[at-l] Eyeglasses

[saunterer@jimbullard.org (saunterer@jimbullard.org)]

At 06:20 PM 2/6/02 -0500, Jim Mayer wrote:
>Hello Listers
>
>     I want your opinion on whether I should bring my eyeglasses.
>     I have a very weak prescription that helps me to avoid headaches
>     when spending hours in front of computer screens ...clip...

I too have a weak prescription (<-1) for nearsightedness.  Unfortunately 
with age my really near sight has also dropped off meaning that I can't 
read really fine print (4-6 point) without a reading lens (+1).  In other 
words I wear bifocals.  I find that tiredness exacerbates my problem.  I 
expect to be tired on a long hike.  Hiking I often either 1) drip sweat on 
the lenses making them worse than no glasses or 2) they fog up because of 
cool temps which condense my body moisture on the glass making them totally 
impossible to see through.

I *need* my glasses if I'm focusing my camera (auto-focus and/or diopter 
adjustable viewfinders resolve these situations) or when I need to read 
something with fine print (as is sometimes found on maps).  My solution is 
going to be to carry them in a pouch attached the shoulder strap on my 
pack.  They will be protected, stay clean and be handy if I need them.

I am considering laser surgery on only my dominant eye (the right one) to 
20/20 for distance.  Laser surgery can be had quite reasonably just over 
the border into Canada.  If I do that I would leave the other eye 
nearsighted and go without glasses most of the time but get prescription 
reading glasses for really close work.

sAunTerer