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Everyday Gear

Flexible Reading Glasses

Image of a Set of Flexible Reading GlassesAfter my dad’s last couple of falls, one of which included a nasty skid across the floor with his face, my spouse and I were bemoaning the dearth of rubber-framed prescription eyeglasses. Rubber would presumably be a lot kinder to dad’s visage than his metal frames. And there’s that other issue — Dad’s titanium glasses have survived an appalling amount of abuse, but do have to be re-configured after the worst of his falls. We’re dreaming of rubber frames that just bounce back.

(Dad, by the way, unlike everyone who cares for him, is completely unbothered by his falls. No matter how dreadful the injury, he’s blissfully unaware of either the hazards or the consequences. Sometimes a high pain tolerance is just not a good thing.)

For others who might like reading glasses with a softish, flexible frame, these Flexies, made by Calabria, might do the trick. We ran across them in a museum shop recently; they’re not truly rubber-like, but the temples and frames do flex nicely. If you’re inclined to fall asleep while wearing your glasses, these might be a lot more comfortable against your face than a conventional pair. At about $20 [USD], they’re quite affordable.

Nontheless, I don’t recommend wearing them for falling. Preventing falls is a better idea, not that the suggestion has worked for Dad.

Available at Eyeneeds.com, but this URL will only work until they change the site next time it’s updated. After that, you’re on your own. Bizarrely, there’s no search function on the website — good luck finding anything specific on your own.

Related: Why You Might Want to Pay $500 For Titanium Eye Glasses