glasses or contacts?

[Nanci]

Hi, no matter what you do to your eyes, (Lasik or contacts) it's still nice to have glasses when you're riding for sun, wind, bugs, stuff that gets flung up off the road, branches, etc.

I wore glasses since 6th grade, until I got contacts as soon as soft contacts became available. I was the worst contact abuser in history, and never took them out. I had Lasik surgery on my -6 diopter eyes in 2000. Like Denise, I didn't have perfect vision the second after the surgery, and freaked out. But by morning, it was 20/40, which is _legal_ to drive, if you don't want to see the street signs or anything :-) It gradually improved over the course of a few months, and even more every year, and it now 20/15, plus I can read all the 20/13 characters that aren't round (C,G,O). I'm 47, though, and the eye doc told me if I had Lasik I would need reading glasses five years sooner than I would have without it, and I am feeling like right now I can't read teeny tiny print, but still read books, computer screens, etc. just fine. I just don't want to go back to even reading glasses until the last possible second, since it is like a miracle to not have to wear glasses or contacts now, and I've almost blanked it out of my mind that I ever had to...

A friend of mine at work went in to get screened for Lasik, and found out that she had some sort of eye disease that she wouldn't have known about until it got really bad, if she hadn't had that work up done. (They advised her not to have Lasik.)

Nanci

[SadieKate]

I know . . . let's start a thread on who is the most nearsighted!!! Maybe there is a correlation between calf size and poor eyesight?

Sadie "shrinking arms" Kate

[Adventure Girl]

I know . . . let's start a thread on who is the most nearsighted!!! Maybe there is a correlation between calf size and poor eyesight?

If I'm not the MOST nearsighted, I'm sure I'm close! (Right eye contact power is -13.5)

My glasses are super thick and heavy! I would not be able to ride with them. The contacts work great for me except when it is windy or dusty. I always carry little tubes of saline with me just in case.

[DrBee]

Wow! What great responses! I get the hint - get sunglasses/interchangeable lenses and get the contacts. I am most definitely not a good candidate for Lasik. My eyes may be, however they would have to strap me down and knock me out in order to do surgery on eyes. I'm too much of a wimp. I don't have any qualms (sp?) about putting contacts in, though. Odd, I guess.

I will keep in mind to carry saline and the case with me.

Thanks so much for your advice! I'll let you know how it goes - I'm going to the eye doctor next week.

[SadieKate]

Nope, I'm the same way. I only have the two eyes and nobody's doing nothing to 'em.

I'm only a measly -7 contact power. Wimpy calves, wimpy eyes.

[maillotpois]

I'm wimpier at - 5.50. Perfect timing for this discussion, though. Just got dilated so everything's a bit blurry. Sigh!

[caligurl]

contacts w/sunglasses... if i'm going out after work this time of year.. when i'm trying to beat sunset to get home... i take my performance glasses with amber lenses to change to when it's too dark for my oakleys.. on the few occasions i've ridden after dark... i wear the performance glasses w/clear lenses... i always wear something over my eyes on the bike!

[DrBee]

Okay - now that we all agree that it is important to have some eye protection - what's your pick for the best sunglasses that are reasonable priced?

[caligurl]

well... i can't help in the reasonably priced department... i only wear oakleys!

i have 2 for cycling (had blue half jackets originally and had to get black/silver to wear when riding ruby!) loved the clarity so much... i got a pair of their cork haylons for every day... and loved those so much.. but coveted black every days... that i got a pair of black haylons too....

so i only wear oakleys! (we don't discuss this at home though.. hubby doesn't understand why i neede four pair of oakley! )

[Blueberry]

But I love my Natives (www.nativeeyewear.com). For one thing, all native dark lenses are polarized. Very cool when around water, but will spoil you in general. They have a lifetime warranty - you pay $20 and they send you a new pair - even if you run over them, etc. Just doesn't cover loss. Also, they have an anti-occular intrusion system which is supposed to keep the lenses from hitting you face in the event of a fall.

Plus, they look good to me and I could buy them locally

[Aint Doody]

Just be sure they're sporty--with some wrap around. I got really "smart" last year and decided I needed some prescription sunglasses with a bifocal in them so that I could read the map on a cycling trip. Well, they had pretty big lenses--older pair of frames that were on sale. I could read the maps alright, but when I was going downhill, they were so huge that the wind got behind the lenses and I cried all the way down the hills--couldn't see a d@#n thing thru the tears! Well, they're good for being on a cruise and reading in the sun! I just take somebody with me to read maps.

