folding reading glasses

There is an amazing fascination with folding reading glasses, or just folding eyewear in general for that matter. Some say it is the ability to carry them around in your pocket or hide them in small spaces that makes them attractive. Others swear they are more convenient than a standard set of eyeglasses.

I think the reason they are so popular is they merge gadgetry and function together. I mean, eyeglasses that can collapse and be stuffed into little boxes not much larger than a cigarette lighter are pretty cool.

These little readers have been around for quite some time now and designers (or should I say engineers) have come up with a couple interesting twists and new features.

This pair of "Trendies Pocket Eyes" brings a bit of a different twist to folding reading glasses. It collapses in a different fashion than most, rather than folding down to a case the size of a zippo lighter, this pair folds a little wider. A bit of a larger footprint, maybe. But they end up being thinner, lighter, and easier to mannage.

The case is still small enough to be stored in your pocket and easy enough to open and put on even at the dimly lit dinner table (where most of us seem to need our reading glasses)

This could be because of the telescoping temples, or the fact the lenses do not fold into each other. Whatever the reason, this pair of folders gets a very high rating.

The color options are black or silver and powers start at +1.50 and go up to +3.00.

There is a short demo video below:

That video displayed how easily some glasses can fold.

In this next video, which highlights a basic pair of folding glasses, you will notice a couple things that are different than previous pair by Cinzia.

For starters, the case is a bit smaller, which many may see as a bonus.

But watch and count how many hinges and folds the person has to make to open and close them. This style is more of a puzzle, where you must fold in the proper order to get the glasses to collapse properly.

And one other fine detail. Notice how the video cuts at the moment when the person was folding the lenses into one another. This is a crucial step in getting your glasses back in to the case without damage. If every hinge and bolt is not lined up properly, it is a very tight squeeze to fit your average pair of folders back in to the case.

The folding aspect is very cool, as long as they are built to last as displayed above. However, if you are truly after a pair of reading glasses that are in a sturdy case that can easily hide in your pocket or another small area, these slender eyes may do the trick.

They are extremely lightwieght and collapse into a very flat case. These are probably the most streamlined readers out there. Made of incredibly high quality materials, these readers are certainly built to last. The case has a little clip on it for easy storage in a briefcase pocket, or to affix inside a bag or pocket so they do not get lost in clutter.

The moral of the story, if you want a pair of reading glasses that fold because you think they would be fun to play with, grab whatever you can at the dollar store.

However, if you are like most people and actually want a pair that will last and can easily be toted around, check out some of the better engineered styles out there.

Just like any high tech gadget, there is a difference in quality accross the board.