Fighting off the symptoms of advancing years.

[Cliff Williams]

As an Optician I might be able to shed a little more light on the topic.

As you get older you can no longer focus close up, note this is not an immediate thing, it starts from very early on.

It just becomes more noticable early forties.

 

A few words of advice:

 

Always use a good light (when we are 50 we need almost 3x the amount of light to see how we did at age 20)

 

Get a regular eye exam.

 

If you need spectacles buy some good lenses, if possible get them fitted by a Registered Dispensing Optician.

Not many people know what a Dispensing Optician actually is, we have several years training to dispense the prescription written by the Optometrist or Ophthalmologist.

There are about 6000 of us in the UK, but in my area for example there are very few us, with many outlets on the High Street using unqualified assistants to dispense spectacles (with an Optometrist on site to examine your eyes of course!)

 

If you need varifocals try a pair made on a CNC milling machine, commonly referred to in the trade as "freeform" which is how we describe the process. The lens is not semi-finished with in built generic measurements, instead they are profiled to an algorithym put together by the supplier. So pick a good recognised brand name and request freeform which will help.

Hoya iDinstyle, Carl Zeiss Individual framefit are a couple of excellent varifocals which give me excellent results.

 

See if any of your Opticians use digital centration, it is another way of fitting these latest spectacle lenses accurately to maximise field of vision and performance.

There are 23 Opticians in the UK who also have Zeiss i.Scription waverfront analysis which can help with lenses manufactured to an accuracy of 0.01 dioptres, when the normal is 0.25 dioptres. This can give better contrast especially at night and in low light.

 

I hope this helps, if Andy Y sees it to be an inappropriate post , feel free to remove.

[Pennine MC]

I get them at Sainburys , they stock them in larger stores, but any electrical supplier will have them,( Mains Halogen bulbs), online and mail order do them as well, they seem widely available, but be warned they are not cheap, but last much longer than conventional bulbs. I think I have seen these in Wilkinson, but can't be sure, they stock 12 volt type for use on transformers and in units and lamps with transformers.

 

Thanks for that, I'll have a look around.

 

 

 

[5XP]

I get them at Sainburys , they stock them in larger stores, but any electrical supplier will have them,( Mains Halogen bulbs), online and mail order do them as well, they seem widely available, but be warned they are not cheap, but last much longer than conventional bulbs. I think I have seen these in Wilkinson, but can't be sure, they stock 12 volt type for use on transformers and in units and lamps with transformers.

The bargain of a couple of years ago was the Home base telescopic desk lamp at £3.99, complete with halogen bulb and 12 volt transformer built in!!!!. These make very good spot lights for machines, and a clean white flicker free light.

They are still made, but cost has increased a bit.

 

Osram are the main maker of the Halogen mains GLS types etc.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

Is this the type you mean?

 

 

If so I've been using these 100w examples for a couple of years now in an angle poise lamp.

I pick them up at B & Q for around £2 to 3 a bulb.

They beat every other bulb hands down and believe me I've tried them all to find what gives the best light to work close up, I found the energy saving bulbs (23w) to be absolutely useless for modelling as the light is weak and yellow not to mention the slow warm up time.

 

I do find that the Halogen bulb doesn't last that long so if I've run out before buying more I just use some of my stash of standard 100w bulbs as they are quite OK but don't give off the intense white light of the halogen.

 

I have found that without decent light you are absolutely stuffed so don't be tight when buying workbench lamps as its generally a one off purchase so stretch it a bit as you wont regret it as much as buying some el cheapo from the likes of Ikea.

 

Darren.

[melmerby]

 

I found the energy saving bulbs (23w) to be absolutely useless for modelling as the light is weak and yellow not to mention the slow warm up time.

 

Darren.

 

Surely only a problem with the older varieties (or cheapies from a market stall) which is often quoted as a reason not to change to low energy bulbs.

 

I have some 30W warm white CFL bulbs which give out 1900 lumens, considerably more than a standard GLS 100w bulb and perfectly good enough to work under and they don't take more than a few seconds to reach maximum output.

 

I have seen GE bulbs mentioned several times in these posts, please check the output carefully with other makes. I have found they can be as much as 10-15% lower lumens than the best for the same colour temperature.

 

Keith

[Dr.Glum]

Thank you, gents: some interesting info to mull over in this thread.

 

My own experience as someone who's sight is getting longer with age, is:

 

1. I struggled with aging eyes until I bought a 'generic' 2 lens (i.e. both eyes) head band magnifier. Mine was from Modelex at an exhibition. I always use it on the workbench and for closeup stuff on the layout.

2. I recently had new (stronger) perscription glasses, but actually find the previous set are much more flexible-in-use when I'm wearing the headband. The focusing range turns out to be more convenient. If you buy a headband, experiment with current and old glasses (unless your eyes have changed in other ways than focal length).

3. My new glasses are bi-focal with the main part designed for long vision and the inset for reading. That was a mistake: I forgot to tell them to make the main part not long, but middle to near. All the glasses perscriptions I've ever had have three definitions of lens: for long, middle and near. The meaning of the middle distance in my experience depends on what you tell the person doing the eye test what you need glasses for: previously working with computers I needed something that would cope with screen work (about 2 feet range) and looking at equipment a little further away (about 4-6 feet). One optometrist called these 'interview glasses' from the circumstance where someone sits across a table from the you and you want to see them clearly, but you also need to work at the paperwork on the desk in front of you. The near inset is larger in area than bi-focal reading glasses and I have to say I found them most useful when building the structure of a layout. (There ought to be a name for the state of mind arising from trying to see something close up, at an angle that you can't get your head to, to see through the small reading distance part of the bi-focals!)

