Author Topic: Interesting Eyeglasses  (Read 1682 times)

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Offline trapeze

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Interesting Eyeglasses
« on: August 16, 2011, 12:28:03 AM »
Some of us wear eyeglasses. I'm one of them. Been wearing them since I was nine.

Right now I wear a set of progressive lenses made of glass. I hate plastic lenses because they scratch easily...even the scratch resistant ones...which is very irritating. I've tried contact lenses and have never been able to get used to the feeling of having something foreign in my eye. I am very hesitant to try surgery because I am concerned that my eyes will change yet again after I've shelled out several thousand.

I recently became aware of what are now called SuperFocus eyeglasses. These are an interesting design where you are able to adjust the focus of the glasses by way of a slider mechanism built into the bridge between the lenses. The mechanical design dictates the shape of the lens (round) so there is basically one frame and one frame only. Sort of the John Lenon or Harry Potter look.

I am not sure if they would be for me, though. I am not sure that I would like to constantly be adjusting the focus of the lenses for various applications (reading, computer use, driving, etc.). There is supposed to be some advantage to being able to see everything clearly through all parts of the lens but I have to wonder if that is matched or out-weighed by the need to refocus them when you look at something else.

They aren't cheap...$600 to $750 for the frames and $80 to $180 for the lenses. They have a 30-day trial where you can send them back if you don't like them but I hate to do stuff like that.

Here is the promotional vid from their site:



Anyone know anyone with these things?
« Last Edit: August 16, 2011, 01:39:30 AM by trapeze »
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2011, 05:50:44 AM »
http://www.superfocus.com/

The issue of eyeglasses is a pet peeve of mine.  Like the gentleman in the vid mentioned, I have two pairs of glasses; one for reading/close work and another for mid-distance, couch to tv, and they help while driving.

Bi-focals made me nuts because of the need to move my head and were worse than useless in some postures.  Plus, the lenses are no longer made with full field of vision across the bottom for reading; the "experts" have shrunk that to, at most, a 3/4 field in the center; at the least, a small dot.

Forget progressives!  I want to know who decided that the best design was a narrow field of focus right up the center of the lens, which is why looking through right/left of the thing was so heavily distorted that one is constantly moving one's head instead of just one's eyes, which is the natural way we use our eyes!!  I instantly couldn't tolerate them, despite being assured that I would "get used to them".  Feh.

In the evening, I sometimes sit on the couch with my laptop, with the tv on, wearing both reading and mid-distance glasses at the same time so I can see the tv and use the computer; Pandora's version of "bi-focals".

The readers are glass, which has begun to pose a problem with frames.  Current fashion (try bucking that!) dictates small frames and the glass lenses don't readily stay in them, but since I wear them constantly, (if they're not on my face, they're hanging around my neck) the wear and tear rules out plastic, although I'm as careful as I know how.

So, these superfocus look interesting to me too.  I don't know that having to use the slider would be a nuisance, but the only way to tell would be a trial run.  The round frame shape is not gorgeous either.

I'm going to consider the "risk-free trial".  And thanks for bringing them to our attention.
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2011, 06:42:47 AM »
I hate progressives (even the glass kind!) and bi-focals...since I am near-sighted, I usually work/read without and only wear straight prescription lenses for distance, period.  Anything in my eyes irritates me, so contacts have never been an option, especially after seeing my sister struggle with different types and all the cleaning and stuff over the years until she had her Lasix.  I'll consider Lasix (if I have the time, if TSHTF is a ways off, if I feel like it)...
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2011, 06:56:49 AM »
I had 20-20 vision all my life... until I turned 40. It's gone steadily downhill for 8 years, and it is a constant source of annoyance. I'm still sure I see better than most people my age, but I can remember seeing clearly like it was yesterday, and I miss the heck out of it. The horizon, rooftops, distant trees, all looked sharp as a razor to me. I could read road signs from far off. Now I need glasses. I can get by without bi-focals, although I have them built into my prescription Ray-Bans for tying fishing line. But like Trap, contacts don't seem like the answer for me, and I'm not sure if lasik surgery is the direction I want to go either, since my eyes aren't terrible.

Mrs. IDP was blind as a bat all her life. She had Lasik in her mid-30s, and it was life-changing - miraculous. She went from absolutely terrible vision - not being able to see much more than shapes in the room - to 20-20 and 20-25.

But for me, I'd be afraid to lose what I have, cuz for all my prior complaints, I realize I can still see pretty good relative to my age.
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2011, 07:44:37 AM »
I could see 20-20 when I was 30.  Unfortunately I saw better than 20-20 prior to that.  At 30 I thought I was going blind!  I haven't weakened too rapidly since, and if pressed I can operate even at significant distance without glasses, but for any definition/clarity I have to have them, especially for driving.  But I can shoot anything man-sized or larger out to 75 yards.  I have no issues with standing pat for now.
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2011, 07:47:46 AM »
I could see 20-20 when I was 30.  Unfortunately I saw better than 20-20 prior to that.  At 30 I thought I was going blind!  I haven't weakened too rapidly since, and if pressed I can operate even at significant distance without glasses, but for any definition/clarity I have to have them, especially for driving.  But I can shoot anything man-sized or larger out to 75 yards.  I have no issues with standing pat for now.

Target shooting is problematic.  I can't line up the sights unless I wear the readers, but when I do, I can't clearly see the target.  The eye doc worked a bit of magic by fitting the right eye with a contact that helps .... when I can get it in.  I don't mind having it in, it's just very thin and floppy and a pain in the eyeass to insert.
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Re: Interesting Eyeglasses
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2011, 07:54:20 AM »
I could see 20-20 when I was 30.  Unfortunately I saw better than 20-20 prior to that.  At 30 I thought I was going blind!  I haven't weakened too rapidly since, and if pressed I can operate even at significant distance without glasses, but for any definition/clarity I have to have them, especially for driving.  But I can shoot anything man-sized or larger out to 75 yards.  I have no issues with standing pat for now.

Target shooting is problematic.  I can't line up the sights unless I wear the readers, but when I do, I can't clearly see the target.  The eye doc worked a bit of magic by fitting the right eye with a contact that helps .... when I can get it in.  I don't mind having it in, it's just very thin and floppy and a pain in the eyeass to insert.

I cheat by riding my glasses slightly down my schnozz at the range, I can peek over and back to glasses for sighting and do it pretty quick.  Plus practicing double-taps helps too.
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