Do flex focus reading glasses work?

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Rikkitic

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#270121 24-Apr-2020 13:01

Last night I saw a local commercial for some 'smart' variable focus reading glasses. These are supposed to work like the autofocus on a camera, sensing your eye's needs and adjusting according to what you are looking at. The particular brand being advertised was One Power Reader, but there are others.

Of course I never buy anything from an add or commercial, but I was intrigued so decided to research it further. Having recently undergone cataract surgery, I now need different glasses for looking at just about anything close up. It drives me crazy. I never seem to have the right glasses with me for what I need to see. Having a single pair that automatically changes focus according to what I am looking at would be a godsend. But the scepticism in me urges caution. In any case, I think they want $60 for these. That's a lot for reading glasses.

I searched around some review sites. About half say they are a scam. The other half praise them to high heaven. I'm not sure if either half is being paid for reviews so of course I have come to Geekzone, the font of all knowledge, for a definitive answer. I have big doubts about these, but I would gladly pay $60 for something that actually works. What do you guys think about this? Any personal experiences?

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farcus

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#2469270 24-Apr-2020 13:26

google can give you a pretty comprehensive answer . . . .
looks like a dud product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HylmAoaDxIw

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#2472165 27-Apr-2020 15:58

I would be amazed since I can envision no way for the glasses to know what you need to look at at any given moment!

I can say that from my days of wearing glasses (LASIK - Yay!) graduated varifocal lenses work extremely well once you get used to them. Within a few weeks your brain and eyes adapt and you subconsciously look through the relevant part of the lens as if by magic. They made the biggest difference to me until I had the LASIK surgery.

Rikkitic

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#2472182 27-Apr-2020 16:14

The technology exists, and it is based on sound principles. Autofocus cameras use something similar. It can certain be done. The question is if it has been in any practical sense. There are big technological hurdles, such as minitiarising the electronics and fitting them into an acceptable frame, and getting the cost down to something people will pay. This is not at all impossible. The only question is whether manufacturers already claiming to have done it are legitimate. There is definitely a whiff of scam about their claims.

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frankv

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#2472194 27-Apr-2020 16:31

Reading the ad closely, the glasses don't change. Your eyes adapt to look through the appropriate part of the lens depending on how much magnification you want. I.e. you learn how to use them. My guess would be that the bottom of the lens is 2.5 magnification, transitioning to no magnification at the top. So tilt your head back and eyes down to get more magnification.

They aren't variable focus though... only variable magnification. The faq says they are not a replacement for prescription lenses. So I doubt they will be any use to you. But you might want to consider varifocal (progressive) prescription lenses.

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#2472197 27-Apr-2020 16:34

frankv: Reading the ad closely, the glasses don't change. Your eyes adapt to look through the appropriate part of the lens depending on how much magnification you want. I.e. you learn how to use them. My guess would be that the bottom of the lens is 2.5 magnification, transitioning to no magnification at the top. So tilt your head back and eyes down to get more magnification.

despite them claiming to have variable magnification - independent testing has shown the entire lens is +2.5

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#2473063 28-Apr-2020 22:13

Rikkitic:

The technology exists, and it is based on sound principles. Autofocus cameras use something similar. It can certain be done. The question is if it has been in any practical sense. There are big technological hurdles, such as minitiarising the electronics and fitting them into an acceptable frame, and getting the cost down to something people will pay. This is not at all impossible. The only question is whether manufacturers already claiming to have done it are legitimate. There is definitely a whiff of scam about their claims.

Sort of. Yes, autofocus exists. I have $12,000 worth of cameras on my desk with that ability as I type. However, for most circumstances, I still have to tell the camera what I want it to focus on by moving an illuminated box around the EVF. There are settings where the camera is given the choice, but IME it rarely makes the correct choice in terms of my artistic vision for the image.

It works well with, say, a single bird in a blue sky that you want to track because it is easy for the camera to distinguish one thing from the other. For busy scenes, it is far less reliable.

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Rikkitic

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#2473069 28-Apr-2020 22:34

Not an issue here. These are just reading glasses. The technology can tell what you are trying to focus on by measuring your pupils. The lenses then adjust accordingly, letting you look different distances without having to change glasses. All of this already exists experimentally. Does it exist in the eyeglasses shop? I still don't know.

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