ok, I have read lots of articles about the kinds of materials you need to build a rod, but I find that my reading glasses just don't do the trick,
maybe good eyes should be added to material list.
looking for suggestions about, glasses, magnifiers that attach to hat, ordered one that works fine but you have to get within 6" to get clear picture.

Good lighting will help. So will good contrast. A pale green pastel background is a superior surface to work above. It won't reflect glare back at you but provides good contrast to most rod blanks and threads.

...........

I have old eyes, and have had eye surgery, so I understand your problem. Everyone's eyes are different, but I've homed in, after much experimentation, on the Optivisor, with a #3 lens (worn on the forehead, so you can move around), this gives me sharp vision at 9 inches, and it easily flips up and out of the way when I need to look around. Would be happier with 12 inches, but I'll take what I can get.

Jim,

I have major vision problems with two detached retinas and I have been able to do work comfortably with two items. I use halogen lamps that are on a moveable arm with a heavy base and can be directed onto the work very easily. I also use 5x magnifier lens that are attached to a visor and worn on the head. I don't remember the name of the company that sells the visor, but usually engravers, jewelers, etc. all use them. You can also change the magnification by purchasing different lens. Hope this helps.

I picked up a style similar to the Optivisor from Jann's (sponsor to the left). It works well for me after my lighted magnifying lens bracket broke. I did get the lighted lens replaced, but use it seldom now that I'm used to the headband style. It seems that about 10" from the work and it's clear.
Yeah, it'd be nice if I could get a bit farther away, but it works...

Putter

I've been using a magnifier lamp for both rod building and fly tying. Lamp clamps to the desk and has two arms that swing in any position. Takes a little getting use to, but works for me.

Yep, the Opivisor head visor is the best in my opinion. There are different lenses available so you need to first know what distance you are most comfortable working from to get the right lense for your focal lenght. I used to use the magnifier lamp but you spend a lot of time moving it around and out of the way. The visors are much easier to work with. The optivisor is the best but there are cheaper ones available at Harbor Freight but the lense choice is limited to one choice and it costs only about 5-6 dollars. I have both but use the optivisor for rod building and the other for other close work at another work station.

I just recently purchased one of the Daylight lamps. This has the best color for a light I have ever used for rod building. Got the idea from my wifes cross-stitch lamp she has. The unit I got was a desk lamp, with a heavy base and also come with a magnifying glass that can be pivoted into many positions. I really find that with this type of lamp, I see things better, you get light as if you were outside. You can find this setup in most sewing shops or online.

Some suggestions as this is what I do for a living. First, the more the light the better since as we age we need more light to maintain the same contrast sensitivity. Halogen lights are wonderfull as the light is more "white" and will tend to discolor your working material less. Try if possible to use a light that you can direct like on an arm positioned over your shoulder or off to the side and not directly in front of you so less glare directed at the eye. Second, use the least amount of power and magnification that you can get by with. It is always tempting to use a higher mag but that will decrease your working distance and actually can put a lot of stress on the visual system. Loupes and magnifiers will work and some of the optics are OK and other are poor with a lot of distorsion. Hold the magnifier up to piece of grid paper and move it backwards and you will be able to see the distorsion inherent in the lens and compare one to another. Finally, if you do this type of thing a lot, then consider a pair of spectacles made just for your eyes and chosen working distance and you won't be disappointed. And to think I build rods to get away from this stuff. ha

I'll suggest an eye doctor along with good lighting. I'm currently loosing my vision due to age, and purchased magnifying lenses.They work great while working on rods but when you take them off, its difficult to focus on anything! Possibly causing more harm than good?

I had my Doc make me a set of glasses just for rod thread work. They work great. Down side I can't use them for any thing else. Other than glasses lighting is the most important
Good Wraps Bob

To All,

This is a really good thread. I have gloucoma, astigmatism, far and near sightedness. I have glasses on, off, sunglasses, eye strain, headaches and the rest. Cant give up what I love though. To see me fish you would think Fred Sanford was wearing waders. I cannot tell you all how many pairs of glasses I have lost in the water. lenses pop out only to have to stumble back in my car. I can see for the most part and that is all I need to tie flies, wrap rods and see a rise in the current. Imagine losing that? Thanks to all for their "views" on visual aids!

David.

There's ole Dr. Rob to the rescue!!!
Thanks, Rob, I think I'll schedule with Dr. Mitchell tomorrow and get this thing done...
Putter

Thanks for the suggestions, I will end up trying most of them.
My wife has a plant growth light not far from where I work, so I swung it around and that helps. for now
this will make the doctors in here pull their hair out, but I break glasses like nobody can imagine, I wont spend more than $6 for sun glasses because of that,
I buy $17 dollar wal=mart glasses now using 1.5, for reading, I see good till things get pretty far off, and can't read most stuff, I have the short arm disease. Building this rod will probably cause me to go to doctor and like a previous post I may get a set just for this.
age is part of the problem, but I use a torch a lot, and you can imagine the rest.
once again, thanks for suggestions,
this is great, I have been a member of a fishing web site.
Vastriper.com for several years and we pride ourselves on helping others, we give out more info than anyother site I visit.
Now I found this site and its great as well. The help and how fast people respond is very amazing.

Giraffe lamp and magnifier. Anglers Workshop carry them.

I had one gentleman email with a question and so I thought I would shed a little light on the subject if you will pardon the pun. When you purchase a pre-made pair of reading spectacles or cheaters as they are sometimes called, you are living with compromises built into the system. The distance between our two eyes, also known as the pupillary distance or PD varies for each individual. Production magnifiers of any variety will assume an average PD of approximately 60 mm, which may or may not be correct for you. In smaller prescriptions, the unwanted prism that is induced from this mismatch of PD's is generally not that significant, but in higher prescription lenses, which is what we are talking about with most higher strength reading glasses and magnifiers, this undesirable prism can become very significant. Also the older we become the less forgiving our visual system is of any near point stress. Now if you're not at the near task very long, no problem, but after a while that's when the headaches and eye stress will likely become more evident. It's important to understand that you don't have to spend a lot of money in order to achieve a viable solution.

Thanx Dr. Rob.

Very helpful and informative.

First year for glasses for me, but at 48, I can't complain. I guess.

Something else to consider that was not mentioned above is contrasting colors. I attempted to wrap gray thread on a gray blank and gave that up very fast. I do fine with red on gray or green on gray, etc You may eliminate some colors but there is still a lot to choose from.

Jim,

Go to www.neoptx.com

They have a variety of vision aids. The ones I use are reusable soft plastic lenses which come in a range of diopters. They stick to the insides of your glasses lenses using water. They are removable and can be put on any glasses. I have several sets of them of varying degrees of magnification. I use them at the bench, for reading and on the stream attached to my polorized sunglasses. These little babies are a lot cheaper than new glasses and never get in the way.

In my experience, it's Optivisor hands down - lens in various focal lengths, good optics of glass and a sturdy head support.

I added three flexible halogen lamps to the workbench, and a moveable halogen light for when I need it.

Old eyes need magnification and good lighting - mine are 67.

Stan