vision enhancement for close work

[Tim R]

I've just entered the "post cataract surgery" world.

Results were good for distance vision. I can't bring anything close to see anymore, focusing just doesn't work.

I don't do a lot of precision work like you all do, but right now threading a needle would be impossible. Reading glasses and a large monitor let me type, but I can't get smaller yet.

Before I had it done I was researching digital microscopes, but now I realize it doesn't matter how big something is on a screen if I can't focus on the screen.

How have you solved this? Some of you must be up around my age, perhaps even past it <g>

[Cursitor Doom]

On Fri, 14 Dec 2018 14:55:03 -0800, Tim R wrote:

> How have you solved this? Some of you must be up around my age, perhaps
> even past it <g>

I just avoid any PCBs with SMDs! Surface mount stuff is way beyond me I'm
afraid. Fortunately I'm only a hobbyist so it matters very little.





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[jf...@my-deja.com]

You can get reading glasses to +3.5 diopters at your favorite drug store or dollar store. If that is not strong enough, you can get clip-on readers from Daiso (US$1.50 from the store or about US5 from eBay). This will get you to +7 diopters, which should be strong enough.

I have seen +5.0 available at Daiso stores outside the US.

Of course, you can get prescription lasses from your optician. These can be exactly matched to your pupillary distance and any abnormalities you need to have corrected. My optician charges extra for lenses stronger than +3.0.

[John-Del]

Not an answer but I thought modern cataract surgery implanted a corrective lens. My 80 year old mom didn't even need glasses anymore (except for reading) when she had hers done.

[Tom Biasi]

Had the surgery about two years ago. Don't need glasses anymore even to
read. ( Except for medicine bottles and lawyer print.)

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 12/14/18 6:30 PM, John-Del wrote:
> Not an answer but I thought modern cataract surgery implanted
> a corrective lens.

That's exactly what they do.

> My 80 year old mom didn't even need glasses anymore (except
> for reading) when she had hers done.

That's because it's fixed lens.
Typically, you get 20/20 vision for everything from 24" away
from your face outward.
But because it's a fixed lens, you need reading glasses for
anything closer than 24"

I had cataract surgery in my right eye last August. All I can
say about that is "Oh fuck me, I can see again." But I need to
wear reading glasses for the computer and, well, reading. This
Includes working on the bench.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <pv1el6$437$8...@dont-email.me>, cu...@notformail.com says...

>
> I just avoid any PCBs with SMDs! Surface mount stuff is way beyond me I'm
> afraid. Fortunately I'm only a hobbyist so it matters very little.
>
>
>
>

I started SMD around 64 and am 67 now. With the microscope similar to
what every one uses, the SMD is really very easy to work with. Once the
trouble is found or a modification is desired, I would rather work with
that than the through hole or even the old tube circuits. I only do the
board work as a hobby. Takes about $ 300 to $ 400 to get the tools to
work with and the microscope is over half that.

[Tim R]

Thanks. Are we talking an optical microscope, or something digital? Any recommendation?

I've tried binoculars since the surgery, and they work very well, much better than before.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <458e7249-e2e0-4c23...@googlegroups.com>,
timot...@aol.com says...

>
> > I started SMD around 64 and am 67 now. With the microscope similar to
> > what every one uses, the SMD is really very easy to work with. Once the
> > trouble is found or a modification is desired, I would rather work with
> > that than the through hole or even the old tube circuits. I only do the
> > board work as a hobby. Takes about $ 300 to $ 400 to get the tools to
> > work with and the microscope is over half that.
>
> Thanks. Are we talking an optical microscope, or something digital? Any recommendation?
>
> I've tried binoculars since the surgery, and they work very well, much better than before.
>
>
>

This seems to be the best for the money. It is what I bought. It is
an optical stereo microscope. The bottom lense is about 8 to 10 inches
above the work.

https://www.amscope.com/10x-20x-led-binocular-stereo-microscope-boom-
arm-with-gooseneck-light.html

Look around the internet for the best price. If you can stand his
mouth, look on Youtube for Louis Rossman and some of his talks about
this scope and other tools.

You can get an inexpensive hor air rework station for around $ 60. Has
a fine tip soldering iron and hot air waund. Not the best quality,but
for the pirce and hobby work it is acceptable. Good one are around $
300 and up. Learn how to use the hot air tool and you will be glad you
did. Good for many things besides the SMD. Say like a 10 pin daughter
board soldered to the motherboard.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/862D-2in1-SMD-Soldering-Iron-Hot-Air-Rework-
Station-Desoldering-Repair-110V/382665136314?epid=12025882815
&hash=item59189e98ba:g:PvgAAOSw64ha87EG

Forget all the inexpensive digital crap. I have not tried the high end
ones like a Mantis, so can not comment on those, but can not afford one
either.

