If i lose my sight

[Dave 123]

Good luck. I've known 2 people operate normally on 1 eye. Thry were able to drive etc.
If the worst does happen I'm sure you'll acclimatise.
Best wishes!

 

[HLaB]

On Thursday i had my second and last chance operation to re-attach my retinal nerve in my right eye. The first operation wasn't a success and they've given me a 70% chance of it working this time, if it doesn't they can't operate again as "the retinal nerve has too much scarring to try again". I'm preparing myself for the worse case scenario which would be total blindness in my right eye, naturally i'm a bit down as i'm worried how it'll affect my day to day life, and my ability to ride a bike.
I've been getting about for the last month with one eye covered up to prepare myself for the worse, i've also been cycling, obviously taking it easy and having to stop more to assess the road situation more behind me than ahead of me. I've noticed that my average speed has dropped by a couple of miles an hour but that doesn't bother me as long as i can continue to ride a bike i'll be happy!
Do any of you know of anyone in a similar situation, and how do they cope, and are there any organisations that could help me in any way?
Ironically before all this happened i mentioned to my wife about volunteering with some organisation that offers blind/partially sighted riders the chance to cycle on tandems with sighted riders. Now it looks like i might end up on the back of a tandem rather than the front.

Sounds bad, fingers crossed it works.
I've not seen her for a while but @Ravenbait is blind in one eye and she fairly motors on TT's

 

[Mo1959]

Hopefully your op will be a success. My Dad lost an eye in an accident in his early thirties. He is still driving now at the age of 83.

 

[RWright]

Best wishes for success on your surgery. I use one of these small mirrors on my glasses while riding. http://www.amazon.com/Third-Eye-On-Lens-Bicycle-Mirror/dp/B001IHQ05S

I hate to be without it now. It does take a little time and thought to get it placed on your glass lense. I started out with a big pair of flat sunglasses and it worked great. I then bought a pair of riding glasses and bought a second mirror for them. It works fine as well. I did it all myself just using the very brief instructions that were on the package. I did take buying one of these into consideration when I bought my riding glasses, they are curved like most riding glasses but they don't have the really thick arms on each side like some riding glasses do.

I use mine on the left lense since we drive on the right side of the road here but I do use this to check to my right rear sometimes, you can check to your right pretty well but not as well as if you had one on the right lense. I think I am going to buy another of these for my riding glasses and use one on each lense. Just having one of these mirrors makes me feel so much more secure when I ride. I can scan behind me without moving my head very much at all and it is so easy I pay much more attention to what is coming up behind me.

These work so well that most of the time I have to turn my head look just to let the drivers know I am aware they are there. These work well day or night. I know your right eye is more important for use with one of these in the UK but I would suggest you try one on your left eye lense. I think it can help you out a lot. They are not that expensive to try even if you don't like them. I really love mine and no I don't have any interest in the company. I think everyone should check one out.

They include a few of the little 3M two side tape dots so you can get a few trys at placing it in the right spot. You can also get more of the tape dots if you need them. I have used mine for over a year and the mirror stays on but I don't ride in extreme cold. I do ride in rain and pretty high heat.
The coin they compare it to is a US penny. It is about the size of an adult males thumb nail. You can tell the mirror is quite a bit smaller. It is on a little swivel type adjuster base and you can adjust it up and down and side to side. Quite a nifty little piece of work.

Again. Good luck with your surgery.

 

[ColinJ]

My brother-in-law is virtually blind in one eye. It took him a while to adjust to using just one eye,but he is doing everything he was before. Drives and plays football etc

One of my brothers-in-law has only one eye (*** gruesome explanation below is definitely not for the squeamish!) and it hasn't stopped him leading a full life, including riding several different types of 2-wheeled transport. Good luck though A.c.!







*** Santa had brought young brother-in-law to-be a train set for Christmas. He was extremely excited and took a length of track in one hand, little electric engine in the other and ran to tell mummy and daddy what his present was. On the way, he tripped and gouged out one eye with the piece of track ...

 

[Accy cyclist]

Thanks for all the replies and advice, i didn't realise that there were so many people who have, and have had similar problems with their eye sight until it affected me. The annoying thing is that i've always looked after my eyes as well as possible. I've always had regular check ups being a long standing contact lens wearer and i've always worn shades and clear eye protection while on my bike or out in the sunshine etc. However, what happens behind or around the eye we have no control over.

 

[Globalti]

How did the optic nerve problem originally start, AC?

There is a tandem club for the blind in Bury; I contacted them to offer myself as a pilot but they need people who are able to commit to regular rides, which ususlly means retired folk with grown-up families.

 

[Accy cyclist]

How did the optic nerve problem originally start, AC?

There is a tandem club for the blind in Bury; I contacted them to offer myself as a pilot but they need people who are able to commit to regular rides, which ususlly means retired folk with grown-up families.

It was caused by either years of poor eyesight, the jelly in the eye wearing away(or something like that)or a severe bump to the head, according to the doctors. I've had a couple of bumps this year, the first was when i tripped over a sandbag while leaving a busy football match in March. The bloody thing had been left there since the winter, i know some might say i should be looking but you can't walk with your eyes fixed on the floor all the time.Anyway it was directly around a corner so it was there before i knew it. I fell with some force. breaking my glasses and nearly knocking myself out. The second bump was in the wet summer when i skidded off a sticky wet path, which was caused by sap from the trees above. Luckily i had my helmet on which took the force but it was some force so.......
Two months ago i was having a shower when i noticed a black line in the corner of my eye. I just thought it was a temporary floater so i ignored it for a few days, then it gradually became bigger and harder to ignore so i went to the doctors. Then from there the hospital visits started so that's it so far.

 

[ColinJ]

Oh, and I forgot to add ...

I normally organise several forum rides a year from Whalley out around the Forest of Bowland. I've had to take a break due to ill health but hope to be back on my bike near you soon. If you are back on yours by then, you'd be welcome to join me and a bunch of other CycleChatters!

 

[Accy cyclist]

Oh, and I forgot to add ...

I normally organise several forum rides a year from Whalley out around the Forest of Bowland. I've had to take a break due to ill health but hope to be back on my bike near you soon. If you are back on yours by then, you'd be welcome to join me and a bunch of other CycleChatters!

Yes that'd be nice Colin. I appreciate that!

 

[Muddyfox]

I'm very sorry to hear that you may lose your sight in one eye and i hope that your surgery is a success for you ... for a little inspiration have a look at Laura Rosensteel's videos To Blind to Ride

Muddyfox