Tools & equipment that are fantastic.

[ovrszd]

My most useful tool, as my eyes age, is bifocal safety glasses.

I've not tried em, but have been told prescription welding helmet lense's are awesome.

 

[Captain Dirty]

Progressive lenses have the distance (if any) prescription in the top half of the lens, the close (reading) prescription near the bottom, and a continuous change between the middle and bottom. When my reading prescription was weaker, the continuity was more gradual; by tilting my head I could change the power so that the front sight on my handguns and long guns was in exact focus. Now that my reading prescription is stronger, the transition is more abrupt, and I cannot find the sweet spot. An older pair of (weaker) reading glasses will work for non-optical sights.

When welding, the lower portion of the progressive bifocals is blocked by the helmet. I use a pair of reading glasses that is now stronger than commonly available cheaters and gives me "full" field of vision.

 

[BravoXray]

I went with progressive lenses 10-12 years ago and never looked back. Still have to lean my head back to read shelf labels, or sometimes a computer screen but to a much lesser extent than bifocals.
Took a little getting used to, but no worse than adjusting to a new prescription.

They're not for everyone...my wife tried them and hated 'em.

I've had progressives ever since I needed bifocals, wouldn't be without them.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

My issue with welding as I've gotten older is not being able to see the work due to the intensity of the arc. Don't know if a different helmet might help...mine's fixed, I think an 11. I've had to go with some fairly high-wattage lighting to be able to see well.

I waffle between 10 and 11 on my settings for my Jackson W70 auto lens depending on the amps, and everything kinda looks fuzzy, until I stick my head down into the clouds. All to say, I'm a fellow traveler; or as a doctor of mine's coffee mug says, "It's not my fault that you got old."

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

For better welding helmets I would expect them to have the ability to mount the glasses frames like the military has for the gas masks. If you Are color blind you may need a darker lens than most of the auto darkening helmets can get to. Better helmets allow the mounting of a second shade in front of the auto darkening one, typically thay ship with a piece of clear in front to protect the auto darkening lens. but you can mount a darkened lens instead of the clear.

 

[WinterDeere]

...or as a doctor of mine's coffee mug says, "It's not my fault that you got old."

Most common conversation between a doctor and any man past middle age:

Doc: "Well, it looks like you have ____"
Patient: "That's impossible, I've never had any history of ____"
Doc: "Congratulations, now you do."

 

[2manyrocks]

Better than, "he looks so natural."

 

[JethroB]

Most common conversation between a doctor and any man past middle age:

Doc: "Well, it looks like you have ____"
Patient: "That's impossible, I've never had any history of ____"
Doc: "Congratulations, now you do."

I went to see my family doctor recently for a checkup, a nice young lady doc. She asked if I had anything new going on. I said “yes” and explained. She asked if that was “normal”, I replied “you tell me as I haven’t been 62 before.”

 

[5030]

If I was 62 again, I'd be a (fill in the blank).

 

[Eagle1]

a green tip?