Anybody out there had Lasik surgery or some other corrective eye surgery? I want to get back to playing baseball in an adult league, but as a former outfielder, I always relied on being able to pick the ball up off the bat.
Now—even with glasses—I’d probably have trouble tracking the flight of an aggressive hawk with designs on plucking out my eyes.
I’m interested to hear your experiences so I can decide what to do. I thank you in advance for scaring the bejesus out of me.
My wifes uncle had corrective eye surgery more than 10 years ago. Now he can’t stop rubbing his eyes, because they are dry and itchy. One of my friends had lasik about 5 years ago and he said it was the best thing he ever did. No problems whatsoever. My wife’s uncle had his surgery done in a small town in Illinois. My friend had it done at UCLA’s eye center and cost more. As with boob jobs, you probably get what you pay for.
Here’s Kathy Griffin’s nightmare story, Jeff:
http://www.kathygriffin.net/lasik.php
My brother in law had LASIK (or some variation thereof) done last October and he loves it. Said he had a problem with lights at night for the first couple of weeks but that went away.
I had Lasik on my right eye over two years ago (just one eye ‘cause my left eye is “lazy;” while it works, my brain doesn’t really use the image). I was wearing glasses at the time, and prior to that, one contact lens (when I felt like dealing with it). No problems whatsoever: no night-vision issues, no halos, no dryness, nothing. Best decision I ever made re: my eyesight.
Just do it. I had mine in ‘99, correcting farsightedness and astigmatism—the two “new kids” in the process. Up to then nearsightedness was the only available fix. Now, other than 1.5 reading glasses from the drugstore (I’m 56) I can SEE. After wearing glasses for everything, since the 1st grade. The process is no worse than a root canal or any other make-you-feel-creepy procedure. If you’re nearsighted, the benefits are immediate—farsighted 2 to 6 weeks to get the full benefit.
The only thing I wasn’t prepared for was the smell.
And I now know what’s in all those bottles the wife keeps in the shower stall. And I can actually watch the barber work. And—I can see my own eyes without the image being filtered through corrective lenses TWICE.
It’s the little things, ya’ know?
Um—in the MIRROR, that is. I can see my own eyes IN THE MIRROR. Shudder.
I had PRK in both eyes, but not at the same time. PRK is for large correction/thin cornea combinations that make Lasik problematic. Not sure if this applies for you.
Go get examined. I believe the exam is free, and they’ll tell you what’s the best thing. PRK is painful and you don’t get full vision as quickly, but it does work. My correction was about -9.5 diopters, and I was corrected to 20/20 in one try.
I recommend going with an outfit that’s got several branches and/or has been around for a while, because you’re probably going to want to be able to get it redone when you need it.
Try another approach . . . used for night baseball and duck/bird hunting.
While LASIK corrects your eyesight, contacts can improve your vision. I got a “stronger” prescription for contacts—now can pickup the seams of a curve ball, spot different types of ducks, and differentiate between hen and cock pheasants.
Regular contacts, Gary, or Accelerated Orthokeratology? I’m considering that, though I’ve always been creeped out by contacts.
Virginia Postrel had Lasik surgery in the last year or two—I assume she has archives, but am too lazy to look.
I use regular air permeable contacts with an increased prescription. Couldn’t handle the “hard” contacts.
. . . WALMART!
. . . ACUVUE!
Had Lasik in ‘04. Only problem is a bit of “starring” around bright objects against a dark background. It’s an annoyance, but that’s all.
I will say that the actual experience of the surgery is one of the least pleasant experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve lived in both Peoria and Detroit.
Jeff,
Started wearing glasses at age 10; switched to contacts at age 21; at age 45 (7 years ago) had Lasik surgery performed in Dallas. Best thing ever. And on the upside to that: they’ve greatly improved the process over the past 7 years!
I’ve read some horror stories, but I have dozens of friends who have had the procedure performed, and without exception, all are delighted with the results.
I had it done. Here’s the after photo. I can see through walls now. And I can see into your soul. Dr. Nosferatu is a magician!
Science is unsure how, exactly, that outfielders move to catch a fly ball.
