Glasses under a welding helmet

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First off let me say hello, this is my first post.I have a small MIG welder that I use for repairs and light metal fabrication here at home, its a Miller 140.  As luck would have it my wife learned to weld back years ago when she was in college and so she's able and happy to pick up the helmet and gun at the drop of a hat.Both of us are getting up there, some years past the 60 year mark and we've both been wearing glasses for about as long as you'd imagine but by now our vision has settled down to about as bad as its going to get right up to the wake.My/our welding helmet is a Utility grade Speedglas, fixed shade of 3/10 and its just a wonder low cost helmet that serves us well, with just one problem.  The problem actually isn't one with the helmet, its with our glasses.  Both my wife and I wear auto-darkening, bi-focal transition glasses.  Under the helmet we need our glasses to see what we're doing but almost the instant the arc is struck the glasses go dark and when you add that to the Auto-dark shade 10 of the Speedglas I just can't see jack ....  And I mean my/our glasses get dark like right now, its almost as fast as the helmet's reaction time - the difference is the helmet shuts off with the arc, but my glasses take about 5 minutes to return to normal.At any rate that is the problem, can't see with the glasses, can't see without them.  What to do?
Reply:Hello ThomWV, there are a couple of options that you can consider: cheater lenses, these are magnifying plates that fit into your hood behind the safety plate on the back of the filter assembly, or magnifier/bi-focal safety glasses. Either of these options can be had in various reading glass strengths from .75 to 3.75 I believe. If you go with the cheater lens you should plan on using clear safety glasses under your hood, if you opt for the magnifier/bi-focal safety glass route you can get away from not seeing when the hood isn't down. A couple of options for you to consider. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Another option would be to just get a set of plain procription glasses for welding. Since I tend to trash my lenses anyways working, I usually just use plain lenses for work (They are safety lenses) and keep my good transitions lenses for other things like driving and so on. I usually keep the work glasses with the hood, so I don't forget to change them. (Wrecked a brand new pair that way once.) I picked up a small sealed hard case and added a short lanyard and clip to it. I clip the case to the hood strap when I'm done and put the work glasses in the case. When I go to weld or work, I take off my good glasses and store them in the case and unclip it and hang it on a hook. I keep the hood with the head gear, so I remember to change even if I'm only going to grind..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:The cheater lenses that fit into your helmet are less than $10 at the welding store.  The supermarket has reading glasses for a similar price.  Trial and error at the supermarket will tell you how much power you need, so you can buy the right one at the welding store.I have industrial safety glasses with sideshields, bifocals and a strap, I like them very much, I never need to take them off to do anything in my shop, and I know that they provide significant protection.I ended up putting cheater lenses into my helmet, rather than try to look down through my bifocals, I can now look straight ahead through the helmet lens, happy with that also.RichardSculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:I have the issue with transitions but not the auto darkening. I am planning on a pair of plain prescription reading glasses for welding and probably do something like DSW does. For the time being I bought a cheater lens to compensate for the blurry vision from where I have to look through my glasses when under the hood. Haven't actually welded with it yet, but took my hood to the store and tried different powers till I found one i liked. I hope it helps cuz I can't really see crap as it is. Sucks getting old. LOLBill
Reply:Polarization. One thing to think about is if your shaded glasses are polarized the polarization may not be compatable with the polarization of the hood lense in the 'auto dark' mode. As already suggested try a pair of non tinted glasses in a test run."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:I wear 3 way progressive with transitions all day every day..Sucks..Takes some getting used to when welding but after 1 million hrs under a mask?Feel is better than sight......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:If you are looking for cheap safety glasses, check Wal-Mart. I am not sure if you can get them in the Bi-Focal variety, but for straight lenses they can't be beat. I paid 47$ for Lenses and Frames the last time I bought mine. Took around a week to get.The world is amazing when you are slightly strange.
Reply:Geez, this sounds familiarThe real question is whether you can still see your donuts in the morningLife without donuts is like shoes without socksLast edited by farmersamm; 03-24-2010 at 08:53 AM.Reason: an afterthought"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I used to have the auto darkening lenses in my glasses and I welded with them. I always used a fixed shade helmet though. Remember them? They are the ones with the old glass filter plate. I would say your auto dark helmet is letting in enough light to activate the glasses. I never trusted one of them things. Seen too many guys miss work because they burnt their eyes. Had one miss a couple days the other day. But you cant pry his little hands off his 300 dollar speedglas. Go figure. Hope this solves your delima. A fixed shade filter plate is a lot cheaper than the glasses. I just hit the 60 mark myself. I know the feeling. Let me know if this helps. Harold.
Reply:I went the same way as "raferguson" a pair of unshaded prescription safety glasses and a cheater.Works great  i leave them in the shop and switch when i go in.only issue some people(not me?) have is the dreaded dizzy feeling if you try to see with your helmet down so just pop it when not welding.FelonPs the bonus is the Cheater also makes the donuts look biggerLast edited by Felonyass Monk; 03-24-2010 at 09:19 AM.Caution lurker lives here" hmmm That is serious,pass the ganja and pick up a  24 of MGD"
Reply:I've worn lineless bifocals with transition lens for several years. I've had no problems using a fixed shade lens, a Jackson Boss AD, and Miller Elite AD hood. Don't know what is causing your problem and this is the first time I have heard of it. The only problem I have with my transition lens is they won't turn dark in an automobile. I have to use clip-on shades when driving.
Reply:I wear a pair of prescription safety glasses. They are cheap and the lenses don't get scratched up like my fashion glasses. They work well under my hood. I'd recommend you buy a pair for the shop. Your eyes are too valuable. Of course I have been known to wear my safety glasses to church by mistake.
Reply:ThomWV as I understand a fixed shade and an autodarkening are two different things. I dont think you can have both. Harold
Reply:Originally Posted by ThomWVBoth my wife and I wear auto-darkening, bi-focal transition glasses.  Under the helmet we need our glasses to see what we're doing but almost the instant the arc is struck the glasses go dark and when you add that to the Auto-dark shade 10 of the Speedglas I just can't see jack ....  And I mean my/our glasses get dark like right now, its almost as fast as the helmet's reaction time - the difference is the helmet shuts off with the arc, but my glasses take about 5 minutes to return to normal.
Reply:Like several of the others I am advancing towards geezer-hood and wear the dreaded bi-focals.  What I found with mine is that to see the puddle I hold my head a bit back to allow me to look through the lower part of my glasses and that opens a gap below the hood that lets a lot of light in.  I adjusted the angle of the down stop and got some relief and then temporarily taped a shop rag across the bottom of the hood to seal the gap.  That fixed the glare problem.  As a permanent fix I got hold of an old fire-retardant welding shirt, cut the back out and made a piece which I sewed a velcro strip to the top edge and put the adhesive velcro opposite on the hood.  I can put it on as needed and no more glare in the hood.My brother had a similar situation but his was reflected light from the white walls in his garage.  His solution was to make a similar piece and attach it so it covers the back of his hood when down and block the back ground light.I think I will try Richard's idea next and see if I can get rid of the weird head tilt.RogerOld, Tired, and GRUMPYSalesman will call, Batteries not included, Assembly is required, and FREE ADVICE IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR IT!Dial Arc 250HFThunderbolt 225 AC/DCAssorted A/O torches