Let me tell you a tale...and tap KawaNOW knowledge

[audiogooroo]

Well, I have had the most unusual weekend. I was working in Vegas last week. The last few days I was in Vegas, I began to have some vision problems in my right eye. It began as a sort of double vision disturbance in my distance field of vision.By the time I was driving to the airport to leave LV (my cub engineer had no idea his life was at risk!) I was really struggling to see clearly. I was only able to drive the truck home from DIA by keeping one eye closed to combat the double vision.
When I woke the next day, the double vision had increased to where it was affecting my near field vision more, so I went to see the eye doctor. After extensive testing, they determined that I have 20/20 vision in each eye, but they appear to not be working together, although they could find no cause and told me that my eyes were perfectly healthy. I was instructed to follow up with a specialist on Monday.

Then came Saturday morning. Practical blindness. Straight to the emergency room, where I was given top priority as they suspected either a brain tumor, aneurysm, or stroke.
Spent all day there where I received total labs, CAT scan and MRI only to reveal.....wait for it...perfectly healthy with results of all tests indicating nothing they suspected. Now that is great news knowing I don't have some systematic disease that's going to kill me...although slightly frustrated that they still didn't know what's causing this. They released me with instructions to see the specialist on Monday to try and determine what's going on. They gave me an eye patch, as the only way I can function at all is to eliminate one eye so that the double vision is minimized. So my family has taken to calling me Rooster or responding to me in pirate talk. I'm sure you would all have many a laugh doing the same if you could see me! :)
So today I see the specialist and it was discerned that I have had a nerve fail in my right eye. Basically, I have 20/20 vision in each eye and they both work fine individually, but will not track together, resulting in the double vision. I'm told that sometimes this can be caused by high blood pressure, and mine was slightly elevated, but not really considered high enough to cause this. Dr. believes that it may heal itself and correct over time...three to six months. If it doesn't improve, then I'll have to consider surgical options. The only thing I can do to function is wear a patch so that I am only using one eye at a time. Without it, I am pretty much blind as the double vision is so severe that I can't even walk.
So, it certainly could be much worse. Here's to believing that it will heal itself quickly. Slightly frustrated that I spend my life working out and denying myself certain foods I love, making healthy choices, and still get smacked with this! Oh well, I am a blessed man as there are many men dealing with far worse than this.

All that to say this: while I am adjusting to only having one eye (I'm still legal to drive, just have to careful concerning depth perception), I'm wondering how riding will be when the time comes. Does anyone here struggle with riding with vision in only one eye? Is it unwise for me to even attempt to ride?
Any input you may have would be welcome. This is the time of year when I'm getting ready to saddle up, and I would hate to keep the Nomad in the stable all summer, but I am also not going to be foolish.

Many thanks all.

[Idaho]

Holy smoke Daryl, what a story. Sorry that you are going through this. As you said though you are and have been blessed. I pray that it will heal quickly.

As to driving the bike. Give it some time in the cage before you attempt the bike. Get used to driving with the unique perspective of only seeing with one eye before you attempt the Nomad.

Also, you might want to be srue to alter the patch from one eye to the other prehaps every couple of hours if that is not too much trouble just so that one does not become 'lazy'.

Good luck. Bud

[jandreu]

Dammmm...that's a story. I agree with Bud to alter eyes to keep one from getting lazy. I'm sure before this is over you will have many tales to share withus about the eye patch...Arrrr Matey...

[cactusjack]

Sorry to hear this Daryl. I hope all turns out okay. Keep your eye on getting better!

[blowndodge]

Daryl............ I will keep you in my prayers buddy.... I'm sure there will be an explanation that can be handled by your physicians. You have 20/20 in both and thats a great thing! your having syncro issues that I've heard can be sorted out...

[nomadtom69]

Pirates can sword fight with a patch on one eye why not ride a bike with one eye

[cnc]

Wow that is a scary story. I hope all repairs it's self in time.
I don't have any personal experience dealing with driving with one eye, except I remember trying to paint while one eye was bandaged up due to an accident. As you probably found out, your depth of field is all buggered up and while I thought I was painting the brush was not even touching the surface!
My Dad lost an eye in WWII and while I don't know how long it took him to adjust, he did more with one eye that most do with two including driving a bike. I do suspect that if you change the patch back and forth from one eye to the other that it will be hard for the eye/ brain to adjust.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by audiogooroo

Well, I have had the most unusual weekend. I was working in Vegas last week. The last few days I was in Vegas, I began to have some vision problems in my right eye. It began as a sort of double vision disturbance in my distance field of vision.By the time I was driving to the airport to leave LV (my cub engineer had no idea his life was at risk!) I was really struggling to see clearly. I was only able to drive the truck home from DIA by keeping one eye closed to combat the double vision.
When I woke the next day, the double vision had increased to where it was affecting my near field vision more, so I went to see the eye doctor. After extensive testing, they determined that I have 20/20 vision in each eye, but they appear to not be working together, although they could find no cause and told me that my eyes were perfectly healthy. I was instructed to follow up with a specialist on Monday.