[Phil Hobbs]

Bifocals from Zenni Optical. Super cheap, and IME good quality.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
http://hobbs-eo.com

[Phil Hobbs]

The problem is that drugstore glasses use one interpupillary distance
(66 mm iirc for men's glasses). If the IPD is wrong by more than about
a millimetre, you're liable to get eye strain and headaches.

About a decade ago, when I started needing reading glasses, I made a
rough measurement of my IPD and ordered glasses from Zenni Optical.
They're super cheap, so I got the same frames and prescription with IPDs
of 68, 69, and 70 mm to try out. The 69 mm ones were most comfortable
in my case, so I standardized on that.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"That's because it's fixed lens. "

No, it is not. It is as elastic as it can be without falling out and will respond to your muscles, although not as well. If the lens were fixed you would have zero depth of focus in all but the brightest light when the iris is closed.

The lens is usually "pasted" to the inner surface of the lens capsule and sill respond but like that of course not as well. there have been a few improved designs tried with limited success. some have like a spring portion to enhance the effect of you muscles by moving the lens itself closer of farther away from the retina. My ophthalmologist(s) told me that these designs have been mostly abandoned now due to unreliability. What's more they can do nothing about presbyopia, "old eyes". this is when the muscles themselves have gone a bit stiff and are not as limber as they once were. In that case it owuld take some serious medical engineering to fix, and I would not ocunt on it lasting. Cataract surgery is not an absolute.It is much better than it was when my Great Aunt died on the table having the procedure, but it can still result in an inoperable condition, or one which might result in blindness if corrective surgery is attempted.

My best recommendation is to get progressive lenses. They are used for normal people who become hyperopic due to presbyopia. Cataract operation or no cataract operation most have this condition. Even if the lens was a perfect replacement they would still have this problem.

Many insurance plans will pay for ONE pair of glasses after such surgery. Use it wisely. First of all buy a bunch of reading glasses at the store and use them, figure out which ones work and work them for about a year, or a bit less if you have a time window. They might not pay after two years. During that time figure out your needs and when you get them paid for by insurance get the progressives.

Personally I have 20/20 now for distance, but can't see the hand in front of my face. So I need progressives from zero to about +4.00 diopters. Right now I am getting by on a pair of beat up maybe 2.25s, I GUESS, and 3.25s. I will be buying a pair of +1.00s soon. I will wait until I get to that store where they are a buck. Hell if I need three of them I am not really hep to paying big bucks for them.

That comes when the progressives come.

Anyway, personally I am a bit reluctant to even get the progressives because I need two vitrectomies. What the hell happens to my vision (if any) then ? And that doesn't even address my retinal problems with dark and light. I thought the cataract was causing it, and now I think maybe the vitreous is is causing it but now I know of people, my Mother actually, who have actual retinal problems that simply are not going to respond to anything. If that is hereditary I am totally fucked in maybe ten years.

So I have looked into it. If you can get a pair of glasses every year go get them now. If not, well how long has it been ? After six months your results should be good enough, but the longer you await the better. If you get them free every year who cares ?

[N_Cook]

Could you use a video projector to project the USB microscope image on a
distant screen with 100 inch diagonal or whatever is optimal

[Bill Gill]

I have bifocals. The main lens has almost no correction,
(the surgeon got the new lens almost right.) but
the bifocal part is set right for reading. Then I have several
pairs of drug store reading glasses for other uses. Since my
computer screen is further than reading distance I have a pair
for that. I have large personal library and find that I can
see better when scanning the shelves with still another pair.

For close work I have a pair of 10X binocular magnifiers.
That is good for checking fine print.

Bill

[Mike Coon]

In article <6c3c5e15-0dba-459e...@googlegroups.com>,
jf...@my-deja.com says...

>
> Of course, you can get prescription lasses from your optician.

I wish I had known about that when I was in there a few days ago.
Whether I could cope with such a lass is a different matter...

Mike.

[jf...@my-deja.com]

On Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 6:25:17 AM UTC-8, Mike Coon wrote:
> I wish I had known about that when I was in there a few days ago.
> Whether I could cope with such a lass is a different matter...
>
> Mike.

