Loss of sight

[johnnyboy]

My right eye has decided to go tits up completely due to a old complacation caused by malaria and there would appear there is nothing they can do to save any sight in it , so had to make a decision on weather to carry on riding or just retire gracefully!
Not having the best of eyesight at my age anyway and needing glasses most of time things have been a struggle.
As all eye glass users will know that when worn under goggles the mist up real bad, I have now tried all types of anti mist cures but have had not a lot of success, I then tried a set of fan assisted scott goggles to help things along but still not a great help but better and started to think retiring from riding was going to be forced upon me till I had a bit of a brain storm while sitting here bored to death feeling sorry for myself lol.
The scott goggles come with a double glazed lense and while just debatiing if I should try this as a cure for the misting the brain storm hit! So I cut the end of the lense open along the foam that seperates the lenses and slid a lense from a old set of specs in there and put them in the frames.
Did around 60 miles of riding yesterday in the hardest places there is localy to get a good sweat up and they worked perfecly, No misting at all as lense is in the double glazing and even if the goggles were to mist up the fan should cure that pretty quickly (they didnt all day)
Now all I need to do is get used to the lack of depth perception and some how workout whats a shadow or a hole while in the woods LOL and alls good to go.
Even if you have two eyes but wear glasses this will work really well but I still may look at getting a percription lense made at a latter date if needs be but as it is Im happy with the results so far.

Ps. Any other one eyed riders out there ? If so how do you get on with riding with the one and any good tips.


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[wallybean]

Damn John that is the pits. I have always struggled with my eye sight and riding. I use the prescription lens in my riding sport goggles. I would think that getting the prescription lens from Scotts would work better. Good luck!

 

[ray_ray]

Too bad on that right eye ... Seems you are making the best of it though ... Good luck there ... I'd get a few prescription lens also if in your shoes ...

I had to switch to contacts due to the mess created with wearing glasses and goggles and riding. And I wear safety glasses and not goggles when not on a race track ... But, its so dry now, I gotta go back to the goggles when riding with others to keep the dust out ..

--
Carrots are my secret weapons ... takes one meal with them and my eyesight is much much better the following day ... its helps enough that have been riding with only 1 contract for about a week now ,....

Also, I use yellow lenses to help things stand out also .. No way I could wear any lenses to darken up the trails ...

Your brain storm idea sounds good but with your eyes, maybe throw the store bought products at it also ..

 

[Motosportz]

Very sorry to hear that. I ride with two guys that only have functionality of one eye. Both of them do very well. You will compensate and make it work.

- BTW you can get prescription goggles.

 

[rancher1]

I know a guy with at least half a dozen six days medals that only has sight in 1 eye. He was even on the 3 man winning club team 1 year, so definitely figure it out and ride on !

 

[Jersey Woods]

If you can make the goggles work and still enjoy riding, I say make an attempt of it. Even if you have to just dabble in riding it's better then no riding at all if you ask me. Good luck and let us know how it works out please..

 

[turboslacker]

I also have a friend who has one eye. He does just fine riding the trails. Give it some time and the eyesight will compensate quite well.

Please keep riding. It's too much fun and good exercise.

 

[johnnyboy]

Cheers Guys
Definatly going to get some precription goggles as I went out again today and had a blast but still struggling with the sun light shadows in the woods ! Is it a hole? Is it a shadow? Still a bit spooky LOL, Fine at slower speeds but a bit scarey at speed
Best option so far is to follow someone watching their bike ahead (normal for me lol) and use it as a target, I get to see all the dangers in advance, Plus get a good giggle when they get it all wrong
Will be trying a race in a fortnights time that is all woods and river beds so should be a good measure of how its all going as I finished 9th in class last year at the same place so have to try and match that, Will let you know how it goes

 

[Dangermouse449]

Great to hear you're still riding!!

There's a dude that advertises down under here in Aus, he's called 'goggleman', apparently you can send him your lense details & he'll supply goggles ready to go.

 

[adam6402]

You could also consider getting a trials bike and make new sorts of fun while going slower.

 

[firecrotch]

My brother in law lost his right eye due to some machinery explosion. He still rides.

 

[ghte]

Mate, damn good to see your scone is still up to the job. Great outcome, nice epiphany, now ride it like you stole it.

All the best

Cheers.

 

[bigmo]

OP - first sorry to hear about your predicament. I have spent a ton of time living in Africa - and Malaria is one of those gifts for life..and I know it is hard not being in your shoes, but count your blessings. Too many folks dont take it seriously and stop taking their prophylaxis and pay with their lives.

As far as your riding options, have you looked at some of the prescription offerings from Oakley? They have some military style glasses hat are very impact resistant and with some Cat Crap or similar anti bonding material, they will remain 100% clear under all conditions. You could try Cat Crap on your current setup, but in my experience, true polycarbonate lenses work best for true unrestricted vision in all environmental conditions.

Best of luck!

 

[johnnyboy]

Thanks for all the replys guys.
Working on getting some proper lenses sorted but in the mean time the lense in the goggles I modified is holding up well and working great.
Had a ride out with three mates the other day and got fed up waiting for them More down to the nimbleness of the 165 than my riding but sure made me giggle.
Gave the 165 a bit of a face lift and must give Walt a big thank you for the new top end and with a bit more playing with a few power valve springs and getting the Lectron leaned off a bit as the lower compression ment no more detonation the tiddler is running great, And a big thank you Martin for all the parts - clothing ect as I wont need to buy any spares for years to come

 

[rancher1]

Nice bike !!!

