optivisor

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Kind of strayed from the original topic of "…..for working on small parts like tapping 10 BA" etc.

Plus ça change.

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

Just to add to the Optivisor debate.

I'm very short sighted and wear quite thick and complicated (and expensive) specs. These work an absolute treat under the Optivisor. Also, you can "look under" the visor so there is no need to lift it under most circumstances.

I use them all the time with my watchmakers lathe and I no longer get headaches or backache.

As others have mentioned, good lighting helps a lot.

Steve

[Norfolk BoyParticipant @norfolkboy]

Hi John MC,

I am fortunate to get my safety glasses vouchers from work, varifocals. Boots used to do it with BOLLE frames and now we havce switched to specsavers who used to do their own naff frames but now they have a selection of JCB which seem OK. My glasses don't come in for any abuse so when my prescription changed I tried with both companies to get a pair relensed as a spare for trhe workshop, both companies refused, citing they could not gaurentee the safety integrity of the glasses unless it was a new frame.

I wonder where you were able to get yours re lensed. Mine are CR39 plastic I think, kitemarked 5-1.1<2.512SO>

Alan

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Alan, I think you are being conned ! My optician has put new lenses in my frames several times without any problem, they are/were quite expensive flexi frames but even so I think the high street outfits are just pushing another sale.
Optivisor I have used them for many years and use with varifocal lenses — the best product I have found for the job and no worries over H&S ! for me anyway

John

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

Never had a problem getting my optician to relense a frame, as long as the frame is in good condition. Will probably need to buy a new frame next time, the current pair have had couple of repairs now. I use a local (to me) optician "Haine and Smith". The frames are "Mobsen", the lenses are marked MO-1F-CE.

John

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Perhaps Alan couldn't get his lens reframed because he told the optician they were for use in a workshop? If you suffer an eye injury due to wearing ordinary glasses in a workshop – your choice – that's not the opticians fault. If you tell him the glasses are for use in a workshop, he risks taking on liability. Could be his insurance only covers new frames and lenses.

Daytime TV carries many 'no win no fee' accident adverts. Sadly, firms have to protect themselves against specious claims.

If that's what happened, try asking for the lenses to be reframed without specifying what they're for.

Dave

[Norfolk BoyParticipant @norfolkboy]

Hi,

"Perhaps Alan couldn't get his lens reframed because he told the optician they were for use in a workshop? "

No not at all, the glasses are safety galsses with shields, I told them nothing, just asked for a relens their purpose is irrelevant, it was a simple request to the normal staff who know little about what they are talking about, but insist they know more than you do (sorry did I say that out loud my cynicism keeps getting out). They were most adamant.

I will just qualify my cynicism, last pair of (ordinary) glasses at Boots, had the eye test.:-

Glasses made. Turn up to collect, muppet badly mangles arms, I say I cannot see properly, …response our customers find they need to get used to them, …me, the prescription is wrong, argue, argue, …further eye test different prescription. Ok I can now see, but only if I hold my head off centre, lenses not centred properly. Cut the long story, ended up 4 pairs later and I now have the best glasses I have ever had, but how many people are wrongly prescribed, badly made and/or fitted and cannot face the agro and revisits I had to go through. I might try an independant next time.

Alan

Edited By Norfolk Boy on 31/12/2017 21:39:29

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Norfolk Boy on 31/12/2017 21:37:59:

Glasses made. Turn up to collect, muppet badly mangles arms, I say I cannot see properly, …response our customers find they need to get used to them, …me, the prescription is wrong, argue, argue, …further eye test different prescription. Ok I can now see, but only if I hold my head off centre, lenses not centred properly. Cut the long story, ended up 4 pairs later and I now have the best glasses I have ever had, but how many people are wrongly prescribed, badly made and/or fitted and cannot face the agro and revisits I had to go through. I might try an independant next time.

 

…. nice to see some justification. For 40 years I've used the same independent, oriental optician on the grounds that my eyesight is one of the most valuable things I have and I will not skimp on it. This guy is a true craftsman. Once adjusted, his glasses fit – no ifs, ands or buts. I buy the best in lightweight (thin) plastic lenses and frankly I don't know I'm wearing them.

Not that the guy doesn't have the odd deal up his sleeve. I recently had to have new lenses because I put a bad scratch in the old ones with my clip-on sunglasses (entirely my fault). To avoid a repeat, I decided to have self-darkening lenses. He quickly (and honestly) pointed out that these would not darken in a car – but then offered to make me a single-vision (distance) pair with permanently tinted lenses specifically for use in the car for $100 including a very nice frame.

 

Edited By Bandersnatch on 31/12/2017 23:06:18

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Not that the guy doesn't have the odd deal up his sleeve. I recently had to have new lenses because I put a bad scratch in the old ones with my clip-on sunglasses (entirely my fault). To avoid a repeat, I decided to have self-darkening lenses. He quickly (and honestly) pointed out that these would not darken in a car – but then offered to make me a single-vision (distance) pair with permanently tinted lenses specifically for use in the car for $100 including a very nice frame.

Edited By Bandersnatch on 31/12/2017 23:06:18

I once had some Reactolites made up. Then took a group of scouts up a mountain in winter. The fog came down and my glasses went black. Not too easy to see where I was going or read the map. Fortunately my eyesight isn't that bad, without specs I could read the map, and see at least as far as the fog allowed.Turns out UV light that the lenses react to gets through fog, and the lenses sensitivity increases as it gets colder.