It’s known as the Outfielder Problem.
Eyesight might not have that much to do with it.
BULL – cough – SHIT!!!
There goes the thread . . . into a black hole!
Unless you ignore . . . .
Not really, Gary.
Some scientists think that outfielders get all the info they need to intercept a fly ball from the crack of the bat.
If that’s the case, you need good hearing to be a good outfielder.
Had it done three years ago and love it. It’s great for all outdoor activities. One down side… it definitely made my geriatric presbyopia worse and I wear readers constantly at work.
But, not to wear corrective lenses while hunting, fishing, playing golf – very much worth it.
Oh, and I was completely not grossed out by PRK. In Lasik, they cut your cornea. In PRK, all they do is swab and blast away with the laser.
I’m told PRK is the only vision improvement surgery allowed for commercial pilots, but this could be as much bullshit as anything that falls out of alphie’s keyboard.
My wife needed glasses for serious nearsightedness since she was a child. She had Lasik maybe three months ago, and she’s practically an evangelist for the procedure now.
And she even had something that she described to me later as “a thin cornea,” which means whichever eye was so blessed can never have another go—so if it hadn’t worked this time she’d be stuck with what she got. In that eye.
The doctor suggested I could have one side done so I could stop having to use reading glasses, but I’ve tried to see out of eyes unevenly focused (don’t ask—it involved large amounts of Bacardi), and I’d rather wear glasses.
I had Lasik procedure in December and I’m soooo glad I did it. I went from seriously nearsigthed and astigmatism to a little better than 20-20. Everyhing is crisp and clear without all the usual hassles of contact lenses. The sharpest vision I’ve ever had.
I actually had them set me up with “mono-vision” where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for close-up. The advantage to this being that I won’t need to worry about reading glasses in coming years (I’m 40 now). It sounds funky, but your brain adjusts quickly and is able to reconcile the focal differences.
Whatever you do, be sure to go for all-laser lasik where they use a laser to slice the cornea. Also be sure you go to a doctor with lots of experience. I went to one of the best in SoCal and do not regret my decision.
Got PRK in both eyes (at the same time) a little over a year ago. Pretty bad pain for a few hours, significant discomfort for a week, and fuzzy vision for 3 weeks in the right eye. After that, smooth sailing; 20/20 in my left eye and 20/25 in my right.
…will believe anything.
Mens Rea:
OK, either that’s more common than I thought, or your name is Steve.
Maybe, McGehee.
And maybe Jeff should see if he can shag fly balls well enough to play with his current vision before trusting his precious eyes to scientists?
Hieroglyph albeit telemark, albatross.
I had LASIK done about five years ago. Totally botched it. Can’t see a thing. The good news is, the wife finally let me get a dog.
Or not.
My advice is to wait a few years and coach Satch. I assure you, you’ll find it the most rewarding baseball experience you ever have.
Some scientists – like alpee – are retarded. Let’s try this, aplh: i’ll blindfold you and hot 100 fly balls within easy catching range, and we’ll see how many you corral. My guess is zero.
Jeff – I’m still trying to work up the courage to get LASIK’d, but for now I just use regular contacts when playing hardball and they work like a charm. The only negative is that they dry out pretty fast on hot, windy July days. I don’t like contacts for everyday use, but for baseball and hoops they’re just tits.
Here’s my LASIK story – 100% Nightmare Free!
or hit 100 fly balls. either way.
kyle,
Moving to intecept the ball and catching the ball are two very different skills.
Most humans can catch a ball just fine, few can intercept one with great skill.
I might not be able to catch a fly ball blindfolded, but I may be able to move so that it hits me in the head.
Alphie —
I’ve played outfield long enough and at a high enough level to realize that eyesight is of course not the only thing involved in tracking fly balls. The sound of the bat, knowing the pitch location and selection, knowing how a ball is likely to slice or hook—all these things are skills developed by outfielders. Too, situational awareness—where you set up on the field, how many paces it is to the foul line or warning track, warning track to fence, etc., allows you to keep your stride less tentative and run on the balls of your feet to reduce jostling.
But you don’t develop any of that without first shagging flies. And you do that by seeing them, then factoring in all the other stimuli and knowledge.
