LASIK and umpiring?

[SH0102]

Hi All,

    After years and years of hemming and hawing, I have scheduled a LASIK surgery for my baseball "offseason", so as not to interfere with umpiring.

However, I was offered the choice of traditional LASIK or "monovision" corrective surgery.

Apparently with monovision, they correct one eye for distance vision and the other for near sighted vision.  The benefit is that I would never need reading glasses down the road.  However, they did warn that one's depth perception might be slightly skewed, not enough to make you sick/dizzy, but it could theoretically impact umpiring with tracking baseballs and such.

So my question is, has anyone had the monovision surgery and still umpire?  Any noticeable difference?  They did a test today where I read the letter chart with my eyes corrected how it would be after monovision and I couldn't tell a difference (could see the letters fine), but that was letters on a motionless wall, not a 90mph moving projectile.

I also have the option to do monovision and have it corrected to LASIK after the fact for free, but that means 2 surgeries, so would rather avoid that if possible.

I know asking for medical advice on the internet is bad, so really just asking for people to share their experiences after corrective vision surgery with umpiring, especially if you had the monovision correction.

Thanks!

[834k3r]

First off, I had PRK in 2005 and it's been great (I went from 20/400 to 20/18). I think once you get the procedure (whichever you end up doing) you'll love the results.

That said, presbyopia is a thing for sure. I'm 52 and I use reading glasses extensively now, but I've never had a problem tracking the ball. The way I figure it, I don't need to see the rotation of the ball, I just need to call the pitch where it crosses the plate (or not). My vision does not hamper my ability to call pitches (despite what Johnny the Shortstop's dad thinks sitting in the bleachers).

I'd opt for the full LASIK, though I have non-umpire friends that have opted for the monovision and have had no problems.

[wolfe_man]

I had LASIK in 2002. I’m 20/15 in left eye and 20/20 in the right. I’ll be 45 and no reading glasses yet, so it’s holding up well so far.

[boyinr]

Never had LASIK but I’ve done the mono vision with contacts for 10 years. I absolutely love it.  I hated readers/cheaters. It took a couple of weeks to adjust but once it did I’ve never looked back.  

[umpstu]

7 hours ago, SH0102 said:

Hi All,

    After years and years of hemming and hawing, I have scheduled a LASIK surgery for my baseball "offseason", so as not to interfere with umpiring.

However, I was offered the choice of traditional LASIK or "monovision" corrective surgery.

Apparently with monovision, they correct one eye for distance vision and the other for near sighted vision.  The benefit is that I would never need reading glasses down the road.  However, they did warn that one's depth perception might be slightly skewed, not enough to make you sick/dizzy, but it could theoretically impact umpiring with tracking baseballs and such.

So my question is, has anyone had the monovision surgery and still umpire?  Any noticeable difference?  They did a test today where I read the letter chart with my eyes corrected how it would be after monovision and I couldn't tell a difference (could see the letters fine), but that was letters on a motionless wall, not a 90mph moving projectile.

I also have the option to do monovision and have it corrected to LASIK after the fact for free, but that means 2 surgeries, so would rather avoid that if possible.

I know asking for medical advice on the internet is bad, so really just asking for people to share their experiences after corrective vision surgery with umpiring, especially if you had the monovision correction.

Thanks!

I wear transitional progressive glasses and it took a couple of hours to adjust to different prescriptions when getting new glasses. I don't think it would take a lot to get used to.

What is the cost for the procedure by the way?

[SH0102]

6 hours ago, umpstu said:

What is the cost for the procedure by the way?

It’s about $4300 for procedure and lifetime “guarantee”, touch ups, etc. it also includes another procedure should I do mono vision and then want to switch to full lasik (can’t go the other way)

I spend $500 a year on eye exam and daily wear contact lenses so I’ll break even in 8.6 years

[834k3r]

14 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I had LASIK in 2002. I’m 20/15 in left eye and 20/20 in the right. I’ll be 45 and no reading glasses yet, so it’s holding up well so far.

I resigned myself to using readers about 5 years ago...so your time is coming.

[kylehutson]

On 9/12/2023 at 9:59 AM, 834k3r said:

I resigned myself to using readers about 5 years ago...so your time is coming.

Our stories are eerily similar. I'm 52 and in May 2018 I picked up my first pair of readers (easy to remember as it was my youngest child's graduation). After trying them for a bit, my eyes said "oh, I don't *have* to work this hard? Good, I won't then." I now carry these in my pocket (if not on my face) at all times.

[wolfe_man]

17 hours ago, kylehutson said:

Our stories are eerily similar. I'm 52 and in May 2018 I picked up my first pair of readers (easy to remember as it was my youngest child's graduation). After trying them for a bit, my eyes said "oh, I don't *have* to work this hard? Good, I won't then." I now carry these in my pocket (if not on my face) at all times.

My reading seems good still, but I am seeing some "floaters" at times which I'm told happens as you start to age.   If I turn my head too fast, then sometimes I may get a dark spot or shadow "floating" in my peripheral for a second before it clears up.

[834k3r]

20 hours ago, kylehutson said:

Our stories are eerily similar. I'm 52 and in May 2018 I picked up my first pair of readers (easy to remember as it was my youngest child's graduation). After trying them for a bit, my eyes said "oh, I don't *have* to work this hard? Good, I won't then." I now carry these in my pocket (if not on my face) at all times.

My "office pair" are on top of my head presently.

[kylehutson]

6 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

My reading seems good still, but I am seeing some "floaters" at times which I'm told happens as you start to age.   If I turn my head too fast, then sometimes I may get a dark spot or shadow "floating" in my peripheral for a second before it clears up.

Pfft. I've had "floaters" since elementary school. And yes, they're getting worse, but still not something I think about on a regular basis.

[BLWizzRanger]

My "office pair" are on top of my head presently.

Heck, I went all out and have one in my car, one in my wifes car, one near the home computer, one in the kitchen, one in my garage, one in my equipment bag and the one in my office are my newest prescription ones. Most of the others are dime store readers.



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[umpstu]

I retired from the Navy in 1995 with 20/15 vision. 36 years old. By the time I hit 40 my arms became too short for my eyes to be able to focus on letters while reading. All kinds of fuzzy around the edges. Got my first prescription and pair of glasses. Transitional progressives and have yet to look.  Not sure how I was 20/15 because I've always had an issue with depth perception and the glasses corrected it. And like Kyle Hutson I've had floaties as long as I can remember. Until I had my first prescription I never knew there were more people who experience this and that there was an actual name, floaties, for them. That's what my Dr called them. And I do wear them while umpiring. What are they going to say?  "Are you blind"?

 

[Richvee]

A few words on mono vision. I would highly suggest trying it out with contacts before slicing  your eyes and having permanent monovision. It works for some people. Drives others nuts. It will impact your depth perception, no matter how much you think you've "adjusted", your depth perception isn't what it should be.  Remember the plane that landed short of the runway at LaGuardia about a decade ago? Guess what kind of contacts that pilot was wearing? Yeah, he thought his  depth perception was fine too. Now there's a law against operating a plane wearing monovision contacts or surgery. Ultimately, it's a personal choice.   As an optician, I'd never recommend it. I advise everyone fix the distance, live with the readers, (cheaters). 

[834k3r]

19 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

Heck, I went all out and have one in my car, one in my wifes car, one near the home computer, one in the kitchen, one in my garage, one in my equipment bag and the one in my office are my newest prescription ones. Most of the others are dime store readers.

Costco is a wonderful thing.

[BLWizzRanger]

8 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

Costco is a wonderful thing.