Eyesight...

[Terry Davidson]

Thanks Terry, I have tried contacts for the first time, decided to try them just for snooker, was prescribed the soft dispensable one a day type (progressive). They were great, I hardly knew they were on, I could see very clearly both close and far. The problem occurred when I got down on a shot for the first time and every time for that matter my eyesight blurred up so that I could not see anything, when I got back up it slowly cleared up. I don't know if its because they are progressive or what, I will explain to my doctor next appointment. I will be sure to mention that you have been successful with your GP lenses. It gives me hope, I cannot wear glasses, they throws me right off my game, I agree about the feel, its just not there. Cheers,

I think you've hit the nail on the head. With progressive lenses you'll be looking through a different part of the lens when you bend down over the shot and are nearly looking through your eyebrows.

Go back to you guy and explain to him you don't want 'normal' lenses (for snooker at least) but show him by getting down into the stance. With my GP lenses there is no change in visual acuity when I get down and I've never had a problem with them and because they are a little smaller I believe they will sit on the cornea exactly the same no matter how you're looking through them.

I would say your best bet is to figure out which eye you SIGHT through (not necessarily your dominant eye) and ask the doc to make that one 20/15 and then with the other eye have than one as a normal 20/20. To determine which eye you normally sight through just get down on your table at the baulkline and aim the cue at the edge of the leather on one of the top pockets, then close one eye and then the other and out of one of them everything will look perfectly lined up and out of the other you will be looking in from outside and won't be able to see the exact alignment.

[inevermissblue]

Hi all. I also have astigmatism and it is quite bad. I should wear my contacts but i play reasonably well without them. Its quite a difference when i wear them and would be a benefit, so i shall wear them permanently soon. Its very difficult to find sharp edges well no matter which lenses i've tried in the past. Not sure if anyone knows this but i asked the optician to demonstrate the limitations of having this condition and its very strange to say the least...
They have a clock face on the wall without numbers, just the second markers all the way round. When i looked at the clock the only lines i am able to see are the ones which are horizontal. The ones that are vertical all seem to merge together and appear grey! very strange.
The reason i haven't been wearing mine of late is because i feel more comfortable with the tables perception without them in. Although i have now reached a point with my game that i am content with so maybe now would be the best time to improve vision also.

[sharkster63]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. With progressive lenses you'll be looking through a different part of the lens when you bend down over the shot and are nearly looking through your eyebrows.

Go back to you guy and explain to him you don't want 'normal' lenses (for snooker at least) but show him by getting down into the stance. With my GP lenses there is no change in visual acuity when I get down and I've never had a problem with them and because they are a little smaller I believe they will sit on the cornea exactly the same no matter how you're looking through them.

I would say your best bet is to figure out which eye you SIGHT through (not necessarily your dominant eye) and ask the doc to make that one 20/15 and then with the other eye have than one as a normal 20/20. To determine which eye you normally sight through just get down on your table at the baulkline and aim the cue at the edge of the leather on one of the top pockets, then close one eye and then the other and out of one of them everything will look perfectly lined up and out of the other you will be looking in from outside and won't be able to see the exact alignment.

Thanks again Terry, will let you know how it goes... Cheers,

[sharkster63]

The last post on this thread was over five and a half years ago, should have gone to Specsavers Sorry

Not a problem mate, this thread as helped me get this all sorted out. Cheers,

[sharkster63]

might as well add to it,unlike glasses you have to keep blinking with daylies or they do drift out of focus

Yes, I did notice that, what I really dont like about them is that when you are taking them out, if you drop one without noticing you could be trying to take out something that is not there. You can not see them or feel them until they are out. Cheers,

[golferson123]

Yes, I did notice that, what I really dont like about them is that when you are taking them out, if you drop one without noticing you could be trying to take out something that is not there. You can not see them or feel them until they are out. Cheers,

spent two hours trying to get the right one out, went to the optician who told me it wasn't in! felt a right berk, ditched em for monthlies easier to handle

[sharkster63]

spent two hours trying to get the right one out, went to the optician who told me it wasn't in! felt a right berk, ditched em for monthlies easier to handle

I am going to do the same. I am all thumbs Lol

[Shockerz]

I started playing snooker again about 4/5 years ago and went from glasses to the daily disposable toric lenses which are brilliant.

