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Online now: 3 members: TABLE SETTER 11, TheBop, fitzy; 88 anonymousDiscussion: LASIK, bifocals & contacts question
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| Sept. 20, 2015 Tim Millette 615 posts | LASIK, bifocals & contacts question I was wondering if I could get some info on these two ways to improve eyesight and the pluses and minuses of each. I have been told LASIK can cause problems seeing in poorly lit conditions and sometimes make it impossible to play night games. I have been told contacts have problems in windy conditions and also can be challenging if you have one eye set to see close and the other to see distance. I don't have any info on bifocal glasses but would assume it's difficult based on having to tilt you head while reacting to a hard hit ball coming fast at you. What are some of the experiences you guys have with eye sight and softball? |
| Sept. 20, 2015 JBTexas Men's 70 434 posts | Tim, had Lasik when I turned 50 and it was the best decision for me, no problem with lights at night, great for swimming. Now that I'm almost 66 I still need glasses for reading, but I would do it again. Contacts were to much trouble for me, I user them for about 10 years before Lasik. They were better then glasses but nowhere close to what Lasik did for me. |
| Sept. 20, 2015 DieselDan Men's 75 600 posts | If you decide to use contacts, clear wraparounds will take the wind and dust our of the equation. Then you get some #5 welding glasses (under $15) to really help block out the sun. You just have to get it into your head the colors will be different, but you can hit and play D with them. Just don't drive with them since you can't see red. |
| Sept. 21, 2015 curveball Men's 65 705 posts | Tim, had Lasik in 2002. Never wore contacts, just glasses. Best decision for my eyes I ever made. 72 now, pitched as a mid 60's player in an open age night league with senior bats in "kids" (30's) hands. Eyesight was just fine. Still pitch some, 70's don't get any night games, but I assume it hasn't changed in the last 5 years, and would still see as I did then. Yes, small print in dim lighting is not great, but I don't think it's any worse than it would have been with glasses before Lasik. A very mild prescription pair off the rack readers at a local drug store ($9.95ea) cures the problem when going to dinner where the menu in tiny print and dim lighting does make it hard to read clearly. I dine with others with good natural eyesight that also can't read fine print in the same situation! I went from a fairly strong prescription to being able to read the stock market page the day I had it done. That was outside in good light though. From my current knowledge, if I had known about Lasik earlier in life, I would have done the surgery the very 1st day possible. |
| Sept. 21, 2015 Steinbrenner Men's 60 75 posts | Tim, I do wear contacts & they rarely if ever present a problem. Every now & then, under windy & dusty conditions, I'll wear sun glasses to protect my eyes. I find myself squinting in very windy conditions & wearing sunglasses negates the squinting. That is probably once in every 100 at bats. And even then, it's only when batting. I have never had to wear sunglasses for defense, because of wind or dust. I do normally wear mono-vision lenses (one eye to see up close & one to see far away). I change out the lens to see up close with a normal lens to see far away. You need to wear both lenses to see far away. I have, not by plan, had to play a few games wearing mono-vision lenses & it just doesn't work. No Depth Perception. It doesn't effect my hitting, but it greatly effects fielding. Being a pitcher & playing infield you need depth perception. How did you like hitting that mush ball on Saturday? Senior bats don't work real well with a 52/300 ball. If you want to discuss wearing mono-vision lenses, feel free to call me. Mark McDaniel 209-495-7148 |
| Sept. 21, 2015 crusher Men's 75 524 posts | Tim, I use lined bifocals with zero issues. I did have problems with progressive bifocals as the progression made the ball change course visually. I normally play outfield but playing tournaments I am switched to 3rd base, again zero issues, I do not even know they are bifocals. In far past I wore contacts and windy conditions when the dust storm happens on infield caused me major problems. Hopes whatever you do works for U. James |
| Sept. 22, 2015 OlyPenSenior 21 posts | I had Lasik surgery several years ago and don't regret it. However, because my eyesight was really bad with an astigmatism in one eye I'm stuck with seeing "halos" in that eye when looking towards lights in dark backgrounds. This is a problem for night driving and playing softball under the lights. I just live with it and limit both situations. Still much better than wearing glasses or contacts - which I had done both for many years. Reading glasses were also a resulting need. |
| Sept. 24, 2015 17Black Men's 60 414 posts | I had Lasik two years ago and WOW what a difference!! The eye doctor I went to, also guarantees "FREE" touch ups if anything ever goes bad as long as I get my eyes examined once per year, which everybody should try to do anyway. Only issues I had-----------My doctor told me that for the first 3 to 6 months, if playing night games under the lights (or) even driving at night, I might see "halo's" around the lights, and YES I did and I am guessing it was closer to three months.----it went away and everything real good and I have 20/15 vision now--------for distance, and I can read the newspaper or a book without reading glasses now as long as its LIGHT out----if its dim, or very small print I need reading glasses still----------but that's normal. Reading glasses went from 100% of the time to less than 10% of the time. Most people wont improve up close vision but my eyes were very bad and it did. You can't do anything very physical (like softball) for a 1-2 weeks after, because you need your lens to re-heal back on to your eye-----------they remove it temporarily for the laser surgery (which my entire surgery on both eyes was about 10 minutes tops) I made a mistake (sort of) of playing in a tournament in Florida in November three weeks after my surgery------it was very windy which dried out my eyes FAST (you will need drops for several weeks to a few months after surgery)------------AND because it gets dark earlier in November, I played a 6PM game under the lights and on pop-ups and fly balls there were HALO's on every single light pole which was really hard to make adjustments to----------- Not to mention I must have been guessing where the softball was when I was swinging for years, because I made terrible contact at this tournament with a bunch of infield pop ups which I "never/ever do"--------your depth perception will change and it takes a while to get your hand-eye coordination (literally) to catch up with each other. That all being said------get a good eye doctor with a good program, I have NO REGRETS!!!!! I'm on computer right now without glasses which I always needed for ten + years prior to Lasiks. |
| Sept. 25, 2015 Number 3 Hitter 11 posts | My experience is similar to Curveball's. In my 60s, I wore bifocals and had cataracts. As an outfielder I had trouble seeing the direction of the ball coming off the bat and had to quit playing for two years. I then had my cataract surgery followed by LASIK giving me 20-20 vision. I have been back playing for 8 years and see the ball the second it leaves the bat. Both eyes must be the same to give you the depth perception required. |