 

[Hughisdaft]

My right eye has decided to go tits up completely due to a old complacation caused by malaria and there would appear there is nothing they can do to save any sight in it

Do you mind if I ask what complications caused your blindness ? as someone who has just recently been knocked on my arse by malaria.

You just made me slightly worried !

cheers
hugh

 

[johnnyboy]

Hi Hugh
Long story short - Many years ago whilst working on two small Islands of the west coast of Africa (Sao Tome & Principe) I got marlaria twice, The first time wasnt to bad and just laid me low for a while, The second time was horrific and put me in hospital for a long time, Now for what ever reason my right eye swelled up to what felt like tennis ball size and I had 5 or 6 operations on it trying to save it and in the end they fitted a valve to it to stop the thing exploding! When everything settled back down my eyesight was not much good at all but with a contact lense or specs all was fine and life went on until out of the blue all these years later the pressure returned in a big way again trying to burst the eye apart but this time took all the sight from it completly. w that
Unless you had any thing go wonky with your eyes I would say you have nothing to fear so dont panic to much lol
It still amazes me to this very day how a poxy little mozzy can do so much damage and still think myself as very lucky as a young German lad that was working with us got marlaria and died during the night! Now that really was not funny and will always be a terible memory from the past that sometimes creeps back into my thoughts at the strangest of times.
Other than that life goes on and things could be far worse so I count my blessings and will make the most out of what I have.

 

[Motosportz]

Hi Hugh
Long story short - Many years ago whilst working on two small Islands of the west coast of Africa (Sao Tome & Principe) I got marlaria twice, The first time wasnt to bad and just laid me low for a while, The second time was horrific and put me in hospital for a long time, Now for what ever reason my right eye swelled up to what felt like tennis ball size and I had 5 or 6 operations on it trying to save it and in the end they fitted a valve to it to stop the thing exploding! When everything settled back down my eyesight was not much good at all but with a contact lense or specs all was fine and life went on until out of the blue all these years later the pressure returned in a big way again trying to burst the eye apart but this time took all the sight from it completly. w that
Unless you had any thing go wonky with your eyes I would say you have nothing to fear so dont panic to much lol
It still amazes me to this very day how a poxy little mozzy can do so much damage and still think myself as very lucky as a young German lad that was working with us got marlaria and died during the night! Now that really was not funny and will always be a terible memory from the past that sometimes creeps back into my thoughts at the strangest of times.
Other than that life goes on and things could be far worse so I count my blessings and will make the most out of what I have.

that's crazy stuff man!!! You have the right attitude. Stay strong, good luck.

 

[Hughisdaft]

Hi Hugh
Long story short - Many years ago whilst working on two small Islands of the west coast of Africa (Sao Tome & Principe) I got marlaria twice, The first time wasnt to bad and just laid me low for a while, The second time was horrific and put me in hospital for a long time, Now for what ever reason my right eye swelled up to what felt like tennis ball size and I had 5 or 6 operations on it trying to save it and in the end they fitted a valve to it to stop the thing exploding! When everything settled back down my eyesight was not much good at all but with a contact lense or specs all was fine and life went on until out of the blue all these years later the pressure returned in a big way again trying to burst the eye apart but this time took all the sight from it completly. w that
Unless you had any thing go wonky with your eyes I would say you have nothing to fear so dont panic to much lol
It still amazes me to this very day how a poxy little mozzy can do so much damage and still think myself as very lucky as a young German lad that was working with us got marlaria and died during the night! Now that really was not funny and will always be a terible memory from the past that sometimes creeps back into my thoughts at the strangest of times.
Other than that life goes on and things could be far worse so I count my blessings and will make the most out of what I have.

That must have been a truly horrific experience, I can't imagine what complications of the malaria caused this I do know however that cerebral Malaria can cause aggresive swelling throughout the brain perhaps maybe linked with your symptoms , thats just shit really, Who knows you may well one day soon regain vision in the eye. there are bucket loads of people that can still ride even at competitive levels, god knows it cant be easy but its something !

beautiful bike btw !

 

[ray_ray]

Hi Hugh
Long story short - Many years ago whilst working on two small Islands of the west coast of Africa (Sao Tome & Principe) I got marlaria twice, The first time wasnt to bad and just laid me low for a while, The second time was horrific and put me in hospital for a long time, Now for what ever reason my right eye swelled up to what felt like tennis ball size and I had 5 or 6 operations on it trying to save it and in the end they fitted a valve to it to stop the thing exploding! When everything settled back down my eyesight was not much good at all but with a contact lense or specs all was fine and life went on until out of the blue all these years later the pressure returned in a big way again trying to burst the eye apart but this time took all the sight from it completly. w that
Unless you had any thing go wonky with your eyes I would say you have nothing to fear so dont panic to much lol
It still amazes me to this very day how a poxy little mozzy can do so much damage and still think myself as very lucky as a young German lad that was working with us got marlaria and died during the night! Now that really was not funny and will always be a terible memory from the past that sometimes creeps back into my thoughts at the strangest of times.
Other than that life goes on and things could be far worse so I count my blessings and will make the most out of what I have.

Sounds a little scary to say the least ... Its a wild world out there ESP when leaving the 1st world or just leaving your homeland ... Lots of places (even in the 1st world) that I have no desire to travel to due to diseases, animals, or just the people and culture. Toss in past conflicts also to places I don't wanna go.

Good luck with making the most of it ... That is not an easy task either.