Billard Eye Glasses

D

Deuce00

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Just got back into pool after about a decade hiatus. In that time my eyesight isn't the same and realized after the first 10 minutes I wouldn't enjoy this game if I didn't find a solution.

I looked at contacts and the cost, upkeep and hassle wasnt worth it to me. I only wear glasses driving and watching tv. Which i could do without if needed. But shooting on a 8x4 i couldnt see the object ball clearly if it was more than 2-3 feet away. When I was wearing my glasses, over my cue my eyeline was looking over the top of my glasses. I couldn't shove them up into my face any more and I was still looking over them.

Did a Google search as I've seen snooker players wearing glasses during play. Found a website called Billard Glasses .com.

Sent a text and Gordon simply said call me. Which I did. He's a retired optician living in Montreal. Has been doing these for a long time and carried on as a hobby in retirement. Very easy to deal with. Sent my RX and PD. Week and a bit later, they're in my mailbox.

Work great. Exactly what they're designed to do.

What a stud I am hahaha.

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Glad to hear it. I think his product would help out a great deal of players. Hopefully people see this thread and it makes a difference in their game.
 
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Everyone has $$ for nice cues... go to an Eye Doctor...get an exam, refraction and do it right. I threw out a lot of money going to an offbeat place.
 
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GoldCrown said:
Everyone has $$ for nice cues... go to an Eye Doctor...get an exam, refraction and do it right. I threw out a lot of money going to an offbeat place.
Click to expand...
To be clear "eye doctor" can be a vague term. In this case it means a doctor of optometry, an optometrist. They are not a physician. They don't actually have a doctoral level education either.

An ophthalmologist is an actual eye doctor, an MD or DO, and a surgeon. If you just need glasses, you don't need an ophthalmologist.

Any competent optometrist can examine you and prescribe the glasses. An optician is the lens grinder. Neither is educated or trained to provide medical or surgical care.

I see an optometrist that has an in-house optician. They make the lenses on the premises. Experience taught me this is preferred. Any corrections, fixes, etc are handled right away. There are only a few highly specialized lense production processes that they can't do and need to send out.

I had my riding glasses and shooting glasses made locally. I chose Wiley-X frames for both. You may have seen them in NPR where I posted pics. My riding glasses were about $550. They offered to make me pool shooting glasses too, but I have yet to have that done as I haven't been so serious about my game for some years. That may change this year.

An optometrist is great for eye health screening as well. They will refer you to an ophthalmologist if you need medical or surgical care.

When it comes to your eyesight I have one rule. Get the right and best care you need. It's your freaking eyes. Poorly prescribed or fitted lenses can cause more problems than you might know. Don't bargain shop. Cheap frames with excellent lenses are fine. When I was in med school I got frames dirt cheap at a second hand shop and had excellent lenses put in them.
 
Chopdoc said:
To be clear "eye doctor" can be a vague term. In this case it means a doctor of optometry, an optometrist. They are not a physician. They don't actually have a doctoral level education either.

An ophthalmologist is an actual eye doctor, an MD or DO, and a surgeon. If you just need glasses, you don't need an ophthalmologist.

Any competent optometrist can examine you and prescribe the glasses. An optician is the lens grinder. Neither is educated or trained to provide medical or surgical care.

I see an optometrist that has an in-house optician. They make the lenses on the premises. Experience taught me this is preferred. Any corrections, fixes, etc are handled right away. There are only a few highly specialized lense production processes that they can't do and need to send out.

I had my riding glasses and shooting glasses made locally. I chose Wiley-X frames for both. You may have seen them in NPR where I posted pics. My riding glasses were about $550. They offered to make me pool shooting glasses too, but I have yet to have that done as I haven't been so serious about my game for some years. That may change this year.

An optometrist is great for eye health screening as well. They will refer you to an ophthalmologist if you need medical or surgical care.

When it comes to your eyesight I have one rule. Get the right and best care you need. It's your freaking eyes. Poorly prescribed or fitted lenses can cause more problems than you might know. Don't bargain shop. Cheap frames with excellent lenses are fine. When I was in med school I got frames dirt cheap at a second hand shop and had excellent lenses put in them.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying. My post about Eye Doctor.... should have read...go to the proper Doctor. Not mentioning names but I went to a Billiard Eyeglass "specialist". The upside down lens bit. Too embarrassed to say how much they cost. I was oversold (the lens). The store stunk from mold/mildew. Went back once and never again. I re-used the frames for progressive sunglasses.
 
I went to William J. Curran & Son Opticians. The lenses differ from regular lenses as they are optimized for the pool table. I cannot read with them and they are not to be used for driving.
Pro Anthony Beeler got a pair there.
Competitors are compared to Curran's below.

www.williamcurranopticians.com

Billiard Information

Custom Made Rimless Billiard Eyeglasses. Improve your game and have an edge over other opponents. Honorably mentioned on AZBilliards.
www.williamcurranopticians.com

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Paul_#_ said:
I went to William J. Curran & Son Opticians. The lenses differ from regular lenses as they are optimized for the pool table. I cannot read with them and they are not to be used for driving.
Pro Anthony Beeler got a pair there.
Competitors are compared to Curran's below.

www.williamcurranopticians.com

Billiard Information

Custom Made Rimless Billiard Eyeglasses. Improve your game and have an edge over other opponents. Honorably mentioned on AZBilliards.
www.williamcurranopticians.com

View attachment 836449
Click to expand...
Are they RX or simple magnification?
 
