NVFRC - Crappy near vision, maps and GPS

Age is hell on near vision! I want to get a GPS for a trip I am considering this summer but can't read one (or a map) without stopping and putting on my reading glasses. I do not like the idea of wearing bi-focals under my helmet. Any other options? I have looked on the net to see if anyone makes a small static cling spot magnifier you could put on the inside of your visor but have not found such a solution. What do those of you who suffer the same affliction do????

Vic


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Hi Vic,
I use contact lens for far vision and progressive bi-focals for near
vision (together). In other words the upper part of the bi-focal has
no correction, just plain glass. That way when conditions make glasses
fog up I can just take them off and still have good distance vision for
riding (and hope I don't get lost!) The newer GPS now have voice prompts but I have
not tried one yet. Also, I have heard they are now making bifocal
contacts but have not tried them yet either. I am happy with my
current setup as long as it does not rain to hard.

Cheers,
Bob

Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 10:11:55 AM, you wrote:
> Age is hell on near vision! I want to get a GPS for a trip I am considering this summer but can't
> read one (or a map) without stopping and putting on my reading glasses. I do not like the idea
> of wearing bi-focals under my helmet. Any other options? I have looked on the net to see if anyone
> makes a small static cling spot magnifier you could put on the inside of your visor but have not
> found such a solution. What do those of you who suffer the same affliction do????

> Vic


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On 3/20/07, vic5491@xxxxxx wrote:
>
> Age is hell on near vision! I want to get a GPS for a trip I am
> considering this summer but can't read one (or a map) without stopping and
> putting on my reading glasses. I do not like the idea of wearing bi-focals
> under my helmet. Any other options? I have looked on the net to see if
> anyone makes a small static cling spot magnifier you could put on the inside
> of your visor but have not found such a solution. What do those of you who
> suffer the same affliction do?
>

Wear bifocals. No big deal.

JohnA in LA

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At 12:25 PM 3/20/2007, you wrote:
>On 3/20/07, vic5491@xxxxxx
><vic5491@xxxxxx> wrote:
>Age is hell on near vision! I want to get a GPS for a trip I am
>considering this summer but can't read one (or a map) without
>stopping and putting on my reading glasses. I do not like the idea
>of wearing bi-focals under my helmet. Any other options? I have
>looked on the net to see if anyone makes a small static cling spot
>magnifier you could put on the inside of your visor but have not
>found such a solution. What do those of you who suffer the same
>affliction do?

>Wear bifocals. No big deal.
>
>JohnA in LA

Speaking of Bifocals, I just had and interesting conversation with a
fifty-something gent in my store buying tires for his bike.
He rides sport touring bikes, and had an interesting comment about a
couple of the newest BMW bikes.
He complained that he cannot use their mirrors with his bifocals
without turning and ducking his head. Which of course he found very
irritating. He was checking the FJR that we have on the showroom
floor and we were discussing the VFR vs FJR vs Triumph ST and how
those bikes fit guys like us over certain other bikes and types of bikes.



JohnS
A Dragon Ascending
"Forging my body in the Fires of my Will"

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On 3/20/07, JES_VFR wrote:
>
>
> Speaking of Bifocals, I just had and interesting conversation with a
> fifty-something gent in my store buying tires for his bike.


I resemble that demographic. ;-)

He rides sport touring bikes, and had an interesting comment about a
> couple of the newest BMW bikes.
> He complained that he cannot use their mirrors with his bifocals
> without turning and ducking his head. Which of course he found very
> irritating. He was checking the FJR that we have on the showroom
> floor and we were discussing the VFR vs FJR vs Triumph ST and how
> those bikes fit guys like us over certain other bikes and types of bikes.


I guess I am, well, adaptable. My RZ350 has tiney bar end mirrors,
The Mille has eye talian decorative sport bike mirrors good for checking
elbows
And the VFR has, well we all know about those.
Never had a problem lusing any of them.
A wiggle here, a wag there and you've done your looking.
YMMV,

JohnA in LA

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On Tue March 20 2007 9:11 am, vic5491@xxxxxx wrote:
> Age is hell on near vision! I want to get a GPS for a trip I am
> considering this summer but can't read one (or a map) without stopping and
> putting on my reading glasses. I do not like the idea of wearing bi-focals
> under my helmet. Any other options? I have looked on the net to see if
> anyone makes a small static cling spot magnifier you could put on the
> inside of your visor but have not found such a solution. What do those of
> you who suffer the same affliction do????

Unfortunately, what you are describing is a progressive problem. What works
this year and next won't work the following year or something like that. I
gets to be a constant struggle.

I got a GPS with big letters and numbers. I have been able to read it for the
last several years. But now it is starting to get shaky again.

Maybe a chat with someone from Garmin would be helpful. They are often have
pretty good ideas. They might recognize this problem and make bigger letters
and numbers.

When I print directions from Mapquest, I just use bigger print. That
continues to work.

Maybe if you find the static cling magnifier, you could put it on the GPS.

I have heard of dark glasses with a bifocal like section at the bottom.
Supposedly they are available at welding supply shops. I haven't looked.

I have a helmet with a flip down dark visor, so I live with prescription
glasses if it came to that.

