Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1704451
I've been shortsighted all my life and wear varifocals all the time. I find them fine for driving and flying and I have them coated with antiglare which makes a huge difference to night driving as long as I keep the windscreen clean.

The entertaining side effect at my age is that I can read without glasses at all. I really annoy people my age who are struggling with tiny writing by removing my specs and reading to them :-)
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By Miscellaneous
#1704453
GAFlyer4Fun wrote:Not what I meant.

Gotcha. :thumleft:

GAFlyer4Fun wrote:Jim Jones was suggesting that mandatory eye tests for drivers at the 10 year licence renewal would sort out some of the SMIDNSY problems.

From my observations the SMIDNSY problem is unlikely to be have any significant link to eye sight. Unless there's half the drivers unable to pass the somewhat dated test. :D
By rdfb
#1704507
JAFO wrote:I don't think they are allowed to just have the strobe, as many do. I think legally they must have a continuous white light it's just that, being cyclists, they neither know nor care - same as with all other rules of the road or common decency. :D


They've been allowed to have a flashing light since The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 2005: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005 ... ion/6/made
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By Gertie
#1704532
GAFlyer4Fun wrote:This year I had a very unpleasant experience with a high street optician where I paid very good money for the new varifocal prescription but they were so awful they were not fit for any purpose and returned asap.

I didn't get that far. The optician gave me a pair of varifocals (obviously not the right prescription) to try out in the shop, just to see if the concept worked for me.

I nearly spewed up after walking a few feet across the shop wearing them. "Yes, they take some people that way," said the optician, "I suggest you order bifocals instead."
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By Charles Hunt
#1704533
johnm wrote:I


The entertaining side effect at my age is that I can read without glasses at all. I really annoy people my age who are struggling with tiny writing by removing my specs and reading to them :-)


Twenty years ago a friend and I were struggling to keep our racing XJSs going.

Seated at a table neither of us could read the print in the manual.

Independently we removed our spectacles, leaned forward.........and promptly clashed heads.
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By GAFlyer4Fun
#1704549
Gertie wrote:...
I didn't get that far. The optician gave me a pair of varifocals (obviously not the right prescription) to try out in the shop, just to see if the concept worked for me.

I nearly spewed up after walking a few feet across the shop wearing them. "Yes, they take some people that way," said the optician, "I suggest you order bifocals instead."


Seems an odd thing to do. If they are nowhere near your prescription then the size and strength and blending of the different zones will more than likely put you off either due to straight lines being far too wavy particularly as move head side to side or up/down, or readers being too strong and doing the same to the ground/stairs in front of where you are trying to walk. I guess that's what you saw.
Similarly if they make the zones too narrow so a lot of areas are out of focus - not helpful for spotting other aircraft.

The bad varifocals that I rejected were a combination of that lot. I suddenly got an appreciation of a factor that might explain why some motorists drive sooooooo slowly, dont anticipate the traffic movement around them, or pull out of junctions when the gap is not really big enough or simply dont see cyclists, motorcyclists or cars - and this is before factoring in the much bigger door pillars and blind spots in modern cars.

My previous varifocals are fantastic in comparison and I have no problems using these for aerobatics.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1704588
A former forumite used to tell the tale of his first pair of varifocals which gave him great trouble judging the height of kerbs.

This culminated one day in mis-judging the sill while entering a London Underground train and flying headlong into the carriage to the bafflement of the other passengers.

Peter
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By Rob L
#1704615
Rob L wrote:
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:VNL = shall have available


What does that really mean? Visual Near Lenses?
Rob


So come on then, what does VNL mean? Enquiring mind needs to know :) .
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By neilmurg
#1704647
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:@Rob L
Vision Near Limitation.
'Vision, Near'. As in near sighted I think, rather than 'Near the Limit'
VNL VDL VML
By SamC
#1704743
I am 50 and getting a bit long sighted and need reading glasses.
i've noticed my distance vision isnt what it used to be but still within the limits not to need bifocal glasses flying.

However after my last eye test i got some bifocals just to see and they give me the the vision i had when i was 20 - ie the bottom line on a eye test plate with ease

well worth checking regular checks
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1704756
Point of order - one doesn't get long sighted as one gets older. The lens becomes less pliable and therefore you need a correction which is similar to the correction people need when they would be long sighted. But very difference mechanism leading to the conditions.
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By Rob L
#1704803
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:@Rob L

Vision Near Limitation.


Thanks Frank. To be honest (not being in the medical business and certainly not familiar with ophthalmic terms), what does "Vision Near Limitation" mean from a pilot's perspective (pardon the pun)?

Rob
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