Eye doctor.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I'm sitting here in the eye doctor office and it dawned on me.... The last exam I has was the stupid informal ones in elementary school. This could suck. It all stemmed from not being able to focus on the front sight of my handguns.

Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous.

This is the end of my diary post. Sorry to bore you all.

[brutal]

I have been avoiding this for a few years now. Last one I had was when I ETS in 1987. I wear cheaters for computer work and reading, I'm still mostly OK with handguns as long as the front sight is white, dark front post rifle sights are a blur.

[Fentonite]

I bet it won't suck too bad. Odds are, you'll get a pair of glasses or contacts, and all will be right with the world. Keep us updated!

[Monky]

I started going 7 years ago.. I noticed that I couldn't read signs at night from the glare. I barely have a prescription on my lenses but the Anti-Glare coating is awesome!

[colorider]

I noticed I couldn't read the specials board at the bar. Was not the beer causing the problem. Went to the eye doc for the 1st time in 20 yrs. left eye was all out of whack. Right eye is perfect. So I wear 1 contact lense. Wanted to wear a monocle like Mr. Peanut, but figured i would just lose it. Lol.

[newracer]

Several years a go I went because I couldn't focus on the reticule in my scopes. I thought I would simple get glasses to wear while shooting or contacts. Turns out I have Keratoconus, it is a degenerative disease of the cornea. I have to wear both a soft and hard contact in one eye.

I hope your appointment turns out better.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

My eyes are violated so if this makes no sense I'm sorry. I need glasses. Worst case scenario for me. I don't want glasses.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

I'm 28 and I have glaucoma. No it's not so I can smoke weed, I take prescription eye drops to lower my eye pressure. And I get to keep my corporate job too!

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I don't wanna sound like a dick. I feel bad for making such a big deal out of glasses. Aside from needing that my eyes are fine. For which I am thankful.

I opted for contacts. I'm not looking forward to that at all.

I'm going to make an appointment with a LASIK doctor as soon as I can.

[Fentonite]

Glad it's nothing catastrophic. Get LASIK. You'll be glad you did.

[sniper7]

I go every year for an annual eye check up! always good to have them looked at by a pro!

[Tinelement]

Could be worse! I was at the eye doctor last Friday to get a chunk of metal plucked out! Always fun!

I have glasses. Ain't the end of the world! I've had them since I was 18.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Glad it's nothing catastrophic. Get LASIK. You'll be glad you did.

I asked them about that...

"Nah. You don't need that. Big expense for a small correction."

My contacts are going to be $350+ a year. Don't tell me about a big expense.

[ChadAmberg]

Could be worse! I was at the eye doctor last Friday to get a chunk of metal plucked out! Always fun!

I have glasses. Ain't the end of the world! I've had them since I was 18.

Last time I had that the doc just pulled out a big magnet and it jumped right over to it. Kind of cool in a way!

And long term correction is worth considering depending on your age. I had RK done back in the pre-laser days and except for a bit of starbursting at night it's been great. There's just certain ages (like 20, 40, 60?) that your eyes change shape and you should avoid getting it done near that time. Once your prescription changes and settles down for a year or two, then you're good.

[StagLefty]

I asked them about that...

"Nah. You don't need that. Big expense for a small correction."

My contacts are going to be $350+ a year. Don't tell me about a big expense.

My last pair of glasses came to about $650 before insurance. Now that I'm retired I have no vision insurance. Looks like I'll be going to one of those cheap places.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Last time I had that the doc just pulled out a big magnet and it jumped right over to it. Kind of cool in a way!

And long term correction is worth considering depending on your age. I had RK done back in the pre-laser days and except for a bit of starbursting at night it's been great. There's just certain ages (like 20, 40, 60?) that your eyes change shape and you should avoid getting it done near that time. Once your prescription changes and settles down for a year or two, then you're good.

Yeah. I'm only 24. So who knows what's going to happen. I'll go see a LASIK guy and see what happens.

[ChadAmberg]

My last pair of glasses came to about $650 before insurance. Now that I'm retired I have no vision insurance. Looks like I'll be going to one of those cheap places.

www.zennioptical.com is what you're looking for...

[SA Friday]

Same boat, same river, but a different paddle. Couldn't see anything closer than 16" in front of my face. Found out during the dr visit, I also have UV retinal damage in my right eye. So that had to be corrected too. I picked up my glasses today. Figured out it was impacting me way more than I thought. Was having a hard time seeing the class board and my notes. Don't know about my shooting. It not that drastic a change.

[Guylee]

I've worn glasses since I was around 8 or 9. Got a packet in for PRK but that stuff takes forever...I can't wait til I get it though. The first time I wore contacts I felt like my life was changed, I can't even imagine how awesome it would be to not need lenses at all.

[TFOGGER]

I wore glasses for distance vision and astigmatism from age 16 until I was 38. Seriously, if it was more than arm's length away, it was friggin invisible. Got a good deal on LASIK because my daughter in law worked at 20/20 Vision, financed it over 2 years at 0%, and I'm very happy with the results. I had some haloing around lights for ~6 months when driving at night, but my current vision is 20/15 right eye, 20/20 left. My only current issue is that I have trouble focusing on stuff that is very close(inside 18 inches) and very detailed, particularly when tired. Glasses aren't the end of the world, but after you turn 30, laser correction should be on the table.

[Larry Ashcraft]

I've been wearing glasses since I was 15, almost 50 years. I'm near-sighted and have astigmatism. When I was about 21, my eye doctor noticed i had a rather large and scary looking nevus (http://vision.about.com/od/sportsvision/a/Eye_Freckle.htm) in my left eye, so he made me come in every few months for a few years, and then once a year after that.

About 15 years ago, the doctor looked in my eye and said "Uh-oh". He took a pressure test and told me I had glaucoma. Now I take eyedrops every night to keep the pressure down.

All in all, though, my vision is corrected to 20-15 with my glasses, and I can still use iron sights and do engraving, so things aren't as bad as they could be.

I always recommend that everyone have an eye exam once a year by a real opthamologist. It could save your vision. Glaucoma has no symptoms and no pain, you just go blind.

[StagLefty]

www.zennioptical.com is what you're looking for...

Thanks [Beer]

[dwalker460]

I had my eyes checked a few weeks ago as part of my yearly physical- 20/13 in both eyes, not bad for a 40 year old dude

[Irving]

1) Boo-F'ing Hoo

2) I must spend nearly $60 a year on my contacts.

I really do want lasik though. TFogger has intrigued me with this 2 years at 0% interest idea. Sounds like I am about as blind as he was. -5.25 and -6.00 I believe.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

1) Boo-F'ing Hoo

2) I must spend nearly $60 a year on my contacts.

I really do want lasik though. TFogger has intrigued me with this 2 years at 0% interest idea. Sounds like I am about as blind as he was. -5.25 and -6.00 I believe.

Like I said, it could be worse. I'm lucky it's not worse.

I wish mine was going to be $60... Mine are gonna run about $350 a year.

[Irving]

Like I said, it could be worse. I'm lucky it's not worse.

I wish mine was going to be $60... Mine are gonna run about $350 a year.

No they won't. I go through approximately one box of contacts per eye, per year. At 1-800-contacts those boxes are $33 a piece. The recommended one year supply from 800-contacts is 8 boxes ($264). Granted, I've been wearing contacts a lot longer than you, and I wear mine quite a bit more irresponsibly than you will (at first), but spending $350 a year on contacts is like spending $3,500 a year on birth control. In my opinion. Also, I think the most I've ever spent on glasses was under$200. I wish I had spent more, because I hate my glasses and never wear them.

