Glasses, Contacts what are options?

S

StraightIn

Registered
I have been playing pool off and on since the 70s and am currently teaching my son to play pool. His game has come along nicely except I have noticed he has trouble with certain shots. I have never worn glasses so I am asking for help with my son who wears glasses. He ends up playing without his glasses and I think this may be part of the problem. Are there certain glasses that work better? When he uses his contacts, he says he has issues with movement of the contacts when getting down on certain shots. Are there different contacts for pool playing use???? Any help would be appreciated.
 
As far as glasses go, you'll likely need pretty large glasses. I mean the actual size. When you shoot with smaller sized glasses you end up looking "over" them when you're bent way down to shoot. If you have very large glasses, you will still be able to look through them.

Obviously these types of glasses don't "look good" especially to a child who's likely worried about how they look.

I personally am getting a bit near sighted, though its not hurting me on the pool table yet. I've tried shooting with my smaller Oakley framed glasses I use to see things at a distance, but I can't make them work since they are so small.

I'd suggest talking to his eye doctor and describing the contact problem. I'm sure they have other people with the same complaint in sports or everyday life and have a solution. Otherwise, you could get some Harry Carrey style glasses just for him to play in.
 
Last edited:
Make it a round lens similar to the diameter of a snooker ball, and if you take him to a pool room with cigarette smoke contacts may irritate his eyes. The last world championship that Darren Appleton won his opponent had these type of glasses. Good luck...
 
Last edited:
I had a pair of glasses made by A Dr. Harris, from Quebec. You can Google "Billiard Eyeglasses" and get his place of business.
These were very good glasses, albeit very large ones, and hey sit high on the bridge of your nose, as well. :)
 
:angry:

Took me a long time to shoot pool with glasses. In the beginning, I didn't know what was worse---playing with or without them. On some shoots, I needed to get out my reading glasses to see if a ball could go.

Now I wear glasses all the time but I needed to stand up a little to play. The glasses have to be just right on my nose and they have to be clean.
I use a coffee filter to dry my glasses after I wash them.

So...I had to adjust my head and stand taller to play. Believe me...it's not easy to get used to.


Okay...so I'm no help but did want everyone to try the coffee filter.
 
Contacts All The Way!

First off, welcome aboard the forums.

Now lets get down 2 the business of improving your sons game.

I have been using contacts for many years without any problems
with exception for changing my prescription .

I'm my humble opinion your son was not fitted correctly with his
contact lenses.
There should B no movement of the lenses once put in correctly.
Sure hope this helps out.

Looking forward to watching your son play in the National Juniors
in the future.

Best Wishes,
Noel
 
What is your son's prescription. Do you know if he far sighted or near sighted? Does he require bi-focals?

If the contact is moving around too much, then its not properly fitted. It should stick and move with the eye ball.
 
My 2 cents... Make the investment now and get lasik surgery. I did last September and the differences are night and day. I was playing without my glasses because my glasses distorted the the true perspective. Unfortunately without my glasses anything farther than 5 feet was a blur. Even with that I still played better without.

With lasik its incredible. I have 20/15 vision now and I play incredibly better. You can go spend money on specialized glasses...but I can almost guaruantee your son isn't going to where them. They are cumbersome and flat out goofy looking.
 
krelldog said:
My 2 cents... Make the investment now and get lasik surgery. I did last September and the differences are night and day. I was playing without my glasses because my glasses distorted the the true perspective. Unfortunately without my glasses anything farther than 5 feet was a blur. Even with that I still played better without.

With lasik its incredible. I have 20/15 vision now and I play incredibly better. You can go spend money on specialized glasses...but I can almost guaruantee your son isn't going to where them. They are cumbersome and flat out goofy looking.
Click to expand...

After wearing glasses all my life, and every type of contacts they made for 30+ years, I finally had Lasik. Best yet. If your son is old enough it will be one of the best gifts you could ever give him. I have 20/25 vision now in one eye and 20/20 in the other. Been 10 years now and no degredation whatsoever.

I could never shoot well in my contacts. The best glasses I found for pool were shooting glasses by DeCott called Hy/Wyd.

