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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game
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EricD
.416 member


Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll.
      #48999 - 03/02/06 01:27 AM






Many of us have reached an age where our eyesight isn't as good as it used to be. And some of us have always had poor eyesight. Which has made wearing glasses, or contact lenses necessary.

You may choose only one
Always glasses
Always contact lenses
I wear glasses at home, but contacts when hunting
I wear contacts at home, but glasses when hunting
I switch between both, depending on weather conditions, hwo dusty it is etc.
I had my eyesight laser operated on, and don't need no stinkin' glasses or contacts no more!!!


Votes accepted from (01/12/06 05:24 AM) to (No end specified)
View the results of this poll



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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49002 - 03/02/06 01:34 AM

I've tried contacts in the past, and had poor luck with them. They totally screwed up my depth perception, so I'm stuck with wearing glasses unless I have my eyes operated on.

Just as a side note--friends of mine who have worn their contacts in Africa had some major problems with the dust and smoke.

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EricD
.416 member


Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #49008 - 03/02/06 01:50 AM

Mike,

My eyes are unfortunatly not what they were... Here in Norway, where dust isn't an issue, but rain and cold is, I always wear contact lenses since I find that glasses fog up, or get covered in raindrops.

I have previously used contact lenses while hunting without problems in both Zim and Namibia, but found this last summer that my contact lenses got more "gunked up" then they have before. This could be quite irritating. I use disposable lenses, so would sometimes switch to fresh ones midday which helped a bit.

However, I am considering using glasses next time, to avoid potensially having a gunked up contact lense if a tense situation pops up when hunting dangerous game. I didn't have a problem with a gunked up lense when things were tricky last summer (like when we were charged etc), but you never know if Murphy will be lurking around the corner next time I hunt elephant or buffalo!

I discussed this quite a lot with my PH Myles McCallum, as his eye sight is also getting poorer, and he was seriously considering getting glasses. A previous client of his who is an eye doctor advised him that with the dust etc, glasses would be best, to avoid the chances of getting eye infections.

Erik

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Charles_Helm
.333 member


Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 337
Loc: Dallas, Texas
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49020 - 03/02/06 02:54 AM

I wear contacts almots all of the time, with the exception of lazy weekend mornings. I started in junir high school. I take glasses and a contact case with me when hunting in case I have a problem.

There is a lot of dust where i hunt in Texas and there was plenty in Namibia on my one African trip. When we were in an open car in Africa I sometimes used sunglasses to keep some of the dust out of my eyes. The only real problem I had was on a long dirive when I got some dust under one of my contacts. While I was trying to clear it the contact slipped out of positon and that is when I discovered that the old cruiser had no mirror of any kind to assist in replacing it. The PH couldn't see it either, but I finally managed to locate it by feel and get it back in position.

Old cruiser:



--------------------
Some pictures from Namibia

Some pictures from Zimbabwe

An Elephant Story

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500grains
.416 member


Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: Charles_Helm]
      #49031 - 03/02/06 04:06 AM

Fortunately I am unable to participate in the poll, having just tested at 20-15 vision at age 41.

However, to the extent laser surgery is available, I would think it a much better option than either contact lenses or glasses. What do you think?

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: 500grains]
      #49039 - 03/02/06 05:06 AM

My eyes test at 20 -650 uncorrected. If I'm not mistaken, that's beyond legally blind.

Lazer surgery, and similar, have come a long way, but that still scares the bejeepers out of me. I know the surgery works as intended most of the time, but I've read too many stories where results have been less than expected, and in fact, created new problems. I'll stick with glasses.

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SuperX
.224 member


Reged: 26/01/06
Posts: 13
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #49044 - 03/02/06 06:34 AM

".....Just as a side note...friends of mine...had some major problems with the dust and smoke....."

I always pack quality goggles when in the field, you never know when wind/sand will be as issue.....(there have been times when I used HD plastic bags sealed with duct tape to protect equipment like rifles, binocs, etc.)

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Yochanan
.375 member


Reged: 26/01/03
Posts: 912
Loc: Volksdiktatur Schweden
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: 500grains]
      #49050 - 03/02/06 08:48 AM

ErikD,

Sorry, my eyesight is very good, and don't need no stinkin' glasses or contacts!!! Therefore I am unable to participate in the poll

But a good pair of “wraparound” glasses serves well as protection against dust, twigs and those very annoying flies/bugs etc.

