EMERGENCY eyeglasses

[JOR_EL]

Just a pop-in visit to share something-else-to-be-thankful-for on Thanksgiving (belatedly)

From my post to a photo site:

A fact that some may not have stumbled-upon (on-topic because 1. Canon SLR users have eyes., 2. It's an f-stop thing.) ;-)

If your arms have become too-short for reading., ...and

you are at sea in your sailboat, ...and

you've just dropped your glasses overboard, ...and

you can't read your broken-down diesel engine's repair manual, or the navigation chart that will get you safely to port, ...

Then: make a tiny pinhole "loupe" between your thumb and folded-forefinger,and "Voila", ...you're reading again! (albeit very-slowly, with a limited 'field".)

Simply squeeze to adjust the "aperture", and watch the letters clear-up. (Try it on this screen.)

Emergency glasses, ...always "at hand" (PS: A great "Grandfather trick, ...show the youngsters who wear glasses how to magically "pinch" something to see-it-better. You'll be a real Harry Potter WIZARD!)

HTH,

Larry

 

[gator]

Thats neat, tried it on the screen and it worked. So far the arms ain't to short yet, but there gettin close.

Wally <font color=green>JD 750 "GATOR"</font color=green>

 

[Harv]

Not too shabby, Larry! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

My arms shrunk up too short for reading about 4 years ago. Since then, I've been getting by just fine with those $10 reading glasses you find at the hardware or drugstore.

What I still hate, though, is that I have to tote them specs around with me wherever I go. I remember my embarassment at the DMV when I passed the driving eye exam with ease, but then had trouble filling out the form 'cuz the counter top was so high I couldn't get my eyes far enough away to read it. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

When I do remember to bring them along, I frequently wind up cursing when I bend down to pick something up and they fall out of my pocket. I also like to wear polo shirts and it's hard to find them with pockets. Hate carrying a glasses case in my pants pocket, especially the way my blue jeans seem to have shrunken up lately. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Now, however, with your little fleshy pinhole trick, I will always be able to read the labels on stuff when I'm shopping, even if I look a little silly doing it. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[John Weaver]

Hey, it does work. But why?????? John.

 

[Bird]

Hmm, that's a new one to me, Larry. Don't seem possible, but does seem to work./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Youare]

Wow! that really works. I've reached the point where I have come down with what I call an AIDS sickness, (Age Induced Difficulty Syndrome).

I have several pairs of those Wal-Mart special glasses also, I leave one pair almost everywhere. My secondary problem is trying to remember where I left my glasses. I'ts a terrible thing to get old to where you can not see and then can not remember.

With this little trick I can make out things I wouldn't have been able to before, who cares what it looks like from the other side.

Randy

 

[JOR_EL]

Wizardry!, ...well, not really (like most "wizardry").

John, Bird,
The optical principle is the same as "stopping-down" the lens opening on your camera. With a smaller opening(a HIGHER f-number, i.e. f16 vs f2) the "lens" (of your eye) has greater"depth of field", ...effectively lengthening your arms again.

This is simply a much more effective way of "squinting" your eyes, which does basically the same thing(poorly, ...a round aperture is better than a "slot").

if you'd like a more socially-presentable way to do this hand-squinting, make yourself a little military-style dog-tag to wear around your neck, or on a keychain, and drill a small (.060 works!) hole in it.

For a wider field-of-view, make something with a whole bunch of such holes closely spaced.

If you have a wide brimmed braided-straw hat, tilt your head down, and look up through the small holes in the straw brim (at your TV for istance, ..sharper picture!). But largely obscured.

These tricks make for a servicible, nearly unbreakable, and very compact "spare pair" of emergency glasses.

It's nice to be able to share a little "fun" tip, that can actually be of some use.

Larry

 

[Bird]

Larry, I think I understand what you're talking about, but I only use automatic cameras; I'd never be able to remember what f stops to use./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif