Reading the small print

[RevRay]

Friends, I find myself reaching for the reading glasses more often then not lately. I was just wondering if anyone was familiar with a "visor magnifier" stick on lens that would adhere to the lower portion of your helmet visor for reading maps, GPS's, txting, etc.

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Same problem over here.

 

I was wondering about these...

 

http://www.aerostich.com/20-20-close-view-lens-inserts.html

 

 

 

 

Cheap enough to give them a try. I just might soon.

 

Like items elsewhere on the Net...

 

http://www.opticsplanet.net/optx-20-20-readers-stick-on-bi-focals-lenses.html

 

 

 

.

[rdwalker]

Unfortunately, what I did is not a cheap option...

 

I have prescription bifocal lenses in my riding glasses (they are tinted, too).

 

As it was a big $$$ investment, I carefully tried different sunglasses to make sure the tint is just right. Hint: very dark is not good! If in douubt, err on the side of too light.

 

Initially, I told the eyeglass lab that I wanted smooth transition lenses (also, this was the optometrist's suggestion. The glassmaker told me that transitional lenses are not a good idea for me, as the in-between are is fairly big and in my case it would waste a big section of the filed of vision. Now, that I use these for some 3 years, I must agree: in our specific application, true, old-fashioned bifocal are the way to go.

 

I sat on the bike and with Scotch tape I determined where the break line between the tow lenses must be. The ideas was to determine the lense section that faces the maps on the tank, the GPS receiver and the instruments.

 

I made one mistake, though. I forgot thwt the helmet tends to push the galsses forward, on the tip of my nose - and that effectively lowers the dividing line.

 

So, my suggestion:

 

- Use any glasses you have, glue strips of Scotch tape to find out where the dividing line is between close/distant lenses. For the experiment, push the glasses on the tip of your nose. Err on the side of the reading lens covering too much.

 

- The reading lens must be suited for reading characters at about 2-ft distance. Generally, this makes it weaker than your prescription reading glasses, designed for about 1-ft separation.

 

- Spend time determining the correct degree of tint.

 

- you cannot have the self-darkening ("transitional") tint. The process relies on UV part of visible spectrum; UV does not get though the helmet visors. This means that the glasses with not self-darken inside of the helmet.

 

 

- Once you have glasses made, hand them on strap or neck-chain. Leaving them loose will permit them to be dropped and scratched - don't ask how I know.

 

 

[RocketMoto]

Friends, I find myself reaching for the reading glasses more often then not lately.

 

Sucks, doesn't it?

 

I have no experience with the stick-on magnifiers, but I do have progressive lenses. Tough part for me is my prescription is rather strong (nearsighted - very). Contacts I gave up on a long time ago.

 

Finding nice looking sunglasses for me was a real challenge on account of my prescription. At Americade, maybe three years ago, there was an optician there that specializes in sports eyewear. She was very helpful. She fitted me with a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses, made in Italy. These are very popular with bicycle riders. The slick thing is these are wrap-around lenses, but there's a prescription insert behind the tinted lenses. The tinted lenses snap off, so it's a quick change when the sun is setting.

 

Anyhow, Rudy Project online store HERE and Active RX Eyewear is the place that made these for me. Coleen, the owner, has a booth at Americade again this year, her website says.

 

Hope that's helpful.

[RevRay]

Same problem over here.

 

I was wondering about these...

 

http://www.aerostich.com/20-20-close-view-lens-inserts.html

 

 

 

 

Cheap enough to give them a try. I just might soon.

 

Like items elsewhere on the Net...

 

http://www.opticsplanet.net/optx-20-20-readers-stick-on-bi-focals-lenses.html

 

 

 

.

 

Just order a set of stick-ons from optical planet. will report on my findings soon as possible.

[RAN]

I have had this problem since my eyes have gone back to normal for long distance. I tried the stick on lens years ago with total failure. This year I bought the aero. set at a friend's suggestion and going thru the process, ie letting them sit for 12 hours to dry, I pick them up and the bifocal fell off! I since bought several sunglasses at drugstores and all broke or where not too clear in the normal upper part of the lens(?) I recently bought from LL Bean, a pair of fly fisherman sunglasses in 2.00 optic and solved the problem. That is if you want to shell out $130. But after all the other crap, this would have been a better choice.

Allen.