Hossfly

How is your vision? You may have good eyes and they may be covered over with cataracts. I have hopes of now being back to my great eyes of my 30s and I am 71. For 15 years I have been legally blind to anything within 5 ft. of me. Wore trifocals for close-up for over 15 years and bi-focals for outside day work for 20 years.

I can't bore you with 25 years of glasses after glasses from the glass stores and about 7 months ago severe headaches with nerve inflamation problems and neurologists unable to find the cause of nerve problems etc., etc. My eyesight was going bad rapidly and RCing was not going well when I discovered I wasn't able to see a model well enough to fly it out of my right eye glass beyond estimated 300 feet.
Night vision was very bad. So I finally said to myself, "Self, you must go to a real eye doctor -- an ophthalmologist."

3 weeks ago I had the first cataract removed - right eye. No big deal. The first morning I was astounded. The bedroom TV had been repaired by some unknown intruder that night. Sharp and nice color restored. I could read the time on the radio clock next to my bed with the right eye, barely see the clock itself with left eye. I looked outside. left eye everything usual blur -- right eye all was sharp and I could see fine but still dome dialation so a bit difficult in the focus, at mid range. That has now disappeared but Doc says another week or so to go.

This past Fri. -- 2 days ago -- the left eye was done (15 minute job) and I'm here in front to this confuser with no glasses for the monitor but some Walmart 1.75 readers for the keyboard (hunt and pecker) It's a miracle back to life. All this time I have argued with my wife that our walls are an off-white creme color. Now I know they are white.

During the 3 weeks between operations, I started having some better days with the headache problems. The past 2 days have been the best days I have enjoyed in 6 months. I fear that the eye strains may NOT have been the cause of the nerve inflamations. I am so hopeful they were.

I am going to take a Trainer out this week and give it a go. The Doctor says he will fix me some glasses after 4 weeks for eyes to settle, to compensate for a stigmatism in my right eye that contributes to a difficulty to focus on a specific point while flying RC. Of course I will not have to wear them all the time. But he is going to fix me up to get me back in the air and this is a big deal to me.

Please consider this story if you are having distance trouble or one eye is weak through your glasses. See a real EYE DOCTOR and not one that is just hung up on some latest craze, but one versed in all things and will discuss YOUR problems.
If you are in the Houston area, I was guided -- by a mysterious force -- to one that is absolutely outstanding in all ways, talent, expertise, and personality. Be happy to share.

BTW if you're over 65, medicare picks up most of the expense. Besides the total cost is so small That i can't believe it and would gladly have paid it all to be able to SEE again. It's simply wonderful.

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

A story many of us can relate to. Had mine done over 15 years ago, now at 77 I'm still flying regularly with no problem seeing the plane.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I fly with perscription sunglasses and see fairly well - except I have a ton of "Floaters"...little hairballs that keep sinking when you focus on them....so I fly larger planes and closer than I used to (exceptions are the landings <g>)

anonymouse

After the surgery my poor vison went away, but took with it my major excuse for crashing short of the field......Lots more fun now that I can see what's going on...

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

And we can see well enough to pick up the smaller pieces. What I'm still trying to figure out is why we can't see that part/tool that we laid down a minute ago on a clean work bench to answer the phone. [] And completly miss the sign at the super market that says two for one.

Edwin

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Thats easy Red. Saw a show last night on micro black holes. I must have them running all through my shop.
Edwin

Bruno Stachel

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When I first noticed my floaters, I thought they were dust particles on my eyes. I went through an entire bottle of Visine trying to wash them out! I wonder if the laser Dr's will come up with a way to zap them.

Hossfly, my father had the same surgery, and is seeing very well now. I took him in for one of the operations, and was amazed how quick it was. And so worth it. Sounds like you'll be another success story.

My mother-in-law had a more frightful experinece. I forgot what the condition is called, but she required two corneal transplants. One operation was done at a time, requiring a long recovery period (approx one year per eye) with lots of eye drops. But the operations were successful and she is doing great. The advanacements in Ophthalmology have been amazing.

Montague

For any of us young guys who might stumble in here.... UV light apparently contributes to cataracts. So, always wear 100% UV blocking glasses when outside looking up at the sky.

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

Each time I see young guys flying without sunglasses (good ones - UV blockers) I wince, knowing what it did to a lot of old timers that did not have the benefit of good opthamologists to warn them. Cataracts are a piece of cake compared to some of the eye complications that happen with too much looking into the sky.