EVF, prescription glasses and presbyopia

Hello everybody,

this might be a bit off-topic, but hoping some of you have gone through this process.

I'm in my 40s and using single focus prescription glasses for nearsightedness/myopia. When photographing, up until now I've used mostly the LCD screens for "quick shots", leaving the EVF for when more attention is required for framing/focus/stabilisation. When I shoot thorugh EVF, I don't remove my glasses.

Now, as presbyopia is creeping up, the LCD screen is getting harder to see through my lenses, so depending on the moment, I just peek "underneath" my glasses (while holding the camera a bit closer so that I can see with naked eyes). Eventually, of course, I will need different, multi-focal glasses.

can you share experiences and recommendations regarding the use of multi-focal glasses and cameras, including LCD screens and EVF?

Thanks,

Carlos

Carlos, I have used bifocals for many years now with both my dSLRs and mirrorless cameras. No problems with live view or OVF/EVFs.

I have the dioptre setting set to my distance script (i.e. near the central position).

I have astigmatism as well as normal corrections.

I switched to bifocal contact lenses a few years back. It made it much easier.

Presbyopia is a royal pain in the ass if you are used to working very close up to your displays/rear lcd lcd screens.

I managed ok with rear screens and progressive lenses from my mid-40s to my mid 50s, but for about the past 5 years I have switched to pretty much exclusively using the EVF on both of my camera bodies. I don't even have to use my glasses at all with the EVF, since it has the diopter adjustment. Even with the bifocal correction in my glasses now, it's much harder to use the rear screen than the EVF, unfortunately...so EVF for everything works best for me.

YMMV, of course.

Just get yourself a prescription for bifocals or progressives and give them a shot. You will need to change then every couple of years as your eyes settle into their long term degree of correction, but you should be able to continue to use the rear screen for quite a while yet with a good glasses Rx.

-J

Boombuia said:

Hello everybody,

this might be a bit off-topic, but hoping some of you have gone through this process.

I'm in my 40s and using single focus prescription glasses for nearsightedness/myopia. When photographing, up until now I've used mostly the LCD screens for "quick shots", leaving the EVF for when more attention is required for framing/focus/stabilisation. When I shoot thorugh EVF, I don't remove my glasses.

Now, as presbyopia is creeping up, the LCD screen is getting harder to see through my lenses, so depending on the moment, I just peek "underneath" my glasses (while holding the camera a bit closer so that I can see with naked eyes). Eventually, of course, I will need different, multi-focal glasses.

can you share experiences and recommendations regarding the use of multi-focal glasses and cameras, including LCD screens and EVF?

Thanks,

Carlos

Click to expand...

Graduated from swapping glasses to bi-focals and now for the last maybe 10 or 15 years have tri-focals. No problems at all from maybe hand-span in front of face to distance.

In my case am one of the odd ones who uses rear screens only, don't like viewfinders any more. When using a viewfinder with glasses then in bright conditions the light leakage around the viewfinder can be a pain unless a very large eye-cup is used.

As for my tri-focals they seem to work best at about 8 inches for the close part (I requested it to be a bit closer than the traditional 10 inches) and the intermediate at maybe 2 feet, so the close part suits the camera and model making and soldering up circuits etc, and the intermediate suits PC monitors and instrument panel in the car.

I do have 76 year old eyes and always have had massive astigmatism in both so can only use glasses to correct the sad situation.

When doing electric welding I use a simple pair of what I call "computer glasses" that are set for about 2 feet. That is needed because when the auto-darken welding mask is on then I cannot move my head enough to use the close range parts of the tri-focal glasses.

Regards.... Guy

Boombuia said:

Hello everybody,

this might be a bit off-topic, but hoping some of you have gone through this process.

I'm in my 40s and using single focus prescription glasses for nearsightedness/myopia. When photographing, up until now I've used mostly the LCD screens for "quick shots", leaving the EVF for when more attention is required for framing/focus/stabilisation. When I shoot thorugh EVF, I don't remove my glasses.

Now, as presbyopia is creeping up, the LCD screen is getting harder to see through my lenses, so depending on the moment, I just peek "underneath" my glasses (while holding the camera a bit closer so that I can see with naked eyes). Eventually, of course, I will need different, multi-focal glasses.

can you share experiences and recommendations regarding the use of multi-focal glasses and cameras, including LCD screens and EVF?

