Vision going... what to do?

[Handy560]

Hey Guys, maybe you have some practical suggestions...

Getting near 50 and the eyes aren't what they used to be. My welding is getting better with practice but I feel I am being held back by my vision. I have an autodarkening Jacskon helmet which works great but what do you do about correcting vision.

Do you wear glasses under the helmet? Do magnifying lenses work? Do I just learn by feel like I have over the years with young women in the dark... ooops I guess that is not a good option.

Let me know what works, it seems that magifying lenses would have a limited focal distance...

Thanks,

John

[EdZep]

I use a cheater lens in the helmet. It's great. One thing, though: when I switched from standard lens to autodarkening... since the AD allows enough vision to move/walk around a bit, to get a tool, make adjustments, etc., the cheater leaves the world a blur, since I just need it for the closeup work. I guess some wear their bifocal glasses under the hood. I do wear bifocal $5 safety glasses under the hood, but don't try to use the magnifying part because I don't like the viewing angle.

[fun4now]

a cheater lense is well worth trying out. it may not suit you but many like it, so its worth a try.

[k.a.m.]

i have the miller performance series auto dark helmet and i wear my eye glasses and have a 1.50 cheater lense, i always flip my hood out of instinct to get a tool or clean a weld it is just habit from wearing a regular hood so long. try the cheater if your eyes are like mine you will love it,i went to the eye doctor at 47 because of low light blurriness by 49 full blown script tri focals.getting old stinks.

[FM117]

I use a combo of the above ideas depending on what I'm doing.
Mill and lathe work general grinding etc are done with safety
glasses with bifocals/readers built in. Depending what I'm welding
I'll use these under the helmet. But....
If I'm going to be doing lots of close up tig stuff I'll switch to
glasses with correction through the whole lens rather than
the little bifocals. If it's stick or mig work then I put the "cheater"
in the helmet and wear regular uncorrected safety glasses
under the hood. I generally don't have my face as close to
the work and the hood correction works ok.
Dave P.

[KBar]

Handy, if you havent already, pay a visit to the eye Dr. I was bull headed at 40 and never went until I could not see to read, now Im 55 and would be lost without them. I now wear bifocals and yes I wear them under my helmet, they are also prescription safety glasses. You may need to get a lighter or darker lense for your helmet if you are wearing glasses, it all depends on your light sensitivity. I tried magnifying glasses, threw them away a week later.

You only have one set of eyes, take care of them.

[Craig in Denver]

Let me know what works, it seems that magifying lenses would have a limited focal distance...

Thanks,

John

You're right, focal distance is dependant on the diopter of the cheater. At 60, I'm using a 2.00 for close-up TIG. I tried a 2.50, but that needed me to be right in the weld.

I wear a cheater in my auto dark helmet; 2 x 4 1/4. I had to tape it in because I have the large view window. WOW, what a difference. Sure I'd like to be able to see without it; but at least I can see with it.