Let's talk about sunglasses

psneeld said:

Without questioning your professionalism doc, what do you consider seriously degraded vision past 50?

If the eye test for DOT physicals says 20/20...they don't seem too concerned abut my age. I can read charts fine. But some of that as you explained before is the difference between sight snd vision. Much of the time people hand me stuff to read the fine print, whether they are old, young, glasses or not.

What specifics should I be looking for to signal it's time for optical assistance?

Might have to get closer on a few items during daylight....it's night vision that I saw evaporate quickly when flying.

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You certainly may be able to see great in the distance without correction. However, you can not see as clearly at a reading distance. The lens of the age continues to grow and becomes less flexible. This process starts when we are little kids and finally catches up to us in our 40's. This same process eventually results in the lens becoming less clear (cataracts). No way, short of dying young, to avoid it.

So, physics dictates that a 50 year old eye cannot focus both at infinity and at a reading distance (typically 40cm). Now, some can "get by". In bright light our pupils constrict increasing the depth of field. Some patients can get by pretty well in daylight if they have a bit of myopia that gives them a help at near and small pupils that help with the distance. But "getting by" is not the same as seeing clearly. Nothing wrong with it, we just shouldn't fool ourselves.

We might get by with a dirty bottom and running gear, but we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking our boat is performing up to its potential.

Mule said:

Thanks guys for weighing in on this and I really appreciate Dhayes what being a pro guiding me/us. I will add that I have had the silicone eye implants, the crystal lens type about 8 years ago and yes...I am a big fan. Almost 20/20 since then.

Therefore I wear non prescription sunglasses. I think I am currently running a bit dark with my Costas, and I need to get some more glasses that are a bit lighter. That being said, I appreciate the guidance.

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Are you talking about an intra ocular lens implant after cataract surgery? Or are you talking about one of the intra corneal implants used as a refractive surgery?

psneeld said:

Without questioning your professionalism doc, what do you consider seriously degraded vision past 50?

If the eye test for DOT physicals says 20/20...they don't seem too concerned abut my age. I can read charts fine. But some of that as you explained before is the difference between sight snd vision. Much of the time people hand me stuff to read the fine print, whether they are old, young, glasses or not.

What specifics should I be looking for to signal it's time for optical assistance?

Might have to get closer on a few items during daylight....it's night vision that I saw evaporate quickly when flying.

Click to expand...

I always passed the DOT with 20/20 both near and far when in reality my near vision is 20/30 in my port eye and and 20/55 in my starboard eye. Far vision being 20/50 in my left and 20/20 in my right eye.?

Not hard to fudge the simple stand behind the line and cover one eye test.

dhays said:

I have been really busy the last few days, so I will weigh in on this.......................................................

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Thanks Dave. A great post!

Thank you Dave for your professional insight in posts 28 and 31. Best posts on this thread.

johnrupp said:

I always passed the DOT with 20/20 both near and far when in reality my near vision is 20/30 in my port eye and and 20/55 in my starboard eye. Far vision being 20/50 in my left and 20/20 in my right eye.?

Not hard to fudge the simple stand behind the line and cover one eye test.

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Yeah, that is another way to do it, mono vision. Works fine but be aware that it gives you less than ideal depth perception and less than ideal distance and near visual acuity. It can be good enough however. And as was discussed in another thread, you can do better than many with what you have since you know how to use it.

Inter ocular after cataract surgery

Your absolutely correct on the mono vision Dave. I broke down a few years ago and have both progressive regular and sunglasses. Best decision I made in years, especially the sunglasses. When we went for our eye exams earlier this year I talked my wife into a pair of good progressive sunglasses and she loves having them. The amount of time we spend on the water it's hard to believe we lived with out them for as long as we did.

John

Another thanks here Dave. Not to mention it appears I have been making right choices through luck. I do have to say I hate wearing sunglasses anywhere but on the water. Once off the beach and off the boat (or inside the boat) off those suckers go.

Straps on all my glasses are must have when boating as anything not tied down I have a propensity to float test at any moment. I took to wearing both the shades and and clear on their respective straps when cruising; made it easier to go back inside or the darker reaches of the boat. Easier to see a cell phone screen or glossy computer screen with the clears, the big matte screens we had for our navigation system seemed OK.

