Reading Glasses that Magnify Small Fonts

I wear progressive lenses with a prescription:

O.D. -3.00 +0.50 x16
O.S. -3.75 +0.25 x107
ADD +2.50

They work fine for distance and most reading. But some of the
magazines that I read use very small colored fonts on a colored
background. I can't read them at all.

I can read them if the font is magnified slightly. I held a +1.75
reading glass lens in front of my regular lens and the small font was
very readable. Ditto with a low power magnifying lens.

Is possible to make prescription reading lenses that would give this
amount of magnification? It woud be strictly for reading.

Would the ADD go from +2.50 to approx. +4.25?

Would it work? Any downside?

I go for an exam Friday but would like to get a feel for possible
"fixes" before then.

I've sent letters to the editor complaning about the font size but
colored fonts on colored backgrounds are the current editors
favorites. They just ignore requests for more legible fonts.

Thans for the suggestion...I will take a couple of the worst pages to
the exam.




On 24 Jan 2007 12:58:01 -0800, "Dr Judy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>
>On Jan 24, 1:21 pm, jay1000 <jfschonSpamgu...@cox.net> wrote:
>> I wear progressive lenses with a prescription:
>>
>> O.D. -3.00 +0.50 x16
>> O.S. -3.75 +0.25 x107
>> ADD +2.50
>>
>> They work fine for distance and most reading. But some of the
>> magazines that I read use very small colored fonts on a colored
>> background. I can't read them at all.
>
>Someone should tell the magazine publisher to stop using tiny fonts
>with poor contrast. There are likely thousands of other readers with
>the same problem. If larger fonts without the weird colours were used,
>it would save all of you the grief of getting special glasses.
>
>> I can read them if the font is magnified slightly. I held a +1.75
>> reading glass lens in front of my regular lens and the small font was
>> very readable. Ditto with a low power magnifying lens.
>>
>> Is possible to make prescription reading lenses that would give this
>> amount of magnification? It woud be strictly for reading.
>
>> I go for an exam Friday but would like to get a feel for possible
>> "fixes" before then.
>
>Take a copy of the magazine along with you to your eye exam so that the
>doctor can determine the optimum power for a pair of magazine reading
>SV glasses.

On 1/24/07 12:58 PM, in article
(E-Mail Removed) om, "Dr Judy"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>
> On Jan 24, 1:21 pm, jay1000 <jfschonSpamgu...@cox.net> wrote:
>> I wear progressive lenses with a prescription:
>>
>> O.D. -3.00 +0.50 x16
>> O.S. -3.75 +0.25 x107
>> ADD +2.50
>>
>> They work fine for distance and most reading. But some of the
>> magazines that I read use very small colored fonts on a colored
>> background. I can't read them at all.
>
> Someone should tell the magazine publisher to stop using tiny fonts
> with poor contrast. There are likely thousands of other readers with
> the same problem. If larger fonts without the weird colours were used,
> it would save all of you the grief of getting special glasses.

What do you want to do? Screw up the country's economy? All kinds of
shysters would go out of business if they had to stop using small dark gray
print on a somewhat lighter gray background. I find that making xerographic
copies of such items tends to increase contrast.

Moreover, you can buy various magnifying devices. I have a hand loupe for
such a purpose. I also have a helmet like device with flip-in magnifiers
that is useful for working on small parts. Such items should be available at
hardware stores or electronic parts stores. I got mine at a swap meet.

Bill
>
>> I can read them if the font is magnified slightly. I held a +1.75
>> reading glass lens in front of my regular lens and the small font was
>> very readable. Ditto with a low power magnifying lens.
>>
>> Is possible to make prescription reading lenses that would give this
>> amount of magnification? It woud be strictly for reading.
>
>> I go for an exam Friday but would like to get a feel for possible
>> "fixes" before then.
>
> Take a copy of the magazine along with you to your eye exam so that the
> doctor can determine the optimum power for a pair of magazine reading
> SV glasses.
>

-- Fermez le Bush--about two years to go.

"Salmon Egg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C1DD1C4C.5CBF3%(E-Mail Removed)...
> What do you want to do? Screw up the country's economy? All kinds of
> shysters would go out of business if they had to stop using small dark
> gray
> print on a somewhat lighter gray background. I find that making
> xerographic
> copies of such items tends to increase contrast.
>
> Moreover, you can buy various magnifying devices. I have a hand loupe for
> such a purpose. I also have a helmet like device with flip-in magnifiers
> that is useful for working on small parts. Such items should be available
> at
> hardware stores or electronic parts stores. I got mine at a swap meet.
>
> Bill

I have pretty much quit reading paper media. Many publications are on the
web now.

