Progressive Lens Glasses Alignment Correction

Do you struggle to read fine print? Has your optometrist fitted you out with progressive lens in your glasses which are meant to allow you to see into the distance and close up, but you find they could be better when reading fine print? If so, this personal aid may enable you to better read small print like the ingredients listed on items from a supermarket shelf.

Progressive lens or variation lens are designed to have a variation in their optical strength. The idea being when you look straight ahead you can see into the distance and when you look down - you look through a lower portion of the lens which enables you to view shorter distances such as when reading.

Much research has gone in design of these lenses, as explained in this you tube clip. The speaker makes the point the fitting of the lenes into the glasses frame to the wearer is also important. He recommends optometrist use the 'visofit 1000' machine which assists greatly in measuring how the eye will look though the glasses frame and hence where the lens needs to be shaped for the best correction of sight to see near and far.

I found after being fitted with progressive lens, I still struggled with reading small print and computer screens. I noticed if I raised my glasses slightly, near distance vision improved. I remember the technician who fitted my glasses had not used the 'visofit 1000' machine - just relying on a ruler and guess work. If only there was a device which slightly raised my glasses to enable better alignment to view though the area of the lens designed for near sight?... Well, there is and it can be built using a recycled aluminum beverage can.

Materials

1. Empty Aluminum beverage can
2. Skin coloured medical tape
3. Piece of card

Tools

1. Scissors
2. Nail Scissors
3. Pen

1. Find an empty aluminum beverage can and using a pair of scissors, cut off the top and bottom.
2. Trim the top and bottom cuts to be straight. Then slice vertically to form a sheet of curved aluminum.
3. Flatten the sheet by moving it against an edge of a table.

Cut out the shape shown in the first photo on a piece of light card and try bending it slightly and inserting it between your nose and glasses bridge (outer curve towards your face). You may have to trim it depending on the shape of your nose or style of frame.

Place the trimmed shape on top of a piece of aluminum sheet and trace around it with a pen.

Cut out the shape in aluminum using a pair or small scissors - nail scissors work well.

Cut a length of medical tape and place flat on the table with sticky side up, carefully lay down the shaped aluminum on to it. Cut around the tape, leaving about 1.5 mm of distance to the aluminum shape. Cut little tags so the tape can be neatly folded over the edge of the aluminum. Place a small strip of medical tap on top of the aluminum and trim closely around it.

Bend and fit the devise around the top of your nose below the glasses bridge. If fitted correctly it will raise the glasses a few millimeters, correcting the alignment and enabling you to better view though the lower portion of your progressive lens and hence improve your short distant vision.

1. If you are short-sighted, you probably can already read small print by taking off your glasses and holding the item to view very close to your eyes.
2. Reading in good light helps.
3. There are small credit card sized magnifiers which can be useful.
4. Try taking a photo of the small print with your phone and enlarging it.
5. If you do a lot of computer of desk work, you may benefit from a second pair of glasses with a mid-distance prescription.