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Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying



 
 
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  #11  
Old March 21st 18, 08:32 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Peter Whitehead
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Posts: 27
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

The thread was regarding the possibility of using multi-focal INTRA-Ocular lenses at cataract surgery, not contact lenses.
I would suggest looking at the website www.allaboutvision.com and choose 'multifocal IOL's' to learn a bit more.
I am a family doctor, not an ophthalmologist, but as a glider pilot flying in the same sky as you, maybe one day, I might prefer that you opt for single focus lenses for distance vision. My understanding is that the clarity of distance vision is less good with multi-focal IOL's.
Good luck with your choice.
  #12  
Old March 21st 18, 03:07 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

Well, I already have fixed lenses implanted, but I'm very curious about
how the multifocal lenses work.Â* Since they're fixed in your eye, it
seems to me that you don't shift your eyes up or down for distant or
near vision as you did when you were young and had flexible lenses in
your eyes.Â* So how does it work?Â* Do you need to train yourself
(accommodate) to the fact that near objects will focus high on the
retina and distant objects will be nearer to the center or bottom?Â* Is
it simply a matter of getting used to it and the brain does what it does
so well?

On 3/20/2018 7:21 PM, jfitch wrote:
On Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at 2:22:16 PM UTC-7, teck48 wrote:
Thanks for the thoughts. I'm 65 and fairly active. I'm a hobby glider pilot. And small dinghy sailor. I make videos and do a lot of computer and writing work.

I'm extremely near sighted but not astigmatic. I'm a fussy ******* about glasses, but once these replacement lenses are implanted it's a bit late to be fussy....

–Tom

The multifocal contact lenses come with a prescription correction for far field vision, so they correct that at the same time. It should give you an idea of how your new lenses will work.

I wear one multifocal contact lens while flying or anytime I'm out and around. This lets me see the instrument panel, charts, phone, menu or whatever. My distance vision is still better than 20/20 with it in. The contact lens is a bit of a PITA (in, out, and care), so if I had cataracts I would do the multifocal lens replacement, but I'd shop carefully. I've tried about 5 different types of multifocal contacts, and some certainly worked better (for me) than others.

I've found a pair of sunglasses that I like for flying with or without the multifocal lens. The reason I like them over others I've tried is that the bifocal cheater can be ordered larger and higher than most (which covers the instrument panel better without the neck craning) and they are also available in gradient shading, which keeps from shading the instrument panel. They are available with a prescription correction if you need it.

https://flyingeyesoptics.com/product...on-rx-bifocal/


--
Dan, 5J
  #13  
Old March 21st 18, 03:09 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Retting
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Posts: 121
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

J Fitch was making a good suggestion to try multi-focal contacts BEFORE going under the knife. I tried multi-focal contacts and opted for mono-focal. I found the multi to be problematic, distracting. Distance vision field reduce. Flying Boeings and racing gliders, I wear tri-focals sunglasses ....Plano/1.0/2.0. 1.0 for the panel and 2.0 for the charts. Plano is no correction on top half of lense.
When I have cataract surgery, I will go with mono for the best possible distance vision. Since I always wear sunglasses, let those handle the ‘close in, reading’ issues.
Cheers,
R
  #14  
Old March 21st 18, 03:57 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Michael Opitz
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Posts: 318
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

At 14:09 21 March 2018, Retting wrote:
J Fitch was making a good suggestion to try multi-focal contacts

BEFORE
goi=
ng under the knife. I tried multi-focal contacts and opted for

mono-focal.
=
I found the multi to be problematic, distracting. Distance vision

field
red=
uce. Flying Boeings and racing gliders, I wear tri-focals sunglasses
....Pl=
ano/1.0/2.0. 1.0 for the panel and 2.0 for the charts. Plano is no
correcti=
on on top half of lense.
When I have cataract surgery, I will go with mono for the best