In short, you'll be fine.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

No they won't. I go through approximately one box of contacts per eye, per year. At 1-800-contacts those boxes are $33 a piece. The recommended one year supply from 800-contacts is 8 boxes ($264). Granted, I've been wearing contacts a lot longer than you, and I wear mine quite a bit more irresponsibly than you will (at first), but spending $350 a year on contacts is like spending $3,500 a year on birth control. In my opinion. Also, I think the most I've ever spent on glasses was under$200. I wish I had spent more, because I hate my glasses and never wear them.

In short, you'll be fine.

I have no doubt I'll be fine.

But given the environment I work in, I'm not going to take any chances. New lenses every day.

We had a guy get some nasty eye infection. Basically had a worm burrow into his eye. Because he got some crap stuck under his lens. Fuck that noise. No worms are gonna make my eyeball home.

I'm super paranoid about my eyes. My eyes and my hands.


I'm know I'm probably overreacting. The cost of the lenses isn't a big deal. Just another thing, I guess. It's only $30 or so a month. Not a huge deal. Just frustrating, I guess.

Sorry to Bitch. Just scary to me, I guess.

[Irving]

I'm super paranoid about my eyes. My eyes and my hands.


I'm know I'm probably overreacting.
Sorry to Bitch. Just scary to me, I guess.

You are over reacting. I actually laughed out loud when I read the "new lenses every day" part. I totally understand though. Some people are just that way with their eyes. I've known people who have vision problems, but won't get contacts because they can't touch their own eyes. One girl spent over 30 minutes in the doctor's office just trying to put ONE contact in. Must have been the most patient doctor in the world. I'll stop giving you a hard time over it. There is nothing wrong with being too careful. You can just take the contacts out and clean them every night, you don't have to have brand new ones.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I'll figure it out. I'm honestly not looking forward to the eye touching part either. I had a pair in today for the fitting. It was weird. I'll get used to it though.

I think the worst part about today was the glaucoma test. Fuck that. That "little puff of air" was a bastard.

[Great-Kazoo]

You are over reacting. I actually laughed out loud when I read the "new lenses every day" part. I totally understand though. Some people are just that way with their eyes. I've known people who have vision problems, but won't get contacts because they can't touch their own eyes. One girl spent over 30 minutes in the doctor's office just trying to put ONE contact in. Must have been the most patient doctor in the world. I'll stop giving you a hard time over it. There is nothing wrong with being too careful. You can just take the contacts out and clean them every night, you don't have to have brand new ones.

Given the environment JM is in, once a days are not unrealistic. If not a basic PPE precaution.

You guys whine about glasses etc be thankful. I lost my sight in one eye 29 yrs ago. Had it close to seeing again about 20 with an artificial lens implant. That's the good part. Imagine riding down the road (on a holiday weekend no less) at a"moderate" rate of speed splitting lanes when.......................#$%^& your vision shits the bed!. Torn retina and MC riding do not combine for a fun filled day. Good thing the wife was behind me "driving" us back home. Now the other one is one the way out. I could do laser surgery BUT because of "PAST ISSUES" Any correction will leave me with no depth perception!. You think the ol lady bitches if i miss, taking a piss now[ROFL2]

In closing:) Take care of them now before you wish you did.

[colorider]

I wear the Oasis contacts. Hardly a pain in the ass. Pop one in and forget about it for 2 weeks. Take it out and let it soak in the solution overnight and plop it back in in the morning. I swap it out for a fresh one about every month and a half. Can't even tell its in my eye.

[Irving]

I've got the Hydraclear 2 with Oasis as well.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I wear the Oasis contacts. Hardly a pain in the ass. Pop one in and forget about it for 2 weeks. Take it out and let it soak in the solution overnight and plop it back in in the morning. I swap it out for a fresh one about every month and a half. Can't even tell its in my eye.

Fuck that. I mean, if it works for you, great. That's how my buddy had the worm rape his cornea. The pictures and description he gave of the pain.... No thanks.

[Irving]

I leave my contacts in for a month at a time, and change them in 6 month intervals. Usually, when I get a deposit so bad that I can't stand to have it pressing into my eyeball all day long. That ought to give you nightmares.

