Spectacles wearers and photography

[Ezookiel]

Ok, I've just broken my glasses, and the script is also so old as to no longer really work for me, so new glasses are on the top of the priority list.
I currently wear multi-focal lenses. The optometrist years ago when I had this pair made, set the middle of the lens for about computer monitor distance due to my job and my use of my spare time, she then set the bottom portion for reading, and top for long -distance etc.

Now that I'm getting back into photography, I"m not sure how this will affect my distinct preference for using the viewfinder over the rear monitor.
I'm assuming if I liked the monitor, then I'd almost need to consider the reading section of the glasses lens for taking photos as it would be most like "reading" to view the very small image on a very close up LCD screen. Whereas using the viewfinder I'm not sure if I should be using the distance portion of my specs, or the reading section, or the middle distance section, and whether I need the optometrist to take this into account when making up the new script and where on the specs they put the specific lens strengths.

How do other spectacle wearers manage and how have they set up their glasses.

[ricktas]

Your viewfinder should have a dioptre adjustment knob. Just use that to adjust the focus in the viewfinder to suit what you need (with or without your glasses on). I wear contacts and if I haven't got them in, I just fiddle with the dioptre knob till I can see.

[Mark L]

I hope this link works, you may find something in here, http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/apgoogle.php
Edit reason:- Nah it didn't work. So just click on the link and search for dioptre adjustment.

[ricstew]

I wear multi focals......you get used to looking thru the correct section. You dont think twice about it......and I much prefer using the viewfinder with the diopter set to me......I will use the monitor on rare occasions........but i dont think about which section of my glasses I am looking thru...... and I buy my glasses in China

[Ezookiel]

I'm aware of the dioptre adjustment, my binoculars have the same thing. I've fine tuned it on the 60D for the moment, but it's still not perfect. I was just wondering if I need to have the optometrist adjust anything on the actual glasses for best results - the way she did with setting the centre of the lens on the glasses to work best at computer monitor distance. I no longer have so much need for the glasses to be set at that distance, so wondering if I should have that set up for something else, like for looking through a viewfinder, which might be hard to do through the top or bottom portions of the glasses. I guess I'll talk to her. She may well know what is needed.

[Ezookiel]

Thanks Ricstew. That's encouraging.

[Bennymiata]

I also wear multi-focals and use the top part of the spectacles to look through the viewfinder.
The reason for this is that when you look through the viewfinder, your eyes focus to infinity so you should be using the distance part of your bifocals to look through.

[jjnic]

I guess it would depend to some degree on how bad your eyesight is? I wear multifocals and never really give a thought to which part of my glasses i look through when taking photos, probably the top, distance, part though.
jj

[leanneqld]

I also wear multifocals and agree with the last 2 posts.....I look through the viewfinder with the distance part of the glasses. Never had a problem doing so. When i use the rear moniter i simply tilt my head back slightly and look downwards at the rear display through the reading portion of the glasses.

[Pine]

Ezookiel I also adjust the dioptre on my view finder and look over my glasses when I take a photo works well.

Its a bitch I had perfect vision until 44 thereafter age took over ..

However you must search around a bit there are crappy multi focals and great ones.

My particular lenses are so good that I can look anywhere near or far, left or right, without noticing what part of the lens is being used.

It gives me perfect vision.

I can even look through the view finder if I wanted to.

If you want to I can get you the name of the particular lens.

Regards

[Pine]

I guess it would depend to some degree on how bad your eyesight is? I wear multifocals and never really give a thought to which part of my glasses i look through when taking photos, probably the top, distance, part though.
jj

Yep same here its all in the lens..

Regards

[Ezookiel]

That would be great thanks Pine. My problem is I have Keratoconus, which is a cone shaped cornea, and for years the only real solution was a hard contact lens - it gives me great vision by pushing the cornea back into a semi-sphere instead of a cone shape, but it also tends to mean that on any dry windy day, I can suddenly lose several hundred dollars worth of lens in very literally the blink of an eye. I gave up after losing way too many over time, and went to glasses, which worked fine (though they resemble the bottom of a glass coke bottle) but multifocals were a disaster. The optometrist has to be particularly familiar with Keratoconus to have a hope of a good result, as the cornea being cone shaped can mean I could sit the test twice in ten minutes, and get two different prescriptions. I'm thinking I'll reconsider contacts again, technology has come a long way in the last dozen years that I've been using glasses instead.
But I can at least talk to her about the lens you've found so successful as part of the process to see what she recommends.

