Riding with one eye

[Venturous Randy]

Last Sunday and today we were in the mid 60's and I put about 140 miles on the bike. It was a mix of roads with some four lane, marked two lane, to unmarked two lane. I even rode some after dark. It is hard to describe what is like, as it is really different. It is like sitting on the bike in front of a big screen with a movie playing that was taken from a motorcycle going down the road. What you loose is the normal three dimensional effect that is so helpful with depth perception and judging speed, especially something coming toward you.

The biggest part is just trying to be aware of everything going on around me. My problem is on my right side, so I am constantly scanning for anything that may come into my lane, whether it is a car pulling out, to a car that is beside me that begins to come over, to something like a dog running out. I stopped by Walmart to see if I could find a good convex mirror to mount on the ride side to help in this big blind spot that I have, but did not see anything I liked. I may check at a truck stop and see what is available.

At the present time I am not sure of the vision I will end up with in my right eye. Presently, from the center to the left, I have absolutely no vision at all. From the center to the right, I can see some images, mostly a silhouette from light behind the object, but everything is very distorted. To look slightly to the left and see my TV, instead of it being a rectangle, it is kind of "S" shaped from left to right and is close to half the size with what I see with my left eye. At this time my eye is full of oil and at sometime will be drained and I guess we will start the bubble thing like before. I really hope that it will help the vision as I would love to get some peripheral vision back, even if the left half is blind. I don't expect for the left part of that eye to get better as that is where the blood vessels have died according to my doctor. I did get an eye patch at Walmart and with the right eye covered, it was a little easier to see out of the left eye without the distortion.

I know this has been difficult for me, but I have REALLY felt thankful for the vision I have in my left eye this Thanksgiving Day. I want to also thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers. This VentureRider family is the best.

RandyA

[friesman]

Hi Randy

I think in time youll be just fine as youll learn to compensate for the vision change, and with practice youll get to recogneze things with your bad eye even if they are mis-shapen. One thing to keep in mind is that the silicon oil has clouded over your lens implant and will really impair your vision, so when they drain the oil dont be disappointed if your vision doesnt improve even after your eye fills back up. You may need a new lens implant to give your vision back.

Its a big change, and its traumatic, but with taking it slow and easy you should be back up and riding by early spring, and doing everything else you were doing before.

 

brian

[playboy]

Glad to hear your out riding and trying to adapt sounds like you have the right attitude to get you through this ordeal. Best Wishes

[mother]

hang in there, it is still only been a short time.

 

i know we want miracles, but this may take a while for healing to take place.

 

take it easy, ride safe

 

we are still hoping for improvement.

 

cheers, Scott

[Yammer Dan]

Best therpy there is. Be carefull!!

[dray]

I only have one eye; what id give just to have 30sec. To see what someones face would look like or to see what three-D is all about. What does the world look like

[saddlebum]

I think many of us have had to wear an eye patch for two or three days for one reason or another and we are all most likely very thankfull that it was for no longer then that. I could barely stand looking through one eye for half a day and as a result would take a chance and remove the patch. It does however make one appreciate a little what it must be like for someone who has to look through one eye much longer if not perminently. Best wishes to you Randy and hopefully all goes well for you in the long run.

[Freebird]

Well, since I had two good eyes until a couple of years ago, I can tell you that the world and people look pretty much the same either way. I still get frustrated with my lack of depth perception up close but after about 10-20 feet, it is not an issue. Yes, I would LOVE to have my full vision back but you do adjust to it and there are worse things in the world. My main concern now is making sure that I protect my one good eye.

[Marcarl]

To both you and Don....... what can I say, I feel for you but can't quite reach you? It about right, throwing in what Saddlebum has said. So yes, even though each of us may have sensed somewhat of a loss when we had a patch on,,,, we really don't have a grasp on what it would be like without an eye altogether. Glad to have you guys talk about it, and share what it is like. You'll still be in our prayers for the future.

I guess the upside would be the appreciation you have for your good eye, where most of us would take sight for granted, you may find real blessings in being able to see at all.

God Bless

Carl

[Pic]

I lost part of my vision last October. Had a stroke and it only effected my eyesight. Have a blindspot in the upper right side. It is in both eyes, actuslly it is not my eyes, but my brain. Since it has been over a year now, It is more than likely permanent. When it first happened I lost total vision on the right side, could only see what was straight ahead and to the left. I was lucky and recovered all but the blind spot in a couple of days. I have a friend that it happened too and he lost his total eyesight. Needless to say it scared the hell out of me.

 

Over time I adjusted to it and started riding again. I can actually see better on the bike than in a automobile. I think it is because it is more open, not closed in. I have learned to constanly look to the right. It is sorta like the blind spot when driving a car, you know it is there so you learn to look for it. It still surprises me from time to time when something suddenly appears that was not there moments ago.

 

Give it time and hopefully you will adjust, but don't push it. My neurologist told me in a couple of years I wil probably not even realize it is there, the brain will adjust on it's own.

 

Good Luck and stay positive.