I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

--
Chris Green )

In article ,
wrote:

I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

the last time I asked for those, about 5 years ago they came back with
lenses so thick and heavy my glasses kept sliding down my nose. I took
them back and got them changed for ordinary ones. I don't see why
toughened glass needs to be 2x thicker and heavier than the normal
variety.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.

wrote:

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

When I used to work in a lab (5 years ago), I used to get mine
at a regular opticians. They weren't even particularly expensive.

--
Grunff

wrote in message
...
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

The demand is very limited, given that most people are quite happy with
safety glasses that fit over their prescription glasses. Bolle stopped
making them a year or two ago and I don't know any other maker who does
prescription safety glasses.

Colin Bignell

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

I don't know the current regulations. But the normal plastic lens used in
specs are almost bullet proof and used to be considered an acceptable
alternative, especially if side guards are fitted.

Nobody uses glass in specs these days do they? It's fragile, heavy and
expensive. Plastic lens' need not be thick, they can be made with thin edges
(at extra cost). My right eye is -6 and the plastic lens is neither thick or
heavy.

Just ask your optician for the specification of their plastic lens options.

CJH

In article ,
wrote:
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and
asked about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same
prescription as my current (reading) glasses for use when
D-I-Y'ing.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or
other workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know
much about them.

My bifocals are safety specs to BS2097 (afar), plastic
lenses in a secure/shielded frame. Bought in an ordinary
opticians, and they were not expensive.

--
Tony Williams.

Peter Ashby wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

the last time I asked for those, about 5 years ago they came back with
lenses so thick and heavy my glasses kept sliding down my nose. I took
them back and got them changed for ordinary ones. I don't see why
toughened glass needs to be 2x thicker and heavier than the normal
variety.

I don't necesarily want safety glass in the lenses, I think plastic
lenses can now be made strong enough. I want frames that add a bit of
protecction at the side and so on.

--
Chris Green )

Chris Harris wrote:

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

I don't know the current regulations. But the normal plastic lens used in
specs are almost bullet proof and used to be considered an acceptable
alternative, especially if side guards are fitted.

Yes, but my existing frames are very small, I want a frame that gives
me a bit more protection and side pieces.

--
Chris Green )

parish parish_AT_ntlworld.com wrote:
Tony Williams wrote:

In article ,
wrote:
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and
asked about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same
prescription as my current (reading) glasses for use when
D-I-Y'ing.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or
other workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know
much about them.

My bifocals are safety specs to BS2097 (afar), plastic
lenses in a secure/shielded frame. Bought in an ordinary
opticians, and they were not expensive.


SpecSavers do them

http://tinyurl.com/hkmd and click the Safety Eyewear link

The page seems targetted at employers to buy vouchers to give to
employees who redeem them at a SpecSavers shop but I see (no pun
intended) reason why you can't just go into SS and buy them.

Excellent, thanks, now to see if I can actually buy some!

--
Chris Green )

Tony Williams wrote:

In article ,
wrote:
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and
asked about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same
prescription as my current (reading) glasses for use when
D-I-Y'ing.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or
other workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know
much about them.

My bifocals are safety specs to BS2097 (afar), plastic
lenses in a secure/shielded frame. Bought in an ordinary
opticians, and they were not expensive.


SpecSavers do them

http://tinyurl.com/hkmd and click the Safety Eyewear link

The page seems targetted at employers to buy vouchers to give to
employees who redeem them at a SpecSavers shop but I see (no pun
intended) reason why you can't just go into SS and buy them.

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 10:01:15 -0400, "Chris Harris"
wrote:


Nobody uses glass in specs these days do they? It's fragile, heavy and
expensive. Plastic lens' need not be thick, they can be made with thin edges
(at extra cost). My right eye is -6 and the plastic lens is neither thick or
heavy.

I do. Whenever I buy new specs I always have to insist that 'yes' I
really do want glass lenses. At -8 every little helps to make the
lenses a little thinner.

One thing I find incredible is the rip off prices that the high street
opticians charge. I have found that Costco (yes not the first place
that you might think about buying specs) charge only about 1/3 to 1/2
the price of the high street shops for high specification lenses. The
quality of their workmanship is also superb compared to the high
street shops.

PM

PS: If you want to know why the high street opticians charge so much,
next time you are looking, ask how much the VAT is on your new specs
(it won't be 7/47ths of the total). You may be intrigued by how much
of the cost of the specs relates to the exempt supply of 'fitting'
(not the sight test) rather than the standard rated supply of the
specs themselves. Funnily enough they won't sell you the specs without
the assistant 'fitting' them.