Keep us posted. You are not alone.

--

Jerry

Give our Constitution to iraq. They need one and we aren't using ours.
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Motorcycle Consumer News gave these a great review in the January '05 issue.. I don't know if the review is available on-line (I couldn't find it), and I have no personal experience, but the price is right...
Bill

http://lesslight.com/web_store/web_s...=4371533_23459
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Vic, Bill, et al,
What a dilemma. But finally, a topic I have half a
clue about. What happens to our vision as we age?
Turns out the crystalline lens in the eye gradually
loses elasticity over time and by the time we reach 40
to 45 years of age, we find it harder to read things.
If we hold them farther away or get lots of light on
the subject, it helps. But as time clicks on, even
that doesn't work and the dreaded reading glasses or
bifocals (or trifocals) are required for any near
work.

Same issue applies when trying to read a map in a
tankbag or a GPS screen. There is a thing called a
fresnel magnifier that might help w/the map reading
issues. Check them out here:
http://www.office1000.com/discount/m...-handheld.html

But for the GPS screen, you either have to get a
bigger screen, w/larger font and images (MCN just
reviewed three GPS units in their April 2007 issue and
found the Lowrance iWay 500c had the largest/easiest
to read screen @ 5" with a 320X240 pixel resolution),
or you need to get a multifocal lens so that distant
vision is clear through the top of the lens and the
vision to your GPS is clear through the segmented lens
below.

But for best effect, you should sit on your bike and
measure how far it is from your eyes to your GPS as
you are on in your normal riding position. Then take
that measurement to your optometrist and they can set
up the bifocal add to be perfect for that distance. Be
aware, however, that it won't then be great for
reading things at the normal 16" reading distance we
like to hold books, maps, and menus at.

If you have no need for corrective lenses in the
distance, then the link to specs that Bill sent (see
below) is a good choice. For GPS and instrument
viewing, I'd select the +1.00 or +1.50 add lenses from
the choices listed. For true near, detailed work, the
+2.00 or +2.50s would get the call.

As for progressive lenses (often called no-line
bifocals or multifocals) they are a possibility. But
they aren't for everyone. In order to make the lens
power 'more plus' w/o a line in the lens, they have to
distort the optics a bit outside your normal 'channel'
of vision. This blurry peripheral view can drive some
folks batty. Others don't mind or notice. The plus
side to the progressive (no-line) bifocals is that
they get progressively stronger as you look further
down the lens. So if you look a little bit downward,
you can see the instruments clearly. If you look way
down through the bottom of the lenses, you can see
near (detailed) objects like maps, books and menus
clearly. That's handy.

As for BF contacts, they are an option as well, but
the successful fitting rate with them ranges from 35
to 50%. What this means is, you can go get fit for
them, but only 35 to 50% of folks find they are
comfortable, afford clear vision distance and near,
and are tolerable in a riding environment (and riding
a motorcycle tends to dry out soft CLs quickly, so if
you have dry eyes already, CLs may not work for you
period, much less a BF CL.)

It's a frustrating situation really. But if you can
measure how far it is to your GPS, to your map, and to
whatever else it is you want to see cleary, your
local, skilled optometrist should be able to help you
out. Sincerely,
Pat in Monument, CO (certified eye tech for 17yrs)

--- Bill Vogel wrote:
> Motorcycle Consumer News gave these a great review
> in the January '05 issue. I don't know if the
> review is available on-line (I couldn't find it),
> and I have no personal experience, but the price is
> right...Bill
http://lesslight.com/web_store/web_store.cgi?page=cheaters.html&category=yes&cart_id=4371533_23459>




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Bill & Pat,

Bill, thanks for the link to the glasses. I may end up with them although I would prefer not to ride with glasses on if it can be avoided. They do, however, look like they would be more comfortable under a helmet than standard glasses. Hearing that MCN rated them favorably is a major plus in my book.

Pat, I should have remembered that you were our local eye expert and simply written you first! I just forgot. Apparently our eyes are not the only things that fail as we get older! LOL I'm going to check out the Fresnel option first and see what a local optometrist has to offer. You make many good points, especially about focal length and progressive lens. I tried progressives once and they drove me absolutely crazy. I had to go back to regular reading glasses.

Any suggestion on where I might find an assortment of Fresnels locally? If I can see some I can determine right away if they will solve my problem.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts on this matter. I really appreciate it. Once I figure out what works best for me I will share that with the group!

Pat, how is the new FZ1?

Vic

< Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:51:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: MP Coleman
Subject: Re: NVFRC - Crappy near vision, maps and GPS
To: VFR LIST
Message-ID: <216242.40197.qm@xxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Vic, Bill, et al,
What a dilemma. But finally, a topic I have half a
clue about. >>




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Hi Vic,
I have the same problem - my distance vision is fine but I can't read a
map without reading glasses.
My solution was to use stick-on magnifying lenses from Optx - goto:
http://optx2020.com/
Hope this helps,

Lorne,
Victoria, BC

Vic gripes:
> Age is hell on near vision! I...can't read..(a map) without
stopping and putting on my reading glasses.
> I do not like the idea of wearing bi-focals under my helmet. Any
other options?
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