Donegan DA-3 OptiVISOR Headband Magnifier, 1.75X Magnification Glass Lens Plate, 14" Focal Length

Being one with eyes of advancing years ;-) I often find myself reaching for magnifying glasses for reading small print, and using my desk mounted magnifier lamp for working on projects with small / intricate parts. My desk magnifier is in the 2.25 - 2.5x range, and it is a high quality optic / magnifying lens with a fluorescent bulb to light up the work. It is a nice lamp, but there are times I want a little more mobility and other times where I don't like working with the lamp hanging in front of me!I am very happy I took the plunge and tried the Optivisor (I bought the 1.75x for starters). in the first few days I owned it, I used it 4 or 5 times on projects - with the most recent being when I had to find the CMOS jumper on my sons motherboard and reset it whilst the board was still in the computer. The Optivisor came in REAL handy - and having the 1.75x meant I could stay a workable distance back from the work without having to stick my face right next to it! Now, I used a flashlight and rested / pointed it at the work - so I can see some benefit on perhaps getting the LED light attachment for this. Now I have to debate spending $30 for that - which will of course make me consider building my own being the "tinkerer" that I am.Now that I have used it, I am already considering the 2.5x lens attachment as an accessory to the head band. I wish they made a 2.25x lens.In summary, here is what I like about the Optivisor:- The band fits my 7 7/8" head! I often have trouble with head-wear / hats due to my large dome ;-) and it is nice to see this fits with room to spare!- The adjustment knob on the back is easy to use, and you can snug it up comfortably without it becoming uncomfortable.- The lens / optic is quite good, the clarity is good, the focal point has a good + / - range of a couple of inches such that if you move, the work stays relatively still in focus.- The fact you can swap out different lenses on the same head piece is nice, gives you options depending on the project at hand.- The flip-up eyepiece is wonderful, you don't have to take the Optivisor off your head when you don't want magnification for a brief moment or more - and being a comfortable head band is a plus to that!What would have been nice to have:- An integrated lighting system would have been nice as a stock option - I would have paid more for that. There are after market LED lights, but they run on AA batteries, and add a big block to the side of the Optivisor to house the batteries when mounted on the band. I am worried about the extra weight on one side as a result.Overall, Highly recommended tool - I would buy it again!!Thanks for reading.UPDATE: I liked the Optivisor so much, I bought another replaceable lens at 2.5x! This is a very handy tool...

Works pretty well. I use this to model and paint 28mm miniatures and once removed a small splinter.First some bad things:It does make things darker because it allows less light to your eyes. If you are working on something that requires this kind of magnification then you should already have a well lit work area. I chose this model over one that has a little flashlight on it because the flashlight would create shadows on the work.The two lenses do not create a full overlap. I see three boxes, the middle box is what both my eyes view through both lenses, each box to the side is what each individual eye sees. It's still very useful, but I wish the lenses focused better to give me a larger magnified area.This is not a bad thing but really a reminder: the focus range is important. I got the 2x magnification which has a 10" focal range. If I get the workpiece too close to me then it gets blurry. Of course, anything far away is blurry too. I'm used to working with the piece closer to my eyes so I may get a high magnification later, but for now I'm trying to give my eyes a rest and left them focus on something not so close.The good things now:First off, these are made in the USA. That's a pretty good reason to pick these over another "brand". The box it comes in is sturdy and a good storage option to avoid scratching the lenses.These fit perfectly over my glasses and it looks like they would fit over very large classes.The band adjusts easily to fit my big head and the lady's head as well. The padding on the head band makes these very comfortable. There is no annoyance when wearing these so you can focus on your task.I get headaches easily and this has not caused a headache yet. I've only worn it for about an hour at a time though and with a well-lit work area.These are great, with just 2x magnification I can really see details easily and don't strain my eyes at all.I will recommend this to others. This is the only brand I will recommend to others.

This headband magnifier is incredibly convenient with its adjustable fit and hands-free operation. While there are many similar options, this classic is trusted by jewelers, watchmakers, and artisans for a reason. Highly recommended for precision work!

I was looking for something to help me see better when I pre-tie hooks and leader. I first purchased a couple products that attach to a hat, but the quality was sub par. I did some research and the Donegan DA line of products got good reviews. I remember my Mom had one of these that I ironically put in here Estate Sale when she passed, thinking, "When Would I Ever Need This", I'm Not A Jeweler". Well, with age comes the lessening ability to see small fish hook eyes and think fishing leader.The model I decided on has a focal range of 10". The DA-4 OptiVISOR. That means the "sweet" spot for magnification is 10" in front of your eyes. That works OK for tying hooks onto leader. I found that it worked best with my normal glasses, and not so well with my computer glasses. These can be a help to anyone that does up close work like needlepoint, fly tying, and the such. At $43 I thought it was a bit expensive for what it is, but you are also getting GLASS lenses and not plastic.I can say that it took a lot of stress out of the tying leader onto hooks experience, with the fishing hook eyelet looking much bigger, making it easier to feed the leader threw it, and making it easier to see my line as I was tying fishing knots.