Fuzzy Balls: Glasses, Contact Lenses, Lasik

Been there, done this..

issycue said:
Hey everybody... I wear glasses with moderate vision correction. Without correction, I can see the end rail and a fuzzy object ball (that really looks like 2 or 3). Generally speaking, my glasses get in the way, and I end up playing without them. Has anybody else had the same problems? and if so, what was your solution? Contacts? Bigger eye glasses? Lasik surgery?
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First I drove 100 miles to see some guy who advertised himself as a sports vision specialist. Unfortunately, he specialized in fitting linebackers with contacts and knew nothing about pool. I later had the $360 glasses he made for me turned into sunglasses. Finally, I opted for Lasik. Instead of finding the best man for the job I went to the Earl Scheib of Lasik surgeons. He had to redo my left eye but the right came out pretty well the first time. Neither eye is 20-20 but I see pretty well. I'm more comfortable over the balls and don't have to crane my neck to keep the frames from getting in the way, and I'm playing a lot better now. Still, honestly, I don't know if it's the Lasik that helped me improve or simply all the work I've put into my game.

Sometime I think I should've held up on the Lasik and waited until something better came along.
 
issycue said:
Cool! Thanks everyone... I have tried contacts in the past too, but my doc suggests not wearing them (my eyes are on the dryer side). I will look for bigger glasses (those ones on eBay are BIG!). I think I saw Karen Corr with big lenses that were rimless. Has anyone tried those special sports goggles? They seem to be small (like the SCUBA gear type, but I would think they would have to a large viewing area.

And, Lasik here runs about $2000 at min, and about $3500 for the full-meal-deal. I have friends who recently had surgery and their results were similar to the above-poster's...but I could buy one or even two nice cues for that.

We'll see. :eek:
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Why not get a pair of shoothing glasses?

I have a pair of Zeiss Scopz, do a little search for Zeiss Scopz, Ranger XLW, and Decot Hy-Wyd.

Fats
 
Jody B said:
If you cant have surgery you can buy these:

http://www.decot.com/cart/shopexd.asp?id=6

Wade Crane uses them and he dont play too bad.
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Cool! These are interesting...not very attractive but sounds like a good solution to be able to adjust the lens height!

Now, if only there was a pair that was gyro balanced or something so the glasses would self adjust as I bend down, move, etc...
 
Secaucus Fats said:
Why not get a pair of shoothing glasses?

I have a pair of Zeiss Scopz, do a little search for Zeiss Scopz, Ranger XLW, and Decot Hy-Wyd.

Fats
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Thanks for the tip. I knew there was another sport that required some kind of specialty glasses.
 
Well, I think I'm gonna give contacts a try again... at least until I can afford Lasik. I'm thinking as long as I need vision correction the big glasses would be a good backup to the contacts, that I can carry in my case.

Funny, right now I play better without my glasses on. Even though I put my glasses on, since I'm looking over the lenses when I am down to shoot, I don't see the balls clearly... just as if I'm not wearing them at all. However, when I just keep the glasses off, I seem to be more consistent... weird. Also, since I can't see too much detail beyond the table, my distractions are limited! So perhaps it's a blessing in disguise?

Anyway, one way or the other, like the other poster remarked, my game can improve only if I get out there and rackem... so no more excues!

*see* you guys out there!

Paul.
 
issycue said:
Well, I think I'm gonna give contacts a try again... at least until I can afford Lasik. I'm thinking as long as I need vision correction the big glasses would be a good backup to the contacts, that I can carry in my case.

Funny, right now I play better without my glasses on. Even though I put my glasses on, since I'm looking over the lenses when I am down to shoot, I don't see the balls clearly... just as if I'm not wearing them at all. However, when I just keep the glasses off, I seem to be more consistent... weird. Also, since I can't see too much detail beyond the table, my distractions are limited! So perhaps it's a blessing in disguise?

Anyway, one way or the other, like the other poster remarked, my game can improve only if I get out there and rackem... so no more excues!

*see* you guys out there!