Mule said:

Inter ocular after cataract surgery

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yeah, very cool. I try to explain to patients how much better they will see after cataract surgery, but they never really understand until after they do it. Usually they make two comments when I see them for their 1-day post-op visit. 1, They can't believe how bright and vivid the colors are and 2, they don't know why they waited so long to do it.

dhays said:

.. I try to explain to patients how much better they will see after cataract surgery, but they never really understand until after they do it... they don't know why they waited so long to do it.

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Eventually I knew I needed it, poor night vision (even worse than I realized),little need for sunglasses on bright days, little response to specs lenses adjustment, etc, it all made sense. After all the work up, the procedure is simple, the results near instant. I even renewed my driving license between the first and second eye ops,using no correcting lens.
On the question of night vision. When I was doing car rally competition, most events are run largely at night. I would carefully avoid bright light exposure during the day to protect my vision for the night. Did it work? I think it did, but it`s subjective.

BruceK said:

On the question of night vision. When I was doing car rally competition, most events are run largely at night. I would carefully avoid bright light exposure during the day to protect my vision for the night. Did it work? I think it did, but it`s subjective.

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I am never one to argue with pre-race rituals. I've observed, and used them in sailing regattas, autocross races, and in running races. Ritual helps focus the mind for the upcoming contest.

However, we completely dark adapt in about 45 minutes, so the ritual in this case, didn't affect the eyes.

Hi Dave

I'm damn glad you joined and contribute in TF!

Thanks!! Art

johnrupp said:

Thank you Dave for your professional insight in posts 28 and 31. Best posts on this thread.

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Really helpful info here. Thanks to all contributors!

Just wanted to add a point (as another eye doc). Safety first when fishing... wear those sunglasses. Better to end up like a punk rocker with a hook through the eyebrow than having it one inch below. Polycarbonate lenses are the most shatter resistant; important when worn or if dropped. Used to love the old Varnet and Maui Jim glass lenses for optics, but now the new coatings (Crizal, etc.) have tremendous anti-scratch and anti-reflective properties, so the lightweight poly lenses make more sense. Polycarbonate is also UV absorbing, so it also protects the eye that way.
Most anything is better than nothing, after that the quality you would like and need are up to you. Sometimes things seem good enough until you try something better.

I have photo grey glasses and the only place they fail is into the late sun on the boat. I have several of those cheap plastic sun glasses that slip on behind my regular lens. They are a wrap around design. They don't shade my photo grey lens so they are exposed to the full sunlight and darken. This is in addition to my glasses so running the boat into the sun is no problem.

So I use them only into the sun on the boat.

mike66 said:

Just wanted to add a point (as another eye doc). Safety first when fishing... wear those sunglasses. Better to end up like a punk rocker with a hook through the eyebrow than having it one inch below. Polycarbonate lenses are the most shatter resistant; important when worn or if dropped. Used to love the old Varnet and Maui Jim glass lenses for optics, but now the new coatings (Crizal, etc.) have tremendous anti-scratch and anti-reflective properties, so the lightweight poly lenses make more sense. Polycarbonate is also UV absorbing, so it also protects the eye that way.
Most anything is better than nothing, after that the quality you would like and need are up to you. Sometimes things seem good enough until you try something better.

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Excellent point. A Fish hook in the eye is not conducive to continued ocular health.

psneeld said:

Without questioning your professionalism doc, what do you consider seriously degraded vision past 50?

If the eye test for DOT physicals says 20/20...they don't seem too concerned abut my age. I can read charts fine. But some of that as you explained before is the difference between sight snd vision. Much of the time people hand me stuff to read the fine print, whether they are old, young, glasses or not.

What specifics should I be looking for to signal it's time for optical assistance?

Might have to get closer on a few items during daylight....it's night vision that I saw evaporate quickly when flying.

Click to expand...

Maybe your Anisometropia.

Mine come from China for less than $10 delivered. Surprisingly good quality for the price.

Last weekend I saw a sailboat at Cuttyhunk.....sits between Buzzard's Bay and Vinyard Sound ....who's name was CHEAP SUNGLASSES! Didn't have a chance to talk to the guy although it was nice to see that my thoughts coincided with his boat's name.

I'm kind of a sunglass ho.....for on the water I would use polarized lenses only. Simply for the glare reduction...

In my stable currently I have 2 sets of Spy polarized (ok) and one set of blue waters (fantastic) and if i were on the water I'd be wearing those...

Ch