Bernie I started wearing reading glasses at 40 year of age and by my early 50s I needed them for distance as well. Now I take about a +2 for far and +4 for near. Like you I found wearing glasses full time a nuisance but neither would I consider laser, which is often not very effective for presbyopia/long-sightedness (and I know someone who was the one in a thousand that experiences severe complications).
I now wear single vision soft contact lenses for distance and supplement them with reading glasses for near vision. In the glider I wear plain sunglasses with an intermediate bi-focal section for panel/map-reading - I had those made by an optometrist, but you can buy cheap little magnifying stickers which would do just as well. There is a bit of "learning curve" with wearing contacts but after a few weeks I found putting them on and taking them off a breeze. I use monthlys and most days wear them from just after I get up until just before I go to bed. Eye hygiene is important though - no swimming or showering in them, clean hands before touching; and use really good lens cleaner - peroxide based is best. If I want to swim I keep some daily disposables handy, which are fine but not quite as comfortable as the super-soft monthly lenses. Except for the mono-vision option, multi-focal lenses are expensive and not everyone adapts to them. My sister uses mono-vision (one eye distance and one eye near) and has no problems, but I have doubts about how it might affect peripheral vision and distance perception for flying. I also have mild astigmatism, 0.25 dioptres, not corrected by the contacts but, except when reading something really small, I don't notice it. Regards Niall Doherty On Sun, Aug 18th, 2013 at 10:58 AM, Bernie Baer <bb...@internode.on.net> wrote: > For a year or so now I have been using bi-focal glasses for driving at > night, and the same prescription in sunglasses for flying, fly fishing and > driving on sunny days. On a recent fishing trip to a remote Pacific atoll > I spoke to a guy who had had laser eye surgery to correct his long > sightedness who was very happy with the results. On my return, I did some > research and noted that the laser surgeons reccommend using contact lenses > before having the surgery to check how you will respond to having > 'monovision'. I then did some more reading on contact lenses and was happy > to read that they are available in various bifocal configurations (see > http://www.allaboutvision.com/over40/multifocalcls.htm ) > I am now interested in perhaps getting contact lenses (cheaper than laser > surgery) and then being able to choose from a much bigger (and potentially > cheaper) range of regular sunglasses. > Has anyone taken this route? I would be interested to hear your comments. > Thanks, Bernie. > PS I also have 'reading glasses' for reading and computer, but can't see > the TV properly with either those or the driving glasses. Not to mention > my workshop glasses, and $2 knot tying glasses for fishing when I can't > afford to drop my proper glasses. > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6585 - Release Date: 08/17/13 > _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
