SECOND CENTURY ??!!  I'm afraid my biggest problem early in  my second century will be that the coffin is leaking.  Congratulations for taking such good care of yourself.  I'm not sure, but would those magnifiers that you wear like a visor work?  Squadron Mail Order has several different sets in their catalog this month.  I have been thinking about trying a set.  I like the idea that they would stay in front of you like glasses instead of trying to jockey one of the magnifying lights over your work.  Hopefully there will be some more input here, I'm interested too.  Rick

Congrats on the second century to start with... as my grandfather says, "it's better than the alternative!"  I agree with Rick, one of those strap-on magnifying goggle things may be just the thing.

Keep on modeling,

Vance

If indeed you are 100+ years old, then you my friend are probably the oldest scale modeler alive today. I suspect we should be seeing articles in FSM about you as well as being a guest speaker at modeling events such as the Nats.

Although I am sitll in my first centruy, I also am near-sighted.  For really close up work I wear only the inexpensive reading glasses sold in drug / department stores.  Micromark sells clip on type lenses that just clip on to your prescription glasses.  Now, the extra magnification shows me just how unsteady my hands are, but when I take away the maginfication my work really looks good, to me that is.

Regards,

Michael B.

One word... OPTIVISOR.

Regards,  Rick

i'm in me 50's  and my eyes are failing fast  my hands are becoming harder to use  and the health is taking the slide downhill fast   so i know    all about  it 

Well, judging from your "On the workbench" list, your eyes can't be too bad yet. And yes, those cheap reading glasses work just fine. I get mine at The Dollar Store.

Gotta agree with Rick- though I don't use one myself several guys in our club swear the optivisor is an indispensible modeling tool.

At 69, I have to use my prescription glasses with a pair of those drug store reading glasses hanging around my neck and a large lighted magnifier sitting off to the side for when I need it. As has been said before, I don't like to use the magnifier too much because then I can see just how bad my hands shake. It's not fun getting old but every day that you wake up in the morning is a good day to build.

Jim

Good grief! I meant to say the second half of a century!!!!!!! Now I'm even losing the ability to use language!!!!!!!!!! Let's say my 5th decade, ok? Oy!

Luckily I didn't get here until after your edit.

I've been through an ordeal with my eyes for a little over a year. Started with focus problems, then an eye infection and a stye, got rid of the infection but had to have the stye operated on. Still had focus problems. Got layed off. Managed to get new glasses just before the insurance ran out. Even though my presription was right I still couldn't see very well. Managed to see a doctor through a free clinic and found that my eye pressures were very high and evidently in the space of a few months I had developed glaucoma. Got to see a specialist through the free clinic and after a couple of tries found a treatment (eyedrops) that I could take without terrible headaches or just generally feeling really bad and now, I can see almost normally again. I did lose a little peripheral vision but not a lot and as long as I can get these eyedrops they tell me I should be ok.

I'm 53. Have been wearing bifocals for 10 - 12 years. At least now I can stand to work at the bench again. I do use a magnfying lamp for detail work but I've done that for a long time and am used to it. What I noticed initially was that my eyes wouldn't want to change focus. I could set at the bench and work for a while and then my eyes would feel tight, for lack of a better description. When I would stop it would take a while for my eyes to focus at any distance. Then it got to where anything more than 50yds or so would stay blurry. Now that my eye pressures are down it's still not perfect but a lot better than it was. Guess the rest will just have to be chalked up to getting older.

But like a buddy of mine always says, it sure beats the alternative...

Tony

Wingman_kz

Luckily I didn't get here until after your edit.

I've been through an ordeal with my eyes for a little over a year. Started with focus problems, then an eye infection and a stye, got rid of the infection but had to have the stye operated on. Still had focus problems. Got layed off. Managed to get new glasses just before the insurance ran out. Even though my presription was right I still couldn't see very well. Managed to see a doctor through a free clinic and found that my eye pressures were very high and evidently in the space of a few months I had developed glaucoma. Got to see a specialist through the free clinic and after a couple of tries found a treatment (eyedrops) that I could take without terrible headaches or just generally feeling really bad and now, I can see almost normally again. I did lose a little peripheral vision but not a lot and as long as I can get these eyedrops they tell me I should be ok.

