sunglasses for us old guys

[seasonaldriver]

As you get older you'll find that you need "readers" to see all the itty bitty numbers on the charts and instrument panel. I'm too cheap to get prescription bifocals and wearing readers under my Ray Bans looks silly. Tried the reader stick ons for sunglasses from Lake and Air and they self destructed too quick. Any ideas anyone?

Thanks

[robertsailor1]

Some of my friends have a small reader lens in the corner of their golfing sunglasses so they can read the score cards. Maybe shop some of the golfing outlets.

[Doc]

Clip-ons. If you can find non-polarized, that's best. I always buy the kind with magnetic clip-ons.

[Sulako]

You can get prescription Raybans that aren't bifocals, in case that's relevant.

[daniel88]

Clip-ons. If you can find non-polarized, that's best. I always buy the kind with magnetic clip-ons.

Hello,

What do you mean magnetic clip-on?


Cheers

[share-once]

In Shanghai, China, they can put a reading thingy on your own sunglasses or buy real copy sunglasses which they modify with a reading part in any strength.
Takes a bit getting used to but it does work. Less than $20.

[Big Bus Mech]

This past summer I saw that my local costco (GTA) had reader sunglasses. I think they were either near the gardening or the books section can't remember. Not sure if they still have them or not.

Not sure if this is help or not.

[PanEuropean]

...I'm too cheap to get prescription bifocals...

I suggest that you re-evaluate your spending priorities. Your vision is not going to improve back to the level it was at before you turned 40, which means that you are stuck with your current visual acuity for the rest of your life.

Spend the money (probably about $500 or so) to buy a really good quality pair of sunglasses that has a gradient (progressive) prescription - by this I mean the lenses are ground to provide correction for distance vision in the upper half, and correction for near vision in the lower half. You will be amazed with the results when you use them. If you want to really hit the ball out of the park, measure the distance from the bridge of your nose to the attitude indicator / HSI when you are sitting in the aircraft, and let your optometrist know that you want the near vision correction calibrated for that distance, rather than for typical reading distance. The distance from the aircraft design eye reference point to the primary flight instruments is typically about 20 cm more than normal 'reading' distance (for example, when you are sitting in a chair reading a book, or sitting at a desk using a computer), so it will make a difference in the aircraft. Generally speaking, you will only be using the sunglasses when you are driving the aircraft or a car, you won't use them for reading.

I require a very small correction on my glasses (-1.5 diopters for distance, planar for near vision), but I have 3 different sets of progressive lenses: A set of sunglasses calibrated for the aircraft (as described above), a set of clear lenses calibrated for normal reading and office work, and a set of clear glasses calibrated for my motorcycle (the instruments and GPS are much closer than normal reading distance). Believe me, the expense is worth it.

Michael

[swordfish]

Have a look at this site: http://www.zennioptical.com/

For somewhere between 35 and 50$, you can choose your style of frame, type of material, lens power, shape, thickness, tinting; and a huge range of options to your own specs. If you have a prescription, they will manufacture to your specs including the distance apart for your eyes.

I can't remember all the technical terms for these things, but for example you could get aviator style, in titanium, +1.75 diopters, bifocal, shaded in amber, and made to fit you for about 55$. Can't be beat for value, So you have them only for flying.

I think it takes them about 7-10 days to get them to you.

[A Regulator]

I agree with PanEuropean, get some good prescription sunglasses. I did the same with clip on's and i hated them, and once I got my prescription they were a lot better. Also remember that if you do need prescription to think about ensuring you can read the overhead panel. I have progressive ones and need to have the bottom and tops for reading and the center for let's say normal vision.

[5x5]

I looked at these at Oshkosh - Hazebusters. They seemed to be good build quality and a reasonable price. Although I didn't wind up buying any then and haven't yet, they're on my list for the spring.

[. ._]

Have a look at this site: http://www.zennioptical.com/

For somewhere between 35 and 50$, you can choose your style of frame, type of material, lens power, shape, thickness, tinting; and a huge range of options to your own specs. If you have a prescription, they will manufacture to your specs including the distance apart for your eyes.

I can't remember all the technical terms for these things, but for example you could get aviator style, in titanium, +1.75 diopters, bifocal, shaded in amber, and made to fit you for about 55$. Can't be beat for value, So you have them only for flying.

I think it takes them about 7-10 days to get them to you.

+1

I bought 2 pairs of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses for $40 delivered to my door. They all had the proper prescription, but the tint on the shades was slightly off of what I ordered. I think it took about 3 weeks to come to Sudbury from China.

Still, for the $$$, I HIGHLY recommend them.

NOW I'LL TYPE IN CAPS SO YOU KNOW TO REMEMBER THIS...

WHEN YOU GET YOUR EYE EXAM, FORCE YOUR OPTOMETRIST TO GIVE YOU YOUR PUPIL DISTANCE TO YOU. THIS IS NECESSARY TO ORDER THE GLASSES.

HEY, THIS IS FUN. MAYBE I SHOULD TYPE IN CAPS ALL OF THE TIME!!!

[niss]

[Colonel Sanders]

buy a really good quality pair ... that has a gradient (progressive) prescription

I got one (clear) pair of gradients, and hated them. The peripheral was completely blurry despite me spending the $$$ to get the good peripheral - I can only imagine how bad the stock was. You had to move your head all over the place to see anything, which is maybe ok for a VFR pilot but if you want to give yourself the leans in cloud, sure, go ahead.

Got rid of the stupid progressive lenses and went to a very low-cut bifocal at the bottom of both my prescription clear and sunglasses if I need to read some tiny print in dim light. I don't legally actually need glasses for either distance or close-up for either driving or flying, but esp at night they come in handy when my pupil opens up.

BTW, don't buy cheap plastic sunglasses. They have no UV protection, but also open up your pupil and at altitude, lets all the UV in. Not good. Can you say "cataracts"? I knew you could.

[kevenv]

buy a really good quality pair ... that has a gradient (progressive) prescription

I got one (clear) pair of gradients, and hated them. The peripheral was completely blurry despite me spending the $$$ to get the good peripheral - I can only imagine how bad the stock was. You had to move your head all over the place to see anything, which is maybe ok for a VFR pilot but if you want to give yourself the leans in cloud, sure, go ahead.

Got rid of the stupid progressive lenses and went to a very low-cut bifocal at the bottom of both my prescription clear and sunglasses if I need to read some tiny print in dim light. I don't legally actually need glasses for either distance or close-up for either driving or flying, but esp at night they come in handy when my pupil opens up.

BTW, don't buy cheap plastic sunglasses. They have no UV protection, but also open up your pupil and at altitude, lets all the UV in. Not good. Can you say "cataracts"? I knew you could.

I too had and got rid of a pair of progressives. At work, everything is arranged to the sides of and above my scope. I felt like a bobble head doll, constantly having to turn my head to see anything as opposed to glancing out the sides of my glasses.

[seasonaldriver]

Thank you all for the ways that you've solved my problem.
I'm probably going to go the zennioptical route. The progressives may be good but the drawbacks that were expressed(and I've heard those elsewhere as well) nixes that idea.

The people at the Dollar store will miss me. lol