I like these Flip N Focus magnifiers. Always right where you need them. I found the hat clips always required me to move my head or hat. Reading glasses in front of my sunglasses wasn't very elegant. But buy them at your local shop, Amazon link for illustration only.
Ill tell you what I did when I first needed magnifier assistance, and I have been been happy with my vision situation for the last 15 years(im 60 now). I went to my eye doctor, and got a prescription for both far and reading glasses. I didnt really need much as far as distance goes, but a little helped me with the 200 yards plus stuff. I then had my optician craft me a pair of polarized sunglasses with a tiny bifocal/magnifier in the very bottom of the lens. The magnifier is completely out of my line of sight normally, but when I need to tie on a fly (or write down a golf score), I position the fly in the lower field of vision and look thru the bifocal. It works great. Now, these were expensive glasses. But I have worn them constantly when outside or driving and I dont regret spending the money at all, as it has made my life easier.
"Fishermen are born honest, but they get over it"
Ed Zern
i like to use the ones o clarkie gave the link to. the visor clip-ons are hard to get the fly and glasses in the right location to tie andif you move your head or eyes to get something out of the vest you start all over again.
We have done a pretty good job of explaining why he should be a professional, we are different in our needs and desires.
Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!
For only a few bucks you can find a pair of really cheap readers at a drug store or dollar store and try them out. (I found a pair for $3 recently.) They come in a lot of different magnification strengths so you may want to try a couple of different ones. Different ones are better at different focal lengths, and the best strength for reading distances may not be what you prefer for closer work like tying flies or tying flies to tippets. Carrying readers around isn't as convenient as a clip-on for your hat, but you can use the cheap ones to find the best strength for your particular need before buying something more convenient like a clip-on or bifocal sunglasses. (And you can always hang them around your neck like a librarian when you don't need them.)Originally Posted by markgraumlich
Once you find a strength you like, yes, you can get non-prescription sunglasses with bifocal magnifiers. I got mine at Bass Pro for about 20 bucks. They are good for reading at the beach, too.
Last edited by moucheur; 02-13-2013 at 11:27 AM.
I'm not an expert by any means, however, it sounds to me as if your eyes are having to work very hard to focus on the up-close work of tying on the fly. Then it takes a while for them to "re-focus" at a distance. My advice would be to get a pair of reading glasses at the dollar store and see if wearing them while tying on the fly puts less strain on your eyes and, therefore, easier to get your distance vision back. This "experiment" will only set you back $1.00. That will help you decide on your next step whether that be a prescription of some sort or sunglasses with magnifiers, or whatever.
I will add that, like many folks, once I hit my 40's, it became obvious that bifocals were in order (I had been wearing glasses since grade school and contact lenses since college). I now wear "multi-focal" contacts (somewhat like bifocal glasses but work a bit differently. They are GREAT for everyday use. However, I still struggle with seeing clearly at very close distances like tying on a fly. Since I started putting on a pair of dollar store reading glasses OVER my multi-focal contact I can tie on a fly in half the time and it really has increased my enjoyment of fly fishing.
Last edited by Royce; 02-13-2013 at 01:20 PM. Reason: addition
I'm not trying to be difficult here, but I'm not sure why so many people think I should go to a doctor? If my vision works well overall, is he going to do anything that is really different than me just buying either reading glasses, or the glasses with the magnifiers on the bottom?
Most likely, you are correct, he will just tell you to go get some inexpensive reading glasses. However, there is the risk that something more serious is causing your vision problems.
If you haven't had an eye exam in years and you've started having vision problems, an eye exam would be a wise move.
Mark, I'm not a doctor of any kind. I reco'd an eye exam because I had not heard of people with the specifics you noted before -- slow to be able to focus after doing close-up work. Most of the folks I know who get by with just readers do it just in order to focus on close up work. They don't cost much. Why not get the peace of mind? Plus you get a base reading for any future exams.
In my first professional eye exam, I learned that I had had far vision all my life, so never had a problem reading an eye test chart. But I was developing astigmatism that needed correction. I could have gotten by with just reading glasses for a few years, but went for prescription glasses and am glad I did. Among other things, they made it much easier to drive after dark.
For the record, John I am not insisting that Mark get an eye exam. I am merely recommending it. I've met Mark and know him to be a bright man. I am offering him my advice only because he asked for it by starting this thread. It is totally up to him, and no skin off my back, if he chooses to follow it or not.
I'm old enough to be Mark's father. I've given him the same advice I would give to one of my sons. That definitely does not mean that my advice is right or worth following; only that it is the best advice I can offer.
The downside of seeing a professional on this and havingh him/her tell you you have no problem is merely the cost of the "wasted" exam. The downside of not seeing a professional could be much greater.
Not arguing, just clarifying.
Brad
Last edited by oldfrat; 02-15-2013 at 08:55 AM.
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