I'm going to go get my annual pretty soon here, I'll probably come screaming back to this thread occular cancer and take back everything I've posted so far.

[Irving]

Jim, I know a guy who had his eye ripped out by a bungee cord. One night after a gig, he was packing up his keyboard in the back of a van and the bungee let go, swung around the keyboard, and took his eye out on the way by.

[BuffCyclist]

1) Boo-F'ing Hoo

2) I must spend nearly $60 a year on my contacts.

I really do want lasik though. TFogger has intrigued me with this 2 years at 0% interest idea. Sounds like I am about as blind as he was. -5.25 and -6.00 I believe.

Thats about how bad my eyes are now, I think my last script was for -6.5 and -7.25. Without my glasses I can only focus on things that are closer than 6 INCHES to my face. My fiancee can't believe how blind I am. It sucks big time, but I've gotten used to it as anyone does with a medical condition.



I have no doubt I'll be fine.

But given the environment I work in, I'm not going to take any chances. New lenses every day.

We had a guy get some nasty eye infection. Basically had a worm burrow into his eye. Because he got some crap stuck under his lens. Fuck that noise. No worms are gonna make my eyeball home.

I'm super paranoid about my eyes. My eyes and my hands.


I'm know I'm probably overreacting. The cost of the lenses isn't a big deal. Just another thing, I guess. It's only $30 or so a month. Not a huge deal. Just frustrating, I guess.

Sorry to Bitch. Just scary to me, I guess.

I've been wearing glasses since 2nd grade. Got contacts in 6th grade and wore them (replace every 2 weeks) up until about 4 years ago (senior in college). Apparently, I was wearing my contacts so much (15hrs per day) that they didnt' have enough time to soak and get truly cleaned and I got an infection on my cornea. I had this for nearly 6mo without a clue, until one day I realized that I couldn't focus at all with my left eye. The infection caused serious damage to my cornea and even still I can only see about 20/40 with my left eye (but it WAS 20/100 back then). I am back to wearing glasses and can/will never wear contacts again.

And fyi, I used to get once a day contacts as well for camping trips. It was so much easier dealing with them than putting them in solution, then keeping the lens case inside my sleeping bag with me to keep them from freezing. Even still, the once a days would get VERY cold and it would snap me awake so quickly when I put that nearly frozen contact on my eye.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Thats about how bad my eyes are now, I think my last script was for -6.5 and -7.25. Without my glasses I can only focus on things that are closer than 6 INCHES to my face. My fiancee can't believe how blind I am. It sucks big time, but I've gotten used to it as anyone does with a medical condition.




I've been wearing glasses since 2nd grade. Got contacts in 6th grade and wore them (replace every 2 weeks) up until about 4 years ago (senior in college). Apparently, I was wearing my contacts so much (15hrs per day) that they didnt' have enough time to soak and get truly cleaned and I got an infection on my cornea. I had this for nearly 6mo without a clue, until one day I realized that I couldn't focus at all with my left eye. The infection caused serious damage to my cornea and even still I can only see about 20/40 with my left eye (but it WAS 20/100 back then). I am back to wearing glasses and can/will never wear contacts again.

And fyi, I used to get once a day contacts as well for camping trips. It was so much easier dealing with them than putting them in solution, then keeping the lens case inside my sleeping bag with me to keep them from freezing. Even still, the once a days would get VERY cold and it would snap me awake so quickly when I put that nearly frozen contact on my eye.

Stories like this are not helping... Lol.

I'm calling a LASIK place tomorrow now.

[BuffCyclist]

Stories like this are not helping... Lol.

I'm calling a LASIK place tomorrow now.

Haha, sorry. The doc should tell you to wear them for no more than 8-10 hours at a time and then clean them properly between wearings. If you do that, you should be safe. However, get in the habit of keeping an extra set of contacts with you where you spend a lot of time (like work).

