way, except for a sliver at the top, but even after letting them dry overnight they're still not clear enough to use comfortably.

Thanks to all who pointed me to other recommendations - I may not need to go the $190 route after all. 

[Hank]

3 hours ago, Ross Taylor said:

Thanks to all who pointed me to other recommendations - I may not need to go the $190 route after all. 

My first Zenni prescription sunglasses (6 years ago) were $25 . . . . I'm still buying more after every visit to the eye doctor. My new daily transition glasses with titanium frames shipped today, $90.    I used to pay more than that just for frames at the eye doctor!

Edited July 10, 2020 by Hank

[Seymour]

With so many booths at Oshkosh, I clearly can't be the only happy customer of https://www.hazebuster.com/collections/acrylic-lens-bifocal-lens-sunglasses   (at less than $90 with the show discount).  

....but I'll be looking into Zenni after my next eye exam, thanks to all the pireps.

Dave

[Missile=Awesome]

Bought my aviation sunglasses from Sporty’s.  $70 bucks.  My stick on’s (free because my wife didn’t use) work great.  I would recommend trying different types to find one that works.  My sunglasses are tinted enough that you can not tell they are there from the outside. (Vanity secure lol)...I really like the tint of the Sporty’s model.  They stay on well too. (Both reader stick on and sunglasses)

[flyboy0681]

I've been using OPTX so long that my first order was for 1.25's - now I'm using 2.50. After all of these years I still swear by them.

[carusoam]

The fun part of aging eyeballs...

as we age... the eyeball changes shape...  Either gets flatter, or it is getting rounder...

As much as our close in focus needs more help, its distance focus is getting equally better...

There seems to be a balance in the eye world.... 

Fear not going to the Eye Dr...  

PP thoughts only, not an eye dr...  just the owner of a pair of old, unmodified, Mark I eyeballs....
 

Best regards,

-a-

 

 

[Vno]

I have bought from this company.   If you only need cheaters then this might work.

https://www.readers.com/reading-sunglasses.html

 

Brian

[Skates97]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:10 AM, Vno said:

I have bought from this company.   If you only need cheaters then this might work.

https://www.readers.com/reading-sunglasses.html

 

Brian

For anyone looking, they have a current promo going that is good either through midnight Pacific time either today or tomorrow (depending on which part of the website you are looking at). I was going to just buy a pair of sunglasses, but the promo is three pair for $30 so I figured I would get a couple different sunglasses to see what I like and a pair of clear ones to wear at night. Why not if they are $10 each?

Code: MIX30

"Coupon code valid only on purchases made before midnight PT on July 24, 2020. Items eligible for coupon code must be in-stock at time of purchase and priced between $10 and $25. Coupon code may not be applied to prior purchases, Friday Deals of the Day items, or combined with any other coupon codes, vouchers, discounts, or offers. Applicable taxes still apply. Quantities are limited."

[Marauder]

For anyone looking, they have a current promo going that is good either through midnight Pacific time either today or tomorrow (depending on which part of the website you are looking at). I was going to just buy a pair of sunglasses, but the promo is three pair for $30 so I figured I would get a couple different sunglasses to see what I like and a pair of clear ones to wear at night. Why not if they are $10 each?
Code: MIX30
"Coupon code valid only on purchases made before midnight PT on July 24, 2020. Items eligible for coupon code must be in-stock at time of purchase and priced between $10 and $25. Coupon code may not be applied to prior purchases, Friday Deals of the Day items, or combined with any other coupon codes, vouchers, discounts, or offers. Applicable taxes still apply. Quantities are limited."

Thanks for this! I scratched my favorite pair and was having issues finding a suitable replacement (I wear a large frame). Had what I needed.


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[Ross Taylor]

Thanks @Skates97 - I just ordered 3 pair and sent my wife there, too.  Appreciate the pointer!