Sometime later I decided to get contact lenses as I got fed up of misted up glasses when walking in the clouds. Bad idea. I hadn't realised that I read a map by looking over the top of my distance glasses and my arms weren't long enough to see the map when I had contacts in. Cured by getting some reading glasses to wear over the contacts but you live and learn. However I do think opticians should have pointed out the problems in both cases

[Norfolk BoyParticipant @norfolkboy]

Duncan,

I wore contacts for a while and for outdoor pusuits they are brilliant. You can wear standard sunglasses over. Rain is not a visibilty issue. I used to wear varifocal contacts which whilst not terribly sharp for indoor use, with enough light outside they are perfectly adequate and more convenient than messing about with reading glasses. Sadly I cannot wear them now as I seem to have a dry patch that makes them uncomfortable.

It can sometimes be difficult to gettthe prescription right first time as it does not neccessarily match your glasses prescription. Failing that Mono focals can work well, one in one eye for reading and distance in the other eye, although some people can find it odd.

Alan

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

Resurrecting an old thread here. Why didn't I buy one these years ago? What a revelation. First task was digging out a splinter from my thumb. So much easier. As is lining up centre punch marks, checking drill sizes, etc.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

The only problem really is that you kind of become dependent on them – I'm reluctant to do any small work without them these days. I have the 8" lens (DA5) , plus the loupe. So I was rendered inoperable a few weeks ago when I couldn't find it. The wife had got a thorn in her thumb whist gardening and decided she needed it more than me…

IanT.

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

My eysight is not as good as it used to be and I am considering getting a set of magnifying headset glasses with lights and 5 interchangeable lenses.

Available on Amazon

Amazon link

 

Edited By Paul Lousick on 09/07/2020 23:55:47

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

I use my optivisor for finishing and polishing parts because if it looks good at 2x magnification it looks superb without magnification.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Check with Flee bay Paul, many suppliers for exactly the same thing at much cheaper prices.

Regards Ian.

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

Posted by Circlip on 10/07/2020 11:18:25:

Check with Flee bay Paul, many suppliers for exactly the same thing at much cheaper prices.

Regards Ian.

If you are going to wear them for extended periods I would avoid buying cheaper I have used mine daily for over 15 years perfect but I have put a leather strip where it touches skin and never get any eye strain

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Some of us may recollect a (Panorama?) TV programme coverfing the 'rip-off' operations of Britain's spectacle industry before they became 'optometrists' It was a total racket!. The mark-ups on standard reading glasses were ridiculous and 'specials' were beyond belief. A specialist eye surgeon from Moorfields was asked where he bought his glasses – " Morocco (or similar) at £1.85" One pays one's money and makes one's choices. My only prescription glasses were produced after 3 attempts by an R.A.F. employed, Harley Street 'specialist', the final pair of 'half-eyes' being made up to a 'prescription', copied from my Hong Kong sourced similar, which cost £1.30. That was 35 years ago, so I suppose another visit might be worth considering.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Posted by Cornish Jack on 10/07/2020 12:23:48:

Some of us may recollect a (Panorama?) TV programme coverfing the 'rip-off' operations of Britain's spectacle industry before they became 'optometrists' It was a total racket!. The mark-ups on standard reading glasses were ridiculous and 'specials' were beyond belief. A specialist eye surgeon from Moorfields was asked where he bought his glasses – " Morocco (or similar) at £1.85" One pays one's money and makes one's choices. My only prescription glasses were produced after 3 attempts by an R.A.F. employed, Harley Street 'specialist', the final pair of 'half-eyes' being made up to a 'prescription', copied from my Hong Kong sourced similar, which cost £1.30. That was 35 years ago, so I suppose another visit might be worth considering.

If you are a driver and need glasses for it you may well be driving illegally. I hope they are just for reading.

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 10/07/2020 13:13:52

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

I have "trained" my optometrists to carry out my annual inspection and to supply the prescription.

Then I used to go to a separate supplier who made up the glasses for a far smaller fee and also used my existing frames without trying to sell me a new one. Unfortunately he has now retired but I have found a local source who does the same procedure for me. Interestingly they have a "machine" which measures the frame aperture with moving probe and then proceeds to mill the lens to fit. Even a lesser price with a will not be undercut offering.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I think lenses must be made from the frame as I broke my metal frame and got the lenses dropped into a new frame, one is just a tiny bit loose so I assume there is a tolerance on the frame but the lenses are custom made to the frame aperture.

Mike

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

I've actually seen the lens part of specs being made to fit. In the small grinding machine there was three grade of emery wheels A pattern was selected from a box of plastic patterns to match the frame selected. A pair of sucker, very similar to valve grinding sucker were attached either ide of the lens, the assembly was dropped onto two bearing and an infra red light carried out an alignment. test to locate the lens centre. A stylus followed the pattern as the small assembly was being rotated, the rough wheel remove the bulk of the glass. The operator move the assy to the next stage and finally the third wheel almost polished the edges. Done in about 5 minutes, £8 including frames, free tea if you have to wait. I have been unable to find an optician here in UK who will fit new lenses to my workshop frames. John

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