Eyeglass question

[HLin NC]

I watched my wife and my best friend deal with contacts. I know they're simpler to deal with now from 20-30 years ago but sticking stuff in my eye has never had any appeal for me.

I will be having eye surgery again as soon as the cataract on my right eye reaches a level the doctor can perform on. Presently its not far enough along for my insurance to cover it.

Tinted glasses at any level in my state are not approved so if I go with the Oakleys, they'll be pretty much for calling games, unless I can interchange the lenses.

[goodnews]

I tried the rec spec from Wiley love them on my motorcyle but they stayed fogged up on the field. Contacts would be my choice but I need Bi-focals.
Steve

[With_Two_Flakes]

I've worn eye glasses since I was 5 yrs old. I've been officiating for 20+ years now. For the last 7 or 8 years, I've needed reading glasses too, so now I have varifocal lenses in my glasses.
By varifocal, I mean a graduated lens that is for long distance vision at the top, medium distance (eg computer screen) in the middle and reading at the bottom). I think you have a different name for varifocals in the US?

In the past, I used to wear my old pair and use one of those Croakies straps. But now I just wear my regular pair - they stay on my head so well, I don't even bother with the Croakies strap anymore.

It has to be raining real bad for me to have any problems with them, don't recall ever having condensation issues.

[jjrye22]

I've always worn glasses.
I try to remember to swap out my newest (everyday) pair for my second newest pair when I officiate (I keep them in my bag). Just in case I get hit.

I have also looked at a lot of different types of frames, including some that are super flexible. Basically you can bend them in to knots or crunch them up to a ball and they will spring back into shape.
I didn't like them though, since they sit strangely over my ears. I think they were also quite expensive.

[Jim D.]

I've always worn glasses when officiating. I just wear a regual pair with no strap or anything. I do put on some anti-fogging stuff I bought at Dick's Sporting Goods. It's called Cat Crap and I don't want to know why it's called that.

[Texas Aggie]

sticking stuff in my eye has never had any appeal for me

Me either. In fact, its to the point where I can't stand objects pointing in the direction of my eye, whether its a straw in a drink or a fan blade on a ceiling fan. It drives me crazy and I must move the object.

However, I've been wearing contacts since 1981, including hard lenses for the first 10 or so years of that time, and it took minutes or even seconds, rather than hours, days, or even weeks, to get used to them and not be bothered by the eye contact. If I'm as sensitive as I am -- even with NO CONTACT with the eye -- anyone can wear contacts. The newer lenses are so good, I don't get dry eyes anymore.

[kdf5]

HL: if you haven't found an answer to your problem then try your local bicycle shop. I'm pretty certain they'll have sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. I have a pair with 4 lenses: dark, not so dark, yellow and clear. You could also try:

PerformanceBike - Welcome!

Nashbar - Welcome!

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by goodnews

... they stayed fogged up on the field.

At 18, I require a weak prescription for glasses. While playing sports, I would put rubbing alcohol on the glasses and they never fogged up. I would bet a RainX type product would also prevent the fog up.

Around 35 my eyes actually got better and I stopped needing glasses. Now approaching 50, I've caught myselft a couple of times doing the long-arm thing.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

I watched my wife and my best friend deal with contacts. I know they're simpler to deal with now from 20-30 years ago but sticking stuff in my eye has never had any appeal for me.

I will be having eye surgery again as soon as the cataract on my right eye reaches a level the doctor can perform on. Presently its not far enough along for my insurance to cover it.

Tinted glasses at any level in my state are not approved so if I go with the Oakleys, they'll be pretty much for calling games, unless I can interchange the lenses.

I would strongly suggest that you give contacts a try. Within a few days you will never want to where glasses again.

[IceGator8]

I wear contacts with dark lensed Oakley Half Jackets when I officiate. Best glases, prescription or otherwise, that I've ever had. Every so often I will officiate with my normal glasses to give my eyes a break but it's rare.

Check into industrial type safety glasses. Many of them look like wraparound sunglasses and are available in RX.

[GBFBUmp]

Originally Posted by parepat

I would strongly suggest that you give contacts a try. Within a few days you will never want to where glasses again.

I would agree. I have had contacts for nearly 30 years. A couple years ago I injured my left eye and for 2 seasons couldn't wear contacts. Glasses drove me nuts.. Always fogging up in the cool WI fall evenings. I got back into contacts and just love them, you rarely can tell you are wearing them, and they move with you. Even with straps, glasses get jarred around enough to cause a possible miss on the field.