Making Eyeglasses Pool Friendly

I never had a pair of glasses as a backup for my contacts until a few months ago. Wanted to give my eye's a break at work sitting in front of my computer screen and looking under car hoods. So I ordered some with my last eye exam.

It's very odd because with my contacts in I can see really well, then I take them out and put on my glasses and I can't see any better than without them. I swore at first the glasses were totally wrong. Blurry as hell near and far. Like WTF is this? Doctor swore the prescription was correct.

Then as I wear the glasses my eyes dial in to them and an hour or so later I can see very sharp near and far except every thing is larger than real life. Like a one or two power magnification but I get used to it to function but not to shoot pool.

Can't explain this and haven't been back to the eye doctor to ask about it. Makes me wonder if the soft contact lens for astigmatism would work as it was supposed to. I only wore it for a few minutes at the eye doctor and couldn't see well and scuttled the mission. Maybe I should have wore it home?
 
JC said:
I never had a pair of glasses as a backup for my contacts until a few months ago. Wanted to give my eye's a break at work sitting in front of my computer screen and looking under car hoods. So I ordered some with my last eye exam.

It's very odd because with my contacts in I can see really well, then I take them out and put on my glasses and I can't see any better than without them. I swore at first the glasses were totally wrong. Blurry as hell near and far. Like WTF is this? Doctor swore the prescription was correct.

Then as I wear the glasses my eyes dial in to them and an hour or so later I can see very sharp near and far except every thing is larger than real life. Like a one or two power magnification but I get used to it to function but not to shoot pool.

Can't explain this and haven't been back to the eye doctor to ask about it. Makes me wonder if the soft contact lens for astigmatism would work as it was supposed to. I only wore it for a few minutes at the eye doctor and couldn't see well and scuttled the mission. Maybe I should have wore it home?
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Sounds like you need a new doctor.
What you are describing just doesn't make sense.
Either the prescription is correct or it's not correct.
Never heard of getting eyeglasses you need to adjust to.
I thought the prescription was to correct your vision hence the term "corrective lenses"
not the other way around.

But what the heck, you play better when the balls are not clear to you.
 
philly said:
Sounds like you need a new doctor.
What you are describing just doesn't make sense.
Either the prescription is correct or it's not correct.
Never heard of getting eyeglasses you need to adjust to.
I thought the prescription was to correct your vision hence the term "corrective lenses"
not the other way around.

But what the heck, you play better when the balls are not clear to you.
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Not enough time in yet to know if I play better but it sure isn't worse.

I know it doesn't make sense but that's what my lying eyes tell me.

Oh and this is my new doctor. Should have seen the old one.
 
mikemosconi said:
Assigning a reading prescription and a distance prescription and incorporating them into a bifocal works just fine. Someone trying to "fine tune" a single prescription for the 2 to 9 foot distance is just putting way too much emphasis on the vision part of playing pool- as others here mentioned- there are many other factors related to PSR, alignment, stroke, delivery, etc. that are more meaningful to successful pool play than vision alone.
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Well stated. Agreed. But I still want to see as well as I can, especially on those long thin cuts where it helps to see the edge of the ball as clearly as possible.
 
justadub said:
I had reasonably good luck with the following... I wasn't interested (or able) in paying top dollar for custom billiard glasses. Of course that also rules out lasik. I have bifocals, and an astigmatism, so my eye doc said contacts wouldn't be easy for me, or necessarily satisfactory.

I asked if she could prescribe a script for a special set of glasses, similar to the custom billiard glasses, yet something I could use my optical insurance and get inexpensive frames locally. She agreed, understood what I was looking for, and wrote a script that moves the bifocal higher in the lens. I chose the biggest set of frames that I could find in my price range, ones that rest higher on the bridge of my nose than my regular glasses.

They make the table and the balls much sharper and clearer than my regular pair. My doc suggested I not wear them much more than while playing, as using them for looking at distances longer than surrounding a 9' table might give me headaches. I dont notice that to any great significance, as I glance at tvs around the room, but I do take them off when I finish my matches.

Perhaps not the best answer, but a reasonably priced alternative. I do not want to play without mine.
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I did the same thing. Since I don't need bifocals and can drive without glasses mine only correct for double vision and I can now see balls clearly at the other end of 9 footers. Although there is some distance correction in my standard Rx there is none in my shooting glasses.

The guy at the Walmart optical shop is a fellow bicycling enthusiast so he understood why I wanted the vision center moved higher in the lens and had me get down in my shooting position so that he could accurately measure that. I had done the same when picking the frames to ensure that they fit close and sat high enough so that I couldn't see the top of the frame.

