Snooker Nose Bridge?

[lucas91]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if someone could help me.
I currently play snooker with glasses as I dont like the idea of contact lenses. I'm getting increasingly annoyed with seeing the frames of my glasses in my eye-line and wondering if anybody knew of a type of nose bridge or something similar that would push my glasses up from the bridge of my nose.

Cheers,

Chris

[Bigmeek]

There is a post somewhere which tells of a small nosebridge to raise the glasses up a bit. I can't remember what they were called but "spooneys" or "spinneys" spring to mind.
Playing with glasses is a bit of a problem and there's a few threads here which are worth a read. Rimless "Dennis Taylors" are worth a try. I think contacts are the best solution but I agree they take a bit of getting used to.

[Acrowot]

Recently, I had some snooker glasses made. Alway get my glasses from Vision Express, either at Grimsby or Meadowhall and always been happy with them. Went to the Grimsby branch and they ordered them from another company. Took two weeks to receive them and have been using them for about three weeks. Am highly delighted with them.

The cost was £80.

Hope that helps you lucas91.
:snooker:

[philip in china]

Do contact lenses help a lot? I did wear them but haven't bothered for years.

[Acrowot]

The Snooker glasses that I mentioned above, are rimless glasses.
:snooker:

[Bigmeek]

Do contact lenses help a lot? I did wear them but haven't bothered for years.

Philip It really depends on your lense prescription I suppose but I found that I got clearer vision with contacts. With glasses I get a slight distortion with the chin on cue position. I think its something to do with the "line of sight" through the lense. Maybe a good optician could make the lense a little bit different. I gave up with the contacts as I was developing blood vessesls on my eyes. Something to do with lack of oxygen getting to the eye. Gas permeable contacts apparently stop this problem.

[Terry Davidson]

Here's what I've discovered over the years on glasses vs contacts.

I had very poor vision when a bit younger and first of all tried a pair of snooker glasses much like Dennis Taylor's. I found that even though they were a very good pair if I stood at the baulk end of the table behind the brown spot the rails of the table bent in a bit towards the black end, so I figured they must be distortion there. Also the fact that the glasses are off the eyes a bit and if you happen to be near-sighted as I was then what you're actually seeing is a bit smaller than in reality.

So I tried soft contacts but they depend on the moisture content of the eye to retain their accuity and also I had the 'red-eye' problem from lack of oxygen and after playing all day in a tournament my eyes got into really bad shape.

So someone recommended a guy to me who was a snooker player and an optomitrist and he recommended gas permeable lenses (this was before lasik surgery). I used these for about 10 years and never had any problems with them and because they are on the eye there is no distortion and the visual acuity was as good as glasses.

Then I got a detached retina in my right eye (preferred eye) and had than corrected and a new set of gas permeable and no problems. Then I had cataract lens replacement surgery in both eyes and one was supposed to be 20/20 for driving and the other (right) 20/40 for reading. At the time I wasn't playing snooker and had no problems although the eyes got tired near the end of the day.

In 2005 back to Canada and took up snooker again but my preferred eye couldn't see the damned balls, so got new gas permeable lenses for both eyes and now I can see a hair on a ball 12ft away and also a perfect edge of the ball.

My recommendation:
First, if you can, get lasik surgery. Secondly, if you can get used to them, get gas permeable contact lenses and you will see the difference (I might be biased here but I sort of feel players who say they don't like the idea of something in their eyes have never given contacts a fair chance as you get used to gas permeable in less than a day).

Lastly, and the worst choice because of the distortion, is snooker glasses. If you have to go this way then make sure you get a very good optomitrist who knows you need the focal point well up towards your eyebrows

Terry

[Bigmeek]

Terry, does your Optomitrist still practice? I'm not sure how successful it would be to buy glasses at distance but I'd be prepared to give it a go. I've found it difficult to find someone locally who understands the "focul point" you mention. I've had a few pairs of snooker glasses now and although they are better than ordinary glasses they are not quite perfect.

[Acrowot]

There is no distortion with my new snooker glasses!

The snooker glasses are made so that they are ok at the top end of the lenses, but they are not good for chalking the cue, because the are not bi-focal, but suppose that something has to give.

I normally wear Zeiss vari-focus glasses, but there is the odd thing that is not quite right and it is when am building model airplanes. Cannot always see if some things are absolutely square, so use my older bifocals for building planes. For all other things, the vari-focus are excellent.

With good quality vari-focus, all distances are in focus, but the price is astronomical.
:snooker:

[Bigmeek]

Acrowot I've been doing a bit of experimenting with glasses over the years. I wear varifocals for everday use and they are fine. My current lenses are Varilux Physio and wern't very dear at all.
A year or so ago I had a pair of snooker glasses made up in varifocal format but they didn't work at all. The optician warned me that it was a case of trial and error to get them right. Not being the patient type I gave up. Just bought single vision.
Recently I had a pair of bifocal snooker glasses made up and they are OK. I can see to chalk my cue OK but it takes a bit of getting used to. End of table shots are OK as well so long as I don't go into the "chin on cue" position when a bit of distortion takes place.
Not sure what my next experiment will be!!

[cmccool]

I had a pair of snooker glasses made by a supposed expert - but he didn't understand tilt and they aren't very good - lots of distortion on long shots.

I went for a pair of the Hurricane 11 snooker glasses and had them shipped to Canada from the UK. They have a hinge on the arms which allows you to tilt them right back when you have a long shot. They work great.

Cliff

[Terry Davidson]

bigmeek:

I got my glasses over 30 years ago and can't recall the place or the name so I can't help you out there.

Also, I would suggest you try either lasik surgery or else gas permeable contact lenses rather than experimenting with glasses.

I'm very surprised seeing Martin Gould wearing normal glasses and looking over them for the long shots and through them on the short shots and chalking up. I think that would drive me crazy

Terry

[Bigmeek]

Thanks Terry. Likewise, I'm mystified by the Martin Gould situation. I think I heard Dennis T say that Martin didn't really need specs but found that if he didn't wear them he developed headaches. Strange. If I ever get a chance to talk to Martin I will be quizzing him. Apparently he's a very approachable guy.
I'm afraid the Lasik is out for me. I investigated it a while back and it is too much of a risk. I only have sight in one eye so can't afford to have anything go wrong with my good eye. 99% success is still 1% risk!! The gas permeable might be an option but I got a scare the last time I tried contacts when the blood vessels appeared on my eyeball. Think I'll stay away from sticking things in my eye without knowing what the long term affects are, eg infections etc. I'm hoping in time I'll stumble accross an optician who understands my requirements.

[Terry Davidson]

bigmeek:

You don't get the 'red eye' with the gas permeable. I can wear mine from 6am to midnight with no problems and have even fallen asleep with them in with no problems at all.

But I see a big prblem if you happen to enjoy your beer in that they are a little tough to remove if you happen to be really inebriated (can't use the word I want to as Ferret might ban me).

I have been using gas permeable for years with no problems and no discomfort unless you get a bit of grit in your eye as you have to remove the lens and put it back in.

Terry

[mick 142]

Hi many years ago i played against a player who wore glasses and he would put a piece of blue tack under the bridge of his glasses to lift them up when he played .