I'm 53. Have been wearing bifocals for 10 - 12 years. At least now I can stand to work at the bench again. I do use a magnfying lamp for detail work but I've done that for a long time and am used to it. What I noticed initially was that my eyes wouldn't want to change focus. I could set at the bench and work for a while and then my eyes would feel tight, for lack of a better description. When I would stop it would take a while for my eyes to focus at any distance. Then it got to where anything more than 50yds or so would stay blurry. Now that my eye pressures are down it's still not perfect but a lot better than it was. Guess the rest will just have to be chalked up to getting older.

But like a buddy of mine always says, it sure beats the alternative...

Tony

Wow, that all sounds pretty messed up! I had a cyst on my eye once and after a visit to the Dr., he referred me to a eye surgeon who lanced it, gave me antibiotics that made my vision blurred for weeks and told me it could very well return. If so, further surgery would be needed. And that was no guaranty that it wouldn't return again after that. The cyst did come back to my dismay but after some weeks, suddenly drained again on it's own. For now it has not returned (Knock On Wood!) Even then, the incident cost me close to a grand with the specialist and "in office" surgery.

With my myopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia (Would you believe that word actually comes from Latin roots and means 'old man eyes'?) I guess I should be glad for the vision I do have. As it is, I put on my glasses the first thing I wake up and only take them off when I go to bed. I always put them in the exact same spot so I know where to find them. Once I knocked them off the night stand and they had fallen into a partially opened drawer. I couldn't find them and actually considered calling 911 to get help finding them. I did finally locate them. For now I'll just have to do my best!

Yes sir, endeavor to persevere.   I've endured a lot of things in my life but this was something that really frightened me and got me down. The hardest part was not having insurance and trying to find a way to even see a doctor. But I made it.

Best wishes to you

Tony

I was pretty shocked to find that, after a ten-year break from age 40 to age 50, my "modeling eyes" had gone away... But the readers are good enough... Ain't wearin' bi-focals for nobody...

I don't need bi-focals yet, but my close up vision is getter worse.

I used to use one of those magnifier lamps, but I would have to take off my glasses and press my nose against it.  And even then, I would have trouble maneuvering in the field of vision (the handle of my paintbrush would keep knocking into it).

Then I bought an inexpensive magnifying visor and haven't looked back.  Glasses stay on, so my astigmatism is corrected, and I can see what I'm doing.

Paul

Along with grey hair, reduced vision seems to be old man time's way of reminding you that old age is around the corner.  It may not be here yet, but its in the post.  I found I had to take my contact lenses out to model, just couldnt focus on close up stuff.  The optometrist says they can do no more as far as contacts go, and I'm not wearing glasses at work (somehow a cop wearing glasses just doesnt inspire confidence)  All the guys in my section at work are all over 40 too, and most are experiencing some degree of vision degradation.  You should see us at night time trying to read the small print on drivers licenses !  Out come the magnifying glasses.  It does make you appreciate the gift of sight.

Yeh, I bump things into that lamp every once in a while. You do have to be careful of those paintbrushes. I've started a couple of times to buy a visor but there's always something else I want more.

Come on Hans, give 'em a try. My first pair were actual lined bifocals but the next were progressives. I'd be lost without them now.

Tony

Heh... Until they come down in price, it ain't happenin'... I'm too far from a PX and, like I won't pay 80.00-100.00 for a model kit, I won't pay that for glasses either...

  I'm nearsighted, so they gotta be on towatch TV or drive, but that's about it.. I can read quite well without 'em, although I have use the readers to detail paint...

