Switching from glasses to contacts
- Thread starter medallio
- Start date
MaydayMyers
Will break for food
I'm still struggling with the two. I learned to shoot before I needed either. So far I think I shoot better with contacts until they get dry on me
If you are near-sighted then the concavity of the lenses in your glasses make things look smaller. With stronger prescriptions you may even get marked distortion or warping around the edges of the lenses. (That's how it is for me at least, but I have terrible vision - around -7.)
Contacts can only help your game. I bet you won't even need any adjustment period. It's worth it just to have the entire field of vision at your disposal, not just the area inside the lenses of your glasses.
Contacts can only help your game. I bet you won't even need any adjustment period. It's worth it just to have the entire field of vision at your disposal, not just the area inside the lenses of your glasses.
I am far sighted, so have worn bifocals for several years for reading and have worn a weaker pair of single vision larger glasses for playing pool. Started experimenting with contacts a few months ago. I started with multi-focals that give decent vision at all distances including the intermediate range necessary for pool. Pretty good at first but after a while determined that the searching that the eyes do to find the correct distance with the multi-focal was a little tiring and not as good as the pool glasses. So then switched to a single vision contact that works well for the correct range at the table - generally focused about 3' - 10'. This has worked well for me so far. Reading fine print with the single vision contacts is not great but acceptable - I see the table clearly and think I am playing better not having to be distracted by looking near or through the tops of glasses while shooting.
I actually started a similar thread a few years ago, but didn't actually get contacts until this past August. It's been great for me. If you're not tall and are pretty flexible, like a Sylver Ochoa, then you might not see much of a difference. I'm tall and have never had great flexibility. I've had shoulder issues in the past and believe the main culprit was my shooting form. My head-neck-shoulder region would be positioned in an awkward way to accommodate a clear line of vision while wearing my glasses.
What has improved for me? My form and, in turn, my overall game. Wade Crane was already a pro when he switched to contacts. I believe it was in the thread I started a few years ago that another poster stated that Wade said he instantly improved a ball when he got contacts. I still wear glasses, probably close to 75% of the time as well. Contacts when I shoot, always. I have no issues with the adjustment. I'm also near-sighted, by the way. Don't wait a couple years to try contacts for your game like I did.
What has improved for me? My form and, in turn, my overall game. Wade Crane was already a pro when he switched to contacts. I believe it was in the thread I started a few years ago that another poster stated that Wade said he instantly improved a ball when he got contacts. I still wear glasses, probably close to 75% of the time as well. Contacts when I shoot, always. I have no issues with the adjustment. I'm also near-sighted, by the way. Don't wait a couple years to try contacts for your game like I did.
When I switched from glasses to contact lenses it improved my game dramatically. I have to say that I think many players hold their heads in awkward positions to avoid seeing the frames. On top of that glare can be a major factor. Even when you get glare resistant lenses It still might effect you slightly.
One thing I do want to point out is that when getting contact lenses, do not buy the cheap lense solution. For years I purchased the basic solution because it was all that was available. I found that my eyes would dry out halfway through a tournament and this would cause huge problems near the end. The best solution is the Pure Moist. My game improved dramatically after they developed that product. It allowed me to play through and entire tournament without getting dry eyes. When your eyes get dry with contacts then that distorts your ability to see clearly. This can be a huge problem nearing the end of a tournament. Pure Moist has been a life saver for me. It honestly has improved my tournament game around 10 percent.
Contacts are the nuts.
I have my doctor correct my vision for 2-10 feet for my contact lens prescription (then a normal prescription for my glasses). If he does this ask him for two or three trial pairs of lenses that he thinks will put you in that range, take them to the pool table and try them out to fined the best set.
You'll never go back to glasses.
Lou Figueroa
I did it about a year or two ago.
Took me a while to get used to putting them in at first.
Once they were in I was fine.
Now after all this time the whole procedure is a minute at the most.
You may need some allergy drops for the first few weeks/months.
This is so much more comfortable that I certainly don't miss the days of trying to make those useless eyeglasses work and the table always looked like a banana....
Last edited:
I first switched to lenses and the difference was amazing.
Then I got laser surgery and it was like getting Ultra HD vision.
For cue sports personally I would chose lenses over glasses and laser eye surgery over lenses.
The only real downside I found is that your eyes can dry out a bit, so I always carry a small bottle of eye drops with me.
Then I got laser surgery and it was like getting Ultra HD vision.
For cue sports personally I would chose lenses over glasses and laser eye surgery over lenses.
The only real downside I found is that your eyes can dry out a bit, so I always carry a small bottle of eye drops with me.
Thanks my friend! Glad you enjoyed it!!!
I'm farsighted as well.+1.75/+1.50. Wear my glasses at work all day, everyday.(Cad Designer).
I wear contacts only when I golf, or shoot pool.Sometimes when I drive.
I've been wearing contacts now, for around 3-4 years,after just removing glasses when shooting. For me, wearing glasses at the table was not an option.I would of rather not play at all, if I had to adjust with glasses at the table.
Contacts, if set up correctly for someone who is farsighted, can be a game changer.