[Speedway]

I'm a cheapskate I use 3 pairs of over the counter readers, 1.5 for normal vision, 2.5 for the computer and 3 for reading and other close work. Cost about $25 a set and I have spares of each. The ones I am using at the moment are nearly 3 years old and are nearly ready to throw out because of scratching. The computer ones are still ok as they just sit on my desk till I need them.
Keith.
PS I checked with an optometrist a few years back and was told if they work, go for them as both my eyes are the same.

[Pine]

That would be great thanks Pine. My problem is I have Keratoconus, which is a cone shaped cornea, and for years the only real solution was a hard contact lens - it gives me great vision by pushing the cornea back into a semi-sphere instead of a cone shape, but it also tends to mean that on any dry windy day, I can suddenly lose several hundred dollars worth of lens in very literally the blink of an eye. I gave up after losing way too many over time, and went to glasses, which worked fine (though they resemble the bottom of a glass coke bottle) but multifocals were a disaster. The optometrist has to be particularly familiar with Keratoconus to have a hope of a good result, as the cornea being cone shaped can mean I could sit the test twice in ten minutes, and get two different prescriptions. I'm thinking I'll reconsider contacts again, technology has come a long way in the last dozen years that I've been using glasses instead.
But I can at least talk to her about the lens you've found so successful as part of the process to see what she recommends.

Have considered laser treatment that could reshape your cornea?

Regards

[Pine]

I'm a cheapskate I use 3 pairs of over the counter readers, 1.5 for normal vision, 2.5 for the computer and 3 for reading and other close work. Cost about $25 a set and I have spares of each. The ones I am using at the moment are nearly 3 years old and are nearly ready to throw out because of scratching. The computer ones are still ok as they just sit on my desk till I need them.
Keith.
PS I checked with an optometrist a few years back and was told if they work, go for them as both my eyes are the same.

I have on occasion broken my glasses on holiday and that has also been my interim solution until back at home and my optometrist.

Regards

[Ezookiel]

Not sure on the laser resurfacing, that's fairly new, but when I was first diagnosed, there was a treatment called Radial Keratotomy (sp?) that was discovered by accident by a Russian who had a pair of glass specs broken into his eye. The broken glass scratched around the outside of the cornea, but not the centre, and he found after it healed, that he no longer needed glasses. They found that by creating a series of cuts around the outter edge of the corner, the scarring swells or shapes the cornea back into a semi-sphere. I'm pretty sure there are better options now, but haven't really investigated them. I'd love to investigate the options, but I'm too broke from buying a camera to afford the surgery now

[Bennymiata]

They now use lasers instead of blades to re-shape the eyes, and most of the costs can be paid for from your health fund.

Go in the morning, get one eye done, go home, wait a week or 2 to get the other eye done and then see perfectly within a day or 2!
So much easier than mucking around with contacts and glasses.

[Pine]

They now use lasers instead of blades to re-shape the eyes, and most of the costs can be paid for from your health fund.

Go in the morning, get one eye done, go home, wait a week or 2 to get the other eye done and then see perfectly within a day or 2!
So much easier than mucking around with contacts and glasses.

Yep simple as that!

Regards

[Ezookiel]

The optometrist I've been using has moved, and they supposedly don't know where to.
Out of interest I was out at CostCo today and asked for a price on my existing lenses just for comparison, and they are massively cheaper, but the optical dispenser there asked if I knew that I can get my prescription put into the viewfinder of my camera, and that some professionals have gone this route.
Anyone here heard of having their prescription put into the viewfinder of their camera?
Looks like I have to get in touch with the Keratoconus Association to find a good Optometrist that specialises in Keratoconus, or try to find where my old one is now working.

[Bennymiata]

I've heard of viewfinders made to prescription, in the movie Mr Magoo, they even had the windscreen of his car ground to his prescription!

A piece of glass can be ground to virtually any prescription.