Depth Perception

I consider myself lucky. I have a good eye and a bad eye. That means that I got glasses when I was five and contacts when I was in the fourth grade. It means that I struggled with any sports that required a good judge of distance (i.e. hand-eye coordination, ball sports, etc.). What makes me fortunate is that I don't have a lazy eye, which is often the result of such an extreme difference between how my eyes see. My left eye is nearly 20/20 (though only at my distance vision now), but my right eye requires +3 correction for distance and +5.5 for reading.

The discrepancy manifests in trail running because depth perception is required to get a good read on a technical trail, and when your eyes are as different as mine, it ruins your depth perception. I often trip or stumble, even when I am not tired. Currently, I use a reading prescription contact lens in my right eye and nothing in my left. This works well for work. I can see the computer, but I can also see people approaching and recognize them, something that doesn't work when I wear reading glasses.

I visited the eye doctor on Friday with the goal of getting an extended wear distance prescription contact for my right eye so that my depth perception is the best it can be, and so that I don't have to stick a dirty finger in my eye in order to remove/insert a daily-style contact lens. I was planning to carry a cheap, light pair of readers so I can see my watch. My doctor was hesitant to have my leave the contact in my eye overnight, even though the contacts are made for that. She was worried about an infection. She gave me an extended (30-day) contact to try. They are thicker, but it only took my eye a few hours to adjust to it. At first it felt like I had an eyelash in my eye. I did notice that it dries out in the wind easily, which could be an issue on the PCT, not so much because of wind but because I will likely be dehydrated.

Meanwhile, checking out with Geoffrey, who gives you pricing and also fits glasses, I asked about sunglasses and what type would be best to view my watch. He said to rule out polarized lenses. This eventually led to a great idea! I have ordered a pair of fairly light brown (best for contrast) sunglasses that give good coverage and fit closely. They will have a very slight correction in my left lens just to give me perfect 20/20 distance vision in my left (good eye) so I can see that the dark thing in the distance is actually a bear, and they will also have a small, bifocal circle on the lower left so that I can read my watch. The right lens will have no correction, and I will wear a contact lens to correct for distance vision. Brilliant! I had no idea you could do such a thing. I was able to custom position the bifocal part, instead of having the lower half of the lens be the reading prescription and the upper half distance, which is what you normally get with a bifocal.

I can't wait to try them out in a few weeks! I think they will be a great addition to my trail running gear. I did use the extended-wear distance prescription contact in my right eye running on Chuckanut Mountain this weekend, and for the first time since starting on trails this year, I didn't trip or stumble once!

I'll post a picture with the new glasses when they arrive!

~LTR