Then came Saturday morning. Practical blindness. Straight to the emergency room, where I was given top priority as they suspected either a brain tumor, aneurysm, or stroke.
Spent all day there where I received total labs, CAT scan and MRI only to reveal.....wait for it...perfectly healthy with results of all tests indicating nothing they suspected. Now that is great news knowing I don't have some systematic disease that's going to kill me...although slightly frustrated that they still didn't know what's causing this. They released me with instructions to see the specialist on Monday to try and determine what's going on. They gave me an eye patch, as the only way I can function at all is to eliminate one eye so that the double vision is minimized. So my family has taken to calling me Rooster or responding to me in pirate talk. I'm sure you would all have many a laugh doing the same if you could see me! :)
So today I see the specialist and it was discerned that I have had a nerve fail in my right eye. Basically, I have 20/20 vision in each eye and they both work fine individually, but will not track together, resulting in the double vision. I'm told that sometimes this can be caused by high blood pressure, and mine was slightly elevated, but not really considered high enough to cause this. Dr. believes that it may heal itself and correct over time...three to six months. If it doesn't improve, then I'll have to consider surgical options. The only thing I can do to function is wear a patch so that I am only using one eye at a time. Without it, I am pretty much blind as the double vision is so severe that I can't even walk.
So, it certainly could be much worse. Here's to believing that it will heal itself quickly. Slightly frustrated that I spend my life working out and denying myself certain foods I love, making healthy choices, and still get smacked with this! Oh well, I am a blessed man as there are many men dealing with far worse than this.

All that to say this: while I am adjusting to only having one eye (I'm still legal to drive, just have to careful concerning depth perception), I'm wondering how riding will be when the time comes. Does anyone here struggle with riding with vision in only one eye? Is it unwise for me to even attempt to ride?
Any input you may have would be welcome. This is the time of year when I'm getting ready to saddle up, and I would hate to keep the Nomad in the stable all summer, but I am also not going to be foolish.

Many thanks all.

My wife had very similar circumstances, many years ago. [30-35 years?] But the doctors back then put her on a medication and that would escalate to 8 meds. She wore an eye patch for a time. This led to eyeglasses with prisms, which aren't cheap, I think she went through 3 pair. She was in big trouble as she went into depression and had lost weight down to a 85 lb. skelleton. After a short time the head of the department put her in the hospital and cleaned her of the meds. We brought her to a specialists who was D.C. at the time. He said that they should operate on her muscles in her eyes. Shorten them, make them work better togtether. She did well with the operation. And has since only had a few times where driving is a problem during the day. She has more difficulty driving at night. When the double vision comes back, she has been worrying more than normal and working harder than normal.
Much luck to you, and take the driving slow.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Daryl, really sorry to hear of your situation. I will pray that everything turns out for the good.

My Dad had a stroke and it caused him to lose vision to the left side. The only way he could see to the left would be by turning his head. He gave up driving after that. Not the same issue as you have.

When driving or riding I would keep the patch over the right eye so you will have better vision to the left side. That is where you need to see as you will have oncoming traffic to deal with.

On the lighter side changing the patch from eye to eye will cause people to ask lots of questions. You go to a restaurant with the patch over one eye. People see you. You go to the restroom and come back with the patch over the other side. Then people will say what's with this guy, or am I going crazy. Thought his patch was over the other eye. It will drive them nuts.

[schoeney]

Daryl....thoughts are with you. I think Kris (Netnorske) can share a little bit regarding riding with less than stellar vision as he has had some eye issues last year as well.

Get that blood pressure down. Take a little time off and do some relaxing. I know you have been working unusually hard these last 6 mos. Time to give yourself a break.

Good luck!

[vulcans2]

So sorry to hear of your situation. Has to be seriously frustrating. As to driving or riding a motorcycle with just one eye, I had a friend in Alaska who lost an eye to shrapnel in Vietnam and he he rode his Gold Wing without any difficulty. You'd never know he only had one eye. Hang in there, and we'll all be praying for a good recovery.

[ringadingh]

Sorry to here about your vision problem Darryl, hopefully it will fix itself before long.
My good friend and riding buddy lost an eye about thirty years ago in an industrial accident. He can ride a bike as well as anybody can if not better, but he says it took a while to get used to it. He really has to be careful when passing on his blind side, and pays close attention to the cars that pass him. We travel at night a lot coming home and if its raining he can't see much at all. I lead and he follows my tailight.

[nomadtom69]

All jokes aside relax get your blood pressure down and follow docs orders and hopefully by summer you will be riding in the wind.

[skeeter]

I'll ditto on the prayers and as to riding with one eye.... Apache helicopter pilots fly with one eye on/in the computer feed which blocks their right eye completely and their left eye takes in the outside world.... I recently had LASIK done. I didn't opt for it but one of my options was for monoclular vision where one eye is set up for normal distances and one set up for the close ups... the mind is amazing. I have heard that a group was tested with "glasses" that flipped their vision upside down but before long they were seeing right side up. When they took the "glasses" off they were seeing upside down til the mind adjusted... as to the pirate patch, one explanation as to why the patch was always associated with pirates was because they kept one eye covered so they would always have one eye adjusted to darkness to aid in their stealthy endeavors. As they uncovered an eye the other was covered. OK I'll shut up now as I'm beginning to sound like my brother who may be the best human dictionary of useless trivia. Prayers sent. Be encouraged.

[Netnorske]

Daryl,
I'm sorry to hear of this, but can certainly relate. My surgery last year for the tumor in my right eye left me with reduced vision in that eye, but still pretty good peripheral vision....which helps a ton, especially for riding. I'm willing to bet CJ didn't feel quite so bad about his bike mishap after reading your post. Things like this make you understand what is really important in life. Your family and faith will get you through this...and a good sense of humor will go a long ways as well.

I put on an umpire clinic for our local league this weekend....and related to the newbies how eye surgery forced my early retirement from active umpiring. Then I cracked how only having one good eye should really be a pre-requisite... . Good luck buddy....I'll be praying for you as so many did for me.