Hi--

From: Jim Dantin

To: d_ruether@hotmail.com

Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 11:45 AM

Subject: Four-Distance Glasses

I just came across your write-up of the Four-Distance Glasses. What a great idea! I have struggled with the same issues you describe, but they are most evident around the office. I can see my computer screen at 18-24" fine without glasses (or with the lower part of the bifocals). The top part of my bifocals are useless for anything closer than 10' or so. The area from 24" to 10' is never in focus for me, with or without glasses.

--Same for me - never figured out why the bifocals are set for too-close a distance, and made

too large, and placed too high, where they interfere with distance view (and I can't see feet).

So long as all the "errors" are kept low (with the 4-distance glasses) between parts (easy with

set-up for infinity, about 4', about 2' and about 1.5'), everything looks sharp everywhere!

Optometrists are trying to convince me to go to contacts (one eye for close, the other for far) but no one has ever suggested the glasses approach that you describe. I've already fought with them to get the lower section of the bifocal set lower than what they think is "right" so it doesn't interfere with distance vision.

--Odd, isn't it? It's your money! ;-) I found a good, bright optomitrist who lent me diopters to

set up the corrections properly for me - and the results are great for general seeing and

also using a camera (their viewfinders are set up for 1-meter, difficult to see sharply

with standard corrections) - though I have the bifocal powers set as main lenses for

reading and computer use... I do NOT recommend the strong difference in corrections

the optomitrists are trying to get you to try - I lived with this before getting glasses as

a kid, and I was always confused by the position/size changes as things suddenly

approached me, like basket balls...;-) With minor errors, you also do not see the

"fuzzy overlay" image when both eyes are working. I tried "lineless" lenses, and

hated their narrow angles of view and poor edges. My bifocals also have the flat top

edges tilted properly to minimize their visibility - I don't generally see them.

I am left-eye dominant and use my left eye at the viewfinder. So I'm thinking that from your description, the left lens should be the 3.5' lens, its lower element at 1.5'. The right lens would be the infinity/2' settings.

--You're almost the same as me, and the distances are about right. It may take a week

or two to not have the 1-meter eye not take over at night or at movies, but closing it for

a moment restores the infinity eye...;-) BTW, NO ONE that I know of (including friends

who have expressed problems with other solutions) has tried this obvious (and very

satisfactory) solution! If you try it, let me know the results...

If you have any more recent thoughts on this issue, I would greatly appreciate receiving them.

--The current "style" favors small lenses, which defeats some of the advantages of

my system - I prefer large lenses, since these provide good peripheral vision, including

a good view of the ground while walking.

Good luck with it, if you try it...!

Jim Dantin

Operations Manager, Pfeiffer Engineering

502.897.1630 extension 136

Industrial Automation and Controls

A Registered Engineering Company

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com