I told my doctor, I wanted my normal reading glasses for work, reading etc..., but I wanted contacts for shooting pool. I asked him to set my contact script for 2-12 ft, and forget about the distance. First doctor told me nope, not gonna work. Try these mono vision contacts instead. Give them a week to get use to them. I went back a week later, and told him I would rather go without contacts if I had to were these. Mono vision for me did not work. Felt like vertigo.
Fast forward 1 year, I tried a different doctor. Same deal, I want normal reading glasses for work, and contacts set at 2-12 ft for shooting pool ONLY. I won't be using them for anything other that pool. I just want a simple daily contact I can wear once, and throw away.
So she did the exam, and said " you may be surprised to find that setting these contacts at 2-12 ft may actually help your distance as well."
Huh..? Whhhaaat?
She was right, they did slightly sharpen my distance as well.
That's how she set me up. Dailies Aqua ComfortPlus. +1.75L/+1.5R
They cost me a little less than a buck apiece, and I can wear them while driving.
At the table, it's a Night and Day difference. Best $$ I've ever spent for my game.
So don't be afraid to ask around, if your doctor tells you you can't have them set 2-12 ft.
On a side note, I have a couple of buddies who swear that, for them, Mono vision is the way to go....go figure.
I wear contacts only when I golf, or shoot pool.Sometimes when I drive.
I've been wearing contacts now, for around 3-4 years,after just removing glasses when shooting. For me, wearing glasses at the table was not an option.I would of rather not play at all, if I had to adjust with glasses at the table.
Contacts, if set up correctly for someone who is farsighted, can be a game changer.
I told my doctor, I wanted my normal reading glasses for work, reading etc..., but I wanted contacts for shooting pool. I asked him to set my contact script for 2-12 ft, and forget about the distance. First doctor told me nope, not gonna work. Try these mono vision contacts instead. Give them a week to get use to them. I went back a week later, and told him I would rather go without contacts if I had to were these. Mono vision for me did not work. Felt like vertigo.
Fast forward 1 year, I tried a different doctor. Same deal, I want normal reading glasses for work, and contacts set at 2-12 ft for shooting pool ONLY. I won't be using them for anything other that pool. I just want a simple daily contact I can wear once, and throw away.
So she did the exam, and said " you may be surprised to find that setting these contacts at 2-12 ft may actually help your distance as well."
Huh..? Whhhaaat?
She was right, they did slightly sharpen my distance as well.
That's how she set me up. Dailies Aqua ComfortPlus. +1.75L/+1.5R
They cost me a little less than a buck apiece, and I can wear them while driving.
At the table, it's a Night and Day difference. Best $$ I've ever spent for my game.
So don't be afraid to ask around, if your doctor tells you you can't have them set 2-12 ft.
On a side note, I have a couple of buddies who swear that, for them, Mono vision is the way to go....go figure.
Many moons, ha, decades ago the main reason I switched to contacts was for my pool game. I found glasses to be a difficulty. Most doctors will give you a pair to get used to and make sure it's for you before you buy a years supply. Good luck.
As these posters said get the contacts. I never needed anything and realized that the things I couldn't read (that I thought nobody could) were things I was supposed to be able to read. I guess mine went gradually and I didn't know they were as bad as they were. Tried playing with glasses for awhile but I found I'd be looking through them, over them, or the top of the frames would be in my line of vision. I recently got contacts and it wasn't a fast process. My script was right from the start but I have astigmatism so my contacts are weighted. The first set I had didn't fit my eye well and would not settle correctly causing my vision to go from great to blurry is seconds...... after three manufacturers with the same prescription I found contacts that work perfect for me. Best thing that's happened to my game in years....... go for it and be patient. Good luck!
Convince your optometrist to let you experiment with disposables for as long as it takes you to get the proper script for playing pool. As some have said, 3'-9' or so clear field.
Ophthalmologists, as mine did, will tell you they can't do that, etc. but they can. My guy did lasik on me more than 10 years ago and he said he didn't want to hear about distances, etc. and he wanted to do me 20/20, no exceptions. I refused and explained to him that people don't live outside anymore and don't need 20/20 but need to be able to focus inside mostly from 3 to 15 fee or so for 95% of their living. After 5 years of jockeying around with him, he finally conceded and did my eyes to -1 or so.
I'm getting cataract surgery next month and we went through the same discussion but now HE is the one telling ME about not going to 20/20 as most people don't need that nowadays.
Good luck with your eyes, one of the miracles of life.
Jeff Livingston
Ophthalmologists, as mine did, will tell you they can't do that, etc. but they can. My guy did lasik on me more than 10 years ago and he said he didn't want to hear about distances, etc. and he wanted to do me 20/20, no exceptions. I refused and explained to him that people don't live outside anymore and don't need 20/20 but need to be able to focus inside mostly from 3 to 15 fee or so for 95% of their living. After 5 years of jockeying around with him, he finally conceded and did my eyes to -1 or so.
I'm getting cataract surgery next month and we went through the same discussion but now HE is the one telling ME about not going to 20/20 as most people don't need that nowadays.
Good luck with your eyes, one of the miracles of life.
Jeff Livingston