Optivisor - Love it

My wonderful wife gave me a gift card for Christmasa to my local wargame store (Tabletop Games and Hobbies - great store). I knew she was going to do this, so a few days before Christmas I went down there to scout around for what I might get.

I had seen Optivisors in advertisements for years.  The store had some, and I asked the Phil (the owner) if it really worked.  His answer was that it gave his hobby back to him.  His eyesight had gotten bad enough that he was getting very frustrated trying to see what he was painting.  He said it allowed him to easily see the figures well enough to paint.

They come in 4 different focal lengths, and he had me hold a figure and brush at the distance I would be comfortable painting.  He then measured that distance, and recommended the 14" focal length model.  He was quick to tell me to keep the packaging, because if I needed a different one he could swap it out.

If it sounds like we have a really great local wargame store, with a really good proprietor, you would be right.

So I get home, and tell my wife about this and that I would be heading to the store the day after Christmas to get it.  She gets the gift card and tells me we are going to get it now.  :)  (Have I mentioned that I have one of the most wonderful women in the world for my wife?)

The optivisor was all that Phil said and more.  Its simple, it has an adjustable band that holds it on your head, even my unusually large long oval head.  You wear your glasses with it, it doesn't make any difference.  I have a lighted magnifying glass on an adjustable stand, but I couldn't use it.  It seemed to flatten everything out and I had trouble controlling the brush.  The optivisor is binocular, so you see in 3 dimensions.  It works incredibly well.  I have been able to paint more in the last 2 weeks than I did in the past 4 months.

I really recommend this product for anyone who is having trouble with close work.  Its probably the best $50 I ever spent on the hobby.