Stephen,
I've struggled with some of the same problems.
I had some good news, though. At 55, my near vision improved, and I no
longer need reading glasses. I now wear one distance contact lens in my left
eye and nothing in my right eye. This has been a great solution for everyday
life. But at short distances, I can read, but not see well enough to tie
flies or thread tippet into hook eyes. Worse still, I have no sense of
perspective at arms-length or closer distances.
I've been able to use clip-on magnifiers successfully. I clip them onto my
sun glasses, and tip them down to tie, tip them up to fish. Looking at
pictures of myself wearing these is rather painful, I don't think a nerdier
look exists. But I can fish with relative ease. I have seen the stick on
lens magnifiers you asked about, and I'm going to try them next time I see
some. I think drug stores sell them.
I also bought one of those threading fly boxes. I stack flies on a wire
threader in the ease and comfort of my-with proper lighting and
magnification. Then I slip the tippet through the big wire loop, and just
slide the fly off. Then I just have to struggle with the knot.
Whatever solution you try, remember, you'll get used to it and better at
using it over time. This year has been easier than last year for me. I'm now
comfortable with the clip on magnifiers, and don't have to spend 15 minutes
changing flies.
Jerry Spector
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
Behalf Of Stephen DiCerbo
Sent: Sunday, May 26, 2002 8:41 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [VFB] Query: FF eyesight
Well, it had to happen...
I was none too pleased, when, twenty years ago an eye doctor had
indicated to me that all folks eventually need glasses.. reading
glasses type of thing...
I have always been pleased with my good eyesight, distant, and up
close both.... Two tools an artist worries about : his eyes and his
hands....
I haven't been having much luck with either as of late, having
stabbing myself in the wrist last fall, half of my left hand remains
clumsy, inept , hypersensitive to cold, and numb.... But I still
consider (or remind myself) myself to be lucky on that one....
At least I draw with my right hand.... but tying flies and
terminal tackle has taken on a whole new flavor....
Now, seemingly overnight (but not likely), the other has happened...
things like flies, hooks, tying materials, and text in the 0-2' range
are out of focus.... 15 minutes trying to poke a tippet end into a
hook eye is enough to make a person relinquish themselves to the
inevitable.....
It a curse..... any drug store magnifiers help up close, but give
me an instant headache when I look up....
And the stream side thing... I need to resolve that.... I need to be
able to see close up (problem area) and far away, have it Polarized and
tinted (as in sunglasses)
question one:
Are there glasses available that include the following features
(all together):
bifocal, but transitional glass (no abrupt line of
demarcation)
Polarized sunglasses (of the high quality variety like
Corning Serengettis, Nikons, etc...)
Photogrey..... ability to lighten and darken as conditions
warrant.
In reality, looking good is secondary.... they are for
fishing, and I'll even do the "buddy Holly" route if need be... :^)
question two:
anybody tried these, and what are the pros and cons involved?:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0
011680711487a&navAction=jump&navCount=2&indexId=cat130011&podId=0011680&cata
logCode=IC&parentId=cat130011&parentType=index
please excuse the line breaks in this URL if they occur... its a
long one....
question three....
does anybody know who might carry those little flip down
magnifiers that attach to the bridge of standard glasses (sunglasses),
which flip up and out of the way for anything by the close up vision
stuff?
thanks from someone turning another corner down the long road...
Stephen
