Glasses, contacts, and lasik

[livetohunt]

I have a somewhat off the wall topic.

Currently I wear contacts every day. They are the two week contacts that I remove nightly. I also always shoot with contacts. I rarely wear my glasses. In the past I have hunted with glasses on and have absolutely hated it, especially in wet conditions.

When backpack hunting, I have to take a mirror with me so i can get my contacts back in when I wake
Up. Which is always a struggle when I'm waking up at 3:30 for a hunt.

I haven't tried using the contacts that I can leave in for 2 weeks or a month, But With all the contacts I have tried after a long day of work they are dry and bothersome. There's nothing worse for me struggling to take a shot when my eyes are strained from contacts. What about lasik? Any shooters on here done it?

I'm looking for any sort of input here! What has your personal experience been?

 

[Clucknmoan]

I wore contacts and glasses for about 25 years. Wore glasses most of the time unless I was doing some outdoor or sports activity. Wore contacts for that, but no matter what they would dry and irritate my eyes.

Finally decided to get Lasik just over a year ago. Walked out with 20/15 vision. No pain, no halos, no side effects to speak of at all. A little light sensitivity in the beginning is about it. My right eye did slip a little after a few months, enough to where they went back in for a touch up. Back to 20/15 for over a year. Best money I have ever spent. Period.

 

[jaeger19]

I have a somewhat off the wall topic.

Currently I wear contacts every day. They are the two week contacts that I remove nightly. I also always shoot with contacts. I rarely wear my glasses. In the past I have hunted with glasses on and have absolutely hated it, especially in wet conditions.

When backpack hunting, I have to take a mirror with me so i can get my contacts back in when I wake
Up. Which is always a struggle when I'm waking up at 3:30 for a hunt.

I haven't tried using the contacts that I can leave in for 2 weeks or a month, But With all the contacts I have tried after a long day of work they are dry and bothersome. There's nothing worse for me struggling to take a shot when my eyes are strained from contacts. What about lasik? Any shooters on here done it?

I'm looking for any sort of input here! What has your personal experience been?

Wore contacts till i was 45. Rarely glasses. Then my eyes got where i could only wear contacts a few hours a day. Finally decided lasik was worth the risk benefit. Got 20/15. That was 3 years ago. Wish i had done it sooner. Dont decide who to go to based on price. Go to the doc that does a lot and who does the best. Find out who other doctors go to.

 

[Dcoll]

I have a somewhat off the wall topic.

Currently I wear contacts every day. They are the two week contacts that I remove nightly. I also always shoot with contacts. I rarely wear my glasses. In the past I have hunted with glasses on and have absolutely hated it, especially in wet conditions.

When backpack hunting, I have to take a mirror with me so i can get my contacts back in when I wake
Up. Which is always a struggle when I'm waking up at 3:30 for a hunt.

I haven't tried using the contacts that I can leave in for 2 weeks or a month, But With all the contacts I have tried after a long day of work they are dry and bothersome. There's nothing worse for me struggling to take a shot when my eyes are strained from contacts. What about lasik? Any shooters on here done it?

I'm looking for any sort of input here! What has your personal experience been?

I started wearing glasses as a kid and my eyes got progressively worse for about 15 years. I had to wear glasses or contacts from the minute I woke up until the minute I went to bed. Glasses and contacts were a pain in the *** for the same reasons you mentioned. My eyesight had gotten terrible, it was 20/200.
About 17 years ago, LASIK was first approved for the type of astigmatism that I had. I did some research and went to the best doctor around (not the cheapest). I had the procedure done and walked out with 20/15. I have had zero side effects or issues! It was life changing. I have not worn any type of corrective lens since! Best money I ever spent! I could not recommend it more! Hunting, shooting, working outside, etc is far better when don't have to worry about all the hassles of contacts or glasses.
I am now 44 and am starting to notice a very, very slight difference in my sight, but not enough to warrant any type of action yet. I couldn't recommend it more! As others have said, don't choose the cheapest doctor. You only have one set of eyes!

 

[kyron]

I had 20/400 vision. Because that is where the chart stops, they don't have a number bad enough to quantity my vision. Blade less Lasik is the best money I have ever spent. I could win the 500 million dollar lottery next week and it would still for the rest of my life be the best money I ever spent.

I'm currently 20/20, or on a good day 20/15. Had the procedure 9 years ago.

