Hey Ump are you blind?

[Al]

Originally Posted by U of M Sam

Good info about eye surgery. What is basic overall cost? Recovery time? Eyes sensitive to light after surgery? Any follow up visits?
Thank you,
Sam

Hey Sam,

The cost per eye where I was thinking of having it done is a flat $2,000 per eye, which includes follow ups. I think there are two follow ups. One in a few months and one a year later. If any tweaking is needed it is also included in his fee. I have been given quotes from two other doctors that are both about a two hour drive from my home. Both gave me a less expensive quote. The lowest one was out of Nashville TN. and depending on the amount of correction needed had a top charge per eye of $1,600 and a minium charge of $700. All of the Lasik surgery I have quoted is for (custom view, which is suppose to be top of the line) However, those two lower quotes were made on the phone so I really don't know for sure if there would be some other costs explained to me once I got there. You know the old bait and switch type of thing. Problems are very rare. but as with any surgery there could be complications. But if all goes well there is very little recovery time. The Dr. said most of his people go to work the next day. As far as night vision goes... some people (with small pupils) may get some halos around lights. After all the tests the Dr. said in my case halos should not accur and my night vision would most likely be improved vs. regular glasses. ...

I guess the cost is a little high... but buying new glasses every couple of years or so with the eye exams and all isn't cheap either. ... Al

[debeau]

Cost here in New Zealand was $4500 for both eyes so do your maths re exchange rate .
I do notice I have a little difficulty seeing really well or reading under dull light .
Had a halo problem for about 3 months but now is all fine .
Cost just wasnt an option .
To wake up and see properly without glasses and see my grandkids when the visit and jump all over me was worth the cost .
Dont regret the cost one bit .

[bigsig]

I had Lasik 3 years ago and it is great. I got both eyes corrected for distance and do have to wear reading glasses. Only problem is reading my indicator up close.
I also wear sun glasses. Sometimes they do fog up behinfd the plate but I was told about a fix that really works:
Take a very small amount of dish washing detergent and rub it on the lenses, then wipe it off with a dry paper towel. That slight coating doesn't effect your visoin as all but does prevent the fogging.

[Al]

Originally Posted by bigsig

I had Lasik 3 years ago and it is great. I got both eyes corrected for distance and do have to wear reading glasses. Only problem is reading my indicator up close.
I also wear sun glasses. Sometimes they do fog up behinfd the plate but I was told about a fix that really works:
Take a very small amount of dish washing detergent and rub it on the lenses, then wipe it off with a dry paper towel. That slight coating doesn't effect your visoin as all but does prevent the fogging.

Thanks bigsig,

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I want the very best possible correction for distance, as long as I can see well enough at the distance required behind the plate to catch the corners ect. especially if umpiring baseball. I really won't mind needing reading glasses for small print up close. And I'm sure I will be able to read my indicator when not held too close. And thanks for the information about the dish washing detergent. I'll try that too. On someone's advice I tried cleaning my glasses with shaving cream which seemed to help some but only for a short period of time.

Nothin like fun at the ole' ball park! ...Al

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Al

Thanks bigsig,

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I want the very best possible correction for distance, as long as I can see well enough at the distance required behind the plate to catch the corners ect.

I think there might be a difference in the understanding of the term "distance". If you cannot see the outside corners of the plate, you may need more than surgery, like say maybe a cane.

I really won't mind needing reading glasses for small print up close. And I'm sure I will be able to read my indicator when not held too close.

I'm surprised someone hasn't developed an indicator in braille.

However, back to the reading glasses. If one was concerned about a reaction by the teams, I'd rather wear glasses/contacts full-time than deal with the need to pull out a pair of reading glasses every time there was the need to make a line-up change or read the rule when the coach brings the book onto the field Oh boy, here we go.......

[DaveASA/FED]

POS already makes one!! I have one, does that say anything???

http://www.pluspos.com/product.asp?which=261

[Al]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

POS already makes one!! I have one, does that say anything???

http://www.pluspos.com/product.asp?which=261

Maybe I need one of those Dave...and I hope to find a giant print rule book as well...

Hey Ump, it's written right here...

Hold on coach, I have my own rule book!!!

[Andy]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

POS already makes one!! I have one, does that say anything???

http://www.pluspos.com/product.asp?which=261

I have been told by several veterans (whose opinions I respect) in my area that one of the "little" things that makes you appear to be a better umpire is not constantly looking at your indicator for the count, outs, or clearing it after a play. Several of these umpires have taken a file and carved a notch in the wheels at the zero point so that they can clear their indicator without looking at it.

I don't know how prevalent this philosophy is in other areas, but I have heard it from enough different people that I try to follow it.

[Al]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I think there might be a difference in the understanding of the term "distance". If you cannot see the outside corners of the plate, you may need more than surgery, like say maybe a cane.



I'm surprised someone hasn't developed an indicator in braille.

However, back to the reading glasses. If one was concerned about a reaction by the teams, I'd rather wear glasses/contacts full-time than deal with the need to pull out a pair of reading glasses every time there was the need to make a line-up change or read the rule when the coach brings the book onto the field Oh boy, here we go.......

Hey Mike,

When I said "catch the corners" I meant to see the ball clearly enough so as to have a good clear view of where the ball was when it started to pass over the plate.

You make a good point about the line up card and reading the rule book on the field. Since my regular glasses are bi-focals I've never had any problems reading my rule book, or anything with small print. But if I try to read the small print of the USSA rule book without looking through the reading lens of my glasses it's fairly difficult because I have to hold the book at a distance. This of couse is something that I don't want to happen on the field, especially if there is a heated situation going on with a coach. I'm not really sure what coaches, or anyone else, for that matter may think if they see a umpire needs glasses to read a rule book... Maybe that mono-vision (one eye for close, one for distance) is a better option. Thanks, ...Al

[Dakota]

You can always get a pair of no-line bifocal sunglasses... they won't be able to tell that they aren't just regular sunglasses! (They might begin to wonder when you wear sunglasses under the lights, though!)

BTW, messing with your eyes with a laser is a one-shot deal. I surely hope you are discussing ALL of these issues with your Dr. In addition to the near vs distance issue, there is the vision under the lights issue and the binocular vision (depth perception) issue.

[argodad]

My problem was slightly different. I developed early-onset cataracts in both eyes. (Apparently, it's yet another adverse side effect of chemotherapy. ) Surgery to insert artificial lenses was not optional -- it was required. I had the operations about six months apart, and chose to have the left focused for distance and the right focused for reading. (I went against the surgeon's recommendation. He wanted to set them both for distance and have me use reading glasses.)

I'm glad I did it my way. The amazing human brain filters out the fuzzy signal and keeps the good signal. I'm 20/20 to 20/30, depending on the distance. I have glasses, but use them mainly for watching TV, because it helps me read the scores and the "crawl" at the bottom of the screen. Like debeau, I now have a nice assortment of sunglasses.

A side note. The day before my first surgery I did a doubleheader for a D-III team visiting Pensacola from Nebraska on an early-season southern road trip. They were a nice team with a really friendly and funny coach. Naturally, I was wearing glasses. The next morning I had outpatient surgery. I went by the field that evening (wearing a patch over the eye) and happened to run into the Nebraska coach. I told him that he could truthfully tell people that he once had an umpire that was so blind that he needed eye surgery the next day.

[bellnier]

I'm sittin' on the fence re: getting Lasik surgery; however, a friend (who's an ump) has had his done and corrected only for distance...he wears bifocal sunglasses when he's working a game, where the top of the glasses are not corrected and the bottoms have correction for reading and close work.