Cheers
/Johan

--------------------
© "I have never been able to appreciate 'shock' as applied to killing big game. It seems to me that you cannot kill an elephant weighing six tons by ´shock´unless you advocate the use of a field gun." - W.D.M. Bell: Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter.

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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49053 - 03/02/06 08:58 AM

Erik D,

Age and Graves' disease have weakened my eyes but still not to the extent where I need glasses for anything other than reading. I haven;t used shooting glasses since I got out of ISU matches many years ago but shall need to start using them again as I have just got into BP shooting.

For those intending to go in for lasik, please note that the best results are possible for those with corrections between - 2.00 and -6.00 Sph corrections with Cyl corrections of less than -1.00 dioptres. The hospital that my father just retired from has a world record for the number of Lasik prcedures performed in their Ophthal department and actively researches this procedure with funding from the US. They found that the chances of regression were much higher in higher dioptres.

Cheers!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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markhyoung
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/05
Posts: 49
Loc: Cody, WY, USA
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #49072 - 03/02/06 12:47 PM

I've worn glasses since I was 11 so if they are an inconvenient I don't even notice. I tried contacts a couple of times and because of my condition they just didn't work. So to answer the question I wear eye glasses all the time while on safari. As for laser surgery my eye doctor asked me when I questioned him about the surgery "Do you see well with your glasses?" My answer was that I saw very well and his response was "Why then would you even consider fucking with your eyesight". I thought that pretty much summed it up and I've just taken an extra pair of glasses where ever I've traveled.

Mark

--------------------
Mark H. Young
ADAM CLEMENTS SAFARI TRACKERS INC.
WORLDWIDE BIG GAME, WINGSHOOTING AND PHOTO SAFARIS
www.safaritrackers.com
Office 1-307-587-6372
FAX 1-307-587-3385


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JoeR
.224 member


Reged: 19/01/04
Posts: 41
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: markhyoung]
      #49079 - 03/02/06 01:55 PM

I wear both but would never wear contacts in Africa, expecially for DG. Twice, while shooting a 12 ga. have had a contact pop out with the recoil of the gun. Even though you can shoot hundreds of rounds off the bench with heavy rifles with no problems, you may well end up in an unusual shooting position such as a semi crouch where the recoil forces may be accentuated, the lense a bit dusty, and oops where'd everything go!

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JPK
.375 member


Reged: 31/08/04
Posts: 734
Loc: Chevy Chase, MD
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: JoeR]
      #49087 - 03/02/06 03:31 PM

I can't see well with glasses or soft contact lenses but go better than 20-10 with hard contacts - I wear hard semi permiable lenses. I played football and rugby in them when I was younger. No issues, but I bring spares, carried by the trackers where ever I go, just in case.

My eye Dr suggested a pair with some area of the lenses with less correction so I could better see open sights. these work but not so much better that I've made a switch.

JPK

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Metswedi
.300 member


Reged: 20/01/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Yorks. England
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: JPK]
      #49249 - 06/02/06 01:29 AM

I had my eyes operated on after an accident in the military on a night exercise, which resulted in my glasses breaking and me having to navigate off the moors with an eyeful of glass. Got most of it out with water but still scratched the eyeball pretty good.( no fun )! I switched to plastic lenses for a while but found they got scratched way too often. ( Tried contacts many times but they always irritated my eyes and I tried just about every kind imaginable ).

I didn't have laser as the surgeon who carried out the procedure in 1993 considered it "experimental". He used a scalpel to alter the shape of the lens, ( I think it was called Refractive Keratoplasty or something like that). Hurt like hell for a few days afterwards but made a hell of a difference. I can drive without my glasses and shoot without them though there is some slight "double edging" on vee type rear sights. I also find that the old problem I had with "bent" cross hairs when wearing glasses has disappeared. I also do less stock crawling trying to get a good eye relief and focus on my scopes.

The biggest plus by far is not having the target blanked out by misted or rain spattered spectacle lenses which is a guaranteed event when stalking in Scotland even in summer! ( Got to be the wettest place on earth )!!
I still need to wear glasses occasionally when my eyes become fatigued or when driving at night so it is not a "cure all". I for one though, am happy I had it done.

--------------------
Perfer et obdura!

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DPhillips
.375 member


Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49272 - 06/02/06 07:59 AM

I had lasik surgery and my eyesight is good now. I had to have it done twice, because I had a very light prescription to begin with and either the first round didn't cut enough or had some rebound issues. My only hunt in Africa was between the two operations and I didn't use glasses or contacts, but could see well enough in the bright daytime light. I mainly had problems at very long distances or in dim light.

