suggestions and help on one man finish lab

[shawn.zachry]

I am an optician in the US Army who is deployed. We dont have any fancy equipment and only have CR-39 lenses. Problem: High minus lenses such as -5.00 sph and up. I have heard that there is a way to thin lenses out so they are not so heavy or thick on the side. All I have is an edger, blocker, lenometer, and a saftey bevel. If a patient comes in with a instant need for glasses, I would like to make them as comfortable as possible. Ideas?

How about the weight imballance between one high plus or minis lens and one that is not high plus or minus? any suggestions?

Shawn

[Thumbs]

First of all, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AMERICA FREE AND SAFE!

You can only make lenses thinner and lighter if you could grind the surface of the lenses down. From your explanation, you are useing stock finished lenses with the prescription molded into lenses. You could flatten the edge of a higher minus lense with the hand edger and then polish the flattened portion with a hand polisher. Thus giving a thinner appearance and less weight. There is not much you can do with a high plus prescription.

[GOS_Queen]

Is there any way you can get finished poly lenses for the higher rx's?


THANK YOU for serving our country - :cheers:

[ziggy]

Shawn, be sure and tell all the folks we said THANK YOU! If you are slecting frames be sure and watch the decentration, the less you have to decenter the better off you'll be.

[shawn.zachry]

I am in a war zone so what I have is what I get. Yes they are prefabricated lenses in my stock- that is why I said I have a finish lab. I dont choose the frames, unfortuately, but I do work close with the people who make out the orders- the eye tech and DOC. I can work with them to see if I can make changes on the frames so the decentration is minimized. I didnt think of that but I will keep it in mind. I mostly use 48-22 frame sizes because that is what they choose out of what I have. No I dont have a polisher. When I mentioned the equipment I had, that is all I had. At least I can put this on my resume when I get out. Hehehe.

[jherman]

watch your 6, and get your a$$ home. there's a cold one waiting for you in San Antonio.

If you would, send word to all, we can't stop thinking about you!
Be safe, and Thanks so much.

[For-Life]

Move the bevel slightly back a bit, to expose more of the lens in the front. Do not do this too much, just slightly. It will then make the lenses look thinner, as it hides some of the thickness.

[loncoa]

When you send a report to requisition, you can mention that polycarb lenses would be thinner and lighter for all, plus they would be many times more impact resistant than cr-39. I doubt if it'll do any damn good , but you never know...weird stuff happens...

[Fancyglasses]

First and Formost Thank you for protecting our freedom and the freedom of our future!!!

I do not know if this is a possibility but I would be willing to doante 25 pair of single vision uncut polycarb lenses and ship them to you. If you send me the Rxs most commonly used or what you need I will put together and send it on over. Please include any other wish list items. My mother and I send a box monthly of the commonly requested personal supplies so this would be a fun change of pace. Let me know, it is the least I can do for you.
Take Care and BE SAFE!!!

[shawn.zachry]

When you send a report to requisition, you can mention that polycarb lenses would be thinner and lighter for all, plus they would be many times more impact resistant than cr-39. I doubt if it'll do any damn good , but you never know...weird stuff happens...

That is funny....You know how often I have requested something and they tell me that I have to deal with what I got. I know there is little to no chance of polycarb lenses. Hell I dont even have a michine to check my tint jobs; just the tinter. I have to use old fashioned light and eyes. I have no chance of getting a polisher. I use a manual lensometer. I have to unplug something to plug in my tinter.

I do some good out here so I keep making glasses the best I know how and maybe I can learn better ways along the way. In this situation, they are lucky to have an optician here who can make thier glasses in 20 minutes (provided I dont kick them back for being out of ANSI) to an hour. That is pretty fast for the Army.
Just call me ARMYLENSCRAFTERS!
Pick them up before chow!
LOL!
Shawn

[shawn.zachry]

First and Formost Thank you for protecting our freedom and the freedom of our future!!!

I do not know if this is a possibility but I would be willing to doante 25 pair of single vision uncut polycarb lenses and ship them to you. If you send me the Rxs most commonly used or what you need I will put together and send it on over. Please include any other wish list items. My mother and I send a box monthly of the commonly requested personal supplies so this would be a fun change of pace. Let me know, it is the least I can do for you.
Take Care and BE SAFE!!!

I will tell my bosses and see what they think and I will get back to you.
Shawn

[Chris Ryser]

Hell I dont even have a michine to check my tint jobs; just the tinter. I have to use old fashioned light and eyes. I have no chance of getting a polisher. I use a manual lensometer. I have to unplug something to plug in my tinter.

Talking of tinting.............the Navy, Coastguard and Marines have switched to Micro tinting, much easier and faster to use in the field.
Look it up at http://optochemicals.com and if you have a Microwave handy I'll send you some samples.

[shawn.zachry]

We do have a microwave; however, the people responsable for orders are not receptive to change. Thanks anyway.
Shawn

[shawn.zachry]

I will tell my bosses and see what they think and I will get back to you.
Shawn

My boss replied "But we dont work with Polycarb" meaning that they dont want the lenses. Sorry

[Steelerfan]

Shawn,

I'm thinking what you are referring to, is truly beyond your means. With certain types of high prescriptions, we outside the warzone can have the lab surface a lens with the decentration already done, thereby creating the best look once the lenses are edged. Working with finished blanks, there is not much you can do. Try and keep decentration to a minimum as already said, and putting a little heavier safety bevel on the high minuses can work as well. Good luck and God Speed you home with all parts intact buddy.