Outfielders are also taught to imagine trajectory based on a number of factors (wind, type of pitch hit, lefthanded/righthanded batter vs. particular outfield position) so that they can “run to the spot” on a ball that is hit over their heads or into an alley. That is, they are taught to take a “route” to the ball—and these routes improve the more fly balls you see.
Other factors include how you like to position your body to make a catch or set up a throw. Me, I am a knee slider on low linedrives (others dive head first with the glove out). Similarly, I like to take 4-6 steps back with a runner on second or third to set myself up for a throw. Others (like Eric Byrnes of the Diamondbacks) set up a “tumble throw” in order to get extra on the ball without hurting their shoulders.
But it all starts with vision. You can hear the crack of the bat and gauge distance, but you can’t hear the crack of the bat and tell which way the ball is going.
And with aluminum bats? Forget it. A ping is a ping is a ping with these new $400 stealth bats.
My sister had that done a couple years ago and is perfectly happy. Me? No thanks, no one is pointing lasers at my eyes.
Then again I haven’t worn glasses since 2nd grade when the eye doctor was raising money for a new car or something.
I’m lucky enough to play in a wood bat league, Jeff. My HRs went down a bit, but it just FEELS so right playing with wood. Heh.
Alpee – no, you couldn’t get yourself into position to get hit in the head, as nice as that would be. Without the visual cues to clue you into the path of the ball, you would have no idea which way to move. Trust me – the crack of a ball being hit into left-center field sounds just like a ball being hit into right-center field.
For once, I agree with Alphtard. If anyone here has ever stood out in right field at night in a large stadium then you’ll understand how much more of catching flyballs is instinctual. Depth perception, being able to see the ball as it flies through many different backgrounds (green grass, backstop, crowd, darkness, lights and then the reverse as it comes down), along with seeing how the ball comes off the bat is more important than actually seeing a crisp and clear ball. Infielders depend on a consistent background to keep an eye on the ball, unless you are third base, where you simply need acute reflexes to follow the ball once it jumps off the bat. For me, the hardest has always been the pop-up that goes a mile high above the catcher. The spin on a pop-up puts the ball on a weird backward curve, so even if the ball goes straight up, it will end up a few feet behind you. The higher it goes the further back it curves. Even harder at night when the ball leaves the lights and then comes back into view once it gets back below the light screaming and curving behind you.
Jeff
I had Lasek surgery Feb 16. This is because my cornea’s are a bit thin and I was given the option of either Lasik (flap) or Lasek. The recovery time is longer as the outter cornea is rebuilding itself and I’m using steriod drops to slow and control the healing.
However, my eye doc told me there are less complications (no flap problems) and they have more consistent results (much rarer to have to go back and have modifications done).
I also opted for monovision … my left eye is my “distance” eye and my right is underadjusted for reading.
I had worn glasses or contacts since I was 17, I’m loving the freedom from ‘em!
Be sure to do the due diligence on your surgeon.
BTW this is my surgeon.
I had lasik done several years ago and I’m very happy with the results. I had the standard dry eyes for about a month afterwards, as well as the halo effect on headlights, etc. at night. But those went away relatively quickly.
After the surgery I was a walking ad NOT to get it done. First eye went without a hitch. They had trouble getting a complete seal on the second eye…took about 4 tries. Each time a lot of air pressure was put on the eye so I ended up with the eyeball bruised–very red for a week, then the usual purple/yellow/color progression afterwards. Like I said, I’m still happy I did it.
One possible thing you might check into first. I know there are glasses available specifically to help you pick out a golfball (I’ve tried on a friend’s pair and they do work). I would imagine they would work well on a softball as well. Not sure if they are available for perscription or magnification or whatever if that’s what you need, but I throw that out there for what it’s worth.
If you decide to have the surgery, I sincerely hope it is successful. But if the operation goes awry, don’t despair. No matter how bad it is, you can always be an umpire.
”If your dog barks twice, it’s a strike!!”