Given that, if I had to choose between glasses or contacts, I'd go with glasses. I always had problems with dust and smoke when wearing contacts and glasses just seemed to be more convenient. Also, glassess do give you some protection should your rifle have a problem with a hot load in the increased temperatures of a late season hunt.

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Rick_R
.300 member


Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 117
Loc: WV, USA
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49286 - 06/02/06 01:05 PM

LASIK surgery a few years ago. I don't see as well now (20/40) as I did with contacts (20/15) but it's nice to wake up and see, walk into a warm room from winter cold and see, and just generally avoid all the glasses/contact related problems.

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AdamTayler
.375 member


Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: Metswedi]
      #49311 - 06/02/06 04:16 PM

In reply to:

stalking in Scotland even in summer! ( Got to be the wettest place on earth )!!


Price Rupert will give it as run for it's money. Even Vancouver or Seattle. My mum was from Scotland (Aberdeen) and the joke was summer came two months of the year: July 31st and August 1st. Last month my uncle said Vancouver reminded him of home, except for the scorching heat! .

Mikeh416rigby: your mother told you...

--------------------
It's the journey, not the destination.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: AdamTayler]
      #49315 - 06/02/06 06:32 PM



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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #49320 - 06/02/06 07:23 PM


The goggles the Special Forces are seen wearing in the 'Stan and other
places are great for long vehicle rides in Open vehicles and dusty
environments.

Well worth investing in a pair - and I suggest you buy what they
use and not on price as the "cheap" ones generally do not last
long or seal well.

Also suggest you get the ones that you can wear Sun Glasses under.

Of course you have to take them off to go hunting.


500 Nitro

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Charles_Helm
.333 member


Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 337
Loc: Dallas, Texas
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: 500Nitro]
      #49332 - 07/02/06 02:20 AM

In reply to:

The goggles the Special Forces are seen wearing in the 'Stan and other
places are great for long vehicle rides in Open vehicles and dusty
environments.

Well worth investing in a pair - and I suggest you buy what they
use and not on price as the "cheap" ones generally do not last
long or seal well.

Also suggest you get the ones that you can wear Sun Glasses under.

Of course you have to take them off to go hunting.


500 Nitro



Do you have a brand/model recommendation or a link?

Thanks.

--------------------
Some pictures from Namibia

Some pictures from Zimbabwe

An Elephant Story

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bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: EricD]
      #49353 - 07/02/06 06:29 AM

I'm also 41 and just completed (two weeks ago) Custom-Intra-lasik (latest technology) and am seeing 20/(10-15). The procedure is virtually risk free and I recomend it. Today most health insurance will cover a portion of the cost. I used my federally funded flex spending account to pay for the balance. Thanks President Bush!

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

"Yo! Mr. White"

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AdamTayler
.375 member


Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #49408 - 07/02/06 02:20 PM

Mike

I've sent you a PM. I have to go in and have my eyes checked as distance seems to bother me now.

--------------------
It's the journey, not the destination.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: AdamTayler]
      #49411 - 07/02/06 02:26 PM

Adam, I never received the PM you sent me. Please try again. Thanks

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: AdamTayler]
      #49412 - 07/02/06 02:31 PM

Adam, the PM finally came through. It must have been stuck somewhere in cyber land. Any way, I understand now. Just do it 'til you need glasses, not 'til you go blind.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: 500Nitro]
      #49413 - 07/02/06 02:36 PM

A friend of mine wore those goggles on his trip to Namibia with me this past May. He wore them with his contacts, and had no trouble at all. His goggles had a set of interchangeable lenses which he found quite useful. They had a set of clear lenses, and also a set of tinted lenses, so he never had to break out his sunglasses.

Personally, I prefer the idea of wearing glasses instead of contacts when hunting because they help protect the eyes from getting scratched by an errant twig or thorn.

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39845
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Glasses or contact lenses in Africa? A poll. [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #49415 - 07/02/06 02:52 PM

Thankfully I do not need glasses at all. Have to keep away from a computer screen a bit more to stay that way.

Glasses or goggles have another essential use. Travelling at night in an open vehicle can result in a lot of bugs hitting into you. Glasses, goggles, even sun glasses will protect your eyes from possible permanent damage.

The Top End pig hunting trip I made last year was a very good example. Driving back to camp each night after dark it was not uncommon to be hit in the face by an insect a few times every minute. Sunglasses meant I could see anything but I never got anything in the eye. I don't know how Garth the driver/guide coped.

Also hanging thorny branches in Africa can be a danger as well.


--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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