Glasses needed...

[capalfie]

Hi all, I am getting 60 and starting to have this crazy idea of planning to buy a 35' sailboat and slowly going back sailing when I retire next year. (Had a 26' sailboat in the past 30 years ago!)

One thing that worries me is my lack of good far vision needing prescription glasses to see faraway. I can read perfectly a book though...

Am I getting too crazy trying to go back to my once beloved marine world and should keep myself out of this dream?

What do you think? Any good thought on this matter will help me. I would appreciate it. I am really confused

Cap

[Jammer]

I am 54 and wear polarized bifocal sunglasses while sailing.



Might want to get a strap from REI or wherever or use an old pair you're willing to lose.

[a64pilot]

Unless your completely blind, there really isn’t all that much need for perfect vision moving at 6 to 7 kts. If you want to see something, pick up the binoculars
I wear my glasses to drive or fly of course, but don’t when I’m at the helm.
I have bifocals, but don’t wear them to read, I’m 61

[mlydon]

I know plenty of boaters who wear glasses without issue. Of course, they’re a pain in the rain, but what can you do?

Decreased night vision is more of an issue with my older friends (I’m 57 myself). Those I’ve heard lament night vision loss are all late 60’s and up.

Matt

[JPA Cate]

I'm significantly older than you. I have worn trifocals since my 30's. I'd talk to the optometrist. If you can get bifocal contact lenses (they are weighted slightly, so they float in the right orientation), it may be perfect for you, because you can blink away rain and spray. Unfortunately for me, my eyes did not tolerate contact lenses well. Used them for about 7 yrs. Found it too hard to keep them clean enough on the boat and gave them up. If I'm sailing in the rain, I put my glasses in my foul weather jacket, and get by with color, since clarity is poor. My prescription is for both myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism.

Ann

[roverhi]

If your vision is correctable to something close to 20/20, hell even it's not but you can see a mile ahead, wouldn't worry about it. If you are up tight about your vision, a radar and AIS will compensate for a lot. Glasses are a pain, have astigmatism, cataracts, and reading anything, but even in nasty weather with glasses soaked can see well enough to sail.

[LLCoolDave]

I would just say bring a few extra pair. We had crew on a transatlantic trip that had a prescription. He managed to drop them in the water the day before we left. Luckily the skipper had a similar prescription and had an extra pair. He would have been damn near useless without them.

[Mike OReilly]

What!!??!! Speak up sonny, I can't hear as good as I used to. And come closer so I can see who I'm yelling at .


Seriously, get some good glasses and go cruising. You'll find a way to see all you need to.

[AthenaB]

I highly recommend Maui Jim prescription shades. I had my eyes tested to have them made to my prescription in Dubai and they came back from the factory within two weeks. Brilliant quality all round - it’s like seeing through the water when spotting coral and excellent anti-glare. Many options re frames etc. Seriously, they are better than my standard glasses. Polarizing does not affect your vision for seeing instruments - I have vari-focal for both my normal eyewear and the Maui Jim’s and they work perfectly... can see long distance easily and when I look down to the chart plotter etc the reading glasses section kicks in. My eyes dropped off at around 45 and I started struggling to see instruments through my usual sunglasses... struggled into my 50s (now 53) until last year when these changed my life on the water and on land.


https://www.mauijim.com/US/en_US/passport-page

[Quebramar]

Until last year I wore sunlight-darkening glass specs. I changed them for neutral and a clip-on uv filter, for 2 reasons: the uv protection is not strong enough and it reduces night vision by approx 30%. So not bright enough at night and not dark enough in the sun. Clips are slightly less comfortable as they are a bit heavier but I prefer them for a clearer vision.
Like Ann said, the only issue is rain, but with a central cockpit protection under the dodger is pretty good, so no prob.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

I would just say bring a few extra pair. We had crew on a transatlantic trip that had a prescription. He managed to drop them in the water the day before we left. Luckily the skipper had a similar prescription and had an extra pair. He would have been damn near useless without them.

+1 for having an extra pair(s), just in case. Would have plain ones and full polarized sunglasses if possible.
We have both dark and low light (yellow tint) polarized sunglasses to reduce glare under various conditions. You'd be surprised how helpful the low lights are in overcast conditions.

[LauraleeG]

Glasses...needing them...ummmm so ???
Bigger fish to fry...in my humble opinion...

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by LauraleeG

Glasses...needing them...ummmm so ???
Bigger fish to fry...in my humble opinion...

Things like vision change happen as we get older, you'll see (pun intended)!

[LauraleeG]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Things like vision change happen as we get older, you'll see (pun intended)!

haha Yes I know...I need glasses to read too...sigh....
But the other day I was on my knees scrubbing the deck...and squeezing between the shroud and the cabin roof...and I was thinking " bloody hell...this wont be possible when I have aches and pains and bad knees and hips-is there a shelf life to sailing??
Glasses ( I have literally 10 pair of reading glasses around the boat)..are small potatoes, in my opinion.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by LauraleeG

haha Yes I know...I need glasses to read too...sigh....
But the other day I was on my knees scrubbing the deck...and squeezing between the shroud and the cabin roof...and I was thinking " bloody hell...this wont be possible when I have aches and pains and bad knees and hips-is there a shelf life to sailing??
Glasses ( I have literally 10 pair of reading glasses around the boat)..are small potatoes, in my opinion.

Last year met a 83 yr old sailing around w/his wife (full time live aboard). He was a little weebly/wobbly, but functional and still out there enjoying sailing. That was hopeful to have a couple of more decades out there!