possible
dis=
tance vision. Since I always wear sunglasses, let those handle the

=E2=80=
=98close in, reading=E2=80=99 issues.=20
Cheers,
R

Henry,

I tried the trifocals as my vision deteriorated with age, but I became
exasperated with the small field of view afforded by them for
intermediate and near vision. They effectively made me a "bobble-
head" because I had to turn my head to look through the small part
of the lens where the correction was. It was my AME who suggested
that I go to soft contact lenses for distant vision, while using bifocal
cheaters for the intermediate and near vision. That is what I wound
up doing. The intermediate field of view in a bifocal cheater is
around 70% of the glass area which is vastly increased from where
it is in a trifocal lens. I was always taught to move my eyes as
much as possible without moving my head in order to avoid spatial
disorientation. Using the bifocal cheaters allowed me to look at my
co-pilot's instruments while rolling down the runway without having
to move my head. Looking above the cheaters for distance vision
allows for totally normal distance vision. That is the system which I
still use today, and when I have to get cataract surgery, I will opt for
the best single vision distance correction that can be achieved (to
try and get me back close to the 20/10 vision of my youth) while
dealing with either bifocal or single vision cheaters, depending on
how good the accommodation of the implanted lens is.

FWIW....

RO

  #15  
Old March 21st 18, 04:05 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 465
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

In multifocals different parts of the lens (e.g., concentric rings) focuses images from different distances onto the same part of the retina. This necessarily means less contrast (focused image superimposed on blurred image).. As I get older I seem to crave more contrast. Maybe that's why, when I tried multifocal contact lenses briefly, I didn't like them, and stuck with monofocal plus reading glasses. I use bifocal glasses over my contacts when flying.

See, e.g., here for more info:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/bifocals.htm
  #16  
Old March 21st 18, 04:10 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 465
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 11:00:07 AM UTC-4, Michael Opitz wrote:
... I was always taught to move my eyes as much as possible
without moving my head in order to avoid spatial disorientation. ...


I wonder about that claim. An instructor once got upset, for that reason, when I moved my head to look out to the side during the landing flare, to better estimate height above the runway. But I do that all the time when riding a bicycle (checking for traffic in all directions including behind me), and that has never caused any problem?
  #17  
Old March 21st 18, 04:55 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Michael Opitz
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Posts: 318
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

At 15:10 21 March 2018, wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 11:00:07 AM UTC-4, Michael

Opitz wrote:
... I was always taught to move my eyes as much as possible
without moving my head in order to avoid spatial disorientation.

...

I wonder about that claim. An instructor once got upset, for that

reason,
=
when I moved my head to look out to the side during the landing

flare, to
b=
etter estimate height above the runway. But I do that all the time

when
ri=
ding a bicycle (checking for traffic in all directions including behind
me)=
, and that has never caused any problem?


That comes from my USAF fighter pilot days, and is especially
noticeable to me when pulling G's. I could give myself a pretty
severe case of SD if I snapped my neck/head while pulling some sort
of rolling G maneuver. It could even happen on a clear blue day. I
learned very early on to make slow and deliberate movements with
my head and neck, while moving my eyes quickly to see what I
needed to see. It is also applicable to transport aircraft in IFR
conditions, and will result in "the leans" or a false sense of where
the horizon actually is.

You don't get the G forces when riding your bicycle or during the
landing of your glider, and the visual cues from your eyes are
generally strong enough to override other inputs from your inner
ear's semi circular canals. It is when the visual cues are wrong
(slanted cloud deck, etc) that the sensory cues get scrambled -
which can lead to SD. The kind of SD that can be gotten when the
inner ear actually overrides the visual inputs can be extremely
disorienting to the point where one feels like you are tumbling, and
more...

RO

  #18  
Old March 21st 18, 05:17 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Tango Whisky
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Posts: 402
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

Le mercredi 21 mars 2018 17:00:08 UTC+1, Michael Opitz a écritÂ*:
At 15:10 21 March 2018, wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 11:00:07 AM UTC-4, Michael

Opitz wrote:
... I was always taught to move my eyes as much as possible
without moving my head in order to avoid spatial disorientation.

..

I wonder about that claim. An instructor once got upset, for that

reason,
=
when I moved my head to look out to the side during the landing

flare, to
b=
etter estimate height above the runway. But I do that all the time

when
ri=
ding a bicycle (checking for traffic in all directions including behind
me)=
, and that has never caused any problem?


