The Damn I'm Old Thread - Putting Up With Being a Geezer

[mozo-pg]

I've always had and still have excellent night vision. The only reason I would use the lights on my car is so other drivers can see ME.

My eyesight should be fine. I have prescription glassess but there is something this year that just started to happen. Last night, the highway was covered in snow so there was no way to distinguish the lines separating the road. You couldn't also see more than 10 feet in front of you because of blowing snow. I was just doing my best but I definitely swerved into the other lane a few times. I'm thinking seriously of getting lazer eye surgery.

[rcarlberg]

My eyesight should be fine. I have prescription glassess but there is something this year that just started to happen. Last night, the highway was covered in snow so there was no way to distinguish the lines separating the road. You couldn't also see more than 10 feet in front of you because of blowing snow. I was just doing my best but I definitely swerved into the other lane a few times. I'm thinking seriously of getting lazer eye surgery.

Cataracts can sneak up on you too.

In my case, I wear hard contacts so at night all the bright lights have star-shaped halos around them. I can usually distinguish what's going on but it's still annoying.

[yamishogun]

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[progmatist]

My eyesight should be fine. I have prescription glassess but there is something this year that just started to happen. Last night, the highway was covered in snow so there was no way to distinguish the lines separating the road. You couldn't also see more than 10 feet in front of you because of blowing snow. I was just doing my best but I definitely swerved into the other lane a few times. I'm thinking seriously of getting lazer eye surgery.

My great night vision would only be one facet of my overall vision, which isn't all that great. It's time for bifocals, but I keep putting it off. BTW: I have never in my life driven in snow. If I tried, I'd be an absolute menace on the road. I'd be that guy skidding across all travel lanes and into a ditch.

[rcarlberg]

BTW: I have never in my life driven in snow. If I tried, I'd be an absolute menace on the road.

The trick is to always assume you cannot turn or stop. If you keep that in mind you're pretty safe.

For the past 22+ years I've had AWD Subaru Foresters, which are darn good on ice. The weight distribution is near-ideal and there's a 4-way non-slip differential which applies power only to wheels that have traction. I never had any problems getting around in the rare Seattle snows. I even took the car up to Snoqualmie Pass SPECIFICALLY to squirrel around in the parking lot of the ski resort, TRYING to break the wheels loose. It was just barely possible.

But then we had a big freeze, in I think 2014. I drove to the Mountlake Terrace park & ride, as I always did, and drove across the parking lot at 5 mph. As I turned to go down the ramp to the covered parking garage, my car kept going straight. I applied the brakes. My car kept going straight. I jumped the curb (at 5 mph) and high-centered on one of the big rocks lining the driveway.

With no way to move, I called a tow truck. He came in at 5 mph, with chains on... and promptly slid into me.

He called the police to report he accident. A cruiser pulled in a few minutes later...and promptly slid into HIM.

Damage was minor all around, and we had a good laugh over it. The cop called in a sanding truck and between the four of us we were able to pull my car off the rock.

But I have new respect for ice.

[Shadow]

It's time for bifocals, but I keep putting it off.

I had bifocals once, then changed to progressive lenses after that.

[Duncan Glenday]

It's time for bifocals, but I keep putting it off.

I had bifocals once, then changed to progressive lenses after that.

I'm with Ed. I have progressives (i.e. bifocals that don't look like bifocals) - which are also transitions (i.e. glasses that become sunglasses when it's bright.) One pair of glasses does everything. Very convenient.

The first time I got these, about 15 years ago, they cost about $500 and were terrible. Now they're much better, and are only about $150 - from www.eyebuydirect..com. (There are other similar sites, but Consumer Reports rates this site as the best - and I'be been happy with them. YMMV)

[mozo-pg]

My great night vision would only be one facet of my overall vision, which isn't all that great. It's time for bifocals, but I keep putting it off. BTW: I have never in my life driven in snow. If I tried, I'd be an absolute menace on the road. I'd be that guy skidding across all travel lanes and into a ditch.

If you have good eyesight, it would just take some practice. I never had a problem seeing the road in snowstorms before this year. The dark, snowsqualls, and snow covered highways is the challenge for me. I didn't skid off the road, thankfully, but I was drifting in and out of the slow lane. I was doing 30 kilometres when I usually drive at 120 K.

What about Lazer Eye Surgery? Anyone tried it/have opinions?

[rcarlberg]

What about Laser Eye Surgery? Anyone tried it/have opinions?

I know several people who have done it. All were thrilled with the results.

Unfortunately I'm not a candidate; my prescription is outside of Lasik's capabilities to correct.

[Firth]

I know several people who have done it. All were thrilled with the results.

Unfortunately I'm not a candidate; my prescription is outside of Lasik's capabilities to correct.

What about Intraocular Lens?

[markwoll]

My wife has had two intraocular lenses as a result of cataract surgery.
The first one was in the 90's and worked out very well for her.
The second one in the mid 2010's was not as successful. The process was much more involved, with many ( expensive ) eyedrops in tiny bottles.
She had a heck of a time with Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and had to have a couple of rounds of lasering to get rid of it.
Dry eye, requiring artificial tears for the first year. She also has trouble with haloing at night.
Better than having cataracts. Much more reasonable prescription for glasses.

