Aging eyes, S&D

[Misti]

I've run across a bit of an annoying problem. My poor old eyes work well enough for most thing, but have weakened enough that I can no longer see well enough to to my own S&D.

I have tried bright sunlight and magnifiers and they both help, but bright sunlight is hard to come by this time of year and magnifiers hamper me because I need two hands fpr the S&D.

Anyone else have this problem and found a solution?

[telegraph64]

I too have this problem. I have yet to find a solution but I'll lurk here and wait.
I find that I simply cannot focus let alone use my depth perception, and I am afraid I will end up cutting the wrong hair or worse, the whole strand!

[Misti]

Yeah, me too. And so I don't do it. But I am hoping that come summer I can find time to sit in the sun -- and I am also hoping that bright sun helps enough. ;)

Maybe S&D is a younger person's play. ;)

[Madora]

The only solution that pops into mind is buying one of those magnifiers that you wear around your neck (I think they were used for sewing). I had one years ago. Then all you'd need is a strong source of illumination to help you s and D.

[ravenreed]

Don't they make magnifier type eyeglasses? Those would leave your hands free. I find I have to sit in the sun and be angled just so to get the best look at my ends. Part of my problem is that my hair is dark and it shines a lot so it is hard to tell if an end is bad or just shiny.

[Idun]

After reading about it here I tried using very strong reading glasses, the kind you get cheap. It didn´t work well for me as I get really dizzy after a short while and my eyes start to hurt! Madora´s suggestion sounds like the best solution! But I have no idea where to find a magnifier like that!

[Misti]

I'll check the sewing section at my craft store, Madora, thanks!

Yeah, that's a familiar problem for me, too, Ravenreed. Such a nice problem to have! :) As my hair has gotten more silver, it's also gotten a lot more wiry, complicating the decision further.

But Madora's idea might be perfect. (I already wear glasses, so magnifying glasses wouldn't help.)

Thanks, everyone!

[spidermom]

I S&D the ends of my braids and the hairs that poke out only, preferably under a lamp or in the truck, with a dark surface underneath. That's the easiest for me.

[Misti]

Thanks, Spidermom. Maybe I'll try to limit myself to the ends of my braids and see if that helps.

[HairStickler]

Misti, maybe you could also mention it to your eye doctor the next time you get checked. If you are having more trouble seeing split ends, maybe a new prescription would improve your near vision in general.

[MissManda]

I'm visually impaired with 20/400 eyesight, and S&D can be very difficult at times. Only strong sunlight works for me, which means that I cannot do it very often during this time of year. I do own a magnifier, but it actually confuses me more because it makes things so big I get lost in the forest of hair....

I have learned to just stick it out and do self-dustings every month. When I want to S&D my ex-layers/bangs, I do it by touch only. I've found that I can actually feel damage between my fingers, although that probably depends on your hair texture.