How to handle aging eyesight
- Thread starter Chaunce33
- Start date
I had all the same problems, so I asked my Doctor about getting some glasses for 10-12 foot, not 20 foot. Then I worked with my optician & they helped make a special pair of frames. That made all the difference, I was able to play good Pool again.
The lens were ground at a higher center & then tilted outward, instead of inward to my cheeks, because I was leaning forward. I could then see better & I wasn't looking through the lenses at an angle. That caused aberrations.
I was looking straight through the focal plane at a 90 angle
The lens were ground at a higher center & then tilted outward, instead of inward to my cheeks, because I was leaning forward. I could then see better & I wasn't looking through the lenses at an angle. That caused aberrations.
I was looking straight through the focal plane at a 90 angle
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SeniorTom
Well-known member
This post exemplifies my situation very well. I realize I am getting old and I've got to use the best available option in order to play well, and I think the progressive lenses for me work very well. The most difficult part of my vision in reference to pool is the long cut shots where it's hard to see a crisp edge on the object ball, but surprisingly I do quite well even with that. I also have an astigmatism, but the progressive lenses are just fine. I can pretty much hang with anybody when I play so the progressive glasses are working very good. I might try giving contacts a stab but they are a bit of a pita for every time I would have to use them playing pool.
I've found optometrists have trouble comprehending pool needs -- and not just the way I have explained it -- others have reported the same problem. The last one I worked with came back to me with terms she understood -- "reading" for the close up end of the spectrum, and "cubicle" for the further end of the spectrum. They also understand "computer screen" and "driving" but you shouldn't need driving unless you are trying to mimic Florian the trick shot guy jumping from table to table, etc. So basically "reading" to "cubicle" should get you excellent glasses for pool.
I got progressives for the first time for my latest glasses and they are amazing, because it is so seemless to look down at your cue ball and then out toward a medium distance ball, or far corner pocket! Now if only the stroke would cooperate -- not to mention the myriad bad habits that crop up at the worst possible moments lol.
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I didn't read the whole thread, but if your eyesight just sucks, which mine has for years, you can do a lot with your shot routine to help:
1. Step back well behind the shot before you get in your stance to line up the shot as best you can, from a distance that you can see the balls half decently (hopefully).
2. Then be careful stepping into the line of the shot to get yourself lined up as best you can from the initial crouch into your stance and bridge hand placement on the table.
3. Then take a little of the strain off your eyes by "feeling" the line of the shot from your back hand through your bridge hand -- kind of like aiming a handgun if you were shooting from the hip.
Steps 1 and 2 are pretty good for everybody, sight challenged or not. Step 3 at least helped me avoid the eye strain headaches I was getting, because before I started using the feel method, I would get serious eye strain after a few hours of squinting and trying to force my eyes to see more accurately than they were capable of,.
These steps allowed me to continue to have fun and be reasonably competitive, even if they did not spring forth a miracle lol.
1. Step back well behind the shot before you get in your stance to line up the shot as best you can, from a distance that you can see the balls half decently (hopefully).
2. Then be careful stepping into the line of the shot to get yourself lined up as best you can from the initial crouch into your stance and bridge hand placement on the table.
3. Then take a little of the strain off your eyes by "feeling" the line of the shot from your back hand through your bridge hand -- kind of like aiming a handgun if you were shooting from the hip.
Steps 1 and 2 are pretty good for everybody, sight challenged or not. Step 3 at least helped me avoid the eye strain headaches I was getting, because before I started using the feel method, I would get serious eye strain after a few hours of squinting and trying to force my eyes to see more accurately than they were capable of,.
These steps allowed me to continue to have fun and be reasonably competitive, even if they did not spring forth a miracle lol.
I think a fourth part is very important. Before you start your final stroke, focus as sharply as you can on the object ball. There is research that shows you want to do that for at least half a second or so before the action starts. Hopefully, you will be able to see a sharp image but make sure you have focused on the ball.
I have the same and they work great for me. The taller lenses work well. I am never looking over the top of them nor scrunching my head back further to keep the site line below the top of the frames. Very comfy to use.
Contacts would be the best but not all of us can tolerate them or are used to them anyway. The price for billiard glasses is not that much when you consider what you may be willing to pay for a custom cue these days. Lots of frame styles and some options to choose from.
If you have a $2500 cue but can't see a thing, please bring a big pocketful of $100 bills with you next time you go to play pool. We'll be watching for ya!
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Contacts for distance is the answer.
The distance of two feet to whatever distance after that is covered by distance contacts.
The distance of you getting down on your shot and using the tip to aim at the cue ball is about two feet.
Distance contacts cover that.
If you have an astigmatism as I do, modern contact technology has you covered.
I have been using contacts to play pool for the last 8 years.
I am 72 now.
I am 20/20 at the table, no glasses.
With distance contacts you do need magnifier glasses if you want to read something such as your phone.
Contacts can be pain in the ass when you first start with them, getting used to putting things in your eye, etc.
Persevere.
It gets to be second nature putting the contacts in and off you go to play pool with 20/20 vision at the table, no glasses.
That has been my experience with contact lenses.