I’ve had LASEK which is a version of LASIK except, instead of cutting a flat flap of the cornea, the cut is along the epitheleal curve of the cornea. This gives the doctor more room to work with. It is recommended for higher perscriptions( I had -9.5 and -8.75 perscription.). I had to have two surgeries for both eyes to get close to 20-20 but it definitely is worth it. One thing I recommend, go to a surgeon that has *a lot* of experience. DO NOT GO TO A PlACE THAT ADVERTISES SERVICES BASED ON PRICE. You only get two eyes per life. Don’t mess around with them to save a few bucks.
That’s why they put lights in stadiums, for night games. It was damned hard to catch the ball just from the sound. Otherwise they wouldn’t need lights at all. Even in Wrigley Field.
Jaysus! Some people will believe anything. And do.
I had PRK on both eyes in 2001. 3 days of pain followed by 6 years of 20/15 vision. I play a lot of golf, so the surgery was the best thing ever.
As far as Lasik goes, I’ve debated it several times, and each time have concluded that its just not worth it for me. I can do everything I need to do with glasses…but then again I’m not playing in the outfield.
After reading all the comments about outfielders, I’m glad my son plays first base. Even if he is a Sox fan.
Guy who I’m sitting next to at work this week flew here–did the knife version about a year ago. He was on the plane, took a nap, opened his eyes–and part (cornea) was stuck to the eyelid. He looks like hell, it hurts, lots of tears, but apparently no permanent damage, says the doc.
So there is risk.
Some scientists – like alpee – are retarded. Let’s try this, aplh: i’ll blindfold you and hot 100 fly balls within easy catching range, and we’ll see how many you corral. My guess is zero.
The benefit of hearing is to know which direction to run when the ball is hit. In little leagues they teach you to run backwards a half-dozen steps, as it’s easier to run forward than backwards. But in the big-leagues, if you’re not already running for the ball as it leaves the bat, you might be too late.
I read an article once about a major league outfielder describing this very thing. It’s one of the most fascinating bits I’ve ever read about professional baseball, and since then I’ve notice how often outfielders are already running to reach the spot where they need to be. It’s part visual and part hearing.
I’ve got a friend who did Lasik, and she loves it. I’m queasy about the procedure, and would much prefer to see 20+ years of history before I’ll risk my eyeballs.
IF you’re going to do lasik – OBSESSIVELY research the doctor and interview other patients.
You can’t undo lasik if you screw it up. My mother can’t read without pain medication because of bad lasik surgery. Reading is her favorite thing in the world.
The advantage of contacts (you can “bump up” your prescription – ask me how!) is that you can always change back at the end of the day.
You could even have “sports contacts” with a different focus and tint that makes them ideal for whatever conditions you’re facing.
Accelerated Orthokeratology. I’ve done it for 6 years with great results. I wear a hard contact 2-3 hours a day in alternating eyes. Has made a huge difference, it’s cheap and it’s not surgery.
Mark
Jeff,
I had the surgery over 8 years ago and I had my vision repaired to 20/15 and it has has not changed since the surgery. Before the surgery I couldn’t see the digital alarm clock at night. I would highly recommend it.
Jeff—remember that guy in the X-Men movies: When Lasik goes wrong…
I was unprepared to deal with how ugly people really were. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over it.
I had Lasik about 4 years ago and my vision is still 20/20. No pain, no problems.
I also had little silicone plugs put in my tear ducts and I haven’t had to use eye drops since. I had seriously dry eyes.
On the down side, it sounds like a bug zapper and there is a bit of a burning smell. It goes so fast you don’t realize until afterwards, tho.
I’m very happy I did it.
I had PRK done in 2004 at taxpayer expense (active duty military; thanks to all the taxpayers out there!).
My experience: Only one eye was considered bad enough to get done, so I had my right eye done. All in all, I would say it was fairly successful, I started out at 20/60; and ended up 20/20.
I will say it is a bot odd to smell burning flesh as they are actually doing it, but the procedure was painless…until the next day. Now I understand why I was prescribed percocet. Excruciating pain for about 24 hours. It took about 30 days for the full effect of the surgery to take, but it has been almost three years now, and I am so glad I did it. No more glasses, I can wear non-prescription Ray-Bans, see while swimming, etc. I highly recommend.