Paul.
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I personally think it is because you have been playing by feel for so long. When you do this your brain just knows how to help you adjust without you thinking about it. Whe I first got the big glasses, my game went downhill for a while, because I was able to see the balls and my brain had to learn a new way to adjust. It took me like 3 months to get used to the glasses and I played like 4 to 8 hours a day then. However, I can sight out the harder long shots better becuase of this.

Hopefully after the Lasik, There won't be as big of an adjustment, as there was then.

It was very frustrating and almost made me give up on the glasses, but it was well worth it to stick it out. If you are not going to do Lasik, and you can where contacts, that is something you should really try.

I will let you know day by day how the ordeal unfolds on here with the Lasik. This will all start around DEC 30 for my left (bad) eye and on throughto JAN 2 when they do my right eye. plus the few days that follow.
 
Well I finally tried shooting wearing glasses because things just aren't crystal clear anymore. Because I get so low over my cue I of course found I was sighting over the top which meant I wasn't looking through the glasses. I did some research and came across 3 items. The DECOT frames listed above, a pair of tall glasses (that I've seen snooker players wearing), and a device called the SPOONY.
http://www.spoonyteam.com/

I finally purchased a spoony because the price is right (as compared with purchasing another pair of glasses). The actual price is high for what you get but still cheaper than buying the glasses above.

I got the thing in the mail yesterday and played with my glasses today. My opponents had a good chuckle until I ran a few racks in a row. They probably thought I was sharking them.....

I can see clearly again just like the old days......
 
mooseman said:
Well I finally tried shooting wearing glasses because things just aren't crystal clear anymore. Because I get so low over my cue I of course found I was sighting over the top which meant I wasn't looking through the glasses. I did some research and came across 3 items. The DECOT frames listed above, a pair of tall glasses (that I've seen snooker players wearing), and a device called the SPOONY.
http://www.spoonyteam.com/

I finally purchased a spoony because the price is right (as compared with purchasing another pair of glasses). The actual price is high for what you get but still cheaper than buying the glasses above.

I got the thing in the mail yesterday and played with my glasses today. My opponents had a good chuckle until I ran a few racks in a row. They probably thought I was sharking them.....

I can see clearly again just like the old days......
Click to expand...


That's great! the spoony does look a little goofy, but I swear it's an idea i've had and even thought about a make-shift solution that would've accomplished the same effect... I may give it a try... see if it'll fit my nose bridge (I barely have one...) Thanks for the post.
 
resurrecting the thread for a quick update... I got a spoony in the mail but have not yet tried it... also, I opted for contact lenses for those of you who've followed the thread. My doc suggested Laser treatment as a 'final option' for my eyes, since he anticipates, given my health issues, I'll have a high probability of developing eye problems in time...and the Laser surgery now would put me at a disadvantage if/when those problems occur. The contacts have been working great. I have a gas permeable type of soft lens that supposedly lets more oxygen get to the eye, and even if my eyes are bit more sensitive to it, they feel less irritated overall.

Cheers! Play well... --Paul.
 
Update from me

Travis Bickle said:
To anybody out there having troubles with contacts -- don't give up until you've at least tried daily disposables. They're 70% water and never dry out. You don't know they're there, really. And they only cost $1 a day, if you buy online. Yeah, I've got astigmatism, too.

And if you've got lousy vision like mine (somewhere around 20/500) you probably get distortion around the edges with glasses, like I do. I started wearing hard lenses when I was 17, then later switched to gas-perm. Neither were all that comfortable. But disposables are in a different league totally.

Hey, I'd love to get LASIK too ... but until then, I'm OK.
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I ended up with one Acuvue with astigmatism and one Baush and Lomb lense, both monthly disposables. A 6 pack of each runs $78, or $156 dollars a year. I am really surprised with them, and most of the time, I can not feel them at all.

And, in the 6 weeks I have had the final ones, I have not lost a money match yet, and I play every weekend, and usually 1 night during the week.
Broke even once, rest of the time, I won. This 20/25 vision is GREAT.
I haven't had this good of vision since I was 4 or 5.
 
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