In my case, I'm so blind that if I drive somewhere and lose one contact or both, I have no way of getting home. Additionally, you can get a cheap pair of glasses (which they should encourage you to get) that you can wear at night to rest your eyes. Its all about how careful and mature you will be with it. If you treat it like it doesn't matter and you wear them for a month straight there is a chance it could get stuck to your eye (a friend used to do that, then she'd bitch/complain/whine about how hard it was to change her contacts), then sooner or later you'll have a problem. If I had known how bad things could have gotten with my eyes and contacts, I wouldn't have worn them for so long each day and been very OCD about changing them every 2 weeks like you should.

Also, in Colorado you may want to carry around some eye drops (visine). I used to keep a small bottle in my backpack on campus, because some days the dryness would kill me.

I wanted to get lasik too, even more so now that I could probably afford it, but my night vision is vital (okay, not vital but somewhat important) to my job so if I lose my night vision, then my job will become more difficult and I won't be able to enjoy the beauties of the night sky anymore. And frankly, that's far worse than wearing glasses daily.

[SAnd]

I have thing I'll say about lasik or any other corrective eye surgery-

ONE EYE AT A TIME !!!

I don't care how unlikely it is that you'll problems don't risk both eyes at the same time. Do one eye and let it settle in and confirm it is good then do the other. Any surgery has risks. Bad results are rare but they do happen.

I went from perfect vision to trifocals in less than a week when I was 5 years old. I will not wear contacts and I will not get surgery just to correct my vision. I have a cataract coming in one eye so I guess I'll be getting some surgery for that sometime.

I have found that full safety glasses to be cheaper than regular street glasses lately. You might check that if money is a factor.

Spending the money and time on proper tissue paper / wipers for cleaning glasses is well worth the money and effort. Facial tissue, butt wipe, and your shirt tail all are risks for scratches, big or fine that just fog the lens.

Hang in there. I wish you well.

[BushMasterBoy]

We are in Colorado, one mile less atmospheric shielding. ALWAYS wear sunglasses outside in the sunshine!

just my .02 cents

[Bailey Guns]

I had LASIK in 98...with the required follow ups. Vision corrected from 20/200ish to 20/15 left eye, 20/20 right eye. The right eye isn't as sharp as the left eye, though. That was my last eye exam. Wife and I were just discussing this exact topic yesterday. We've both scheduled eye exams in Dec. I have to wear cheaters to read and do other close work now.

I highly recommend LASIK. I'm sure it's greatly improved in the 14 years since I had it done.

[ChadAmberg]

You are over reacting. I actually laughed out loud when I read the "new lenses every day" part. I totally understand though. Some people are just that way with their eyes. I've known people who have vision problems, but won't get contacts because they can't touch their own eyes. One girl spent over 30 minutes in the doctor's office just trying to put ONE contact in. Must have been the most patient doctor in the world. I'll stop giving you a hard time over it. There is nothing wrong with being too careful. You can just take the contacts out and clean them every night, you don't have to have brand new ones.

My wife worked as a surgical assistant to an eye surgeon. Saw way too many folks laying back in the chair who had worn contacts over night, or wore the disposables too many days.

Trying to remember the details but basically at night your eyelids are closed, the contacts hold more friction against the eye lids, so your REM eye movements rub your eyeball against the contact, creating corneal abrasions? Doesn't happen every time, but once it does, you're back into glasses permanently.

[ChadAmberg]

I'll figure it out. I'm honestly not looking forward to the eye touching part either. I had a pair in today for the fitting. It was weird. I'll get used to it though.

I think the worst part about today was the glaucoma test. Fuck that. That "little puff of air" was a bastard.

Little puff of air is the easy way to do it. The air puff wears off relatively quickly compared to the couple hours of dark sunglasses when you get the drops.

[TS12000]

Shit I have been wearing contacts for a while now...never liked touching my eyes but I'm used to putting them in and taking out now. I still can't put in eye drops though just freaky...in short it'll get easier.

[hatidua]

It's not a bad idea to have your eyes checked out once a year, just like the teeth every six month thing, better to get to a problem early rather than late...