Glasses work, and all the cartoon Jews wear them.
Except Meatwad.
I had LASIK 3 years ago and still seeing fine. I’m nearly 20/20. I have a very light pair of reading glasses (+1.00) that I use occasionally for driving at night. It was the best thing I ever did, especially since I had glasses for nearly 20 years.
Now you can listen to all of us, but go get a free consultation from an optometrist who can tell you more about the procedure and the cost. Most insurance plans don’t cover the surgery (mine thankfully covered 80% of it), but the freedom from glasses or contacts far outweighs the price for most people. It can’t hurt to take the next step and find out if you’re a candidate for surgery.
Robert Crawford: Nope, I ain’t Steve. I’ve never heard of anyone else having this sort of thing. Never bothered me though (other than realizing I’d never be a fighter pilot. Dammit.)
I had lasik when my wife got a transfer to Hawaii(!) so I could play in the ocean without worrying about glasses or contacts. I wish I had done it years ago. No regrets. Plus, I can pick up any pair of stylish shades that tickle my fancy.
Always puzzled me that vast numbers of very wise and wealthy people wear glasses so constantly.
Many are in the entertainment business where personal appearance is so important. These people continue to wear glasses.
My correction is about -5 so when I take them off I can read the codes in the engraving lines of a postage stamp.
Modern thin wire glasses are light and hardened and so offer a real protection for one*s eyes. Prescription sun glasses are a wise habit for long term eye health.
Guess I*ll reserve the Lasik / Lasek game for when I may really need it.
Glasses never seemed to get in the way of an active life. Radio operator in the Navy.
Trucking firms operator and renovations, cabinetmaking aferwards.
Thank god for less than perfect eyesite. I tried to join the Airforce first and was turned down. I could have become a fighter pilot when I was too stupid to know better. = TG
I’ve been playing tennis competitively since I was a kid. Had Lasik 3 years ago. Amazing. Astounding! I could see 20/20ish even while getting off the table. They even gave me a video of the procedure. (that’s how you know the doctors are good!)
Had a bit of trouble, minor, minor trouble at first at night. But now it has changed my life completely. 24 years couldn’t read a book without my glasses. Now I can see things with such clarity, I’m around 20/15. I see better than almost everyone I know, including all you glasses-wearing Melvins out there.
But do your homework. Wave 3 or waveform (something like that) technology was the newest thing 3 years ago. I will never forget that day I had it done. Better than I had expected it to be.
Dr. Alan Berg in Burbank, CA, is da man! BergFeinfield.com.
Hey, I’m an umpire and see just uh, great? It’s the voice that always gets me in the end. I did it after researching and speaking to 4 different doctors. Only one of them spent the time actually explaining the surgery, the others slammed everybody else that does it. He was also the only one that was doing the procedure himself, and his office was fully stocked with some of the greatest pieces of ass I’ve ever seen. Anyhoo, I chose him, it worked, and when I’m on the field I can track anything. I am also up to about $600.00 in reading glasses in the year since (Cocksucker must have an index account in reading glass companies).
Had Lasik performed about 7 years ago and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. My eyesight was something like 20/400 in each eye prior to surgery, and I am now 20/15 in one eye and between 20/10 and 20/15 in the other. Glasses and contacts pretty much sucked and effected my sports activities far more than I realized until the surgery.
One thing, if you have it done follow the doctor’s orders re: post-op actions to a tee. When he says go home after the surgery and take a nap for several hours, do exactly that (it allows your eye to begin healing). I know several people who did not and they wound up needing “touch-up” surgeries later because of it.
Also, the status of the doctor is less important than the machinery and software that he uses. Make sure he is using the latest machine with the latest software release, as those two items are what actually perform the lion’s share of the surgery. The doctor’s role is cut back the flap and then replace it after the machine is done, period.
Jeff,
I had Lasik performed on both eyes (-3.5) a few years ago. No pain or bad smell or anything during or after. 15 minutes for the whole thing. Great vision, can’t say enough good things about it.
One thing to look out for – the old bait and switch.