Subject: Safety spectacles, why so difficult?
From:
Date: 21/07/03 14:25 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

Go to www.yell.com and look up optical goods wholesalers. These are the people
who opticians send your specs to to get the lenses made. Many years ago in the
days before MS Windows I used to have a friend whose business unit was next
door to one of these places. I popped in one day to see if they could mend the
broken bit of "fishing line" that held my lenses in. Everyone was wandering
around rather grumpily for some reason and the boss asked me if I happened to
know anything about computers. Turns out the pc that drove their lense grinder
had run out of disk space and refused to play ball but there were no unusually
big files on the disk that could be filling it up. So I had a look with chkdsk
and the disk was full of dummy FILExxxxx.chk files (for anyone old enough to
remember Dos).

I'd come across this before with CAD applications. If you switch the pc off at
the mains without shutting it down properly first any temp files the programme
has created stay on disk as dummy files. I asked them how they switched theirs
off and sure enough they just unplugged it rather than closing the application
down properly. With many megabytes of dummy files deleted it all worked again
and the guy said I'd saved them a small fortune on getting the pc support bloke
out. On the strength of that I got my fishing line replaced and free lenses
whenever I wanted them so I used to just find the cheapest optician to do the
test and take the prescription into them for making up and fitting.

As for the lenses, they cost about a quid and come as huge round blanks big
enough for any frame and in all the various strengths. The CNC machine
digitises your frame shape and then grinds the lenses down to fit. Takes a few
minutes each and costs very little. Then the optician marks the price up by
several hundred percent for doing little more than putting your frames in the
post. The place I used is in Watford

Fairplay Optical Ltd
Unit 7, Olds Close
Watford Hertfordshire
WD18 9RU

Tel: 01923 777618

I'm sure they or anyone else local to you would be as happy to make your lenses
up as work for opticians for peanuts.


Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines (www.pumaracing.co.uk)
"How's life Norm?"
"Not for the squeamish, Coach" (Cheers, 1982)

Dave Baker wrote:

So I had a look with chkdsk and the disk was full of dummy
FILExxxxx.chk files (for anyone old enough to
remember Dos).

One too many xs (sorry Dave, I don't know why I do it, I can't
help myself). ;-)

--
Grunff

wrote in message
...
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

--
Chris Green )
One alternative is sports spectacles - I have seen them like goggles with a
large strap around the back.
For people who do active sports like squash, skiing etc.
I presume they are safety lenses as a squash ball can be quite dangerous!
Cheers
Dave R

I have some plastic reinenforced ones that fit over your old glasses there
by giving you protection from flying objects and sparks with your own
glasses. If you want them let us know on here..
wrote in message
...
I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

--
Chris Green )

Chris Harris wrote:

I don't know the current regulations. But the normal plastic lens used in
specs are almost bullet proof and used to be considered an acceptable
alternative, especially if side guards are fitted.

I had a accident a number of years ago while wearing standard
plastic-lensed specs.
One of the lenses shattered - the shards were long, thin, and very sharp,
and took a chunk out of my eyebrow, which needed a number of stitches to
repair - fortunately, the various bits of damage were just to my face,
narrowly missing the eye itself. Since then, I always get the most
impact-resistant lenses available. They cost quite a bit more, but I think
my sight is worth it.

Sheila

wrote:

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Must admit I have always found goggles a pain - usually misting up etc.
So recently I bought one of the full face visors from Axminster. Not had
that much chance to use it so far, but I actually found it very good
when I tried it the other day.

It covers the whole face, has a small "helmet" section at the top and
fits securely to the head with an adjustable band that includes a
ratchet mechanism. You can "flip it up" when you want like a welding
mask. The band also includes a fabric cover to halt the sweat before it
drips over the visor. Its much cooler and more pleasent to work in than
goggles and no misting.

Price was under 7 quid, and you can get replacement polycarbonate
shields for it if you scratch it too much.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Dave Plowman wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Change to contact lenses then you can use standard eye protectors.

.... but I need *no* correction except for reading, most of my life is
still 'spectacle free'.

--
Chris Green )

In article ,
wrote:
Change to contact lenses then you can use standard eye protectors.

... but I need *no* correction except for reading, most of my life is
still 'spectacle free'.

Then you don't need prescription specs. Wonder if anyone does 'reading
aid' safety specs?

--
*Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In message ,
writes
Chris Harris wrote:

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Presumably most safety spectacles are paid for by businesses or other
workplaces and thus 'ordinary' opticians don't get to know much about
them.

I don't know the current regulations. But the normal plastic lens used in
specs are almost bullet proof and used to be considered an acceptable
alternative, especially if side guards are fitted.

