Usually the book/newspaper is held at arms length, then the month of denial, then reading glass's...!!!!
My Vision or Lack There Of Seems like a good thread to describe my visual limitations. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa, (RP). It is a form of "macular degeneraton". It is the deterioration of the rods (night vision) and cones (color vision) from the outside of the eyes inward. This results in what is commonly called "tunnel vision" and a lot of bumps and bruises since walking into unseen objects is very common. This is what is also known as a "transparent limitation" since it is not obvious to people. You could know me for months and have _no_ idea. Combine that with ADD and basically folks thought I was clumsy and maybe a bit careless or stupid. In addition I have very poor acuity. The acuity was recognized early on and I have worn glasses since I was 4 or 5. Even though I can think of many symptoms through out my early life it was not diagnosed until I was in the 8th grade, (1968), because it was newly "discovered" about 1966. By then I had adjusted quite well. A few of the symptoms were running into people, tripping over things, inability to see shooting stars (though I could see the bolder constellations), having a tough time with colors and just seeming to view the world a bit differently than my peers. I seem to notice details better than most people. I attribute this practice but also since I see less my brain has less to process. Incongruities stand out. When looking for things small or large I might be the first to find them because I scan / see a smaller area at a time and am not distracted by objects in the periphery. How does this affect model railroading? Overall Priority - My main goal is aesthetics - not historical or scale accuracy since at viewing distance I can't see it. Color - I want bright colors with distinctive shades or strong contrasting colors since otherwise they will blend together. Hence - Bright red Canadian Pacific with black and white Multi Mark (pac man) logo or the Pink Fox Lines logo which I designed myself. It is a series of bold geometric shapes and only two colors. Details - What details? I can't see em - like, (most recently), blower ducts on an SD45. (see thread on Bman SD45). Photography - I tend to frame my pictures carefully when I have the time or crop them before sharing them. Prognosis: There are basicly 3 types of RP. One degenerates very quickly. One slowly over time. I happen to have the one that does not seem to degenerate. In short: I got lucky. The rest of my life is filled with hiking mountains and deserts, photography, writing haiku, helping people with computers, and living in Boston where I have easy access to reliable public transportation. Worse part: Probably is transportation. Takes me an hour to get to a good grocery store. Can't easily get to my mother's on Sundays. Have to use a lit magnifier in restaurants. Bottom Line: Life is good.
My mom had 20/15, and I had 20/15. When my mom was about 40-45 she woke up one day and started complaining.. I'm going blind! She was in a state of panic. We took her to the eye doctor that week, and he pronounced her 20/20, and told her to get some reading glasses! Well, I long forgot about that, as I was just a kid, but one day a couple years ago I tried to read a resistor value and wham! It hit me! I was going blind! Then work sent me for a Laser Eye exam, and I was pronounced 20/20! Now I walk around the house with an optivisor on, because I am too proud to get some reading glasses.:shade:
ok, all you 'older' guys (I put myself in that category) have put my mind at ease somewhat . Looking back, it probably has been going on more slowly than I think, but it was very noticable when I went to do some detail work on a locomotive, which I haven't done in a little while before that.... But I've made an appointment with the eye doc next week to get checked out. It sounds like glasses are in my future -- and any detail work is on hold until I get them
Steve, Thanks for your description of RP. Most people don't recognize nor even know of the condition. I suffer from lack of visual acuity. Not RP, nor macular degeneration. Just fewer rods and cones than normal in my retina. It's probably congenital, and doesn't yet have a name. It's frustrating. A golf ball just disappears into the sky at about 175 yards. Playing outfield in baseball? Yeah, right! No wonder I ended up at third base. I admire that you're into such a small scale!
You are welcome Pete. RP is a recessivegene. Both my folks carried it but neither had RP. My only brother, (younger by 5 years), has it worse than I do but he has not taken care of himself and I would not be surprised if that is a factor. That said last year he won a cooking contest in Texas with a non - Texan recipe because of all things: Presentation, (as in visual). He is now, (at 47), studying as a pre-law major here in MA. My 2 sisters do not have it. Bottom Line: "It ain't whatcha got. It's how ya use it"
Yep yep, at roughly 41 or so I got my eyes checked, and came to discover that I would need bifocals. I figure it gives me reason not to worry about super detailing and concentrate on looking at my long N scale trains.
I have needed glasses since 8th grade and can still see up close OK without any glasses. I do have progressive "bifocals" just so I don't have to keep taking my glasses off to see up close. I wish I had an up close at the top of my lenses so I can see things above my head when working under my modules.
Reading Glasses - hoo yaa !! An update on the original posting...I went to the eye doc yesterday, my eyes are healthy, and he congratulated me on making it all the way to 44 without needing reading glasses...then gave me a pair of 1.25 readers. Wow, what a difference they make! I can see up close really well now!! Now to put those numberboard decals on my SP Dash 9...
I have been wearing glasses since age 4. It is what it is. One of the more traumatic periods of my life was when I went out to play and all the other 4 year olds shunned me because "Mark is blind".
I think you can have these made. It would take buying an extra pair of glasses. There are too many occupations that require seeing things above the head for them not to be available. Or maybe that's why my daughter's oil plug was not replaced properly. My solution while working under the layout is a pair of drugstore reading glasses of my close up strength. But when I look away from the close up work, then the blindness. Ben
Well mine went bad about 30 seconds past my 40th. However after about 5 years with bifocals I could not take it so I let them "zap" my eyes now back to 20/15 and no glasses. Lasik might be an option. Steve
They indeed make upside down bifocals! I had a pair before I had Lasik just for working under my layout. BTW, I was 20/1000, with severe astigmatism. While I still can't see a golf ball past 175 yards, I have officially 20/20 in one eye, and 20/40 in the other (monovision). I wear glasses to drive and golf. Oh, and a pair for working on the computer and reading. It's really just a comfort thing because I have severe floaters, and need both eyes working all the time. Glad to hear it was just old eyes!
"While I still can't see a golf ball past 175 yards" Nolan- Don't slice the ball into the woods and you won't lose sight after 175 yards.
There are few woods in New Mexico, just clock towers! Mark is referring to my famous sliced drive, which I have never lived down: Actually, I had some really bad news today during my annual eye exam. A large vitreous floater has attached to the retina of my left eye near the macula. Just what I needed . . .
It can be a lot of things. They are basically the spots that float, or move, across your vision, usually caused by a breakdown in the vitreous fluid that fills your eyes. Some people never have them; near-sighted people usually do. They are mostly an annoyance. In my case, they have become an impairment. Hopefully it will detach or break up all on its own.
