Aging Eyes
Aging eyes. Short arm syndrome. Presbyopia. The almost universal initiation into mid-life. This inability to focus up close confronts most people over 40 years old. Some estimates say over a billion people globally struggle with presbyopia. And many find it quite frustrating.
The National Eye Institute says presbyopia happens naturally as we age. Your eyes become unable to focus light directly onto the retina because of a hardening of the natural lens. Aging also affects muscle fibers around the eye and makes focusing on up-close objects more difficult.
Unfortunately, you can do nothing to prevent or permanently correct presbyopia. Presbyopia is incredibly frustrating for someone who has never worn eyeglasses or wears contacts to avoid them. Yet, few can avoid the need for readers or “cheaters.”
Unsafe Reading
For people who must frequently read while working or who often complete detailed, up-close work, putting reading glasses on and taking them off throughout the day is a hassle. And, if safety glasses are also needed, doing so is a significant safety hazard.
Fortunately, there are some terrific safety eyewear options to accommodate those needing bifocals. These options provide a much safer and comfortable alternative to the on and off approach or trying to wear reading glasses under safety eyewear.
The Elvex Sonoma RX-350 Bifocal Safety Glasses are popular for workers needing safety reading glasses.
Bifocal Safety Eyewear
Bifocal Safety Glasses feature safety lenses with magnifiers (bifocals) molded directly into the lenses. They are perfect for those who need reading glasses but also require safety glasses protection. Pyramex V2G Bifocal Safety Glasses/Goggles are also available for those requiring more comprehensive protection.
Bifocal safety eyewear comes in multiple diopters (strengths) ranging from +1.00 to +3.00, depending on the brand and model. Various lens tints are available in bifocal safety glasses too. You can also get bifocal lenses that are polarized and anti-fog.
Also, most bifocal safety eyewear uses shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, is ANSI Z87.1-2015 certified, and provides 99.9% UVA-UVB protection.
Stick-On Bifocals
Stick-On Bifocals, soft semicircles pressed onto eyewear, allow you to make almost any pair of sunglasses, safety glasses, or goggles into bifocals. You can easily apply them with water and customize them by trimming the curved part. When dry, they stay firmly bonded even in wet conditions. Yet, you can remove and reinstall them onto other eyewear if desired.
Stick-on bifocals offer a great solution to expensive prescription sunglasses. They also prevent having to buy new safety eyewear when eyes seem to suddenly change at midlife.
Fashionable Bifocal Vision
Bifocal Safety Glasses remove the need to compromise between safety and fashion. No need to constantly change eyewear or compromise on vision quality either. Adding Stick-On Bifocals to your existing safety glasses can achieve even more style options. This opens up your fashion options even more.
No longer do midlifers or anyone requiring bifocals plus safety eyewear need to feel frustrated over limited options. Instead, embrace your wise eyes with safety eyewear that can help you do whatever you want — at work, home, or play — better and safer than ever before.
Agree about the need for bifocal lenses, however, what I would like to see is double bifocal lenses with different diopters for top and bottoms.
Justification:
When those who need doubles the distance we focus on when looking through the tops is usually about 3-4 feet (think looking at something under the hood of the car near the back of the engine) not the 2-3 feet used for reading. I have tried the stick-ons however, I have to trim them and when I do they don’t stick well
Hi Bob,
Thank you for leaving a comment.
I agree, having different diopter strengths for the top or bottom bifocals would be a nice feature. However, I don’t see manufacturers offering this feature anytime soon. The number of possible diopter combinations would be too high, making the “bean counters” unhappy.
I think your idea of using the stick-on bifocals is the best solution. I recommend using a pair of bifocal safety glasses with a larger/taller lens to reduce the trimming of the stick-on bifocals.
The 3M Lexa has the tallest lens that I’m aware of, plus it features ratcheting temples, so you can adjust the angle of the lens to your liking. They also feature a robust anti-fog coating so you can enjoy clear vision during humid weather or rapid temperature changes.
Just received my new shooting glasses today. FAST SHIPPING! Thanks very much and great service as usual
Hi Paul,
Thanks for sharing the good news! And thank you for the kind words.
Hello Michael, one of my coworkers uses safety glasses only occasionally, except when he spends 2-6 hours down at our electronics facility on the factory floor. He wears bifocal lenses, which generally work well for him, he’s a mechanical designer and spends much of his time on the computer and the rest looking at mechanical tolerances and assemblies in real time or in meetings. He occasionally does some things in our design lab also.
When on the lab or factory floors he has to wear safety glasses which seem to wreck his close up vision. Outside of getting him to wear bifocal safety glasses(I have four styles that I use regularly 1,2,3 dioptor and a pair or 1.5 top/bottom), do you have any recommendations for particular brands or styles of safety glasses that would reduce the distortion he seems to be getting. His eye doctor seems surprised that he would have any issues.
Thanks.
Steve
Hi Steve,
Thank you for submitting your question.
In my opinion, bifocal safety glasses are the best approach. However, everyone’s vision is a bit different, and certain eyewear features can cause perceived distortion for some wearers. If the cheaper models of bifocal safety glasses are causing him discomfort, he should look into getting a pair made by his optometrist.
Over-Prescription Safety Glasses could be an economical solution, but they are not as comfortable as a dedicated pair of bifocal safety glasses. Especially if he has to wear them for several hours at a time.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
A roofing contractor has said that bifocal safety glasses are not permitted on his jobsites, as they can cause “vertigo” moving between the bifocal and the the regular lens. Are you aware of other industrial or construction scenarios where bifocal lenses are not permitted due to this effect?
Thank you for your question, Lisa.
I’m unaware of any OSHA guidelines for bifocal safety glasses and specific jobsites. However, it is within your employer’s rights to establish their specific safety protocols and choose what safety equipment is authorized as long as it is in line with OSHA guidelines/standards.