Yes, but my existing frames are very small, I want a frame that gives
me a bit more protection and side pieces.

Why not just buy some safety goggles which fit over them Chris
--
geoff

In message , PM
writes
On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 10:01:15 -0400, "Chris Harris"
wrote:


Nobody uses glass in specs these days do they? It's fragile, heavy and
expensive. Plastic lens' need not be thick, they can be made with thin edges
(at extra cost). My right eye is -6 and the plastic lens is neither thick or
heavy.

I do. Whenever I buy new specs I always have to insist that 'yes' I
really do want glass lenses. At -8 every little helps to make the
lenses a little thinner.

Yes, but glass is still heavier


One thing I find incredible is the rip off prices that the high street
opticians charge. I have found that Costco (yes not the first place
that you might think about buying specs) charge only about 1/3 to 1/2
the price of the high street shops for high specification lenses. The
quality of their workmanship is also superb compared to the high
street shops.


Useful tip - however, as in many other fields, having a friend in the
business is also very cost effective

PM

PS: If you want to know why the high street opticians charge so much,
next time you are looking, ask how much the VAT is on your new specs
(it won't be 7/47ths of the total). You may be intrigued by how much
of the cost of the specs relates to the exempt supply of 'fitting'
(not the sight test) rather than the standard rated supply of the
specs themselves. Funnily enough they won't sell you the specs without
the assistant 'fitting' them.

--
geoff

In message , Dave Baker
writes
The place I used is in Watford

Fairplay Optical Ltd
Unit 7, Olds Close
Watford Hertfordshire
WD18 9RU

Tel: 01923 777618


Thanks for that Dave - I thought I was doing well until you posted that.

--
geoff

In message , Grunff
writes
Dave Baker wrote:

So I had a look with chkdsk and the disk was full of dummy
FILExxxxx.chk files (for anyone old enough to
remember Dos).

One too many xs (sorry Dave, I don't know why I do it, I can't help
myself). ;-)

Because you're a pedant like the rest of us ...

Maybe dave needs some new glasses?
--
geoff

In article ,
writes:

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

I was going to recommend talking to Bolle until I read Colin's
post. They did very good eye protection and it actually looked
quite nice. I expect the accountants found there was more profit
in outrageously expensive sunglasses. Goggles are just about
perfect for misting your lenses up, thus creating a far greater
hazard and protective glasses tend to be of the CATNAP (cheapest
available technology necessary to avoid prosecution) variety.
Polycarbonate is a must, the cheap polystyrene ones are only
saving a few quid. For my money as has already been said the face
shield is excellent. The ventilation is good, so you do not
mist up, they protect you from pate to about halfway down your
adam's apple, and the polycarbonate, thin as it is, will stop a
..22 air rifle pellet. Mostly I work in fume cupboards and with
the shutter well down so if anything comes unstuck my midriff is
going to get the fallout. Of course I take considerable
precautions to avoid any possibility of an accident, the last one
being a small piece of (presumably) glass which was never found,
I just noticed the heel of my palm was bleeding, didn't even feel
it happen.

John Schmitt


--
If you have nothing to say, or rather, something extremely stupid
and obvious, say it, but in a 'plonking' tone of voice - i.e.
roundly, but hollowly and dogmatically. - Stephen Potter

geoff wrote:
I don't know the current regulations. But the normal plastic lens used in
specs are almost bullet proof and used to be considered an acceptable
alternative, especially if side guards are fitted.

Yes, but my existing frames are very small, I want a frame that gives
me a bit more protection and side pieces.

Why not just buy some safety goggles which fit over them Chris

Because the extra layers degrade one's vision considerably, and steam
up more easily.

--
Chris Green )

Dave Plowman wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
Change to contact lenses then you can use standard eye protectors.

... but I need *no* correction except for reading, most of my life is
still 'spectacle free'.

Then you don't need prescription specs. Wonder if anyone does 'reading
aid' safety specs?

Well I have prescription specs for reading which I tend to need when
I'm doing DIYish things like wiring and working on engines. That's
when/where I want safety glasses. I agree that 'off the shelf'
reading glasses which are also 'safety' glasses would do fine.

--
Chris Green )

In message , John Rumm
writes
wrote:

I'm *much* more likely to wear prescription safety glasses than
goggles or similar eye protection. I realise that safety spectacles
aren't as good as the best goggles etc. but they are still going to be
much better than the likely alternative.

Must admit I have always found goggles a pain - usually misting up etc.
So recently I bought one of the full face visors from Axminster.

