Eye care

[lionking]

Obviously being able to see well is important to good shooting. I personally have had bad eyes since 2nd grade wearing lenses my sight has been normal with lenses but as many of you know with age it becomes more difficult.

I'm 52 now, in very good health overall. When I turned around 40 is when I needed progressive lenses , you know when your sight up close doesn't work compared to distance. That makes it a little difficult for front sight focus since sights are never that far away which means tilting my head up so I look through the bottom of my lenses to see a clear front sight or shooting normal and dealing with extra effort on the front sight , which is what I do and can still shoot pretty good.

Three years ago I had cataract surgery on my right eye (I'm left eye dominant) it was amazing how clear things became, and had them correct astigmatism also so now anything past 8 yards or so I'm 20/20 with no need for lenses just need them for close reading and such. But I'm left eye dominant and they say my left eye cataract is so small they don't want to do the left eye yet.

I also take vitamins, and also lutein supplements which is known to keep eyes healthy. I also have the cob web floaters in my eyes but there is nothing that can be done about that you just have to live with it.

So the point and questions are, do any of you take particular vitamins or supplements for your eyes?

If you have a cataract I suggest doing the surgery you will be amazed. I personally had it done at St Luke's eye center the next day I was seeing better than I ever had before in my right eye with no need for lenses except for close up. Right after I said " do my left eye too!" but they said no not until the cataract gets worse.

 

[Kaybee]

I'm not sure you can target nutrition to specifically just help your eyes but the good news is a healthy lifestyle an go a long ways towards your eyes along with the rest of your body. Eat well and get exercise and make sure you have lots of water. Eat your veggies.

Its proven that Smoking and excessive alcohol can damage your eyes over time, along with all the other problems.

UV sunglasses in the outdoors. Don't stare at a computer screen for an hour without looking away for a little break. Were googles in the shop and of course make sure you were your shooting glasses!

 

[rpenmanparker]

Try shooting with both eyes open. The better eye should support the inferior one. Also try a red dot sight.

 

[MI2600]

My optometrist recommended Bausch&Lomb's "Areds", available in most drugs stores, but buy them on Amazon. I don't know if they've helped, but I'm afraid to stop taking them.

 

[.308 Norma]

So the point and questions are, do any of you take particular vitamins or supplements for your eyes?

My wife and I have both had laser cataract surgery on both eyes, and the results were amazing. No more astigmatism, and our eyes are perfect now for distant vision. We both still need glasses for reading - just like we started needing in our 40s - 30 years ago. However, we both wear impact resistant, progressive lens glasses (with no correction in the upper lenses) all the time anyway. The impact resistant lens provide a little protection (however minimal) for everyday activities like shooting a starling in the current bushes from the back door, mowing the lawn, or doing a little woodworking in the basement. Plus, we don't have to reach for our reading glasses when the mail comes.
But to answer your question, my wife has macular degeneration - the dry kind, not the kind that makes you go blind. So her Optometrist told her to start taking Lutein with Zeaxanthin 7 or 8 years ago. Last year her Optometrist told her that the macular degeneration is actually showing signs of improvement.
BTW, back when I had to wear full-on progressive lenses, with correction in both the upper and lower lenses, using a rifle scope was a pain in the neck - literally. But with correction in the lower lenses only, I can see through my rifle scopes without craning my neck around at all. And I can shoot just as well with open sights as I ever could - peep/aperture sights work even better.

 

[exbrit49]

I have had retinal detachments and have a Macula problem in the right eye. Both of my retinal specialists have advised me to take the vitamis, Lutien and Zeaxanthin. Supplements.. The Bausch&Lomb's "Areds" are great but pretty expensive. I checked Walmart's brand and it was less than 1/3 the price, Just read the ingredient label and they are identical.
I have been taking them for over 4 years now and my eyes are holding steady. I had to switch to shooting left eyed but right handed but after a few months of intense practice am back tp my old shooting skills. RIfle is more difficult and i have to use a scope.
Getting older means making some adjustments but i am still loving my shooting sports.
SO heres to us older shooters, we canstill shoot well. Dont want to boast but still shooting 1 5/8 groups off hand with the .357 and 45 acp and Colt. So keep on enjoying the hobby.

 

[rpenmanparker]

My optometrist recommended Bausch&Lomb's "Areds", available in most drugs stores, but buy them on Amazon. I don't know if they've helped, but I'm afraid to stop taking them.

Costco has them for a decent price. Areds 2.

 

[rpenmanparker]

My wife and I have both had laser cataract surgery on both eyes, and the results were amazing. No more astigmatism, and our eyes are perfect now for distant vision. We both still need glasses for reading - just like we started needing in our 40s - 30 years ago. However, we both wear impact resistant, progressive lens glasses (with no correction in the upper lenses) all the time anyway. The impact resistant lens provide a little protection (however minimal) for everyday activities like shooting a starling in the current bushes from the back door, mowing the lawn, or doing a little woodworking in the basement. Plus, we don't have to reach for our reading glasses when the mail comes.
But to answer your question, my wife has macular degeneration - the dry kind, not the kind that makes you go blind. So her Optometrist told her to start taking Lutein with Zeaxanthin 7 or 8 years ago. Last year her Optometrist told her that the macular degeneration is actually showing signs of improvement.
BTW, back when I had to wear full-on progressive lenses, with correction in both the upper and lower lenses, using a rifle scope was a pain in the neck - literally. But with correction in the lower lenses only, I can see through my rifle scopes without craning my neck around at all. And I can shoot just as well with open sights as I ever could - peep/aperture sights work even better.

