Magnifying visors

[Johnny Boy]

I find reading glasses best. I use +1.5 for reading, +2 for painting, and also have a pair of +3 for fine detail. I also have a good daylight anglepoise lamp

I heartily concur with this. I took a couple of 28mm figures to an eye test that was due and discussed it with the optician at Specsavers and as well as my reading prescription I got a pair of "Painting" glasses for next to nothing. It was like being 18 again!

[2010sunburst]

Donegan optivisor all the way.  First advised to me by my optician.  I’ve quite bad eyes with a relatively strong general prescription.  I’ve used a 2.5 magnification one for twenty years over my prescription specs.  The lens quality is far superior to cheaper ones I’ve tried (and own), giving you a better “sweet spot” while painting.  Lesser quality lenses move out of focus really quickly as your head or hands move and become very annoying in use…..you can also swing the optivisor up out of the way to look at the bench while working.  Changing from close to distant viewing is therefore very easy. 
Reading glasses are OK, until/unless you need to wear prescription glasses all the time.  I used them when I wore contact lenses, but couldn’t use them when I went back to glasses.  You can’t wear them over prescription specs and need to swap all the time to look at the bench, which drives you mad. 
Only downsides from the optivisor is cost, they are a bit dearer than other alternatives but you get what you pay for, and they can be a bit sweaty in hot weather. 

[levied troop]

Initially prescription specs around 30 years ago and for the last 20 years the classic Optivisor over my prescription glasses.

Same here. The Optivisor has more than paid for itself over 20 years and I use it over vari-focal specs. But obviously it does all depend on your eyesight and, if possible, get a chance to trial it.

[Daeothar]

A buddy has one, and swears by it, but I can't seem to find it working for me.

After being in denial for a couple of years, I finally bought a pair of cheap reading glasses (€5,-) at a local shop and have been using that. Works great for me, and even though I only used it sparingly at first, these days, I'm wearing it during painting all the time.

Not when reading though; I haven't deteriorated that bad (yet )...

+++EDIT+++ I should have mentioned that I had pretty bad eyes (-6 each) and up till 2008, I wore contacts. Then I had my eyes lasered and have not required optical aids ever since. I'm pretty late for needing reading glasses, especially when compared to friends that are of the same age, and I suspect it might have something to do with that procedure 15 years ago...

[ced1106]

> Donegan optivisor

Which one from Amazon? TIA!

https://www.amazon.com/optivisor/s?k=optivisor

[lethallee61]

I absolutely love my magnifying visor. My vision has deteriorated over the years (I now need glasses to see, read and generally function as a human) and the visor gives me the detail I need to build and paint.

Unfortunately, I then suffered an attack of shingles just before Christmas which seriously affected one side of my head and face. I am still suffering from nerve damage which means I can’t use the visor as it rests on those places on my head that are still very sensitive.

Fortunately, I also have a set of magnifying glasses which are OK, but no substitute for my visor as they have a much narrower field of view and focus. I can clean up and build miniatures, but painting is still out of the question.

[Mr. Peabody]

Mageyes... very light and easy to adjust on the fly for long sessions without strain or stress. Simply fantastic.

Example I bought mine from a FLHS many years ago and as my eyesight has deteriorated I have enjoyed relying on my Mageyes.

Worth noting: the price hasn't changed all that much since the early aughts.

[Emperorbaz]

I’m assuming you have had an eye test, if not, please go and get one. Then, if you need prescription glasses for everyday use, I have found the optiviser to be the best route, because you can switch to the optiviser very quickly just to paint the detail on figures. The other thing that is a must, is to ensure the figures are well lit. I use a poseable floor standing lamp positioned behind my painting chair. I’ve been painting this way for 20+ years

[Major_Gilbear]

I’m assuming you have had an eye test, if not, please go and get one.

Yes, this would be my suggested first step too, especially if you've not worn glasses/contacts before now and have generally had good vision.

I am very fortunate to have enjoyed excellent vision for over forty years, but I do get some strain if I focus on very small close-up work for too long, and an eye test I had a little while back revealed that I had slightly different requirements for each eye. It might be that you have a similar situation, and getting this addressed correctly rather than just using raw magnification might be better for the health of your eyes in the long run.

The other thing that is a must, is to ensure the figures are well lit. I use a poseable floor standing lamp positioned behind my painting chair. I’ve been painting this way for 20+ years

More wisdom from Emperorbaz! 

I would add that in addition to a well-lit room, I use an ultra-bright neutral-tone LED bulb over my immediate painting area. Don't just use a very bright light over your painting area in a dimly-lit room though, as that can also strain your eyes; both ambient and task lights need to be fairly bright. Having proper light makes a huge difference to seeing what you're doing, and whilst it sounds obvious, most people's lighting setups that I've observed seem less than adequate to me, so I'm guessing insufficient light is quite a common issue...