Custom Reading Glasses

So this Lazy Old Geek walked into the Dollar store to try on some reading glasses. I tried a 1.0 power and I could read pretty good with my left eye. I tried a 3.0 power and I could read pretty good with my right eye.

Strange but I actually know why. Many years ago when I was working I had Lasik surgery. My eye doc and I agreed I should get Monovision. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it means one eye is better for distance and one eye is better for up close. It sounds pretty strange like just using one eye at a time but it actually works pretty good and you maintain a lot of your depth perception.

Anyway, as you get older and older, presbyopia still sets in. That means your eyes can’t focus as well for close up work and reading. Well, I did get a set of bifocal glasses but just hate them for reading.

Now I doubt that there are many out there with Monovision and presbyopia but there may be some who can use different powered reading glasses for each eye. This may help.

By the way, have others noticed how most stores charge $19.95 for reading glasses but you can buy them at dollar stores for a buck?

Monovision: I have found one downside to monovision. That is 3-D movies and TVs.  Those 3-D glasses are pretty much designed for good distance vision in both eyes. I don't know if you can get prescription 3-D glasses.
 

Step 1 Buying the reading glasses

The first step is to see what power you need in each eye. I settled on 1.0 and 3.0.
Next I went to the dollar stores and started looking for two pairs of identical reading glasses but with the different powers. For me, I had to try a couple of different stores and a couple of different times but I finally found and bought them. Now the frames were a different color but the lens shape seemed to be identical. By the way, another thing to look for is if the lens were symmetrical, i.e. the left and right lens could be swapped. This pair doesn’t look that way but I could actually swap them.

Comments

[Penny0214]

I totally agree about the Dollar Stores reading glasses - they're the exact same as more expensive varieties. I recently got my first pair of reading glasses - full frame reading glasses 1.00 .

[msuzuki777]

I'm always shocked at the difference in prices for reading glasses. We have a Dollar Tree right next to a Walmart so I often compare. It seems like most everything is made in China anyway. I also buy my sunglasses and flashlights, phone adapters, shower cleaner, etc. at the dollar stores.

[l8nite]

Great idea ... I buy the dollar store glasses as well, I like the ones that look like frameless santa glasses, they would probably work for u as well. The cheap screws tend to loosen, so the first thing I do is a dab of epoxy on each. The next time you try the full frames try placing them in simmering water for a couple of seconds and then quickly pop in the lense. One thing Ive learned is you can never have enough reading glasses, by the computer, the phone, in the car/s etc. Nicely done "ible"

[msuzuki777]

Thanks for the tip about simmering water. I'm thinking that might also work for bending the ear pieces on sunglassess?

Your right about having reading glasses all over. I'm to the point that I'm starting to use them in stores to read label.

Lazy Old Geek