On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 02:09:11 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

How do you look out of the top of your progressive lenses when you're
trying to spot something on the ground directly below the aircraft?

Crap -- now THERE is something I had not considered. And it's not just
progressive lenses, either.

How DO you guys (that wear bifocals) look down from the plane when you've
got your near-vision corrective lenses on the bottom of your glasses? It
would seem nearly impossible?

Like Bob's, the bifocal (bottom) portion of my glasses only covers
about 2/3 of that area. It starts at the inside and that leaves about
a 1/3 on the outside edge ground for distance. That's handy when
landing as my peripheral vision is still effective.

I tried the progressive's and after 3 weeks I still hadn't been able
to get used to them. I was flying a lot back then and ended up coming
back at night. When I pulled the nose up in the flare I saw three
runways. The glasses ended up in the back seat real quick. Being that
I was wearing the big Telex headset at the time I thought they took my
ears with them.

Prior to 45 my vision was better than average and I thought something
was wrong when it went to 20/20. Unfortunately it kept on changing.
At first I only needed glasses for distance, but after 4 or 5 years I
needed glasses for near and far vision. Now my distance vision is
back to normal or slightly better than normal. Unfortunately I still
need glasses for near vision.

As to whether to go with blended, progressive, or bifocals I think
pretty much depends on the individual.

I also wear photo-gray (TM) glasses/bifocals which work very well.
I tried the "Transitions"(TM), but they wouldn't get dark in the
plane.

I usually "condition" a new pair of photo-gray or Transitions by
setting them out in direct sunlight for a few hours to a full
afternoon. My current pair were "conditioned" right at the doc's
office using an ultraviolet lamp.


Ugh. This getting old stuff sucks.

A true sign that you are getting old is when it's your back that's
stiff in the morning.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com