By the way, Lasik is becoming quite reasonable now but it is very important who you choose as a surgeon. The technology improves all the time and they can only lease the latest equipment at costs of $250,000.00 per year or so, so they offset the costs to you. The really inexpensive Doctors usually have the older technology. Good luck...Tom
 
Another vote for LASIK. Just had it done last August. My long distance and night vision is not quite as crisp as with glasses but for pool it is so much better. I couldn't get used to contacts. LASIK is expensive but worth it in convenience and long term savings. Go with the best reputation in town. I had the surgeon who does the most procedures in the area. All laser. Very happy with the outcome almost 6 months later.
 
Thanks for all of the responses. I thought the fit on his contacts may be a problem and will try to address. The Lasik is an option to check into and find out if it would be recommended for his sight issues. He currently is showing a lot of interest in improving his game and is spending several hours a day working on drills. I hate to discourage an urge to improve. He mentioned that he has issues seeing certain shots. I also noticed lighting in the room affects his shooting. Thanks again.
 
Lasik, isn't that procedure usually done when the body is fully grown? Never heard of it being done to a youngster tho I could easily be wrong.
 
According to the link below, the FDA does not recommend LASIK for developing eyes and those who are 20 years or younger.

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/P...res/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061366.htm

Have your son try playing with a baseball cap (orientated the right way). In the old days, players, accountants used to wear green shades because strong lights wash out details and make edges look fuzzy.

Island Drive said:
Lasik, isn't that procedure usually done when the body is fully grown? Never heard of it being done to a youngster tho I could easily be wrong.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Eyes

I have terrible vision, astigmatism, and scarred corneas. My eye doctor put soft contacts on me about 4 years ago (wore hard lenses before), and now I have 20/25 vision, the best of my adult life.

I get a 6 pack of monthly lenses every 6 months. My fit fine, and I usually put them in, sleep in them too, and change them every month. I wear
Bausch and Lomb Pure Vision lenses.

I tied to play pool in glasses 2 times, and it was terrible. I play fine with contacts, and have no problem seeing the balls.
 
Here is the premiere Billiard Glasses guy. Guarantee that he is the cheapest too.

He is great to work with and will go out of his way to make sure that you are happy and get exactly what you want.

If you wear progressive lenses normally for every day wear, I would recommend getting these in progressive as well.

http://www.billiard-eyeglasses.com/

Absolutely no complaints with mine other than next time around, I will have progressive lenses put in.
 
Just started using contacts this year. They are awesome. If properly fitted you will forget you have them on. I love my glasses but not for shooting pool. Best wishes.
 
StraightIn said:
When he uses his contacts, he says he has issues with movement of the contacts when getting down on certain shots. Are there different contacts for pool playing use???? Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

If he has issues with his contacts when getting down on certain shots, check with his eye doctor the next time he's in.

In my experience, that might mean his contacts are too heavy/thick and don't fit him correctly. I had a similar issue when I would bend my head down and look up with my eyes-my contacts would droop down. I have astigmatism as well, so mine are curved more to fit my eyeball.

There are also specially-fitted "depth" contacts you can get. This makes your vision optimal for a certain distance, say 3-9' for pool, or whatever distance you want. I talked to my eye doctor about it and she said I already had good range, and that it wouldn't make much of a difference.

As long as he's comfortable :thumbup:.
 
Last edited:
eye surgery

2 weeks ago , cataracts surgery.
I was blind in one eye.
Now I can see better out of the eye I had surgery in then the good eye.
I may go through surgery on my other eye now.

It really sucked not being able to see the other end of the table.
And no depth perception.

I was really on my way to being blind.


This is the best part I sub on the local pool league a couple times this year before I had my surgery.
I have the highest avg in the league and I was 70% blind.

Take about pissing people off:rotflmao1:
It is a blessing that I got my sight back.

sorry this was all of topic on contacts But its damm nice to see.
MMike
MMike
 
That is great news Bud.
At least you'll probably be able to find your Dick now.

Hahahahaha! I owed ya one for the Truck Driver joke.

We be even.
 
Getting the right lenses for pool can be a real pain. Most optometrists routinely fit people for either "reading lenses" (in very close for reading, computer) or "distance lenses" (far away objects, driving). Pool playing is an awkward distance and "intermediate lenses" often are what is needed, but it is surprising how difficult that process can be. A lot of trial and error to get it just right.

Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top