Bifocal sunglasses in UK?

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Deleted User YDKXO

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I don't know whether anyone else has a similar issue but I have a problem reading helm instruments with a pair of ordinary sunnies on. I came across these on a US website but they don't ship to the UK
http://www.oceanracing.com/mackinaw-2-0-bifocal-tortoise-polarized-sunglasses/
I could get my optician to make up something similar but he will charge me hundreds of quid. Anyone know if polarised bifocal sunglasses like these are available in the UK at a reasonable cost?
 
Deleted User said:
I don't know whether anyone else has a similar issue but I have a problem reading helm instruments with a pair of ordinary sunnies on. I came across these on a US website but they don't ship to the UK
http://www.oceanracing.com/mackinaw-2-0-bifocal-tortoise-polarized-sunglasses/
I could get my optician to make up something similar but he will charge me hundreds of quid. Anyone know if polarised bifocal sunglasses like these are available in the UK at a reasonable cost?
Click to expand...
Think most have moved to variofocals. Bi-foculs usually come with a blanket and pair of slippers, I believe !
I paid about £160, but with Specsavers you usually get a second pair free (or you can omit the polarsing on the second pair)
O rI am afaid you will have to buy a 50 inch plotter ;)
 
Deleted User said:
I don't know whether anyone else has a similar issue but I have a problem reading helm instruments with a pair of ordinary sunnies on. I came across these on a US website but they don't ship to the UK
http://www.oceanracing.com/mackinaw-2-0-bifocal-tortoise-polarized-sunglasses/
I could get my optician to make up something similar but he will charge me hundreds of quid. Anyone know if polarised bifocal sunglasses like these are available in the UK at a reasonable cost?
Click to expand...

Yep, I had this problem a few years ago- I could not read the depth gauge, with predictable results I am afraid, but fortunately with little damage.:)
 
I had this problem and bought some Maui Jim not cheap but really good
optics.If you have a costco card they have an optical department and lenses
are at least 50% less than the high street.
 
Deleted User said:
I don't know whether anyone else has a similar issue but I have a problem reading helm instruments with a pair of ordinary sunnies on.
Click to expand...

For sure I have that issue !
very frustrating tbh !
many good solutions posted above which I didn't think about, thanks Mike for the thread !


about 10 y ago I had LASIC correction for farvieuw (-4) and I loved to be without glasses / contactlenses,
I heard that there is now also LASIC for shortvieuw correction, have to find out, ...

but now these reading glasses make me feel soooooo old and limited on my daily work :(
(with a big excuse to the real disabled people !)
 
beebok said:
I had this problem and bought some Maui Jim not cheap but really good
optics.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I have 3 pairs of Maui Jims and they do have excellent optics. However the optics are not good enough for me to be able to read a plotter or engine instrumentation when seated at the helm. I really do need some form of varifocal or bifocal sunglasses. I have the same problem when driving a car in that I can't view the detail on the satnav screen; I have tried normal varifocals for driving and I didn't get on with them. I was hoping that the Ocean Racing glasses in which only the lowest portion are bifocal would be a solution
 
BartW said:
but now these reading glasses make me feel soooooo old and limited on my daily work :(
(with a big excuse to the real disabled people !)
Click to expand...
Don't worry Bart, it gets worse as you get older. I would be lost without reading glasses which is why I have about 10 pairs scattered around my house, office and cars;)
 
Deleted User said:
I don't know whether anyone else has a similar issue but I have a problem reading helm instruments with a pair of ordinary sunnies on. I came across these on a US website but they don't ship to the UK
http://www.oceanracing.com/mackinaw-2-0-bifocal-tortoise-polarized-sunglasses/
I could get my optician to make up something similar but he will charge me hundreds of quid. Anyone know if polarised bifocal sunglasses like these are available in the UK at a reasonable cost?
Click to expand...

Yes Mike, I got Specsavers to do some for me, (prescription, bifocal, tint + Polaroid - they can do mirror finish as well if you choose) for just that + fishing in hot sunny countries and snowmobile touring in cold ones.

They were cheap enough not to matter and as they had a 2 for 1 offer, I had one pair with a blue grey tint and another with a brown tint.

The frames are nothing fancy but you can choose any of their range.

Another option is "Cocoon" tinted Poloroid overglasses.
 
BartW said:
For sure I have that issue !
very frustrating tbh !
many good solutions posted above which I didn't think about, thanks Mike for the thread !


about 10 y ago I had LASIC correction for farvieuw (-4) and I loved to be without glasses / contactlenses,
I heard that there is now also LASIC for shortvieuw correction, have to find out, ...
Click to expand...

You're right of course, laser adjustment to the eye is normally at a single focal length. Some people have one eye corrected for long distance and the other for reading. The brain compensates but I believe it can take a while, even several months.

The answer is, provided you a suitable candidate, ie. medically ok, non diabetic and retinas etc. in place, is to have what they call, 'Refractive Lens Exchange' 'RLE'. This is actually key hole surgery of the eye, both eyes never done at the same time, usually about one week apart.

The surgery is actually the same has having cataracts removed, which I am told is one of THE most common eye problems for people over 65 years of age. The old lens is removed through this tiny 2mm hole and replaced with a new lens. On the NHS, this would be a standard single length lens. If you opt to pay and go before its essential, you can have a multi-focal lens made to your own prescription and this will be inserted as your replacement.

This will realistically, I am told, give you better than driving standard distance vision and most likely lose the need to wear reading glasses at all if in reasonable light conditions. Consultations are generally free or at nominal cost.

Friends that have had it done say it was painless and excellent results, better than expected.

OK, it costs far more than stick on correctors but the result is permanent and you will never suffer from cataracts. Is important to have a full and detailed consultation though as there are multiple solutions available and not everyone needs or wants the same procedure or out come, also cost may influence decision process.

Hope that helps a bit as I'm no consultant. :o

RR
 
RogerRat said:
You're right of course, laser adjustment to the eye is normally at a single focal length. Some people have one eye corrected for long distance and the other for reading. The brain compensates but I believe it can take a while, even several months.
Click to expand...

+1 on this.

A colleague (49yo) also lecturing at the uni, who already cannot see the sketches/drawings the students bring for corrections, got so p1ssed off with the reading glasses mess that tried the "light" version of this by using corrective contact lenses. He was seriously impressed and thinking of going for the laser correction on one eye. Remember telling me that if you are right handed, you go for reading correction on the left eye and vise versa.

I still believe it's not the eyes that develop problems it's the arms that are growing shorter :p

Mike, have you thought of relocating the seating half a metre aft and replacing the steeringwheel with a deeper mount one? ;)
Cannot think of a solution for the engine controls though :(

cheers

V.
 
vas said:
I still believe it's not the eyes that develop problems it's the arms that are growing shorter :p
Click to expand...
Yeah, I also keep telling myself that I'm not overweight, I'm underheight... :cool:

Back to the point, M, have you ever tried pinhole glasses?
I guess this might appear like a joke rather than a serious suggestion, but you can find some on Amazon for as little as a couple of quids, so you wouldn't risk a lot giving them a try...
Btw, they are normally not recommended for driving, because they can restrict the speed/width of perception.
But on a boat, I suppose you would still be able to spot the odd supertanker on a collision course... :D
 
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