Monovision contact lenses

[Sam]

I started a thread on this subject about 1.5 years ago. Our membership more than doubled since then, so I'd like to re-open the discussion.

I just started wearing contacts to correct distance vision and they work much better than I ever expected with my right-eye astigmatism. I couldn't be happier with the results, and must keep my Dr. Wal-Mart reading glasses handy for close stuff (which I had to do anyway).

The eye doc suggested I try monovision contacts next, which I'm willing to do, but after reading the old thread I saw one comment saying you can't use an Optivisor when wearing them, but that a microscope can be adjusted to accommodate. I use a scope for engraving, but use an Optivisor for watchmaking and miscellaneous things. If I could get the results that some of my friends and students have gotten with monovisions I think I'd be pretty happy, but I think I'd hate having to take them out in order to use my Optivisor.

I'd be interested to hear your comments.

Cheers / ~Sam

 

[ron p. nott]

hi SAM .. i have been wearing bi focal contacts , the hard ones , for at least 3 years now and i do like them , i can use the scope with out any problems and my distant vision is great , i also don't need reading glasses .. Ron p

 

[Mike Cirelli]

I'm ready to get my eyes adjusted so I can see close and screw far away, nothing I work on is much more 12" from me anyway:0 I tried the mono-vision and just couldn't get used to it especially driving. It's been awhile but if I remember correctly my eyes got very tired and itchy when using a head loupe.

 

[john neenah]

I've been wearing the mono contacts for at least ten years now, and like you Sam, have astigmatism in my right eye. I got used to the monovision in a couple of weeks and it works great for normal day to day activity, although for perfect far vision, like for sporting clays, I go with glasses. As far as engraving, I just adjusted the microscope eyepiece to account for the difference in eyes and it works great - no problems.

John

 

[Powderhorn]

Sam;
Have you tried to use a jewelrs loupe, That is what I learned to do watch repair with. I tried to use an optivisor, but did not like them. If you do use a loupe, make sure to keep both eyes open, don't close the eye that your not using. If you close it, or squint that eye, it will give you eye strain.
As to how to hold that pesky loupe on, without glueing it into your eyeball, take an old mainspring for a pocket watch, and tape it to the the outside end to the loupe, and see how it fits. If it seems to fit, cut it off even with the ear on the opposite side of the head, you weare loupe on right eye, cut off over left ear. Draw temper out of that end of spring, and bend a small loupe on it, if you dont do it, it will dig in.

 

[KCSteve]

I'd think the scope adjustment would only be workable if your eyes are fairly close in prescription - if one eye is significantly worse then the other then the scope may not have enough adjustment to handle the difference.

 

[Sam]

Everett: I use an eye loupe as well as an Optivisor, and my loupes have the springy thing that keeps 'em attached to your head. After using a microscope for so many years the eye loupe takes a bit of getting used to.

I just picked up a test set of monovision contacts and put them in. No problems with the microscope at all, and my right eye has significant astigmatism. I can see close and I can see far. It'll take a bit of getting used to since each eye takes turn being the blurry one depending on whether you're focusing close or distant. I had to move my computer monitor a bit closer since it was just outside the focus range for my close eye. I can also wear a pair of 1x or 1.25x reading glasses and not have to do that. As it stands now - the first hour using monvision contacts - I'm cautiously optimistic.

Next week it's hearing aids. I hope I get good results from them so Abigail doesn't have to repeat herself 100 times a day!

Gettin' old sucks, but it sure beats the alternative. / ~Sam

 

[beegee]

In June, on my way to Maine, I experienced flashing lights and floaters in my left eye. Diagnosisosterior Vitreous Detachment. It's where the vitreous humor sac become detached from the retina(not a detached retina). When you're young the vitreous humor is gel-like. As you get older it thins out, getting more watery, and all that debris and gunk inside starts sloshing around. Consequence: my left eye has a filmy floater that washes in and out from side-to-side. Very distracting, so I'm wondering if my fledgling engraving hobby will ever get off the ground? Getting old is a *****.....

 

[jimzim75]

Just a bit of information to guys over 50, like me. The new fashionable illness is diabetes for the baby boomer
generation. To much good living. Anyway, it can play havoc with your eyes and change your prescription
for your glasses. Before you go out and get all new lenses, have your blood checked.

If you have diabetes you should wait before getting new glasses until your meds kick in.
I went from having mild reading glasses to bottle bottoms in a month. After a month on meds I didn't need
glasses at all. It was like being 19 again.

Nine month after I started the medicine, I'm back to where I was a full year ago and all my glasses work just
again. I didn't have to buy any new glasses at all.