[SnappyPix]

Another advocate for Lasik here ...
Had the procedure around 3 years ago as my prescription was around -8.

It was the best decision I ever made and changed the quality of my life 100%. My eyesight was so bad that when I was younger, myself and a group of friends used to go swimming in our lunchbreaks. We got to know the lifeguards fairly well - on nodding terms at least. One day I was swimming up the pool and smiled a big beamy smile to the lifeguard standing on the side. It was only when I was inches away, that I realised I'd been grinning at the spinal board!

In terms of cycling, it's been fantastic. No more pieces of grit rendering you blind, with the added sensation of red hot pins in your eyes (and why is it that once you get grit in one eye, you can be sure a piece will lodge itself in the other, 20 yards down the road?!).

As far as the Lasik goes - the most painful part of the procedure is the soul searching and nervousness before the operation. It's over in about 20 minutes. I didn't feel a thing - with the exception of them fitting the equipment.
Like Denise, I panicked big-style after the op because my vision was blurry and I thought it hadn't worked - and my eyesight was worse than before.
But the body is an amazing piece of equipment - and I never realised this moreso than after the procedure.
Immediately after Lasik my eyes were streaming, red, blurry and incredibly light sensitive. Two hours later, after having napped and rested the eyes, my vision was perfect - 20/20, the eyes had stopped streaming, and I could see perfectly.

I cried for about 2 days solid, from sheer joy. And 3 years later, I still wake up sometimes and marvel at the fact I can see!

Ultimately though, it's always a leap of faith - the consent form is enough to make you change your mind right there, but it wasn't a decision I took lightly - I'd been deliberating for the last 10 years.
My optician tried to talk me out of it, saying the technology wasn't advanced enough to produce lasting results and I should wait another 10 years, but it seemed to me that he had a conflict of interest and that another 10 years would be more detrimental in terms of quality of life lost, than benefits gained.

I took a calculated risk that even if it improved my prescription by 50% or less, it was worth it to me because my vision was so bad. I also had a one-shot chance as my corneas are too thin to have a repeat procedure.

In short (after rambling so long!), having Lasik was the best decision I ever made - but everyone should make their own informed choice/decision as to whether it's right for them and they're willing to take the chance that all may not work out.

I hated wearing lenses on the bike because ultimately I'd get that piece of grit which would send me reeling into the side of the road, unable to open my eyes. Glasses never worked for me because I couldn't get peripheral vision from them and therefore had a massive blindspot.

[Dianyla]

This is a very timely topic, I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I'm really resistant to the idea of getting contact lenses. The reason why is that I am mildly nearsighted and my vision up close for reading/computer work is just fine. I always my glasses off for near work, otherwise I get eyestrain and a headache. So, I'm constantly putting them on and taking them off, and I wouldn't want to do this for contacts. For just going on a long ride it might be worth it, but the thought of commuting to work with contacts in and then sitting in front of my computer all day just makes me want to cry.

Right now I switch back and forth between prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses when riding. The sunglasses are ok, but my glasses are more fashionable and don't provide much in the way of wind protection. I find myself almost blinded on windy days or going down long downhills - not very safe!

For other sports (dirtbiking and skiing) I had to look forever to find goggles that fit over glasses, which really limits what I can use, and there is still the limited field of vision. I don't want to purchase prescription everything for each different sport-specific eyewear, so I started googling around and found these prescription insert adapters by SportRX. Has anyone tried these?

Any suggestions?


ETA: My vision is already quite good that Lasik would probably not give me much benefit.

[Robbin_G]

Well, yes, the nervousness is the worst part. The valium helped.

My Rx wasn't as bad as some (-3.5) but thats bad enough for the big E to be a giant blob. Since my Rx was so low it was about 30 seconds of laser time per eye. I also had lasEk which is different than lasik. Recovery time is longer but a safer procedure. I pretty much spent the whole weekend with my eyes closed. I'm 20/20 now and he said I should be 20/15 if I keep hydrated and on the meds. I sometimes think I already am 20/15 but focus too hard on the eye chart. :-)

I had the surgery so I wouldn't have to carry around all the stuff, replace lost things, etc.

[Robbin_G]

ETA: My vision is already quite good that Lasik would probably not give me much benefit.

Actually, I would have a consultation. Those places that say $299 per eye or for VERY light RX's