GoldCrown said:
Are they RX or simple magnification?
Click to expand...
They are from prescription optimized for the distances of a pool table.
Here is from their Q&A at https://www.billiardglasses.com/faq.html

I need an Rx, What should I tell the Eye Doctor?
A: Tell your doctor that you need an Rx for distance vision only. If you’re under 40 years old, most likely you won’t have an add power on your Rx. If your over 40 years old then most likely you will have an add power listed on your prescription.

If you under 40 years of age then we can just use the Doctor’s Rx as is, and make you a pair of billiard glasses that will give you a large enough clearance to see the entire table without looking over standard pair of glasses.

If you over 40 years old, then we modify the distance Rx and make it more of an intermediate distance to compensate for both your distance correction and up close.​
 
Paul_#_ said:
They are from prescription optimized for the distances of a pool table.
Here is from their Q&A at https://www.billiardglasses.com/faq.html

I need an Rx, What should I tell the Eye Doctor?​
A: Tell your doctor that you need an Rx for distance vision only. If you’re under 40 years old, most likely you won’t have an add power on your Rx. If your over 40 years old then most likely you will have an add power listed on your prescription.​
​
If you under 40 years of age then we can just use the Doctor’s Rx as is, and make you a pair of billiard glasses that will give you a large enough clearance to see the entire table without looking over standard pair of glasses.​
​
If you over 40 years old, then we modify the distance Rx and make it more of an intermediate distance to compensate for both your distance correction and up close.​
Click to expand...
You went to an eye doctor first?
 
GoldCrown said:
You went to an eye doctor first?
Click to expand...
I went to my local eye doctor and got a prescription for reading and distance bifocal (and bought eyeglasses). I then used that Rx to order the Curran eyeglasses from the web. I also sent a picture of my stance on the pool table to him.
 
Paul_#_ said:
I went to my local eye doctor and got a prescription for reading and distance bifocal (and bought eyeglasses). I then used that Rx to order the Curran eyeglasses from the web. I also sent a picture of my stance on the pool table to him.
Click to expand...
How much did they cost? What is the policy if not satisfied. Mail order Rx is risky.
 
GoldCrown said:
How much did they cost? What is the policy if not satisfied. Mail order Rx is risky.
Click to expand...
$540 ($240 frame, $180 lense, A/R coating $120)

From their website https://www.billiardglasses.com/new-online-ordering-original-remix.html
FREE Two Year Protection Plan ($50.00 Value)​
100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee!​
Our eyewear is customized to be unique to the wearers facial needs, as well as their respective visual correction, we require a few pictures of the individual and a picture of the Rx. We fabricate all lenses on site at our office.​
 
Paul_#_ said:
$540 ($240 frame, $180 lense, A/R coating $120)

From their website https://www.billiardglasses.com/new-online-ordering-original-remix.html
FREE Two Year Protection Plan ($50.00 Value)​
100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee!​
Our eyewear is customized to be unique to the wearers facial needs, as well as their respective visual correction, we require a few pictures of the individual and a picture of the Rx. We fabricate all lenses on site at our office.​
Click to expand...
I do mind saying it did not work out for me. Does not mean it will not work out for others. Out close to $900.
 
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Paul_#_ said:
$540 ($240 frame, $180 lense, A/R coating $120)

From their website https://www.billiardglasses.com/new-online-ordering-original-remix.html
FREE Two Year Protection Plan ($50.00 Value)​
100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee!​
Our eyewear is customized to be unique to the wearers facial needs, as well as their respective visual correction, we require a few pictures of the individual and a picture of the Rx. We fabricate all lenses on site at our office.​
Click to expand...
worth every penny!!! I have been using these for years. The best in the business. As I tell my friends, we spend 1000's on cues or 500-600 on a shaft - we can spend 550 to see to use the equipment. Easy Economics. Game Changer!
 
bbb said:
i just saw your post
i am a big fan of gordon and https://billiard-eyeglasses.com/
i have gotten many pairs of glasses for pool from him and am always very happy with the quality
his customer service is also terrific
i highly recommend gordon and https://billiard-eyeglasses.com/
Click to expand...
just another plug for billiard-eyeglasses
quality as good or better than curran (i have multiple pairs from both as my eye prescription changes )
customer support superb from gordon and the price several hundreds of dollars cheaper
 
bbb said:
just another plug for billiard-eyeglasses
quality as good or better than curran (i have multiple pairs from both as my eye prescription changes )
customer support superb from gordon and the price several hundreds of dollars cheaper
Click to expand...
I've been using Costco for eye doc and eyeglasses for years. I chose a pair that was a little oversized and tall enough, had the focal point raised up a little like when bending over to shoot. They are progressive lenses and work great. Cost under $300 . I do notice when I forget to put them on.
 
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