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Ridin' One-Eyed

3K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  whacknut 
#1 ·
Got a serious question for anyone out there with experience with this.

Went blind in my left eye about 3 wks ago. Had surgery last week but Docs say vision might not come back or it may take months. So is anybody out there ridin' one-eyed, and if so, how do ya' do it? Docs said I can't drive at least until Tuesday checkup but so far lights are all I can see. I was drivin' my pickup some before the surgery, but I gotta' say the drpth perception thing is real strange!

Any advice?....whacknut.
 
#3 ·
Whack.....I lost my vision in my left eye when I was 17.... been riding 39 years since then, probably a million miles.... plus I drive my work truck about 40K miles a year...

I went through an adjustment period 'cause it really throws the depth perception thing of for a while,but you get used to it real fast, I know no different now....

You will have a peripheral blind spot that you have to be aware of... when I ride with others I make sure I keep their bikes to my good side, I don't ride with bikes on my left, so I ride the center line when not alone.

You will adapt.....oh it's gonna raise particular hell with your pool game ,... ;)
 
#4 ·
Lost site in my right eye when i was 29. My job was working the Iron (connector) sometimes 200 ft sometimes a lot more up in the air, i kept connecting till i was 46 . You will get used to it it, takes time. With me i know that what looks like its going to hit i still have 5 ft. Hey i still play golf, happy if i break a 100 and the pool game is fun. When i ride i stay on the right side of the lane, also wear a half helmet most times. Take it slow remember right after i started driving a car after the accident i got broadsided and it wasn't might fault but it does shake your confidence. Good luck it nots the end
 
#6 ·
You will not only have a peripheral blind spot, but having one eye affects your depth perception. Knowing that, just adapt accordingly, and take a tad more time evaluating oncoming traffic's distance and travel speeds, until you get used to it.
 
#7 ·
I agree on the depth perception.

Had a steel splinter from a punch I was hammering on to adjust the top roller on a Grad all outer boom go through to the retina in my right eye when I was 19.

The operation to remove it was successful but the scar caused a cataract to start in my early 50's.

By 60 I no longer could see anything but shadows from the right eye. All this time I was moving my construction machines and operating them one eyed always concerned I might get something in the left eye. I was lucky, I guess.

At 60 I started playing Golf, an addiction, and every time I addressed the ball on the tee I knocked it off the tee first time I lined up the club.
That forced me to get a cataract operation:thumbsup

That was almost 15 years ago and I still don't need glasses except for the wind when I ride.

You can adjust but be cautious about getting something in the good eye.:know

Al
 
#9 ·
Been blind in my right eye since birth so i cant really tell you how to adjust to it. There is a depth perception issue for sure, 43 years and I still sometimes reach out for things and still miss the first time. You will get use to it the more you function without it you mind and body will make the correct compensations for the missing vision..

Where it really sucks is 3D movies, everything shoots of to the left.:rollin
 
#10 ·
I am blind in my right eye, lost my vision to cancer about 7 years ago. at first I had problems with my depth perception , it always seems to me that things are closer than they really are. but ya get used of it, I really have to shoulder check alot, and crank my head around a long way .and I always wear glasses or goggles now/

god what a wreck ,blind in one eye.deaf in one ear. iffin I lost one nut ide have to change my name to Lucky
 
#11 ·
Thanks everybody, what a buncha' champs! I really appreciate all the input, not that I wish it on anyone else but it's nice to know I ain't alone.

Already discovered the depth perception thing--wrote on my hand twice tryin' to recap an ink pen and poured a glass of water and one of milk right past the glass and all over my hand and on the floor. Yeah, I can HARDLY WAIT to get on the pool table!! What's weird to me is the smaller the work or the closer I am to it the worse it is. Like drove the truck a few times and it's easier than pourin' a glass of water! Strange.

I'm thinkin' it's just gonna' be a matter of common sense and practice. And gettin' used to it. And really, I'm expectin' it to get better. Doc said today it's healin' good altho' he did admit he scratched the cornea during the surgery. I wasn't too happy 'bout that! No wonder it's felt like there's been sand in it. But ya' know what? The way I've beat myself up over the years it's a miracle I can still walk, talk, hear and see outta' one eye. So I got nothin' to bitch about, I can still do and say what I want when I want, and I'm still pushin the grass down instead of pushin' it up. AND I'm gonna ride whether I got one eye or two! Life is Beautiful, Baby, Beautiful.

Whack.
 
#12 ·
But ya' know what? The way I've beat myself up over the years it's a miracle I can still walk, talk, hear and see outta' one eye. So I got nothin' to bitch about, I can still do and say what I want when I want, and I'm still pushin the grass down instead of pushin' it up. AND I'm gonna ride whether I got one eye or two! Life is Beautiful, Baby, Beautiful.
Right on whacknut!!! Thats the spirit!:thumbsup
 
#14 ·
Happy St Pats day to everybody.

Rode the hog for 1st time yesterday afternoon & evening since eye went. Good day for it, been rainin' here for 2 days and finally had clear roads, sunshine and--BONUS--54 degrees. Ran it down to 1/2 a tank and hope to use up the other 1/2 today. Gotta' say everybodys comment was right on the money! Man, it's weird!! Feel like an owl twistin' my head way around. It wasn't too bad in the daylight but gonna' have to wear an eye patch at night 'cause the lights REALLY screw with everything. By the time I got home I had a headache from squintin' my left eye shut. Thank God everything's farther away than it looks instead of the other way around! BTW hoofn, ain't had a chance to shoot no stick yet but I'm pretty sure I'll be buyin' my own drinks and payin' for my games from now on!

Thanks again for all the support everyone....whack.
 
#16 ·
Happy St Pats day to everybody.

BTW hoofn, ain't had a chance to shoot no stick yet but I'm pretty sure I'll be buyin' my own drinks and payin' for my games from now on!

.
Great that you are out ridin'! It will come, and yep..night time is worse, for sure.....

Don't worry about the pool ... just wear a patch.......the chicks dig it, they'll buy your beers!!! :know

Ride safe!
 
#17 ·
Holly crap! I don't mean to make light of anyone's misfortune, but I had no idea that there were so many cycloptic cycle riders out there!
 
#19 ·
I'm tellin ya' boys and girls--this is gettin' on my nerves. I can see this is gonna' take longer than I planned on. Ain't had no chance to ride again but once, 'cause we had a big snowstorm here last week but it's not gettin any easier in the truck. It's really startin' to tick me off! I don't know, maybe I'm too impatient, but I haven't felt this helpless in a long time. Man....this just sucks. Hey, thanks for listenin' to me bitch, sometimes it helps just to blow off a little steam.

Whack.
 
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