Thanks,

Carlos

Click to expand...

I wear bifocals since a few years and that doesn't work for me. Especially with evf I need to take my glasses off, with the evf set to my dioptries. Ijust couldn't manage to get it work otherwise

Felice

Boombuia said:

1. Boombuia wrote:

Hello everybody,

this might be a bit off-topic, but hoping some of you have gone through this process.

I'm in my 40s and using single focus prescription glasses for nearsightedness/myopia. When photographing, up until now I've used mostly the LCD screens for "quick shots", leaving the EVF for when more attention is required for framing/focus/stabilisation. When I shoot thorugh EVF, I don't remove my glasses.

Now, as presbyopia is creeping up, the LCD screen is getting harder to see through my lenses, so depending on the moment, I just peek "underneath" my glasses (while holding the camera a bit closer so that I can see with naked eyes). Eventually, of course, I will need different, multi-focal glasses.

can you share experiences and recommendations regarding the use of multi-focal glasses and cameras, including LCD screens and EVF?

Thanks,

Carlos

Click to expand...

I have used varifocal lenses since digital cameras were invented No issues

Ian

I too use varifocals and have no issues. The viewfinder goes naturally to the distance vision part of the glasses and the dioptre adjustment is fine in the middle. Your choice of prescription will depend on things other than camera use, so if you are not ready to change to bifocals or varifocals (which are better once you get used to them, which might take an hour or so, or might take a few days) you just have to find the best way you can to work with EVF and screen. Annoying but nothing you can do about it. Experiment with adjusting the dioptre setting (if there is enough adjustment) for glasses on and off and see which you get on with best.

with multi focal/progressive lenses for 20 years except the cost. The lenses alone not including frames are far more than the Olympus 12-40 but at least it is a “medical” expense

I have easily set the OVF at or near 0 and can see the LCD with no issues

Welcome to the 40s (and older). At 64 my distance vision is still pretty good. I can easily do outdoor activities without glasses. My uncorrected near field vision is awful. Without glasses I can use an EVF with diopter correction, but the LCD is useless. I wear varifocals and find that works pretty well. I also have prescription polarized sunglasses and there are some EVFs with which the polarization creates black splotches. The E-M1i comes to mind. OTOH, some, like the E-M10ii are not a problem. As an aside, when I first prompted to get reading glasses by my wife. We were on a road trip and she was driving. We were going through Chicago in a snowstorm. I was supposed to be navigating but couldn't read the map. Needless to say, I had reading glasses the next day.

I use varifocals as the dioptre adjustment on the camera isn’t big enough. I’m wondering if you can you still get attachments for viewfinders to further increase the adjustment?

Chas2 said:

with multi focal/progressive lenses for 20 years except the cost. The lenses alone not including frames are far more than the Olympus 12-40 but at least it is a “medical” expense

I have easily set the OVF at or near 0 and can see the LCD with no issues

Click to expand...

Wow, that's a rip off unless they are impregnated with gold

Ian

I'm early 70's. near-sighted, and use progressive lenses to help with near focus but lift up glasses for close work. Use EVF almost exclusively for shooting with no issues other than cleaning my glasses more frequently. Generally need to lift my glasses to uses the menus on the LCD. On the rare occasions Is shoot with the LCD sometimes I am working at enough distance that I don't need to lift my glasses but other time I have to lift them.

Your mileage may vary

A. C.

I have worn varifocal spectacles for a few years. I have several Panasonic cameras: TZ60, LX7, GM1, GM5, GF7 and G80. The quality of the EVF dictates whether or not I keep spectacles on when looking through the EVF. The TZ60 and GM5 EVFs have small , hard surrounds and I find it easier to lift my spectacles and rely on the maximum -4 diopter settingof the EVF. The G80, and previously FZ330, I can use the EVF with spectacles on. In all cases the LCD screen is easily viewed with spectacles on.

I mostly shoot with the EVF and (especially since starting to use sunglasses more and more) I tend to slide down the glasses on my nose and peak over them into the EVF. It's a bit weird, and often leads to smudges on my glasses, but I am getting into the habit.