4. IMHO vari-focal lenses are not good for a modeller or DIY-er: the correct part of the lens to be viewing through for a particular job is so 'small', that it's damn hard work getting your head correct. Mind you, the wife swears by them, but then she's short sighted and I'm long.

5. I have the luxury of often being able to work in daylight at my work table by the window, but I still supplement that with one or two old anglepoise lamps, to shine on the workpiece, towards the window. Most of the time I've not been bothered about colour temperature and was OK with incandescent. Now I can only get energy saving, the newest types seem OK and (thank goodness) are not too heavy for the anglepoise e.g. imported by Ring, 20W giving 100W equivalent, 1160 lumens.

Cheers, Tony

[MikeTrice]

Thank you to all of you who have responded to date. Lots of very good feedback (so I have obviously touched a nerve) with halogen looking a good favourite.

 

I should have pointed out at the start that my eyes are checked regularly by my optician and I also have annual retina screens as well so I am not aware of any abnormality.

 

This thread sort of started when I read an advert in the back of one of my wife's magazines that stated "By the age of 60, you will need three times as much light to read as you did in your youth". OK I am not 60 yet but that certainly matched my experiences hence my quest for a good additional light source.

 

Coachmann: Just had a thoguht. My dentist friend showed me his dental loupe a few weeks ago. They are worn attached to ones tsestacles

.

So your secret is out! Hey if it helps me build superb coaches like yours I can put up with the discomfort. It would also stop by wife borrowing them. Seriously this typo and subsequent replies gave me the best laugh I have had for a long time and I ended up with tears running down my face and the complete inability to focus with or without glasses/lighting. Reminds me of that old seaside postcard "Nurse' date=' I said remove the patient's spectacles!"

Tim: Good to hear that you are modelling away Darn Sarf.

Hi Tim, long time no see. I am currently even further Darn Sarf than usual being in a hotel in Portugal. No modelling being done though and internet access sporadic.

Nick: I use a similar one and also have another daylight tube on an anglepoise type bracket.

How do you find they compare? Does the daylight tube flicker the way most fluorescents do?

Because of the internet situation here I am tending to prepare replies off-line, then connect just to perform the updates, so if I appear to have ignored some posts it is not intentional and I will consider them in greater detail on return to the UK.

[buffalo]

...How do you find they compare? Does the daylight tube flicker the way most fluorescents do?...

 

There is a very slight and apparently random flicker for the first minute or so after turning them on but, after that, its not noticeable. Perhaps there is some variation in sensitivity to flicker, but I don't notice it whereas I do with larger room lighting tubes.

 

Nick

[coachmann]

Got my new lamp this morning. Great and the magnifyer is 'flat' to the workbench instead of being tilted. Have prompty ordered another as a standbye in the future.

 

Takes normal 60watt screw thread lightbulb and has a on-off switch on the head instead of partway down the cable (saves groping).

 

Larry Goddard

[pointstaken]

Got my new lamp this morning. Great and the magnifyer is 'flat' to the workbench instead of being tilted. Have prompty ordered another as a standbye in the future.

 

Takes normal 60watt screw thread lightbulb and has a on-off switch on the head instead of partway down the cable (saves groping).

 

Larry Goddard

 

 

Larry,

That lamp looks quite impressive. May one ask who makes it ?

 

Dennis

[coachmann]

I'm searching and will get back.

[jazz]

Had the same problems with advancing age/eyesight. Talked to my optician and told hime my problem and requirements and ended up with excellent prescription readers. (Off the shelf are fine for general ocassional use and I use them for museum visits etc.

 

The next thing he said was a must. Really good lighting. So I have invested in the rather expensive 'profesional' desk lamp (Squires) that has twin 16" day tubes. These tubes are almost none flicker and designed for long periods of close up work.

 

Results are amazing. I can no work all day every day with no eye strain and see very well.

 

I had tried magnifiers, with and without lights, all were useless and just could not get used to working through a magnifier.

 

This is the desk lamp I use, could not contemplete modelling without it now.

[melmerby]

 

How do you find they compare? Does the daylight tube flicker the way most fluorescents do?

 

Modern compact fluorescent lamps and many fluorescent fittings now have high frequency electronic ballasts. The flicker is much too fast for the eye to perceive and they are almost instant starting with little "warm up" time.

I have 4 x 36W Electronic fluorescent fittings in my railway room.

 

Tubes using warm white phosphors (the most common type) are usually the easiest on the eye but have poor colour rendition, if you are trying to match paint etc. you are better off with a daylight type. Special colour matching tubes are available for fluorescent fittings but are not always easy to find.

 

Keith

[MikeTrice]

So I have invested in the rather expensive 'profesional' desk lamp (Squires) that has twin 16" day tubes. These tubes are almost none flicker and designed for long periods of close up work.

That sure is tempting. They even do a triple!

 

Once again thanks to all respondents for what has been very interesting feedback. I almost have too many options. At least I can now approach the problem from a state of awareness.