Normally, you prepay for the procedure. When you arrive at the Lasik center, you are taken to a room for a pre-procedure exam that turns into an upgrade sales pitch.
What you have prepaid was the old, normal procedure that involves a dull, rusty knife and a pipe wrench. The new procedure that utilizes technology gleaned from alien spacecraft is available for a slightly higher fee.
“Most of our patients are opting for the new procedure, they feel their EYES are worth it.â€Â
No shit, lady.
Try contacts first. My eyesight is awful (20/375 or some such thing in one eye and the other nearly as bad) and with contacts I have 20/15 in both eyes. With astigmatism, no less. There are so many lens options now.
I do want to look into Lasik, also, but in the meantime, lenses are much better than glasses any day.
I’m pretty sure how they do it – with their legs.
Now, let’s pretend for a moment that you can, in fact, intercept a fly ball with your eyes closed – what happens immediately afterwards? Don’t you have to throw it to somebody? Wouldn’t vision come in handy then?
What if you just caught the third out, and you’re first up in the inning? Wouldn’t sight be helpful in that situation, or are scientists unsure how batters move a bat to intercept a pitch?
Ever the contrarian, our Alph.
Jeff,
This is way too late in the thread but if you read all that you’re going to get John Kerry disease. I’d just go for it. My wife did it. That night she sat up in bed and automatically reached for her glasses to read the time on the alarm clock. She paused, stared and couldn’t believe she didn’t need them.
Go get a consultation and you’ll feel a lot more comfortable with the whole thing.
Again, that’s BS. You can *maybe* glean some information from the sound of contact as to how solidly the ball was hit, but you get NOTHING regarding which direction it went off the bat, nor on the trajectory of the ball. So no, you really don’t get any information on which direction to run from the sound.
I’m glad to hear mostly positive stories about LASIK. I might use some cafeteria plan dollars to get it done this year after baseball season. Or maybe I’ll let my wife go first…
Jeff, I had a horrible baseball season last year after many years of doing well both at the plate and in the outfield, and I realized it was because I couldn’t see well enough to track the ball. I tried glasses at first, and while they worked decently enough in the outfield, they actually made things worse at the plate since I couldn’t track a ball that was moving so quickly. So, I tried contacts, and they’ve worked great. I only wear them once per week for games, and between the end of last season and early this season, I’ve still only worn them about five or six times in my life. It still takes me a while to get them in, which is frustrating, but I figure that will still get easier and easier. The great part is that once they’re in, I’m all set. I can still feel them a little bit, but everyone says I’ll notice them less over time. I put in eye drops every couple of hours or so, but I can wear sunglasses over them too, which is very convenient. It doesn’t feel quite the same as having good natural vision, but it’s close, and it’s very nice to have such a cheap, temporary solution that doesn’t make me look like Chris Sabo.
I had the LASIK procedure done in Mexico before it was legal here. It was done by a top-notch US doctor. Went from legally blind (coke bottle glasses since the 1st grade, then uncomfortable contacts for years) to about 20-30 in both eyes. Carded a 79 the other day, wearing nothing but Ray-Bans. It was a nudist golf course, of course.
Go for it.
Wavefront technology is just technologese for “you have an irregular field of vision and we’re going to even it out”. In other words, the lens/cornea combination occasionally aren’t completely perfect in shape, and so Wavefront takes care of that. If your eyes are simply bad (but not highly irregular) Wavefront won’t help you. If you’re just astygmatic, Wavefront won’t help you. If you’ve got a patch of +0.5 diopter in the upper right quadrant, you’ll want to look in to Wavefront.
If you’ve been sold Wavefront and you didn’t need it, your doctor is an opportunistic quack. If you haven’t, please disregard the preceding.
Work on your speed. It can make up for a lack of a quick jump on the ball.
I had lasik two months ago and, when my vision cleared, I gazed with crystal clarity upon my stunningly beautiful doctor.
Eat your heart out.
My wife wears contacts and is constantly uncomfortable in them. Which is one of the reasons I have considered surgery.
But I might try the accelerated Orthokeratology and see if that is enough of a change and not too inconvenient.
