As the title says, I'm trying to find traditional safety glasses with readers in the bottom. They used to call the style 'engineer' safety glasses. I can find those, but not with reader inserts. I can find them where the entire lens is a reader, but that won't work. Everything with built-in readers look like something out of a science fiction movie. I want something that just looks like a regular pair of glasses. Is such a thing possible, or will I have to pony up for prescription gla$$e$?
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Semi-OT Traditional safety glasses with readers?
- Thread starter MushCreek
- Start date
- Replies 19
- Views 2,227
Cole2534
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Location
- Oklahoma City, OK
They certainly exist. I accidentally borrowed a pair one night and damn near fell over when I looked down the first time.
Like these? BKH15 Clear Frame/Clear Lens 1.5 Diopter Magnifier Safety Glasses
| Fastenal
Like these? BKH15 Clear Frame/Clear Lens 1.5 Diopter Magnifier Safety Glasses
| Fastenal
hobbyman
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2011
- Location
- Canada, BC
I had to pony up several times over my career. I got progressive prescriptions in my safety glasses. It was a hoot welding overhead or even vertical. I used a large lens helmet, cricked my neck completely back then I could see the puddle in the lower half of the helmet glass.
jumpinjimmy447
Aluminum
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2013
- Location
- galt California
Granger , item # 4DY80 is a 3M 2+ diopter safety glass , their one of the best I have found , you can get them in other diopters. 15 bucks a pair .
The 3M Nuvo Grainger has is the closest thing I've found to a traditional style. I wonder why no one seems to make anything like that any more? I want something that looks like a regular pair of glasses. I can get prescription ones to the tune of $100 plus. Not so great the first time I scratch a lens! I work in a tool room, they WILL get beat up.
I got a set of "plumber's glasses" once. They were a disappointment.
So-called "plumber's glasses" have a bifocal part at the normal place and also at the top. They are lined, cannot be done as progressive. Well, they could not really do what I needed, and I ended up with medium distance middle, with close at top and bottom. "medium" being arm's length or so, and "distance" being across a large room, "close" being the distance to read a mic or look at a surface finish closely..
What I wanted was 4 section, but they can't do that. I wanted distance middle, with the "spot" being medium and close as normal for lined bifocal, and then close at the top. Not happening, cannot be done. Hard enough to find even the plumber's glasses setup.
So, They were actually great for bench work, OK for machine work, but I could not see the clock clearly from across the room, and so forth. Drove me up a wall........ except I could not see the wall clearly until I got close..... But they would have been pretty good for overhead welding if I had got the medium distance at top.
No really good choices.
DMF_TomB
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2008
- Location
- Rochester, NY, USA
many welding stores carry safety glasses even bifocal or whole lens in different strengths. i now just get prescription measured and safety glasses made yearly. they cost about $100 and come in all different styles and sizes.
.
if frame way too big or too small they dont fit on head comfortably
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if frame way too big or too small they dont fit on head comfortably
Not that look like regular glasses. All of the ones I'm finding look like cheap sunglasses with clear lenses. I guess I'll have to pay the price for prescription ones. I buy off-the-shelf ones at Lowes, but the rubber nose pads fall off. There were a lot of complaints about that with the 3M Nuvo as well. $15 glasses aren't a bargain when the 25 cent nose pad falls off. I have a bunch of them with no nose pads now. The oil in your skin makes them swell and get loose or tear. 'Real' glasses aren't made that way, and last a long time (until they get scratched).
Mud
Diamond
- Joined
- May 20, 2002
- Location
- South Central PA
Has anyone here tried the stick on bifocal lenses? I'm having a hard time getting acceptable prescription lenses, ready to try the ultra cheap method.
MilGunsmith
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2006
- Location
- Sandyston, NJ
You could stick them on the top for overhead that way.
strokersix
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2009
- Location
- NW Illlinois USA
My favorite safety glasses are prescription progressive bifocals with the top at 1/2 strength. Works great. I think the Dr called it a computer prescription for a desk jockey. Good focus at arms length through the upper portion of the lens.
I am moderately nearsighted and 53 years old.
I am moderately nearsighted and 53 years old.
blcksmth
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Location
- Bowling Green, Ohio
I have used the stick-on bifocals and am very satisfied. My regular glasses are trifocal with reading power at the bottom and above that a section for using a computer monitor. My use was by no means a standard application. When hunting with a rifle or handgun the front sight was not sharp. With a handgun I could tip my head back and use the intermediate lens to see the front sight but with a rifle this was not possible without losing cheek weld to the stock. I purchased reading glasses as a test to see if they improved the front sight issue. They did but then if a deer walked up I probably could not judge the horns at all. The stick-on bifocals are available in a number of diopters, are half moon shaped, are flexible and can be cut to size. You wet them, place them in position on your lens and let them dry in place. They can be peeled off and re-used. I bought the same diopter as the reading glasses. I cut one to a small size and placed it on the inside surface upper left corner of my right lens. Now when bringing the rifle to shoulder the stick-on is in line with my right eye and the sights. It does not interfere with normal vision and after hunting season I remove it and store until next hunting season. My wife thinks I look strange with the one stick-on in place but we have come to an agreement of sorts. I purchased the stick-ons from Amazon for about $20.00.
Bob
WB8NQW
Bob
WB8NQW
garyhlucas
Stainless
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2013
- Location
- New Jersey
I wear progressives after cataract surgery so I don't have to carry readers. Top part is just clear glass. However welding was tough because I needed the reader portion at the bottom for welding and couldn't see through that part. The other day I picked up the shop helmet to make a quick weld and noticed I could see really well. When I took the helmet off I noticed the shop guy had put a pair of reader lens in the helmet! Worked perfect.
Yes I have used a helmet with "cheaters" in it. I was told they come in various diopter ratings. Worked very well. That was way back in a class, I used my regular bifocal safety glasses and that was just as good, later.
Y
UncleFrank
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2015
- Location
- Midwest, USA
I'm using a pair of stick-on readers right now with my computer glasses. I've had these same ones probably 10 years, clean them often with a microfiber cloth, have never had a problem.
cg285
Stainless
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2007
- Location
- sumterville, fl
for the last 20 years of using cheaters i don't think i've gotten 2 weeks out of a pair. i either damage or lose a couple a week
I can get some made at the Wal-Mart optical center, but they're not going to be cheap. And- I have to have a prescription! At least they have a choice of normal-looking frames. I think they said the lenses alone would be $90, plus whatever frames I pick. I'm going in to get my eyes checked anyway, so I can get the doc to write a scrip for bifocal readers.
Mark Rand
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2007
- Location
- UK Rugby Warwickshire
I've got two pairs of glasses, a varifocal pair that cope with driving, reading and general use and a bifocal pair that work for the computer and bugger all else. Both are in safety frames with impact resistant lenses, supplied by my optician. That way If I forget which pair I'm wearing when I'm in the shop, I'm still protected. I recently added a set of 2 dioptre cheater lenses to the clips provided on the inside of my welding helmet, so I didn't need a third pair of glasses when TIG welding. With the Varifocals, they work for both TIG and stick welding.
I'm 60 years old and 5 dioptres short sighted, so I need the glasses anyway.
I'm 60 years old and 5 dioptres short sighted, so I need the glasses anyway.
