ive got an 80 yr old patient who has had very bad ophthalmic shingles
which has left her with exquisitivley sensitive skin on the side of
her face and nose - so that she cant tolerate anything touching it.
She cant read or watch TV because she cant wear her glasses.
This has proved resistant to all the usual medical drugs for post
herpetic neuralgia.  we cant put topical local anaaesthetics eg
EMLA/Ametopp there because she cant tolerate the occlusive dressing
necessary. we are trying with lignocaine (lidocaine) gel on the leg of
her glases to see if this will help.
What she needs is an aide to help her see that doesnt need to rest on
her ear or the side of her nose.

Something like a hand held magnifying glass , but with a prescription
lens in it or a desktop arrangement ( like the lens my wife uses for
her embroidery) or somethingshe can hang around her neck and look down
through ,
which will let her read a book/newspaper.

Anyone got any ideas ?

FWIW the patient is located in the north of england.