It was ten years ago that I had to start wearing glasses. Before that I had perfect 20/20 vision. Every thing I saw was sharp and in focus. Climbing was a snap in all kinds of lighting. I could always see the holds. But ten years ago that began changing.
I was working on a climbing book project in New Hampshire and over the course of three months I found that my arms weren't long enough to read a magazine or newspaper. It was depressing to have to go to a drugstore and find my first pair of reading glasses. Not long afterwards I began having trouble seeing small footholds and had to start wearing my reading glasses when I climbed, especially in low light like evening or on shaded routes.
It's difficult to be a rock climber or participate in adventure sports without perfect eye sight. It's difficult to climb while wearing glasses, not impossible, but difficult. Here are a few of the problems I've found while wearing eyeglasses on the rock:
- It's difficult to see holds, especially in low light levels.
- I have to wear an eyeglasses holder, like Chums eyeglass retainers, to make sure that I won't lose the glasses if they fall off.
- It's always a worry that I might break or squash my $300 eyeglasses when I'm climbing or chilling on a belay ledge.
- Sweat drips onto the lenses when I climb on warm days.
- It's easy to brush the glasses against the rock surface, especially while crack climbing.
- They fog up in damp conditions, winter cold, or when I'm hiking to a crag.
I've been thinking of getting LASIK surgery to correct my eyes back to their original 20/20 vision. LASIK is a surgical procedure for problems like astigmatism and myopia, near-sightedness and far-sightedness. The surgery reshapes the eye's cornea to improve vision and correct common vision problems.
There are, of course, complications like any surgery and some patients don't have perfect vision after the procedure. Still, a few climbing buddies have had it and swear by the surgery and are psyched to be free from glasses and contact lenses when they climb.
What are your thoughts about LASIK surgery and climbing? Have you had the surgery done and were you happy? Did it make a difference in your climbing experience? Let me know your experience and thoughts.
Photograph above: I see how to arrange the rappel ropes on Independence Monument while wearing my Target reading glasses. Photograph © Stewart M. Green.
Comments
As an eye doc I have to say this idea is probably not the best. Your complaints are for reading which is not optimum for LASIK. Around forty we lose flexibility in our focusing system which causes all of us with good distance vision to go buy reading glasses. Lasik does not give you back the flexibiliity in your focusing system. In most cases it simply corrects you for distance (and it sounds like that is still pretty good). There are options to correct one eye for near and one eye for distance but I would never perform LASIK to achieve that on someone who had not done that first with contact lenses. Some people simply cannot adjust to it. There is a new procedure called clear lens extraction which can give you both distance and near however that will cost over 12 thousand dollars.
For people who are nearsignted and wear glasses all the time it could be great for climbing. Especially if you are young enough (under 40) where your focusing system still works so you can see the small crimp in front of you nose and look way up to see the route.
So my short answer to my long thought is, it is not a good idea for you and may be a great idea for younger climbers. I myself have not had any problems climbing with my glasses (picking the right pair really helps) and the procedure is very expensive 5-6 thousand dollars andI just am not that interested.
Thanks for your insightful and thoughtful comment Dodge. I agree with you but thought I would throw that LASIK idea out there and see what others thought…
Being in the ophthalmic field for over 20 years and specializing in laser vision correction for 15 years, I have encountered numerous individuals, like your climbing friends, that have enhanced their lives by undergoing LASIK. It’s important to take all of your visual needs into consideration and would advise you to seek the opinion of a local surgeon who can assess your candidacy and make a personalized recommendation. In my experience, since working with both locally owned and corporate providers, I’d advise a surgeon owned clinic that will make a recommendation based on what is truly best for you overall. Many of these places do not charge for the initial consultation to discuss your options and at least find out if you even qualify (per the above post). If possible, find a surgeon in your area that has performed at least 30,000 procedures (if not more). They should be able to give you a solid number to determine the individual’s experience. LASIK is truly a wonderful freeing gift if you’re right for the procedure. The cost is often as low as $1,500 per eye, depending on the technology used and if a femtosecond laser is required to create the flap. Good luck with your search for clearer vision and enjoying your climbing to the fullest!