I have thought it over though... But the only real advantage to bi-focals for me is that I wouldn't have to look over the top of my glasses to read the odometer while I'm driving...

So, it's just my own little bit of vanity, I guess... I'm pretty lucky so far... I'm 51, hair's still at about 95% & it's mostly still brown...  My beard, on the other hand,  that needs the "Just for Men" touch... That's what my daughter says anyway...

I turn 67 next week, so I have a lot more road behind me than in front of me.  I started wearing prescription glasses for reading about 15 years ago, but now usually use the el cheapo ones from Wal Mart.  Age does have it's complications.  I had heart bypass surgery 8 years ago and just found out a few days ago that I have active cancer.  I have a consultation appointment with the Oncology surgeon tomorrow.  That might be some REAL unpleasant news.

Darwin, O.F. 

I wish you the best yardbird.

Hans, all the work I've done for the last 25yrs has required safey glasses on at all times and running machinery and such I pretty much had to go with bifocals. Took a lot of getting used to but IMO progressives are much better. I've been lucky till now that I had decent vision insurance so it didn't cost too much out of pocket. As far as vanity goes, progressives aren't as noticeable either. hehe

My hair's still hanging in but it started turning grey 30 years ago. A couple of people have told me I should color it but I figure as long as it's sticking around it can be whatever color it wants.

Tony

I'm legally blind so I use magnified lights and magnified goggles that you can purchase at most hobby or craft stores to help me with my modeling. People tell me that I do do amazeing work for having the little bit of eye sight I do. You you really enjoy the hobby and don't want to give it up then believe me you'll find a way to do it! Best of luck to you.

Hey,Who is older than dirt? LOL,LOL. Listen here you guys  and girls!!. Aging just means we don,t buy  as many kits, just more expensive ones and then go to the eye doctor to get the scripts for glasses to be able to do the build with! I have worn glasses since third grade.That,s back when NO county or city had BUSSING! Have you ever rode a plowhorse to school.??? I am not kidding !!.After all I,ve lived through and experienced so far, I am going to need another 6.75 decades to figure it all out.! Yes I wear TRIFOCALS.!Yes, my hair is GREY, and yes I still have 99% of it.! Why should I change the color.?? I had to work very hard to get the right shade of grey ! Does anyone know where I can get a very pretty live in nurse?? It,s not that bad yet. Sure ,time has taken it,s toll, but, you know what?? When I am at my bench I feel young again.Someone told me once to find a hobby I loved and I would see the world more clearly and with less feelings of sadness and anger over what I didn,t get to do.The solution is this, revel in maturity, let modelbuilding keep you young and above all learn to be a B.H.P. (BASICALLY HAPPY PERSON) .Do that and life will be good believe me. Also if you get a chance ,pass on your skills to others.       TANKERBUILDER

The solution is this, revel in maturity, let modelbuilding keep you young and above all learn to be a B.H.P. (BASICALLY HAPPY PERSON) .Do that and life will be good believe me.

Bullhockey..

I've spent the last 35 years earning my right to be grumpy and hard to get along with, and NOONE is gonna deprive me of it...

Old is as old does....

Hans von Hammer

 

The solution is this, revel in maturity, let modelbuilding keep you young and above all learn to be a B.H.P. (BASICALLY HAPPY PERSON) .Do that and life will be good believe me.

 

Bullhockey..

I've spent the last 35 years earning my right to be grumpy and hard to get along with, and NOONE is gonna deprive me of it...

 

It's true, he is grumpy!!

But he's the happiest grumpy old man I've ever come across!!

That's because I can now legally spend my non-modeling time in my bathrobe, down on the street yelling at passing cars and stuff...

Also, since I'm now past 50, ypunger people have to listen to me 'cuz I know a lot of stuff...

Hans von Hammer

Also, since I'm now past 50, younger people have to listen to me 'cuz I know a lot of stuff...

That's precisely why kids aren't gonna listen....

They may not  listen , but they'll damn-sure HEAR it, lol...