Investment in my eyes

[Canoetripper]

I am going to be 62 next month so obviously my eyesight isn't as good as when I was 16.

Time for new glasses and contacts.

As many of you already know, masks fog your glasses. I have worn contacts since my 20's.

I have never been impressed with my Orvis Croakers so I told the woman helping me that I am a fly fisherman and wanted polarized sun glasses for fly fishing. Interestingly enough, she told me that she also fly fishes and could help me.

As a former salesman, I can't tell you how frustrating it is to deal with a salesperson when I know more about something I want to buy because of my interest and research than the salesperson.

This woman was on the ball. I ordered a pair of Maui Jim's with brown polarized lenses. These are expensive but nobody can buy new eyes. I just need them for distance and clarity. My Flip-Focals and other tools should work adequately enough for the equally challenging fly fishing frustration of tying knots with declining eyesight .

 

[salvelinus]

I'm 68. I was always near-sighted so tying a fly on was never a problem. A year ago I had cataract surgery. I no longer need glasses but lost my near vision so I use readers. I now discovered that you can also get MJ's with various diopter readers as a bifocal. I'm ordering a pair ASAP.

 

[Baron]

Canoetripper wrote:
I am going to be 62 next month so obviously my eyesight isn't as good as when I was 16.

Time for new glasses and contacts.

As many of you already know, masks fog your glasses. I have worn contacts since my 20's.

I have never been impressed with my Orvis Croakers so I told the woman helping me that I am a fly fisherman and wanted polarized sun glasses for fly fishing. Interestingly enough, she told me that she also fly fishes and could help me.

As a former salesman, I can't tell you how frustrating it is to deal with a salesperson when I know more about something I want to buy because of my interest and research than the salesperson.

This woman was on the ball. I ordered a pair of Maui Jim's with brown polarized lenses. These are expensive but nobody can buy new eyes. I just need them for distance and clarity. My Flip-Focals and other tools should work adequately enough for the equally challenging fly fishing frustration of tying knots with declining eyesight .

I bought them online two months ago. They're great. Polaroid 2.0

 

[drakeking412]

I recently got some Smith's. Great decision

 

[chrism80]

I also went Smiths with the copper/brown lenses . Something i will do going forward is get my prescription and order myself as i understand it is considerably cheaper, however i may be wrong on this but i don't think so.

 

[Bruno]

Maui Jims are nice. I recently purchased glasses as well. What I found interesting as I was paying cash and not using insurance they sent my script to a better optics lab. Apparently Insurance requires them to use cheaper labs. I have an unusual prescription and the sunglasses manufactures wont make my prescription. I still have sticker shock on the cost of the damn things but such is life.

Also my doctor quit carrying ray bans as they dont think the quality is there anymore. Apparently they moved production from Italy to China and have gone downhill a bit.

 

[Baron]

I had no Idea you folks were spending like this just to see. How much I take for granted in life. I was bragging that I spent $36 dollar on Poloroid readers and then you mention Maui Jim's. Due to being a wood worker, tree guy and general Clunker-Arounder I go through 2-3 pair a year and If I were paying Maui Jim prices it would be a real deal-breaker.

While I do use readers I'm thankful that I have otherwise sufficient eyesight.

 

[UncleShorty]

My mother told me I'd go blind if you didn't cut that out.

So I quit when I had to get glasses...

 

[bugs4]

I was able to get a very nice pair of prescription, no-line bifocal, polarized sunglasses from Zenni Optical for about 90 bucks.

 

[Canoetripper]

If my memory is any good, I believe that the TCO fly shop in West Lawn was very high on Smith optics, which I don't doubt. It is just too easy for me to walk across the street to get my new Maui Jim's even though they were not inexpensive.

I am impatient. When I want something right now, I will pay and travel less when I want it sooner rather than later.

 

[troutpoop]

When the Maui Jim's came out with the readers I bought them right way. This was about 3 years ago. I almost fell several times. I much prefer the regular Maui Jims and flip focals for up close.
I hope they work for others out there.

 

[drakeking412]

It was around $550 for me to get prescription Smith's and I have my script. I couldn't do it and just got the regulars. Oh well.

 

[Canoetripper]

Searched and searched for my very old pair of Ray Ban Aviators and found them, finally. They are the same glass wear that Joe Biden wears.

I know that Ray Bans are not polarized and are now manufactured in China like a lot of other products that I(and you) use daily.

I drive automotive vehicles for a living. Eyesight is obviously important.

Any and all thoughts about corrective lenses are welcome. I am kind of sold on Maui Jim's, but know that I can't go buy new eyes anywhere.

My goal is to make my contacts work with the Ray Ban's for work and another pair of Maui Jim's to work with my contacts for fishing. I think that the prescription Maui Jim's will work just fine for me.

 

[dryflyguy]

Someone else already mentioned an online place called Zenni.
And I'll second it.

I bought a pair of polarized bifocals from them over the winter.
They had a Christmas sale then, I believe 20% off.
And with that discount, they cost me under a $100.

Gotta say, I'm really happy with them.
Been working fine with my 65 year old eyes

Got them with a mirror blue finish. And several people have commented on how nice they look

 

[Baron]

Dry fly you look good from my house!!!!

 

[Canoetripper]

I am pulling the plug and ordering a pair of Adjustable Focus Reading Glasses from the Hammacher Schlemmer catologue, but we all need our eyes to work.

$90.00 is a lot to pay for readers. I know that I am rolling the dice on this product mail order, but I would rather be right than wrong ph*cking around when I know that I can't really see what I am doing trying to tie a fly to tippet.

Each lense is adjustable from +0.50 to +4.00 diopters. I should be able figure out what works for me.

Edit note: I am really impressed with both pairs of my Maui Jims.

 

[dryflyguy]

Canoetripper :

Never knew there was such a thing as adjustable focus lenses - other than what the optometrists use to check eyes of course.

Personally though, I would have gone to a dollar store.
You can get any size reading glasses you want - up to 3.00 power - for a buck.

My optometrist even recommended I do that, for computer glasses

 

[Canoetripper]

I can't disagree with you at all.

When my eyes started to decline, I was very myopic(near-sighted) in my left eye. I wore a single contact for years.

I eventually got astigmatism in my right eye. I am 62 and my eyes are not what they once were at age 16.

Age happens in a harsh and mean way for all of us. Everyone on this board likes to fly fish, and we need our eyes as focused as possible for that to happen.

I have personally spent well over $1,000.00 to make my eyes as good as they can be at my age to fly fish and not get frustrated when I can't see what I am, or want to do.

Next up is how well I can fly cast, which is not that good.

I think that I have every knot tying tool on the market, and I really only need to tie the trilene knot. I am going to take fly casting instructions from the TCO Outfitters in Boiling Springs, PA.

I am an experienced but mediocre fly fisherman. If I can just get good enough at my basic knot tying and casting, I should be good enough for what I want to do.