HOWEVER...their close range just isn't good for viewing things on the lcd, so I simply take off my glass to see that.

We forewarned if you're going to get new glasses that those which turn dark in the sun will make it very difficult to see the viewfinder OR the lcd. Polarized lenses and cameras just don't mix.

Isabel

P.S. I'm assuming that you are nearsighted and that's why you have to take your glasses off to see the lcd!

jalywol said:

Presbyopia is a royal pain in the ass if you are used to working very close up to your displays/rear lcd lcd screens.

I managed ok with rear screens and progressive lenses from my mid-40s to my mid 50s, but for about the past 5 years I have switched to pretty much exclusively using the EVF on both of my camera bodies. I don't even have to use my glasses at all with the EVF, since it has the diopter adjustment. Even with the bifocal correction in my glasses now, it's much harder to use the rear screen than the EVF, unfortunately...so EVF for everything works best for me.

YMMV, of course.

Just get yourself a prescription for bifocals or progressives and give them a shot. You will need to change then every couple of years as your eyes settle into their long term degree of correction, but you should be able to continue to use the rear screen for quite a while yet with a good glasses Rx.

-J

Click to expand...

I have been severely and unevenly nearsighted since early childhood and several years ago had cataract surgery. While being so nearsighted with just one lens being way thicker than the other and having a distorted view of my eyes, wasn't appreciated, I did appreciate my ultra-close vision when I took my glasses off, so when it came time for cataract lens implants I asked the surgeon to leave me nearsighted, so I could use the computer without glasses (something I couldn't do before my surgery). I was very happy to have normal looking eyes through my glasses after the cataract surgery and wearing glasses for older people is really cosmetically sound - they can hide your bags and discoloration under your eyes!

My "nearsighted" cataract lenses have worked out rather well, but I do wear progressive eyeglasses because craning my neck up to see the computer screen didn't work very well and the mid-range didn't work at all. half the time I don't wear the computer glasses - I just sit closer to the screen....AND...if you're going to have computer glasses made make sure to find your comfortable distance from your monitor, measure it and tell your doctor how far you sit from the screen!

Yes...presbyopia is a royal pain, but at least we have ways of dealing with it!

Isabel

I set the dioptre to my naked eye. With a camera I'm left eyed so when shooting I raise the left side of my glasses and put my eye to the evf. Works for me

Isabel Cutler said:

HOWEVER...their close range just isn't good for viewing things on the lcd, so I simply take off my glass to see that.

We forewarned if you're going to get new glasses that those which turn dark in the sun will make it very difficult to see the viewfinder OR the lcd. Polarized lenses and cameras just don't mix.

Click to expand...

Same here: spectacles for shooting through the EVF, look over spectacles when using EVF close up. If I am planning on using the EVF a lot I use an "eyeglass chain" allowing me to slip my spectacles on and off quickly. You can easily find a video on choosing the right chain for you.

Also, yes, forget about using sunglasses if you want to really want to see through the EVF.

I am a retired ophthalmologist. Here is my advice.

As a lifelong myope accustomed to full-time glasses wear you should have no problems adapting to the onset of presbyopia. The human eye gradually loses the ability to accommodate throughout life but it only becomes symptomatic for most people in their mid-forties as the near point of focus no longer reaches an average reading distance of 40 cm.

Since you are now experiencing difficulty in near focusing on the LCD necessitating lifting your glasses, I think it is time to move to multifocal lenses.

Invest in good quality progressive (called varifocal in some areas of the world) multifocal lenses and expect at least 2 weeks to adapt to using them. Unlike conventional bi or trifocals, all progressives are not equal. The bargain versions suffer from very limited intermediate and near zones and significant distortions. Buy the best that you can afford.

Once you have adapted you should have no problem viewing the EVF through the distance portion as you do now and the LCD through the near portion. Ideally, you will forget that you are wearing multifocals and feel as though you have good vision at all distances through the glasses. Those advocating solutions involving chains around the neck or large adjustment of the EVF diopter compensation have not utilized or adapted to the latest spectacle technology.

The power of the multifocal will need to be increased about once every 2 or 3 years until it levels off around age 65. After that, you have very little accommodation left to lose

Lee