That comes from my USAF fighter pilot days, and is especially
noticeable to me when pulling G's. I could give myself a pretty
severe case of SD if I snapped my neck/head while pulling some sort
of rolling G maneuver. It could even happen on a clear blue day. I
learned very early on to make slow and deliberate movements with
my head and neck, while moving my eyes quickly to see what I
needed to see. It is also applicable to transport aircraft in IFR
conditions, and will result in "the leans" or a false sense of where
the horizon actually is.

You don't get the G forces when riding your bicycle or during the
landing of your glider, and the visual cues from your eyes are
generally strong enough to override other inputs from your inner
ear's semi circular canals. It is when the visual cues are wrong
(slanted cloud deck, etc) that the sensory cues get scrambled -
which can lead to SD. The kind of SD that can be gotten when the
inner ear actually overrides the visual inputs can be extremely
disorienting to the point where one feels like you are tumbling, and
more...

RO


Not much to do with vision.
The brain can resolve contradictive input from innera ear, seat pan and vision (and with beginners, typically for only limited time).

However, the brain *cannot* work with significant acceleration info from the inner ear around two different axes. If you turn your head rapidly to the side under g-load, you *will* loose spatial orientation.

Simple test: While standing, bend down around the waist and turn around your vertical axis 10 times as fast as you can. Then raise to normal position and start to run straight to some target. You will drop to the floor within 5 meters.

  #19  
Old March 21st 18, 05:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
jfitch
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Posts: 1,134
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 12:32:22 AM UTC-7, Peter Whitehead wrote:
The thread was regarding the possibility of using multi-focal INTRA-Ocular lenses at cataract surgery, not contact lenses.
I would suggest looking at the website www.allaboutvision.com and choose 'multifocal IOL's' to learn a bit more.
I am a family doctor, not an ophthalmologist, but as a glider pilot flying in the same sky as you, maybe one day, I might prefer that you opt for single focus lenses for distance vision. My understanding is that the clarity of distance vision is less good with multi-focal IOL's.
Good luck with your choice.


While the thread is about IOLs, my suggestion is to try contacts with the same optics before you have your eyes cut.

Multifocal lenses come in a variety of optical strategies: center distance and peripheral near correction, center near and peripheral distance, several concentric rings, true aspheric, pinhole focus, etc. IOLs come in some variety too though maybe not as much. All of these work by casting two or more complete images on the retina. Your brain must sort through which to look at, and many people's brains do a remarkably good job of it. Some not so good. Among the complaints are blurry vision and bad night vision (halos around light sources). Another is that it isn't as good as a set of proper reading glasses for long term reading or computer work, and IOLs can't be removed and left on the vanity. Having IOLs put in without knowing whether your brain will adapt, or which multifocal strategy you or your brain prefer, is roulette. However you may adapt very well and love it, which is why I suggest trying it with contacts first.

Even with 2 multifocal contact lenses my vision is 20/20. A large number of pilots have worse vision than someone with a multifocal lens - it is an individual thing.
  #20  
Old March 21st 18, 05:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)
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Posts: 1,383
Default Recommendations for cataract surgery lenses for flying

Yep, an "educated butt feel" can help.
Reminds me of "dark night upset training" for my private SEL ticket.
The CFI would have me let go of controls, he would mess up the aircraft, then say, "your plane!".
My butt told me what was going on.

Until, he figured out how I was doing so well. Then he did another test but was VERY careful doing about 180* from that and said, "your plane".
Yep, over the top, he grabbed the plane. I was relying on developed senses, NOT looking at the panel.
Sigh.
Good lesson for me.

Yanking your head around while pulling some G's and looking over your shoulder, maybe in rough air......it all adds up.

Yes, back on topic, getting older sucks. I still have good distance vision, but need correction for closer things.
I have prescription glasses for reading/computer, cheap glasses for "in your face" work like under a car dash.

I have heard of issues with LASIK, mostly in night situations. Seems to be an issue with "stars" in glare.
Any comments?

No, I have nothing meaningful for the original intent of this thread.
Sorry.
 




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