Both my wife and I have found a magnifying headlamp very useful for extensive close in work. You will find many cheap and cheerful models online. Give them a try.

Up until now, I have been using a table mounted lamp with a magnifier built in on my workbench. Also, I have an Andonstar digital microscope which also projects on an HDMI monitor. These have been my go to supporters for seeing small and seeing better. Each of these cost in the CDN$100-$150 range from Princess Auto and Amazon. I mainly use the microscope and monitor for surface mount circuit boards and their tiny components.

During COVID, my wife started doing a bunch of paint-by-numbers art to pass the time. Goodness, she was turning these out like a factory. But, occasionally she complained about the very small numbers and not enough light for her work. I tried some lamps but they kept getting in the way of her work. So, maybe we could try a magnifying headlamp? I could use this in the lab when she wasn’t painting.

So, I found one on Amazon for about $25. Not sure who makes it, but model number 9892B2 is the identification. And hey, it work like a charm.

My magnifying headlamp is very flexible. You can use it with brackets or strap. You can use it with glasses or without. You can select from five different magnifying lenses ranging from 1.0X to 3.5X. And, you can adjust both the lamp and lenses to focus on your work.

Now that the paint-by-numbers binge has passed, our magnifying headlamp is in the lab. Good for quick jobs that don’t require the microscope, or simply where extra light comes in handy. Battery life is pretty good for occasional use, but the new model 9892B2C comes with a USB recharging capability for the same price.

Magnifying Headlamp – Getting Older

One of the most common effects of aging that you need more light for your workspace or reading. Also, for many of us, our lenses become less flexible which makes it harder to focus on close up work.

So, in addition to my tri-focal (progressive) glasses, adding some light and occasional magnification really does help. I also use “computer glasses” which relives stress when sitting at the computer for a long time.