Most neerds suffer from lassiephobia, and benefit from the assistance of a trained professional.

[Tim R]

Thanks. Wow, Mr. Rossman seems knowledgeable, but it takes him a VERY long time to get to the point of anything.

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Fri, 14 Dec 2018 14:55:03 -0800 (PST), Tim R <timot...@aol.com>
wrote:

>I've just entered the "post cataract surgery" world.
>Results were good for distance vision. I can't bring anything
>close to see anymore, focusing just doesn't work.

So it is written, so it seems to be:

"Will I Need Glasses After Cataract Surgery?"
<https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/faq-cataract-glasses-after-surgery.htm>
If you choose standard cataract surgery with intraocular
lens (IOL) implantation, it's likely you will need reading
glasses and possibly computer glasses or other special-purpose
eyewear afterward, depending on your visual needs.

Offhand, it appears that you had both eyes adjusted for distance
vision, which I suspect is responsible for the current problem:

"Should I choose distance vision in both eyes, monovision, EDOFs or
multifocals?"
<https://www.healio.com/ophthalmology/optics/news/print/ocular-surgery-news/%7B92ba3ce8-179f-447e-ab48-ee7729d0db76%7D/should-i-choose-distance-vision-in-both-eyes-monovision-edofs-or-multifocals>

>I don't do a lot of precision work like you all do, but
>right now threading a needle would be impossible. Reading
>glasses and a large monitor let me type, but I can't get
>smaller yet.

Methinks you should see an optometrist and have your eyes tested. Once
you have a prescription, order a pair of the cheapest glasses you can
find from Zenni Optical:
<https://www.zennioptical.com>
They will probably help, but the real questions is whether you can
live with single vision glasses for reading and close in work, or if
you'll need bifocal, trifocal, or progressive lenses. There is also a
question whether conventional plastic lenses will work, or if you'll
need high index of refraction lenses.
<https://www.eyeglasses.com/high-index-lenses.html>

>Before I had it done I was researching digital microscopes, but now
>I realize it doesn't matter how big something is on a screen if I
>can't focus on the screen.

Yep. A big blurrr is just as difficult to read as a small blurrrrr.

>How have you solved this? Some of you must be up around my age,
>perhaps even past it <g>

I'm 70 years old and seem to have progressive astigmatism, which means
my prescription changes sufficiently to require new glasses every
year. Right now, I see double without correction. I did some trial
and error testing using cheap glasses from Zenni Optical, which proved
to be far better and cheaper than trial an error at the opticians
store.

At this time, I have some trouble seeing clearly through binocular
microscope eyepieces with or without glasses. I can make it work, but
there's some eyestrain after about 10 mins. What works best for me is
a microscope camera and LCD display screen using my "computer glasses"
at a fixed distance. I suspect that you'll find that the big blurrr
will look much better with corrective glasses.

Good luck, and do some experimenting.

--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[Look165]

You could try a frontal binocular for instance :
https://www.loupeboutique.fr/Loupes--clairantes/Loupe-Frontale-8x--avec-trois-lentilles----DEL.html
.
It magic, I have one.

Or a desktop viewer (I have one too) like :
http://www.moineau-instruments.com/loupe-eclairante/647-lampe-loupe-225-x-avec-circline-22w-2810-2ve.html

These are French products ; you surely can find equivalent nearby.

Tim R a écrit :

[John Keiser]

I agree that Zenni is a good choice.
The mistake many people make is not taking the time to select the
properly sized frame online. If you have a comfortable pair of glasses,
note all the measurements carefully [frame width, lens size, temple arm,
bridge] and be sure that what you order online closely approximates each
of those measurements.

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[bitrex]

Modern smartphone with the rear camera and LED turned on, "magnifying
glass" app, gripped in a pair of QuadHands is an expedient "low tech"
solution that's not half bad at all!

<https://www.dropbox.com/s/i4b2on7yy1n9u14/Photo%20Dec%2008%2C%202%2019%2007%20PM.jpg?dl=0>

<https://www.amazon.com/QuadHands-Helping-Hands-Third-Soldering/dp/B00GIKVP5K>

[mike]

How long did it take for your brain to fixup the hand-eye coordination?
I tried a similar solution and could never get my hands to go where my
vision wanted them to go.

[bitrex]

Hi, sorry for the delay in my reply. Probably related to my experience
in Missile Command, After Burner 2, Outrun, Sonic The Hedgehog, Super
Mario Brothers, etc. 1983 - 1995