In cases where a website uses the same ridiculously small font or is on a
colored background, I just copy the text into my word processor or text
editor and increase the font size.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
jay1000 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I wear progressive lenses with a prescription:
>
> O.D. -3.00 +0.50 x16
> O.S. -3.75 +0.25 x107
> ADD +2.50
>
> They work fine for distance and most reading. But some of the
> magazines that I read use very small colored fonts on a colored
> background. I can't read them at all.
>
> I can read them if the font is magnified slightly. I held a +1.75
> reading glass lens in front of my regular lens and the small font was
> very readable. Ditto with a low power magnifying lens.
>
> Is possible to make prescription reading lenses that would give this
> amount of magnification? It woud be strictly for reading.
>
> Would the ADD go from +2.50 to approx. +4.25?
>
> Would it work? Any downside?
>
> I go for an exam Friday but would like to get a feel for possible
> "fixes" before then.

Just take off your glasses? Use OTC reading glasses? I would tend to
try these first.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Mark A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>
> In cases where a website uses the same ridiculously small font or is on a
> colored background, I just copy the text into my word processor or text
> editor and increase the font size.

I just tend to move on.

Thanks for the answers, but you are missing the question. I just
wanted to know if it is possible to change my prescription for reading
glasses so they slightly magnify text. Something like 25 to 50% would
be enough. If it can be done, is there a downside like having to hold
magazines closer (or further) away.

I use single vision computer glasses (in addion to my normal
progressives) and did a little experiment by putting OTC +2 reading
glasses in front of the computer glasses. I could read the small
fonts just fine but I had to hold the page about 11 inches from the
glasses to be in focus.

Someone suggested using only reading glasses. I tried that with the
+2 OTC reading glasses. I could read the small text but the page had
to be held 7 inches from the glasses to be in focus.


On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:16:20 -0500, jay1000 <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I've sent letters to the editor complaning about the font size but
>colored fonts on colored backgrounds are the current editors
>favorites. They just ignore requests for more legible fonts.
>
>Thans for the suggestion...I will take a couple of the worst pages to
>the exam.
>
>
>
>
>On 24 Jan 2007 12:58:01 -0800, "Dr Judy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>On Jan 24, 1:21 pm, jay1000 <jfschonSpamgu...@cox.net> wrote:
>>> I wear progressive lenses with a prescription:
>>>
>>> O.D. -3.00 +0.50 x16
>>> O.S. -3.75 +0.25 x107
>>> ADD +2.50
>>>
>>> They work fine for distance and most reading. But some of the
>>> magazines that I read use very small colored fonts on a colored
>>> background. I can't read them at all.
>>
>>Someone should tell the magazine publisher to stop using tiny fonts
>>with poor contrast. There are likely thousands of other readers with
>>the same problem. If larger fonts without the weird colours were used,
>>it would save all of you the grief of getting special glasses.
>>
>>> I can read them if the font is magnified slightly. I held a +1.75
>>> reading glass lens in front of my regular lens and the small font was
>>> very readable. Ditto with a low power magnifying lens.
>>>
>>> Is possible to make prescription reading lenses that would give this
>>> amount of magnification? It woud be strictly for reading.
>>
>>> I go for an exam Friday but would like to get a feel for possible
>>> "fixes" before then.
>>
>>Take a copy of the magazine along with you to your eye exam so that the
>>doctor can determine the optimum power for a pair of magazine reading
>>SV glasses.

"jay1000" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for the answers, but you are missing the question. I just
> wanted to know if it is possible to change my prescription for reading
> glasses so they slightly magnify text. Something like 25 to 50% would
> be enough. If it can be done, is there a downside like having to hold
> magazines closer (or further) away.

Yes, it is possible. Just tell the optometrist what you want (and bring an
example as suggested). It may change your normal reading distance, but you
can discuss that with the OD.

I would be careful about trying to get that much power in a progressive,
because the higher the add power, more distortion there is, the narrower the
viewing areas, and other associated negative trade-offs.

I forgot to mention that I do not know how to make a magnifier to magnify
small fonts without also magnifying large fonts. :=)

Bill

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
jay1000 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> Someone suggested using only reading glasses. I tried that with the
> +2 OTC reading glasses. I could read the small text but the page had
> to be held 7 inches from the glasses to be in focus.


Well, try another power, like 1.25. 7 Inches isn't fun. It's hard to
see well with both eyes at that distance.

Some people are really picky about their vision. Others aren't. I was
just suggesting giving it a try. If you need to have your astigmatism
corrected, OTC glasses won't cut it.