eye glasses or contacts

[ranjo]

I've never seen this discussion in this forum and I'm wondering how many of you wear glass when officiating. I wear graduated bifocals which I have no trouble with, and just ignore the usual comments from the stands knowing that my vision is corrected. I do not see anyone above high school level wearing glasses and suspect that:
1. Above the high school level all refs are wearing contacts.
2. If I want to advance beyond high school I should get contacts.

What types of contact lens configurations are you using? Are you getting just distance correction, or the bi-polar setup with one lens for near and one for distance.

I would be interested in any of your experiences or suggestions.

[JRutledge]

Well I have been told by assignors and college officials not to where classes. And how many college officials in any sport do you see wearing them?

[mick]

Originally posted by ranjo
I've never seen this discussion in this forum and I'm wondering how many of you wear glass when officiating. I wear graduated bifocals which I have no trouble with, and just ignore the usual comments from the stands knowing that my vision is corrected. I do not see anyone above high school level wearing glasses and suspect that:
1. Above the high school level all refs are wearing contacts.
2. If I want to advance beyond high school I should get contacts.

What types of contact lens configurations are you using? Are you getting just distance correction, or the bi-polar setup with one lens for near and one for distance.

I would be interested in any of your experiences or suggestions.

ranjo,
I am myopic. Hypertropic persons probably just remove their specs.
I wear bi-focals, and I can just barely read with my distance corrective contacts, but , contrary to some opinions, I can see just fine at more than 3'.
I usually bring a pair of $16 cheaters (reading glasses) to the game, in case I need to check something in the rule book. If I forget them, I can usually read, or I just pop a contact.
41-45 most everyone's eyes take a big blind leap over a cliff.
mick

[Camron Rust]

Or get LASIK. My wife had it done last May and loves it. She now has 20/20 to 20/25 vision wiht a few remaining artifacts (halos and starbursts at night) from the surgery that are minimal and decreasing she typically heals more slowly than average).

It cost us about $1200 in Surrey, BC, Canada at Lexington Eye Institute (http://www.lexingtoneye.com/) versus an average of ~$3500 in Portland, OR. The place in Canada also had more advanced equipment than any place in the US.

We also know at least 4-5 others who've had it done at the same place and all are extremely pleased.

[BktBallRef]

LASIK is a viable alternative if you're a candidate for it. It can definitely correct your distance vision. The only drawback seems to be night driving. I hear this from most patients who have had LASIK surgery. It is cheaper in Canada but the price is coming down in the US. Many clinics offer a discounted price if you're willing to be the guinea pig for a seminar. Seminars are held and people who are interested in LASIK are invited to attend and watch your surgery. Within 12 to 24 hours you will see, literally, tremendous results.

LASIK is great for distance but it won't correct presbyopia. As we get older, our eyes loses the ability to accomodate. It happens to everyone, some sooner than later. Even with LASIK you will need reading glasses eventually. Contact lens are now available in bifocal lenses. Accuvue has had their bifocal lens out for over a year. They seem to be having good success.

You might want to talk to your optometrist about LASIK and contact lens at your next appointment. He can probably tell you immediately if you're a candidate for either.

[rainmaker]

I wore my glasses the first year, and like you say, ignored the remarks. But it got annoying to keep pushing them up and they got knocked off once. My ophthalmologist (do I get extra points for spelling it correctly?!?) told me I could not wear contacts, due to astigmatism and another very rare eye problem which could be drastically worsened (to the point of blindness) by contacts.

But I convinced him to let me try, on the grounds that for only a few hours per week, the risk did not increase too dramatically. We experimented with different ways to correct, and I have finally found a compromise that works, although like mick I use "cheaters" to read the map, check the score book, and look up rules (and on Saturdays, to read a novel between games).

I definitely prefer contacts, now that we got a prescription that does the job. They are not expensive, they help avoid some of the glasses problems, and they get you over that hs hump into college -- at least, that's what I hear.

[Brian Watson]

I wore glasses my first year, then tried sport specs in summer ball, and contacts are the only way to go. Plus, whether it is true or not, I feel my peripheral vision is better out on the floor.

[donfowler]

Like all refs I'm blind in one eye and cn't see out of the other!!
Kidding aside. Get contacts. Was one of the first things I was told at my first camp years ago. I'm 20/200 without glasses/contacts; 20/15 with contacts for distance, 20/20 with my regualr every-day glasses. I use disposible lens and use a set a week. Spend about $80/yr.
Get them. You will be surprised how better your presence and calls are accepted.

[Tim Roden]

I have an astigmatism and am generally blind without some sort of correction. Fans tell me I'm blind no matter what I do. I was wearing glasses until last year when I asked an assignor why I wasn't getting any varsity games. Since I asked for the truth he gave it to me. Get rid of the glasses. I did. They do make toric lenses for the astigmic person. They are very expensive though.You are looking at $100 plus for a 6 month supply of monthly disposibles and the doctors fee is $85 at Walmart. As a result, I only wear them when I have a game. I take them out right after the game wear glasses on the way home since I see hallows around light.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by mick

ranjo,
I am myopic.
mick

I thought you were a Baptist?

I wear contact lenses too.

[mick]

Originally posted by Dan_ref

I thought you were a Baptist?

[/B]

Nope, ...Catholic. But, my neighbor is a Baptist minister.

[Jerry Baldwin]

Can I try to convert you to a Baptist? Glad to see most officials have a belief that comforts them when things really go bad.
Jerry

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Jerry Baldwin
Can I try to convert you to a Baptist? Glad to see most officials have a belief that comforts them when things really go bad.
Jerry

Hey Jerry be careful! If Mick's a hard-core Catholic he'll
convert you first! (BTW I'm RC myself, the product of the
fine parochial school system in NYC).

[BktBallRef]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mick

Originally posted by Dan_ref

Nope, ...Catholic. But, my neighbor is a Baptist minister.

mick,

Tell your neighbor there's hope. I've known many Baptists who saw the light and repented!