Optical Prescriptions and Golf

[slowhand]

A couple of years ago my eyesight worsened to the point that I now wear varifocals all the time. I am long sighted, so my close up prescription is quite strong, and gets progressively weaker the further away I need to focus. Unfortunately, this means I cannot wear my glasses for golf as when I address the ball, the part of the lens I need to look through to see it is the wrong strength for the distance, so the ball is all blurry. I have taken to not wearing glasses at all when I play, so watching the ball flight is fine (ish), as is addressing it. Reading a putt is doable, but I cannot read my scorecard clearly, and have had to get a Bushnell Phantom 2 for my GPS as it has large numbers!

I have tried contacts, but with my prescription they have to compromise with the 2 extremes as they cannot fit the full range of strength, so I have blurry far distance and slightly blurry close, and this compromises my driving (in a car to and from the course, not off the tee ). My question is, has anyone tried any other solutions? Solutions that have been suggested include 2 contacts of different prescriptions (one for each eye), as well as adjusted prescription lenses, but I have not yet tried this. I would prefer a contact lens route, as this means I can use my existing golf sunglasses, rather than have to fork out for several new sets of prescription lenses.

TIA

 

[CliveW]

There are different types of variofocal lenses that you can get. They have different patterns of magnification and more gradual magnification between near and far vision with less distortion. Speak to your optometrist.

 

[RichA]

If it's just your scorecard and gps, why not attach a magnifying glass on a lanyard to your trolley?

 

[backwoodsman]

You say you've tried contact lenses - does that mean you have, or haven't, tried (or at least considered) varifocal contact lenses?

 

[GG26]

I wear varifocals normally, but for golf have a cheap pair of single vision glasses.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I wear contacts. I sometimes wear mixed prescriptions, distance prescription in dominant eye, near vision in other. Works great in many circumstances but I lose some stereoscopic distance perception, so driving at night is not so good, and on the golf course I can lose track of exactly where my ball goes if off line. So for golf I generally use distance vision in both. As I hate fiddling around with near vision glasses on and off to read stuff whilst on the course i tend to enter my score after the round, and not use such as a course planner. My on course distance stuff is using a rangefinder and that does me just fine.

 

[Mandofred]

A guy I worked with (played a round a couple of months ago with him) had his eyes lasered years ago...15+? Had one eye adjusted for reading and one for distance...he loved it.

 

[SteveJay]

I have similar dilemma to you. Wear varifocal glasses but prefer single vision glasses or contacts for golf.
I have some single vision glasses and sunglasses which I use at times but in the main now wear contacts for golf. My prescription prevents me from using the latest varifocal contact lenses.

I discussed the requirements with my optician as I too struggle to read my watch etc with my lenses in. Rather than carry reading gases to check my scorecard, GPS watch etc I now use different strength contacts, with my left one weaker so it allows me to read.

Funnily enough I did just use one lens in my dominant right eye for some time, Its strange how you brain adjusts and allows you to see OK despite only one eye being clear for distance.

I'd chat to your optician. I tried a few different strengths before getting a compromise that I was happy with.

 

[Yorkhacker]

I wear Varifocals for long sightedness all the time without issue. The Op says he can't wear them because the ball is all blurry at address, but does that matter, as long as you can line yourself up correctly? I often don't look directly at the ball when striking it, preferring a spot just north of the ball, without any issues.

 

[IanM]

I play golf in contact lenses of different strengths for near and distance. It works really well. But the optician has to get the balance right or you get a little giddy. Just getting the two distances corrected isnt enough.

I'm lucky in that my sister is a contact lens specialist, she recently fixed an issue my local optician missed. Now I'm seeing as well with contact lenses as with glasses. (She's in Hertfordshire, so I get eyes tested locally, but she makes my glasses and sends me lenses)

I wasn't happy with my quality of vision on the golf course so made a trip to see her for a specific golf eye exam. The difference is amazing. In summary, I'm now using toric lenses which correct an astigmatism and have a better balance between the close and distance contact lens prescriptions.

Make sure you go to a decent practice. The chain opticians get told to spend a fixed time with each person regardless.

And if you're near Radlett, Hertfordshire, my Sis is a blooming genius!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have similar dilemma to you. Wear varifocal glasses but prefer single vision glasses or contacts for golf.
I have some single vision glasses and sunglasses which I use at times but in the main now wear contacts for golf. My prescription prevents me from using the latest varifocal contact lenses.

I discussed the requirements with my optician as I too struggle to read my watch etc with my lenses in. Rather than carry reading gases to check my scorecard, GPS watch etc I now use different strength contacts, with my left one weaker so it allows me to read.

Funnily enough I did just use one lens in my dominant right eye for some time, Its strange how you brain adjusts and allows you to see OK despite only one eye being clear for distance.

I'd chat to your optician. I tried a few different strengths before getting a compromise that I was happy with.

Exactly my vision solution and experiences. It’s weird how the brain works it all out and indeed though I will usually wear a close vision lens in my non-dominant eye I have found that in fact I can completely do without a lens in it.

For golf and when I might not need to read much when out and about I still prefer to use a distance lens in non-dominant eye. That said I recently had changed the prescription for my dominant eye lens and so the balance may be better and so better balance on golf course - we will see (sorry).

 

[pendodave]

Slightly irrelevant, but I have an astigmatism and wear glasses for anything further away than reading. I got a new pair recently, and I think the lenses were slightly wonky in the frames. They were were fine for normal stuff, but when I looked down the ground appeared tilted towards me slightly.
Completely destroyed my putting, as even after lining the ball line up, my brain was convinced that every putt had a right to left break as soon as I stood over the ball.
I live in Herts, so might pop over to Radlett... which practice is your sister IanM?

 

[IanM]

She runs a private practice from her house these days, just up from the station. I'll mention this to her and message you her number!

 

[Alan Clifford]

Gas permiable contacts give a better range than soft lenses. I still can't get perfect distance and reading so I chose to have them best for distance and carry a pair of +1.5s for reading. Optomotrists do sometimes recomend a distance lens in one eye and a near lens in the other so worth discussing with your optomotrist.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I went out this evening with close vision CL in one eye and distance in dominant eye - did this as sight-seeing then dinner so need to read map and menu whilst able to see what I’ve gone to see. Eye with close vision CL had irritation so took lens and did without. Brain sorted it so that I didn’t notice I was only seeing distance with one eye…and could read menu with the other my close vision without a lens is ok…clever thing yer brain.

 

[sjw]

The brain is incredibly clever. Apparently if you wear those upside down glasses for long enough, you start to see everything right-way-up again! I always think that's fascinating.

 

[Mandofred]

All I can say is https://selkirkgolfclub.co.uk/golf-vision/

 

[clubchamp98]

My mate a lens technician made me a monocle to see my scorecard.
Might sound silly but belive me it’s great.
I use it for anything close up instead of changing glasses.

 

[Tashyboy]

I wear varifocals and trust me there are some rammel varifocals out there. For a lot of people ASDA varifocals are fine. But your optician should know what you need your glasses for ( golf).I got some from spec savers and they were complete and utter rammel. They went back. If varifocals are the only answer and am not sure they are. Get a decent pair.