We do the same. Wear those glasses all the time. Much more convenient than reading glasses or bifocals. And Areds has all that stuff in it.

 

[MI2600]

When my optometrist told me about Areds, she said there was the standard Areds and Areds 2. She added that the Areds 2 didn't really have any more advantages.

 

[rpenmanparker]

When my optometrist told me about Areds, she said there was the standard Areds and Areds 2. She added that the Areds 2 didn't really have any more advantages.

Quite possibly. It is, however, what Costco carries.

 

[Whiterook808]

Most people I know end up getting both eyes done, one soon after the other. When my wife got her left eye done, her ophthalmologist told her that he would do the right side if it bothered her. Now we are older and have Medicare, so that may have been a factor. In any case she complained that it was driving her nuts and he did the second eye for her. My cataract isn't bad enough yet, but when my time comes I am getting both done.

 

[bob_atl]

I've been taking Lutein for years, now AREDS2. the 2 version is supposedly slightly better, according to the manufacturers studies & its what my wife & take now twice a day. We both have had cataract surgery and laser shaping afterwards - god bless modern science !! I'm better than 20/20 mid range.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I'm pretty sure OP could find an ophthalmologist who would do his second eye under his insurance plan just on the basis of consistency between the two eyes. Now that it is no longer necessary to wait for the cataracts to "ripen" (harden) before removing them, I have never heard of just doing one.

 

[hso]

means tilting my head up so I look through the bottom of my lenses

If you get glasses made with the bifocal in "occupational" configuration (near on top) and have the top set for arms or computer length you won't have to tilt your head.

 

[JTHunter]

Decades ago, my 1st grade teacher realized I was having problems. On the way home from the optometrist with my first pair of glasses, I asked my mother what the "ropes" were that stretched between the poles lining the street. She then realized that I was so near-sighted that I had never actually seen the powerlines and phone wires on the poles around the neighborhood.
About 10-15 years ago, they tried to put me in bifocals BUT the insurance wouldn't pay for lenses that were "half & half", but only for the thumbnail-sized "D" tops. The next glasses I got after that, I went back to single vision lenses. If I need to read the fine print ingredient list on a box or can, I just lift my glasses and read it easily. I can't focus at close ranges now and have to use a cheap pair of readers hung in front of my glasses to see the computer screen.
Getting old is the PITS !!

 

[entropy]

I'm pretty sure OP could find an ophthalmologist who would do his second eye under his insurance plan just on the basis of consistency between the two eyes. Now that it is no longer necessary to wait for the cataracts to "ripen" (harden) before removing them, I have never heard of just doing one.

I have. I see it all the time. (I am an optician-That is I fit and dispense glasses.) As a matter of fact the OD I work with has had one eye done, and has been keeping tabs on the other for several years, with little change.
With the advances being made in IOL's (InterOcularLenses, the artifical replacement for your crystalline lens that became hardened first (necessitating near vision correction) then opaque, (cataracts) I almost can't wait to have IOL's put in. (no cataracts forming yet) I am hoping that by the time I need them, the newest versions, which will actually accomodate (be able to be shaped by the zonules, like the crystalline lens does) will have had the bugs worked out, and be perfected. Some of you already know what the ones that can correct astigmatism can do, sometimes with LASIK, sometimes without. The technology that is coming down the line in optics is truly amazing.

 

[Yo Mama]

My optometrist recommended Bausch&Lomb's "Areds", available in most drugs stores, but buy them on Amazon. I don't know if they've helped, but I'm afraid to stop taking them.

Areds 2 is now the gold standard. Beta carotene was in the first version and lead to heart attacks on smokers. Also with Areds 2 there us a 1 percent increase in prostate cancer which is fixable while eyes are really not.

 

[James Robinson]

AREDS do not work. AREDS2 was quite different but we thought better. New data coming out says the Zinc actually increases the risk of wet ARMD so I’m taking all my patients off anything with zinc. I tell them to stop smoking if you do, always use UV protection, and a supplement with lutein and meso-zeaxanthin is your best bet. Genetics plays a major role however.

 

[lionking]

Thanks for the replies I learned something from this never really looked into AREDS2 before

 

[torchroadster]

AREDS do not work. AREDS2 was quite different but we thought better. New data coming out says the Zinc actually increases the risk of wet ARMD so I’m taking all my patients off anything with zinc. I tell them to stop smoking if you do, always use UV protection, and a supplement with lutein and meso-zeaxanthin is your best bet. Genetics plays a major role however.

Can you recommend by name such a supplement?

 

[lionking]

If you get glasses made with the bifocal in "occupational" configuration (near on top) and have the top set for arms or computer length you won't have to tilt your head.

I actually don't tilt my head just can't shoot that way especially rifle I just use the normal way looking through the top half of my glasses and deal with it. Font sight isn't as clear that way but with extra effort I still shoot decent. It is why these days the longer the barrel on a rifle and sight radius the better for me. I still shoot carbine rifles but it isn't as good as a 24" or 26" barrel for me.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Can you recommend by name such a supplement?

That would be AREDS 2 like we were talking about.