:)

[LKahn]

Shawn

What chemicals do you need to work with the equipment you have? We will provide you some at no cost. Your hard work and good efforts are appreciated by us folks safe at home in the states. Advise address and how to ship.

[Fezz]

That is a very generous offer!

I have come learned that there are two types of people...those who step aside and those who step up.

We have seen an examples of those who step up...LKAHN, CHRIS RYSER, FANCYGLASSES, for there generous offers and SHAWN for enlisting in the US Army to serve and protect our great nation. Thank you all.

Shawn..how else can we help?

Lets step up!


Fezz
:cheers:

[InspectorQ]

I'm suprised that the govt is willing to pay for poly for those who have medicaid, yet our troops don't have poly lens.

[AWTECH]

InspectorQ

I'm suprised that the govt is willing to pay for poly for those who have medicaid, yet our troops don't have poly lens.

Great point! with the military budget and the basic logical need for all of the troops on the ground needing excellent visual skills to protect not only the solders but our country, you would think that someone on welfare would not be entitled to better optics than those who defend us.

I think merits a letter from all of us in the industry to our Senators and Congressmen. I would bet the cost for this improvement in vision services vs. value for our troops is not a factor at all and as for how to fund it when they ask? Put all medicad patients in CR-39 no hard coat no AR, just glasses that provide vision. Put our troops in vision that offers them the opportunity to perform better on the job.

[Fezz]

I agree with AWTECH. Our military folk should have the best in protective eyewear. Trivex lenses, proper frames, should be priority.

Fezz
:cheers:

[Jubilee]

While I agree that our military folks should have access to impact resistant materials (though I believe trivex would be better, not sure if I want our soldiers having troubles with chromatic abberation, etc) I think there is some confusion what medicaid does and does not pay.

Medicaid will only pay for poly in children and for those who only have functional vision in one eye. The opinion of many optometric professionals is that in these cases it is medically necessary for the safety and protection of the wearer. Isn't is cheaper to provide a poly lens initially than to have to pay for new lenses when they chip, or crack. IF the child plays sports, wouldn't it be better to provide them with an impact resistant lens rather than let them get injured? Wouldn't it be better to preserve the sight of the one eye for an adult rather than take a chance at them going blind...

Medicaid doesn't pay for scratch coating period. But the patients are more than welcome to pay the upgrade costs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, back to original topic.

Please let us know what we can do to help out the men and women serving our country abroad. I would be more than happy to write a letter to congress asking for impact resistant lenses, and anything else I can do to help

[shawn.zachry]

I have been here for 2 months. Produced just over 250 glasses. Before I got here, the only practice I had was in AIT, where I learned to do this job then they placed me in a clinic in Hawaii as an eye tech. For one year, I didnt put a single foot in an optical lab. I had placed all I had learned in the back of my head; almost forgotten.

When I got to Iraq, they gave me an edger- Harizon 2 at that- and the basic equipment and said, "here, make us some glasses". It took me 2 hours to make my first pair of glasses that would pass ANSI standards.

I can now produce one pair of glasses in 10-20 minutes and an average of one attempt to make a pair of SV glasses. Ok that may be slow in some people's eyes but it beats a pair in 2 hours. I still am waiting for a blade for my edger which was ordered yesterday- Finally- and the nutraliser is supposed to come next week. Next challenge. Learn to make a pair of tinted glasses with only the chemicals and natural light to compare lenses to? I am sure that is how they used to tint before all out high tech stuff. Imagine what it was like for the opticians before all the fancy stuff we have now? I should be thankful and I am.

[EyeFitWell]

It seems the topic has shifted, but I must say I think rolling and polishing looks terrible from the front. it was standard practice at the first shop I worked for. Then an optician pointed out the halo/internal reflections it causes and explained why he didn't do it. I AM a -6, so my opinion counts double! Don't roll and polish!
And we're praying for your safe return!

[shawn.zachry]

It seems the topic has shifted, but I must say I think rolling and polishing looks terrible from the front. it was standard practice at the first shop I worked for. Then an optician pointed out the halo/internal reflections it causes and explained why he didn't do it. I AM a -6, so my opinion counts double! Don't roll and polish!
And we're praying for your safe return!

I dont see how it did it all relates to my job. People here are wondering about safety. I failed to reply. As far as safety, we have safety goggles that we are required to use in certain cases. The army provides inserts for the goggles. The military also have serface labs to manufacture lenses in poly or hi index. It takes two weeks for a person to get thier glasses when we order out. I run a Finish Lab. I cannot roll and polish here. I dont have the equipment. There are times, however, that a person looses thier glasses and has none at all. That is where I come in. I provide something for them as quick as 10 minutes so they have something until the high index glasses come in. It may be CR-39 and heavy, but they can see. The best suggestion I got when I was reminded of the bevel placement and the decentration. I have made that an art so the glasses look good. I enjoy coming to this forum because I learn from it. Thanks for everyones input. I look forward to more.

[shawn.zachry]

First of all, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AMERICA FREE AND SAFE!

You can only make lenses thinner and lighter if you could grind the surface of the lenses down. From your explanation, you are useing stock finished lenses with the prescription molded into lenses. You could flatten the edge of a higher minus lense with the hand edger and then polish the flattened portion with a hand polisher. Thus giving a thinner appearance and less weight. There is not much you can do with a high plus prescription.

I think that is what my teachers did. That is a very good suggestion. We dont have a polisher though. Both me and my boss wishes we had one. But when I make high plus or minus glasses that means someone is really in need of glasses and need something to get them by until the glasses with the high index lenses get here.