Eye Exam

[Sir Henry]

I had an eye exam today. If you have been following my range reports you might not be surprised to hear I have cataracts. This getting old sure isn’t for the young at heart.

The good news is surgery should be able to fix it.

[markiver54]

I had an eye exam today. If you have been following my range reports you might not be surprised to hear I have cataracts. This getting old sure isn’t for the young at heart.

The good news is surgery should be able to fix it.

Ironic. I had an eye exam yesterday. Prescription changed slightly in my left eye, so I ordered a new pair of glasses. this time I added the transitional feature to my already progressive lenses, plus anti glare.
Glad to hear your condition is correctable. I'm dealing with macular already at 67, soon to be 68. Understand the getting old, already.

[Cofisher]

Been wearing a “reading “ lens in one eye for 25 years. Just added the other eye with astigmatism and distance correction. My oh my. Eye can see!

[Cofisher]

Been wearing a “reading “ lens in one eye for 25 years. Just added the other eye with astigmatism and distance correction. My oh my. Eye can see!

[Headhog]

Gene, my eye doctor has been watching my cataracts for almost 7 years. When he first identified them he called them baby cataracts. They have not progressed so he said to wait and see before dealing with them.

The good news is with the laser surgury they use today produces excellent results. Everyone I've talked to reports their vision is much better after the procedure.

Paul

[BrokenolMarine]

Funny this should pop up. I too drove to the VA yesterday for an eye exam. Took me this long to finally get an appointment. They upped my prescription a bit, so I waited and waited in the optical shop at the VA to order the one pair of glasses they will pay for, and after over ninety minutes, with the bewitching hour soon approaching, I asked if they would see me in time to get me out of there before the rush hour traffic on I40 began.
"Ah, Not likely, there are still at least seven in front of you."

I told them to take me off the list. I was going to have to pay to upgrade my shooting glasses anyway, and pay for Sunglasses, so...
I drove to the local Optical Shop here and put in the order. I should have my new glasses in about seven to ten days. A pair of driving glasses, bi-focals so I can see the dash inside the truck and read the signs outside. A duplicate pair in sunglasses, with wrap around lenses to protect my eyes in bright sunlight. (migraines) Then the new lenses for my shooting glasses that will snap right into my old frames. (Shatter resistant / rated polycarbonate.) Not an expense I want to repeat again for some time. BUT, necessary. With a discount... The first number in the total was a Six.

** I asked about getting transitional lenses for the driving glasses, the doc said they don't work well in the car as the chemicals work on UV rays and modern windshields have UV coatings that prevent them from entering, therefore the glasses don't really transition. Hence, two pairs of glasses.

All three pairs have a non-prescription lens in the left eye. That eye is so bad they can't fix it. When they try the change is SO dramatic it makes me ill and brings on an instant headache. I have often had to INSIST they NOT put some prescription in that side.

[markiver54]

** I asked about getting transitional lenses for the driving glasses, the doc said they don't work well in the car as the chemicals work on UV rays and modern windshields have UV coatings that prevent them from entering, therefore the glasses don't really transition. Hence, two pairs of glasses.

Interesting. I guess I'll find out soon. I was told similar about the transitionl, however, of the three lens colors they offered, grey, brown and green. I chose grey. They said the brown and green don't transition in the car, but the grey will. Again, guess I'm gonna find out. I've never had them in the past.

[Sir Henry]

I need everyday glasses, sunglasses, computer glasses and what I call chainsaw glasses. Just the frames run $300 to $400 each. I didn’t order anything because next Tuesday they have 30-40% off sale and the rep brings in several more hundred pair for the day.

The VA sent me to a local provider. Only the exam is free. I can go to the VA for one free ugly pair. They might be my chainsaw pair.

My left eye hasn’t changed a lot but my right eye did. The doc showed me what the new prescription was and the right eye could see three more smaller lines.

I shoot both right and left handed depending on which eye is giving me the most problems at the time. I have floaters too. I’ve reported that sometimes I’m a real good shot and then the next I can’t hit the broad side of a barn. It never occurred to me it was eye problems and I thought I just wasn’t concentrating.

[Jdl447]

My father wore glasses and had to use eye drops for decades. At age 78 had cataract surgery.
Doctors said no more drops. And he only occasionally wore glasses the rest of his life.

[BrokenolMarine]

To be fair, I got off cheap then. My driving frames were about 150, the sunglasses, 250. The lenses, and lenses for existing shooting glasses brought my total, with discount, to 698.

[dave77]

Eyeglasses are major rip-off. Most frames and lenses (worldwide, not just US) are made by one company so they can charge whatever they want. The cost to make most glasses is maybe $20. The coatings that they might charge you $20-$50 for only add a few cents to the cost of making the lenses.