$105 out the door and the work well. I had quit the game for 5 years because of the double vision and am once again playing at a high level.
 
The problem here is we are comparing solutions for varying degrees of impairment. Lens with a strong rx will make straight lines appear to be curved -- can't be good for pool. By reducing strength to "intermediate", this problem is alleviated.

I am extremely nearsighted. When I began to wear contacts, I found that items were closer to me than they appeared to be with glasses. I had evidently partially compensated through the years, but contacts were much truer than glasses with partial compensation.
 
Biloxi Boy said:
The problem here is we are comparing solutions for varying degrees of impairment. Lens with a strong rx will make straight lines appear to be curved -- can't be good for pool. By reducing strength to "intermediate", this problem is alleviated.

I am extremely nearsighted. When I began to wear contacts, I found that items were closer to me than they appeared to be with glasses. I had evidently partially compensated through the years, but contacts were much truer than glasses with partial compensation.
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Objects look way larger to me. The only time this is a benefit is looking down while at the urinal.

Trying to get a pair of these glasses for my wife.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
For those who wear contact lenses, here's a reminder during these infectious times: wash your hands before putting them in or taking them out.

pj
chgo
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And if you're cleaning jalapenos wear gloves. Owww.
I've been wearing contacts for a year now. I have toric in my left eye. I see the balls and every thing else great. I don't know if I shoot better but they give me more confidence on long shots. I wear readers for close work but hate glasses. Mine are always smeared and I am constantly cleaning them.
 
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Hmmm...trying to figure out if you owe me royalties. 🤪 When did you make that?

Seriously though, I posted a slightly more detailed version of your optometrist process in 2010. My name just doesn't carry much weight 😁😁

I think it covers everything you mentioned, and adds a few extra details that I found to be very valuable. Check the link below if interested in the extras...

need help on players with glasses and trouble there

5 years ago i had to get vision glasses i didnt spend much on them. instantly i had trouble making banks, cuts even straight shots. just looking for insight on players that wear glasses for vision. i hear there are glasses makers that will make you a pair just for pool? i gotta do something and...
forums.azbilliards.com

One detail I left out of the original post was that I placed a scrap of tournament blue cloth on the tripod before mounting the balls.

Also seriously, some may find, as I always did as a lifetime glasses wearer until LASIK at 58, that bending the temples in tight behind the ears is likely to quickly cause very annoying irritation on the back of the ear. As an alternate, I suggest a strap, of which there is a wide variety of fashionable choices if that is a concern.

Am PM'ing you with a loooooooong overdue answer on a different topic.

Buddy
 
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Is Evan your ophthalmologist? He told me he worked with a tick shot artist who had to see the table and a teleprompter at the same time. Took several iterations to get the prescription and glasses correct.

He gave me a pair of recommended frames and sent me home to take pictures at the table and provide measurements. I’m getting my tripod out and going to do the picture thing and and see how the glasses turn out. He said to try and get shots at eye level so he can see where the optical center needs to be placed.
 
tatcat2000 said:
Hmmm...trying to figure out if you owe me royalties. 🤪 When did you make that?

Seriously though, I posted a slightly more detailed version of your optometrist process in 2010. My name just doesn't carry much weight 😁😁

I think it covers everything you mentioned, and adds a few extra details that I found to be very valuable. Check the link below if interested in the extras...

need help on players with glasses and trouble there

5 years ago i had to get vision glasses i didnt spend much on them. instantly i had trouble making banks, cuts even straight shots. just looking for insight on players that wear glasses for vision. i hear there are glasses makers that will make you a pair just for pool? i gotta do something and...
forums.azbilliards.com
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. People in this thread might find it interesting.


tatcat2000 said:
Also seriously, some may find, as I always did as a lifetime glasses wearer until LASIK at 58, that bending the temples in tight behind the ears is likely to quickly cause very annoying irritation on the back of the ear. As an alternate, I suggest a strap, of which there is a wide variety of fashionable choices if that is a concern.
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I was a little worried about possible ear or nose-pad-area irritation; but my glasses are so light, I don't have any issues, even after long sessions. Regardless, a strap might be a good option for some people. I should have mentioned that in the video.
 

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dr_dave said:
FYI, I just posted a new video that gives advice on how to use eyeglasses more effectively when playing pool. I also discuss other vision correction options. Check it out:


Contents (with timestamp links):
0:00 - Intro
0:47 - Alternatives
1:57 - Adjusting Glasses
3:31 - New Glasses Advice
4:23 - Wrap Up

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
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Hi-Wydes.
 
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