Yes I was thinking about getting one of those sorts of things.

Just need to find a good mask that doesn't mist up my glasses. The ones
that have replaceable filters look like a good bet. Any recommendations?
The 'paper' type masks always make my glasses mist up no matter how
carefully I fit them around the nose. The ones with valves are a bit
better but still mist up.


--
Chris French, Leeds

In article ,
chris French wrote:


Just need to find a good mask that doesn't mist up my glasses. The ones
that have replaceable filters look like a good bet. Any recommendations?
The 'paper' type masks always make my glasses mist up no matter how
carefully I fit them around the nose. The ones with valves are a bit
better but still mist up.

I have a 3M mask with replaceable filters, I'm not sure which model but
it allows you stack a dust filter with a volatile filter so you can use
it both for dust and solvents. Straight from sanding to finishing with
one mask.

The larger B&Qs stock them.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.

Peter Ashby wrote:

I have a 3M mask with replaceable filters, I'm not sure which model but
it allows you stack a dust filter with a volatile filter so you can use
it both for dust and solvents. Straight from sanding to finishing with
one mask.

I find this is the best one I have tried so far:-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...15533&id=13038


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 18:46:52 +0100, nightjar wrote:

Nobody uses glass in specs these days do they?

I do. As I need complex lenses, I need the highest refractive index
available, which is 1.9 glass, or 1.7 in glass with a photochromic
layer.

I do, again high refractive index glass means the edges are half the
thickness of even the best plastic. Compared to the other posters here
I have good eysight at -5. B-)

I don't recall ever breaking a spectacle lens

In 36 years of spectical wearing (from age 7) I think I have only ever
broken two lenses. I think I sat on one pair a *very* long time ago
and the last time was when the slipped of my nose planning a bit of
wood and they landed on the top corner of a spade.

However, at around =A3350 a pair, with free frames, I will concede
mine are expensive.

Glasses seem expensive full stop. I shall have to check out CostCo...
Trouble is I want a metal frame, comfort bridge, spring hinges and
large lenses, NOT tiddly pads and letterbox lenses...

OTOH glass is very much more difficult to scratch than plastic.

Agreed, I've had plastic in the past and they do scratch very easyly.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Dave Liquorice wrote:

In 36 years of spectical wearing (from age 7) I think I have only ever
broken two lenses. I think I sat on one pair a *very* long time ago
and the last time was when the slipped of my nose planning a bit of
wood and they landed on the top corner of a spade.


You plane wood with your nose?

Sorry, couldn't resist. :-)

/me ducks and runs.

parish wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:

In 36 years of spectical wearing (from age 7) I think I have only ever
broken two lenses. I think I sat on one pair a *very* long time ago
and the last time was when the slipped of my nose planning a bit of
wood and they landed on the top corner of a spade.


You plane wood with your nose?

Sorry, couldn't resist. :-)

/me ducks and runs.

Nah! He was 'planning' to; his glasses slipped off and broke a
spade. Quite 'spectacular' I imagine! :-)

In article ,
John Rumm wrote:

Peter Ashby wrote:

I have a 3M mask with replaceable filters, I'm not sure which model but
it allows you stack a dust filter with a volatile filter so you can use
it both for dust and solvents. Straight from sanding to finishing with
one mask.

I find this is the best one I have tried so far:-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...15533&id=13038

The one I have has removable cartridges which fit on the sides where the
white patches are on that one. I can't see the equivalent on Screwfix. I
got replacement filters from Axminster a while ago but the website is
making it hard to find them again and my local B&Q Warehouse is now
stocking only own brand cheapo respirators.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.

wrote:

Peter Ashby wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

I just phoned the optician where I last went for glasses and asked
about some 'safety spectacles' made up to the same prescription as my
current (reading) glasses for use when D-I-Y'ing.

They didn't have much idea what I was on about really! It seems strange
to me in our safety conscious society that something like this is hard
to find.

the last time I asked for those, about 5 years ago they came back with
lenses so thick and heavy my glasses kept sliding down my nose. I took
them back and got them changed for ordinary ones. I don't see why
toughened glass needs to be 2x thicker and heavier than the normal
variety.

I don't necesarily want safety glass in the lenses, I think plastic
lenses can now be made strong enough. I want frames that add a bit of
protecction at the side and so on.



How about polycarbonate? My optician does Nikon lenses which include a
polycarbonate option (In fact I have polycarbonate lenses in my glasses,
but they're probably not much use as safety specs).

H


--

I don't suffer from Insanity... | Linux User #16396
I enjoy every minute of it... |
|
http://www.travellingkiwi.com/ |