 

[Rick Richard]

Just do it. You won't regret it.

 

[Hatrick]

I had it done 20 years ago. I was 20/200. Like they said Life Changing. Everything was fine until cataracs about 2 years ago. Had them removed and lenses installed. Far vision is fine but I need readers for close. I canlive with that. Now they have lenses that will let you see near and far after cataracs. They were new and very expensive when I had it done. If you can touch your eyes to install the contacs you will be fine. If you do this keep us posted. Seeing is a forgotten requirement of long range. Young eyes are amazing!

 

[JSHKS]

Been going to the same optometrist for 30 years, they have always done good for me as far as my shooting sports and glasses.
I tried contacts about 10 years ago, just could not get used to them. Then every time the wind would blow felt like I had gravel in my eyes.
Forward a few years. Doctor and I spoke about LASIK. With my astigmatism he said I was a good candidate. Looked into it and told him I would save up and we would talk again the next year.
Next year rolled around. Doing my eye check and I noticed he was doing stuff for bifocals.
I asked him if lasik would fix it and he said no.
So I could drop several grand and still need glasses? Yes was his answer.

I am near sighted and color blind red,green and brown as well. I heard they can fix that now also?

Some of these procedures are moving so fast it is hard to keep up with the progress year to year let alone month to month.
I will be 55 shortly and have worn glasses since I was about 8-9. Some hate them. They have saved me on more than one occasion. I have come to hate these **** bifocals over the past three years.
I am now one of those old farts with a drawer full of glasses. I did have a pair made that are plain, no bifocal for shooting and hunting. May get a pair made for reading.
My worst thing is trying to read the dials on my lathe or hash marks on a micrometer.
Jeff

 

[geo4061]

Just do it. You won't regret it.

Wore glasses when I was very young then went to hard, soft, and extended wear contacts. Vision was 20/700 near sighted. Finally had the surgery. Vision was 20/15. Wonderful. No glasses for five years. Then I hit 55 when most people need help with close up vision. Now my vision has gone far sighted at a pretty rapid clip. Now 20/500 far sighted. Being far sighted sucks. It isn't like being near where you can read close up. Far sighted you can not see near or far. Glasses today. Tough decision here. Do not take it lightly.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I am jealous of those that have had the lasik. I have birth defect somewhere in the back of my eye and the docs say the risk is not worth the reward.
I wear contacts for the local day hunts but opt for the glasses for overnighters. I hate glasses but contacts really kill my eyes.

If I could get the surgery I would do it. (especially for me in the military it would be free).

 

[FEENIX]

I had LASIK done on my left eye (dominant eye) only two years ago and it's the best thing I have done after wearing contacts and glasses for many years. I could have both eyes done but I would need reading glasses, so the best compromise is to go mono.

I still have contact prescription for my right eye when bowhunting only.

 

[dgarrett]

I have worn glasses for spotting, hunting, driving for the last 20 years... Tried bi-focals but just couldn't get use to them... I don't wear glasses at home but put them on the second I get ready to leave the house... I hate glasses I tear them off my head the second I have to look through Binos or a scope... Then I put them back on to see anything that isn't standing right in front of me. I just can't get use to shooting with them or maybe I am just to stubborn..I cuss every time I try and read what size caliber on back of brass... I have readers some where but instead of going to dig them out I stumble around trying to get the light just right on the back of the brass to read it. I guess I grow jackass ears every time when just getting the readers out would help

 

[JSHKS]

GEO4061, thanks for input as I am near sighted as well.
Getting old ain't for pansies!
I can get down and crawl around fine working on stuff, even with a lot of popping and cracking. Getting back up is the hard part.
Thing is that **** kid of mine laughs at me!
Jeff

 

[BallisticsGuy]

My vision isn't nearly stable yet so I'm stuck with glasses for now. Of the guys I know that have had their peepers lasered (talking competitive shooters here), not a single one has said even once that it wasn't the best thing they ever did for themselves. They usually will spend whole tens of minutes expounding on how great a thing it was and how they'd definitely never regretted it at all and how it's so much nicer shooting without glasses.

Looking through stupid expensive optics with relatively cheap optics in the middle seems silly to me. I prefer to shoot without my glasses and just adjusting the diopter but the astigmatism mostly says no. As soon as my prescription stabilizes getting laser'ed makes sense. Then, I'm down like a clown charlie brown.