Two warning symptoms are your glasses don't work suddenly, and your thirsty all the time.

This is really cheery stuff I know, but I personally would have liked to known what was happening to me.
Especially when it means you can work or you can't.

Talk to ya later,
Jim

 

[John B.]

Sam, Hi to my fellow lip reader!
Let me know what your research comes up with in the hearing department.
I know you are a pretty good researcher and there is a lot of hokum in the
hearing aid field.
I can hear your banjo pretty well but I'd also like to hear the pretty words Miss Abigail is singing.

Best of luck with the eyes and ears, keep us posted please.
John B.

PS. we don't want to talk age, the big guy might be listening!
...............and don't tempt the Devil

 

[Sam]

Hi John. A good friend of mine who's a very technically oriented person and techno-geek in general needed hearing aids a few years ago. He did extensive research and bought his direct from AmericaHears.com and is quite happy. I mentioned this to another friend of mine who also bought a set for his wife and they are also extremely pleased. I went to an audiologist to get my hearing checked (moderate to severe loss in one ear and moderate to profound in the other), and they wanted $6,200 for a pair of in-the-canal hearing aids. AmericaHears.com sells virtually the same (actually better) aids direct for $995 ea. You can also program them yourself with your computer as they supply the software and cables, or you can call them and they can do it over the internet. I've not read a single bad review of them and their staff is audiologists, not sales people. You just email or fax your audiology report and they'll advise you on what you need. I'll keep you posted. / ~Sam

 

[Leonardo]

Hi Sam!
I am really sorry for your hearing losses. I myself have a loss in my right ear, 40db at about 4,000 Hz. This was the price for enjoying shooting my Colt 45ACP so many times without adequate protection.
Also, I can tell you that I was involved in the hearing aid repairing business for about 10 years in my twenties. In that time I repaired about a thousand hearing aids a year counting more than 10,000 units serviced and they were of many important brands as Widex, Philips, Bosh, Phonak, Oticon, Beltone, etc. If I would be in the need of buying one of this little marvels I almost sure that it would be a Widex. You must to take seriously some points like the circuit protection against the humidity (this is the worst enemy of this little devices because the condensation), The device capacity and accessibility to change the settings ( you will need different settings for indoor, outdoor, in the car, listening music, at the phone, etc, etc.). There are some models that has a remote control to change the settings discretely from your pocket.
Please, give a second chance to your audiologist. Do not care how much you have to spend in your health that it will worth each cent.
Actually I am not up to day to recommend you any model because I left this business 20 years ago (this was when my eyes and back told me STOP! ), but I am sure that the main principles and problems will remain valid.
Hope this modest advise can help you in any way.
Kind regards, Leonardo.

 

[Leonardo]

Having some funny!

I have translate the following text from Spanish. Hope I have achieved to keep the meanings and the funny.

Same advantages of breaking the 50’s barrier…

1. You do not care the curriculum any more.

2. The people do not consider you a hypochondriac, now you are really sick!.

3. You have almost nothing to learn for the long and difficult life’s road.

4. Your investment in pre-paid medicine is starting to give you some profits.

5. Your bones tell you the whether better that the meteorologist.

6. Your secrets are safe with your friends, they do not remember nothing either!

7. Your active neurons resources reach, at last, a under-control quantity.

8. You can stay without sex..., but no without your eyeglasses !!

9. The clothes that you buy will be always in fashion.

10. The deadly sins are changed, like “the lustâ€￾ by “the gluttonyâ€￾.

As you can see, I wrote the text in big letters,
I cannot see it very well either!

 

[John B.]

Hi Sam, thanks for the input. I highly respect your research and judgement involving techno stuff.
Tech is not my strong suite. Please do keep me updated on what you decide.
Best of luck with both the ear and eye problems.
WW2 and then years of trap shooting without proper hearing protection have taken their toll on me, especially on my right side hearing.
So far, pretty lucky with the eyes. No problems except left eye dominant and mostly right handed.

Leonardo, thank you also for your input on this after having worked in that industry.
I know you are techno savvy having seen your post of your CNC driven machine.

Best to you both, John B.

 

[Leonardo]

Thank you John, although I am far away of being savvy. It is only some comments based on a large experience.
My audiologist told me, when I ask for the losses causes, that ONLY ONE loud noise (a shoot) can damage seriously the cochlea depending on the special circumstances. It is very important wearing adequate protection when we are shooting, also learned in the hard way.

Best regards John, Leonardo.

 

[John B.]

Leonardo,
Your multi axis CNC engraving machine and your homade DRO readout for machine tools are marvels of inovation and sure look like techno savvy to this tech dummy.

Take care, best regards.
John B.