Problem is, everybody I know personally who’s had Lasik done swears by it—and not just swears by it, but swears by it, in the “the greatest decision I ever made” kind of way.
Still. Cutting. On your eyes.
If you don’t like the knife, try PRK.
But, hey: it’s still shining a death-ray into your eye.
Jay —
What kind of glove are you using? Before we moved, some meth head friends of my (eventually evicted) neighbors stole my equipment bag from our garage.
I’ve been breaking in 3 gloves simultaneously (2 outfield, one utility), but I’m thinking I might have to break down and try one of the kip leather Rawlings, or maybe a hybrid leather from Nokona. Only problem with them is that they are back ordered.
I like both the Akadema and Glovesmith; but the latter is going to take me some time to get broken in to game shape. I hear the kip leather is much easier to break in and has great tensile strength.
Nah.
She’s got nothing to do with Lasik. She’s just my doctor.
And since she’s the one diagnosed me with the diabeat-us (as Wilford Brimley would say), it just wouldn’t do for me to be sweet on her or anything. Plus, I’m married…
Jeff, I’ve been using the same Wilson A2000 that I used in high school in the mid-90s. (I didn’t start playing baseball again until two years ago, and I had only used it my senior year.) I’ve been really happy with it. Before that, I had always used Rawlings, and was happy with them as well.
I’ve tended to find that good gloves aren’t found for much under $70 or so, and I think the ones for around $100-$120 are as good as anything will need. Same with bats. The $50 bats have no pop at all, the $120 or so bats will add quite a bit of distance, but the $300 bats don’t add much beyond that. (This seems to be much less true in softball, where the bat model can make a huge difference in slow-pitch.)
As for Orthokeratology, I do have an aunt who does it every night. She says it makes her vision much better the next day, but if she misses even one night it reverts. However, her vision wasn’t too great, and she suspects that it could actually correct vision if someone’s vision isn’t too far gone. The lenses for Orthokeratology are a bit harder and thus less comfortable, but she did say that she doesn’t notice them when she goes to sleep (i.e., they’re not so uncomfortable as to wake her up).
I’ll be curious to hear what you decide and how it goes. I’m really looking forward to a full season where I can actually see pitches, even if the lenses are a little uncomfortable…
I had LASIK done about ten years ago and it was one of the better decisions I made. I went from minus 9 diopters to 20-40 vision in the space of a day, with the eyes finally levelling out at 20-20 over the next few weeks.
Now, I need reading glasses for close-up stuff, but that’s the normal aging process. For 5-6 years, I needed no glasses at all, which was a relief after decades of nearsightedness.
I had the good fortune to have an excellent ophthalmologist, who recommended the procedure to me, and who set me up with one of the top-of-the-line surgeons of the time. I attribute the continued good effects to that combination – at my latest eye exam, the doc commented that the LASIK scars were scarcely noticeable.
I would recommend that you consult with an opthalmologist you trust in order decide what would be right for you.
I know it’s late in the game, but I thought I’d add another anyway….
Had LASIK about 4 years ago. Great decision. Would seriously recommend.
On the weird side, however, I find that I’ll unconsciously let my eyes go off focus when I’m not actually using them. It’s probably an odd habit from when I couldn’t see anything if I tried, but it’s distinctly noticeable. Second, if I want to see clearly at distance I have to both intentionally focus (see observation #1), and relax—if I squint, I see less. And, third, now that I don’t need prescription glasses, I use nonprescription sunglasses a lot. I also have 1/4 diopter glasses for comfort when I’m doing extremely visual things (e.g. movies, art exhibitions).
I would second the comment about post-op behavior. A lot depends on you, and there’s no room for screwing around. My eyes watered and did major oscillations for about two weeks afterward, which wasn’t terribly hard to take because it was expected….and continued to oscillate for a few more weeks after that, which was psychologically difficult. When they got weird, I’d reach for my old glasses….and find that, while I might need glasses, those certainly weren’t the right ones.
All in all, though, I’m very glad I did it.
I have a friend that did it, her husband refuses… likes his glasses I guess….or fears hot pokers in his eyes.. not sure which, anyway… she is loving it.
Do it, sign the waiver… do it!!!!!
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