It took a little while to get used to them in i.e.

Putting 2 in one eye - can't find it in the other eye as it;s not there.
Putting them in the wrong way round - like looking through a goldfish bowl.
Not potting one in but still trying to remove it - raised the skin on the eyeball.
Breaking one in your eye - that's painful.
Going to bed p****d and leaving them in - they weld to your eyes, lovely.
Putting them in the wrong eyes - woh!!

The disposable lenses are the best piece of equipment I have as for the first time since I was 18 (52 now) I can see the whole table, didn't even know there were pockets up the other end!

I tried glasses in one match last year and potted everything in front of me but could get one in the side pockets from the corner of my eyesight as lens distortion put the pocket in a different place to what it actually was.

Although we see with out eyes we are generally playing on a similar size surface so still have an opinion that 'feel' players pot regardless of good eye sight, I play against one guy that can't see a b****y thing and still pot everything at speed on the table but trip out the door on the way out. When playing football you only glimpse the goal but many know where the top right hand corner is and they hit it whilst looking at the ground.

I did try it out once and played without glasses, everything was blurred terribly so I tried to imagine an image (video) the ball going in prior to each shot and the results were pretty good; it didn't work as well on long shots but that's still normal for me anyway.

I know one thing, if things are on your mind they will affect you as that's the normal psych of sports people.

Having worn both, I'd stick with the daily disposables, I get the occasional blur etc but don;t focus on that any more (excuse the pun!).

[vmax4steve]

I went from normal specs to daily disposable contacts and now use proper snooker glasses. You actually see with your brain, your eyes merely give your brain the image it needs, and yes glasses don't give the exact image that your eyes would see if you have perfect vision, but the brain deciphers the distortion of the lenses and makes it normal. As long as you wear your glasses everytime you play the brain will take no time at all in adjusting to something it is used to, just this slight difference from your normal everyday specs takes only a few seconds after a week or so of regular use.

You have to give yourself time to allow your brain to sort it out for you, don't give up after only a couple of frames or one session, keep going until it feels natural.

[golferson123]

that's all well and good but for me I encounter severe nausea if I can't focus properly and have to stop

[Master Blaster]

Glasses, not the way to go. If you can put up with disposables, this is the way to go. For one very simple reason, no matter how good the anti-reflective coating, you will still suffer from glare and miss pots because of it, not forgetting the distortion glasses cause. But if you have poor eyesight, glasses are better than nothing. If you're -1 and below, glasses can be worse than nothing. If you wear contacts, put them in before you play, then take them out at the table upon finish. Get in to this good habit and drive home with glasses. This will solve the issue of leaving them concreting over night, or drying out if they sit in your eyes +6hrs. Very few brands will last a whole day without drying out. Monthlies, if you can look after them and not tear them also dry out less than dailys. Always wash your hands before handing them!

[Shockerz]

I also leave a few disposable lenses in the cue case with some lens liquid in case they dry out. As MasterBlaster says, stick them in a while before playing so they can settle.

I only leave them in for snooker and use glasses the rest of the time. They are also good for golf if you play as when it rains you don't have to keep cleaning glasses!

[vmax4steve]

Daily disposable contacts cloud over regularly when you're playing, you need to keep blinking to clear them, not good for your timing if you find yourself needing to blink a few times when you're ready to strike the cue ball. Glasses are better, yes you do get occasional glare even with an anti reflection coating, but the change of focus from cue ball to object ball is faster and the vision is also clearer.

[RogiBear]

I know what you mean about them clouding over. However I have never had a problem since I started using non preservative eye drops in sync. 1 drop in each eye before I put them in and thats it. More than comfortable for 14 hours at a time so no excessive blinking. This is what I use http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...ilpage_o01_s00

[mikeyd100]

I suppose we are all different but I get two sets of lenses from my Opticians.
Have my regular monthlies and also get some batches of dailies.

The dailies are much more comfortable.

Also a couple of drops of "comfort drops" helps too.... bang a small bottle in yer cue case