Eyesight issues: As I am now in my 70’s, my eyesight is weakening. I have been a photographer now for 50+ years and still love the craft. My question is this; would anyone in hedgehog...

flyingcrown1 Loc: Moravian Falls

As I am now in my 70’s, my eyesight is weakening. I have been a photographer now for 50+ years and still love the craft.
My question is this; would anyone in hedgehog world have advice as to how to deal with this type handicap, ie: camera links to bigger viewfinders like ipads, etc.
Any suggestions are much welcomed.

newsguygeorge Loc: Victoria, Texas

I deal with macular degeneration, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome and myopia, although strangely my near-sightedness is improving to the point I don’t need glasses to drive. But, if my blood sugar is off, then my acuity varies. The salvation in photography is that my Nikon 5300 has a diopter adjustment so I can set it up for my vision that day. My Canon Powershot G15 has a viewfinder which is large enough to work well for me. I suspect if you call B&H and ask, I think they have accessories for the viewfinder.

I would add that using the screen on a phone, tablet or live view doesn’t work for me. YMMV.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

newsguygeorge wrote:

I deal with macular degeneration, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome and myopia...

Those words sound like the words my Optometrist used when I went to see her a few months ago. All I wanted was a new prescription to fix the sudden fuzziness I seem to have experienced in one eye. Oh yeah she said something about cataracts too.

So are there any long term fixes for these things or are we just saddles with old eyes for the rest of our days?

Sometimes I think rather than trying to find solutions to a problem if you an older patient, doctors just say "aw you're old, nothing we can do". Or they tell you to take advil.

Maybe insurance doesn't want to pay so they penalize doctors who spend money on older patients. Naw that could never happen.

gwcole

flyingcrown1 wrote:

As I am now in my 70’s, my eyesight is weakening. I have been a photographer now for 50+ years and still love the craft.
My question is this; would anyone in hedgehog world have advice as to how to deal with this type handicap, ie: camera links to bigger viewfinders like ipads, etc.
Any suggestions are much welcomed.

I am 71. I have some problems with my eyesight. A number of years ago I had a cornea transplant for my left eye. THere was a problem and the transplant has wrinkle in it which causes me to see double with that eye, On smaller things it just acts to blur what I am seeing. I'm currently recovering from a cornea transplant in my right eye. My vision was 20/100 before and it has gotten to 20/40 now. It may get better over the next several months. I have difficulty with manual focus and even in some situations with auto focus. I bought a newer camera with better auto focusing (a Nikon Z5) and that has helped. I wish you good luck.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

When you're ready to bite the bullet which you seem to have done I buy a camera with good auto focus and use it in the automatic mode. Correct the mistakes in Post Processing.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Curmudgeon wrote:

When you're ready to bite the bullet which you seem to have done I buy a camera with good auto focus and use it in the automatic mode. Correct the mistakes in Post Processing.

I learned a long time ago, camera auto focus is better, way better, than old eyes and manual focus. Well in all fairness, we don't have those nifty focus aids that we had with SLRs. The little green dot is ok but I think not quite as informative or as fast as the old SLR focus aids.

Jim70 Loc: Delaware

Yeah, I'm 75 and have similar eye problems. Autofocus on my D750 and D7100 is the reason (along with $$$$!) that I haven't moved to the Z format

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

flyingcrown1 wrote:

Any suggestions are much welcomed.

Ask your optometrist. I noticed my cataracts when my Nightforce rifle scope looked fuzzy. My buddy checked the scope it was fine. My eyes weren't.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

flyingcrown1 wrote:

As I am now in my 70’s, my eyesight is weakening. I have been a photographer now for 50+ years and still love the craft.
My question is this; would anyone in hedgehog world have advice as to how to deal with this type handicap, ie: camera links to bigger viewfinders like ipads, etc.
Any suggestions are much welcomed.

-----
I'm 74 and I know what you mean. You can buy a Hoodman that fits over the screen on the back of the camera. The one my brother bought has a magnifier that you csn use with it to see details better.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

flyingcrown1 wrote:

As I am now in my 70’s, my eyesight is weakening. I have been a photographer now for 50+ years and still love the craft.
My question is this; would anyone in hedgehog world have advice as to how to deal with this type handicap, ie: camera links to bigger viewfinders like ipads, etc.
Any suggestions are much welcomed.

How about checking with an eye doctor. I am sure a doctor could give much better advice than someone here. I hope you can find a solution.

Dennis

geajr

I was operated on both eyes for detached retina. I have glaucoma and have to wait for the cataracts to grow to be removed. I'm 75, love learning photography, fly fishing, tying flies, rod building and the list goes on. I definitely share the concerns that I've read here.

GLSmith Loc: Tampa, Fl

In the same age category as it seems most of the people answering are. No trying to spark Canon/Nikon/Sony comments, but I have 3 D-500s & 2 D-850s. I had set the adjustment on the diopeter for the viewfinder as much as it was possible & still was having an issue. I did a bit of research & Nikon offered other screw-in viewfinders that were more "intense", i.e.stroner, everything was cleared up. I would imagine that other vendors would offer the same. I just acquired a Z-8 & havent checked to see if there are different screw in view finders

jeffhendy Loc: El Dorado Hills, CA

Cataract surgery solved this problem for me.

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

I'm 76 and I've had poor vision since childhood. My uncorrected vision was 20-290 (20-300 is considered legally blind). I had a detached retina 40 years ago. I have strong family history of Macula Degeneration, I'm a Type II Diabetic and I had cataracts. 2 years ago I had my second cataract surgery. Yesterday I had a checkup with my Ophthalmologist. I got a clean bill of health, retinas stable, no sign of MD and my vision tested at 20-20 in both eyes. I call that a miracle (dispite the fact I need OTC reading glasses for things inside 3 feet). I see perfectly thru the viewfinder and don the reading glasses for the LCD screen.

I strongly encourage anyone over 65 to regularly see an Ophthalmologist (not just an Optometrist). Like the rest of our body, many things can cause deterioration of our eyesight as we get older. Only an Ophthalmologist can diagnose and treat the complete medical condition of your eyes.

Harry02 Loc: Gardena, CA

JD750 wrote:

Those words sound like the words my Optometrist us... (show quote)

My Insurance Corp approved ophthalmologist had to wait until my macular degeneration reached a certain point before she was "allowed" to tell me "time to see a specialist". Shots in the eyeballs wasn't fun. I had the hole lasered to keep it stable.
Then I had cataract surgery. I had been welding- proper equipment, etc- for a number of years. I was informed some radiation does seep thru, even with #10 filters. *sigh* My lenses were orange! I've been believing most folk had "warm light" bulbs installed- nope. Suddenly, it seemed everyone switched back to white bulbs! I've stopped welding.
New lenses- I went from 400-20 to 20-40. I picked up a pair of photochromic 3.00 readers from eBay-$20. They're great for me! The ophthalmologist quoted $320. OH! And the Insurance Corp had assured me over and over the cataract surgery was covered. It was. But some misc helpers weren't= I then received a $3800 bill for "contractor services" for the 20 minute procedure.