If you have one available one of the best places to get glasses is Costco, still expensive but a lot less than other places. They will also replace the lenses one time if scratched or damaged. A friend broke her frames around a year after getting them (stepped on them) and Costco replaced them for free.

https://2020institute.com/why-are-eyegl ... expensive/

[BrokenolMarine]

I don't disagree, but no Sam's Club or Costco here. They do have a Walmart but the last time I got glasses there I wasn't thrilled with the service or the result.

So I paid a bit more, and ended up with better glasses.

I loved the opti-doc in VA. Master Class Bullseye Shooter. We'd come in the back way with our cased match guns and he'd test our eyes for our real shooting glasses to our actual guns in the shooting position looking at the front sight.

"Sharper here, or here. Number one, or two."

Next match, up twenty points. "

[dave77]

Gene, my eye doctor has been watching my cataracts for almost 7 years. When he first identified them he called them baby cataracts. They have not progressed so he said to wait and see before dealing with them.

The good news is with the laser surgury they use today produces excellent results. Everyone I've talked to reports their vision is much better after the procedure.

Paul

Cataract removal is now the most common surgery in the US. Go to a doctor who specializes in doing them. My regular eye doctor recently quit seeing regular patients is now the go to surgeon in town for cataract removal, she did decide to keep me as a regular patient due to some other eye issues I have.

I have had what you call your "baby cataracts" for many years now, still not bad enough for surgery. I even asked if she could do them as I know a couple of guys that don't have to wear glasses after having them done, she said no.

Don't know if it's a blanket restriction but both of my eye doctors have told me that they will not do Lasix surgery on anyone who has even the slightest case of cataracts.

https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care ... in-the-u-s

[dave77]

** I asked about getting transitional lenses for the driving glasses, the doc said they don't work well in the car as the chemicals work on UV rays and modern windshields have UV coatings that prevent them from entering, therefore the glasses don't really transition. Hence, two pairs of glasses.

Interesting. I guess I'll find out soon. I was told similar about the transitionl, however, of the three lens colors they offered, grey, brown and green. I chose grey. They said the brown and green don't transition in the car, but the grey will. Again, guess I'm gonna find out. I've never had them in the past.

I've worn Photogray lenses forever and they don't darken in the car, they are glass lenses, maybe plastic transitions are different although I got a pair of Transitions Drivewear a few years ago and they say they are the only ones that will darken behind the wheel. I also have a pair of very dark sunglasses that are bi-focals, the Drivewears were not available as bifocals.

I will probably have to go to the Transition brand soon, last time I got new lenses was told there was only one lab left in the country that still makes glass lenses and they would probably be stopping. I hate plastic lenses, if I don't need a new prescription I can go years with my glass lenses, even being careful I seem to get plastic lenses scratched up within a year.

https://www.transitions.com/en-us/produ ... lsrc=aw.ds

[BrokenolMarine]

The care labels in my poly shooting glasses are very specific. Clean only with mild dish soap and water after first blowing off debris or spraying off with water. Then wipe with lens cloth.

Don't use spritz cleaners made for glass. BOLD letters.

I followed the directions, not a scratch on them seven years later. I ALWAYS kept them in their case when not in use... I beat up all the others, but my vision depended on these impact resistant protective prescription glasses.

[Sir Henry]

I’ll most likely do whatever the VA will pay for.

[daytime dave]

Gene, sorry to hear about your cataracts. I had both eyes done. Mine came on and just about blinded me within three years. One last year before my broken leg and one this Spring. I also had a swelling complication that only 3% get. The surgeon referred me to a Retina specialist. Drops in both eyes and a shot in one and now I'm weaning off the drops in the worst eye.
I don't need prescription glasses anymore. I am typing this without glasses. I use readers for the newspaper and viewing my iPad. I recently joined my local library and got 3/4 through a book from the largeprint section. It's been decades since I read a book. I need the readers for regular print size.
Now that the swelling has abated, my shooting is no longer cross eye. I can use my dominant eye and am back to being able to see the front sight without a problem.
I hope you make out well. I had the kind that comes on aggressively in "younger" people. I still have a 5 in front of my age.

[Sir Henry]

The care labels in my poly shooting glasses are very specific. Clean only with mild dish soap and water after first blowing off debris or spraying off with water. Then wipe with lens cloth.

Don't use spritz cleaners made for glass. BOLD letters.

I followed the directions, not a scratch on them seven years later. I ALWAYS kept them in their case when not in use... I beat up all the others, but my vision depended on these impact resistant protective prescription glasses.

The two pair I bought must be cleaned with a a specific cleaner or can be pre-cleaned with blue Dawn dish soap. Anything else will void the warranty.

[Mags]

... or can be pre-cleaned with blue Dawn dish soap...

I too use blue Dawn, the foaming spray version. Then rinse in mildly hot water. Dry with a special cloth for glasses.

[BrokenolMarine]

Mine said only the dawn, and they too came with the cloth.