RunningAHEAD - Topic: Monovision Lasik

Timbodeener

posted: 12/29/2007 at 6:38 PM

I just had lasik surgery a week ago and decided to try the "monovision" which corrects one eye for distance and one eye for seeing up close (i.e. reading) for those of us with "aging eyes" that otherwise would require reading glasses. I am having some trouble adjusting to it and was wondering if anyone here has tried the monovision and can offer any insight as to if they adjusted and about how long it took.... One of the biggest problems is running in the dark after I get home from work....I use a headlamp but the monovision really tends to make things very blurry in the dark....I am having a little trouble with running on the soft-shoulders of the road when there is oncoming traffic....depth perception seems messed up some, and I'm afraid I might accidently step in a hole or trip over a big rock etc. Unfortunately, with my work schedule, I can only run in the dark at this time of year except for weekends... My eye doc wants me to give the monovision at least 3 months before deciding to keep it or not....I can get the "near vision" eye fixed to be the same as my distance eye at no additional charge if I decide I can't tolerate the monovision but then I'll need "cheater glasses" for all reading and up close work. I do like the fact that I can see the numbers on my running watch now though! Anybody else here have "monovision"? Tim

Jim2

posted: 12/29/2007 at 8:17 PM

I haven't had surgery. But I have used monovision contacts for 20 years. It only took a few days for me to adjust to them. But, with contacts the adjustment is all mental. There isn't a physical healing factor as there would be following surgery.

rururunner

posted: 12/29/2007 at 10:28 PM

I can't tell you about Lasik surgery, but I've done the same thing with "bifocal" contact lenses. It took me about 3 months to adjust and I started off with some nausea. I do have some night vision halos but it's not bad. I've had my vision corrected like this for 6 months and I am very happy that I don't have to have "cheater" glasses anymore. I love it. Hope that this help. Good luck.

Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.

lakerunr

posted: 12/30/2007 at 7:41 AM

I used to wear mono-vision contacts. It worked well except that I could not tolerate wearing contacts for more than 8 or 9 hours. At age 51 I developed cataracts in both eyes, had my natural lenses remove and artificial ones implanted. Now they have "bi-focal" implants, but not when I had it done. The doc talked about possible mono-vision then, but if I didn't like it I was stuck with it for life, so I opted for distance only. I currently wear reading glasses for fine print only, don't need them for computers. I don't wish cataracts on anyone, but now that it's done at least my vision is stable. My wife had mono-vision Lasik, but still uses reading glasses.

Timbodeener

posted: 12/30/2007 at 2:44 PM

Thanks for the replies... I just ran 5 miles in the daylight and no problem at all with the vision....wish I could run in daylight all the time.

spacityrunner

posted: 12/30/2007 at 2:55 PM

10 years ago I had monovision Lasik....I still have 20/20 vision using both eyes...but my night vision sucks! The halos are almost gone, but I have a very difficult time with distance vision. Sooooo...I went and begged the eye guy to give me perscip distance vision glasses. He did not want to cause I have 20/20...but at that time I was driving and couldn't see anything at night. That was about 4 years ago...I don't wear them hardly at all now...but one thing is that I am not driving now (DC has a great Metro system). And to just see to get around...well...it is not that important for what I am doing. But, if I were to start running at night again...I would start wearing them again. Cause I do want to see where I am going and who is around. Smile

I love my monovision...I do not need glasses to read, or to do most other things....and I would not change it. I did not have any trouble adjusting to it, but the eye guy had me wear contact lenses that replicated the lasik for about 2 weeks prior to agreeing to the lasik...just to see if I could do it. I was not prepared for the halos...and at times I questioned my decision (remember this was 10 years ago, when it first became popular), but today...I LOVE IT!!!!

Trails Rock!

Timbodeener

posted: 12/30/2007 at 5:38 PM

I did ask about glasses for better night vision but the doc said I'd have to wait at least another month to see where my prescription ends up after full healing of the eyes....I also plan on getting a contact lens for the "near eye" to use when I referee ice hockey games so maybe I'll just plan on using the contact for night running as well. One of the reasons I went with the lasik is because I hated wearing glasses when running or doing anything that would cause me to sweat....I could never keep the sweat off my glasses even with head bands, hats, and even those "specialty" sweatbands like the "Sweat Gutr".....nothing worked. It is nice to not worry about glasses for running now. Thanks for your input Liz! Glad to hear you like the monovision...I hope to adjust because I really would like not needing glasses at all... P.S. I don't seem to be having problems with halo's around lights....guess I'm lucky in that respect.

Crabby

Dog-Love

posted: 12/30/2007 at 9:45 PM

Thanks for asking that question because I had Lasik surgery in November and am approaching what my eye doctor calls the 3 month benchmark when healing has stabilized. I had both eyes done and one is really good (although short of 20/20) and the other one is definitely weaker (20/30 or less). So I am going to have the free enhancement to fix them but was given the option of making the best one really sharp and leaving the other. Essentially monovision. So I am deciding if I want 2 sharp eyes and reading glasses or mono vision. My brain is completely used to the semi-monovision that I have now. Reading all your posts is helping me think about both sides. I love running without glasses in rainy/snowy Juneau. And when the sun comes out I get to wear real sunglasses. I never could wear contacts.

Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

spacityrunner

posted: 12/31/2007 at 8:35 AM

The best is being able to wake up in the morning and NOT have to fumble for your glasses to see the alarm clock...and so many other things that you can now do without glasses. Lasik was the best for me, but I do know people that did not have a good result and have struggled so it is not something to enter into lightly. As for glasses while running...I wear sunglasses during my daytime runs. Won't leave home without them, even on cloudy days. The few times that I have forgotten to put them on I usually end up with "stuff" blowing into my eyes, vehicle exhaust causing them to be red and watery, etc. etc. So, nighttime is no different for me. And my eyes are protected from unseen branches sticking out, etc. And, depending on where I am running (short run that is well lit, well traveled area), sometimes I do go out without them...it is a choice I have today... Good luck to everyone who has just had this, or is thinking about it. It is a great freedom.

Trails Rock!

Monovision Lasik (Read 1040 times)