[Firth]

My wife has had two intraocular lenses as a result of cataract surgery.
The first one was in the 90's and worked out very well for her.
The second one in the mid 2010's was not as successful. The process was much more involved, with many ( expensive ) eyedrops in tiny bottles.
She had a heck of a time with Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and had to have a couple of rounds of lasering to get rid of it.
Dry eye, requiring artificial tears for the first year. She also has trouble with haloing at night.
Better than having cataracts. Much more reasonable prescription for glasses.

Definitely great color and contrast. I’m not sure when my vision ever had contrast this good.

[Firth]

https://youtu.be/G_9HPG8q33s

[progmatist]

I had bifocals once, then changed to progressive lenses after that.

I'm with Ed. I have progressives (i.e. bifocals that don't look like bifocals) - which are also transitions (i.e. glasses that become sunglasses when it's bright.) One pair of glasses does everything. Very convenient.

The first time I got these, about 15 years ago, they cost about $500 and were terrible. Now they're much better, and are only about $150 - from www.eyebuydirect..com. (There are other similar sites, but Consumer Reports rates this site as the best - and I'be been happy with them. YMMV)

Everyone I've ever known who got progressive lenses have been driven batty by the transition between the 2 strengths.........at least initially.

What about Lazer Eye Surgery? Anyone tried it/have opinions?

As rcarlberg states, not everyone is a candidate for Lasik. If your pupils dilate beyond a certain diameter in the dark, Lasik will actually blur your vision at night. That's due to the edges of the pupil extending beyond the corneal correction.

Even with Lasik, you may still need readers. The need for readers and/or bifocals is because the lens becomes less pliable as we age, making it more difficult to change focus.

[Shadow]

Everyone I've ever known who got progressive lenses have been driven batty by the transition between the 2 strengths.........at least initially.

The one difficulty I found was working on something close up and moving your head, which then puts things out of focus. Sometimes just a pair of cheap reading glasses works better.

[Firth]

Everyone I've ever known who got progressive lenses have been driven batty by the transition between the 2 strengths.........at least initially.

.

What two strengths? My distance vision is with IOCs. The near vision is with continuous line focal lenses in glasses.

[Chain]

Originally I needed glasses for long distance vision. I can still remember walking outside with them on and being able to distinguish the individual leaves on a tree across the road. (The things an old dude remembers).

Then I had a brain tumor pulled out of my head and everything was different when I came out of the anesthetic. Long distance vision is now fine without glasses but I now need glasses to read

[rcarlberg]

What two strengths? My distance vision is with IOCs. The near vision is with continuous line focal lenses in glasses.

My mother, for YEARS, had one distance contact lens and one close-up contact lens. Said her brain got adept at listening to whichever eye was in focus and ignoring the other. Never needed glasses for reading, or glasses for driving.

[rcarlberg]

I can still remember walking outside with them on and being able to distinguish the individual leaves on a tree across the road. (The things an old dude remembers).

I did that on LSD

[Yodelgoat]

I thought my eyes were going bad, but then they tested me and I had 20-25 vision. I was stunned. I used to be able to read the bottom oft he eye chart, now, it seems i cant see the bottom 3. But I guess that's still good.

[mozo-pg]

I did that on LSD

Yes, distinguishing leaves but while tripping they grew and shank, and turned different colours.

I'm seriously thinking of visiting the optomotrist to get a tune up. I had tests and new glasses last year but I'm finding reading print off my screen at work straining. I'm also open to Lasik surgery. My safety on the roads can't be understated for me and my famly and other cars on the road.

[soundsweird]

I had multiple surgeries on my eyes before I was nine. My mother had taken me to several specialists before she found one who recognized the problem; the surgeries kept me from going blind. All I remember her telling me is that it was a long, unpronounceable condition. I've had pretty thick glasses since the age of five, but I'm not blind yet! It's getting pretty bad, though; I have to get really close to be able to read small print.

[mozo-pg]

I had multiple surgeries on my eyes before I was nine. My mother had taken me to several specialists before she found one who recognized the problem; the surgeries kept me from going blind. All I remember her telling me is that it was a long, unpronounceable condition. I've had pretty thick glasses since the age of five, but I'm not blind yet! It's getting pretty bad, though; I have to get really close to be able to read small print.

Good to hear the surgeries work and all you're dealing with is aging.



As rcarlberg states, not everyone is a candidate for Lasik. If your pupils dilate beyond a certain diameter in the dark, Lasik will actually blur your vision at night. That's due to the edges of the pupil extending beyond the corneal correction.

Even with Lasik, you may still need readers. The need for readers and/or bifocals is because the lens becomes less pliable as we age, making it more difficult to change focus.[/QUOTE]

__________________________

Good to know. I'll have to check things out with an optometrist/lasik eye surgeon.

[progmatist]

Perhaps if I hadn't spent my life whacking off, my vision would be better.

[rcarlberg]

Perhaps if I hadn't spent my life whacking off, my vision would be better.

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