Eyesight and Woodworking

[Richard N Elliott]

I lost about most of the vision in my right eye a couple of years ago. Now I'm developing floaters in my left eye. Lately my depth perception has gotten worse and that is the real problem.

Remember my wife and I just moved into our retirement home and I'm laying out my workshop, deciding on which power tools I need to get and have about a zillion projects in my mind.

Now I'm thinking I may be in for a hard time making furniture and the like with only one good eye... I have seen the problems I have lining up my stamps doing leatherwork and I won't even go into learning how to shoot left handed!

Do y'all think there I'm in for any insurmountable problems?

[Erik Loza]

Obvious question: Have you consulted an opthamologist about this?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Paul Hinds]

I doubt anything will be insurmountable, since some blind people do woodworking, but it's likely to be a major annoyance. I suspect you'll learn pretty quickly where you have to pay extra attention.

[Chris Padilla]

I'm 45 and my near vision is slowly fading away on me. I need those reading glasses that magnetically snap together on me...ugh! I, too, have floaters but mine one "buddy" isn't too bad and I rarely see it anymore unless I think about it...like right now! LOL Definitely visit an eye doctor. They can do amazing things these days with all the medical advances. I had LASIK about 10 years ago so I could get rid of contacts. I'm still at 20/20..now if my darn cornea would soften up a bit!!

[Erik Loza]

I'm 45 and my near vision is slowly fading away on me.... I had LASIK about 10 years ago so I could get rid of contacts. I'm still at 20/20..now if my darn cornea would soften up a bit!!

Identical situation. Lasik changed my life but I still have to wear reading glasses. The opthamologist explained to me that as you get older, the cornea just cannot change shape as readily as when you were younger so no matter what, there will always be a need for glasses. I had not been shooting in a while and recently went with my brother. Really challenging: Target was easy to see but the front sight of the pistol was still blurry and that's what they tell you to focus on. *sigh*

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Jim Matthews]

The opthamologist explained to me that as you get older, the cornea just cannot change shape as readily as when you were younger so no matter what, there will always be a need for glasses.

The crystaline lens in your eye becomes less flexible with age.
It becomes less malleable, and the small muscles that pull at the edges
to change it's shape (and therefore, focal length) can no longer exert enough force to
pick out things that are close to the eye.

It's called Presbyopia, and it's completely normal.

You can achieve much better focus with brighter light than in a dark space.

While reading glasses will help, task lighting makes a real difference.

When exposed to bright light, the pupil contracts - leaving a smaller
"cirle of confusion" on the retina, and results in sharper focus.

Anyone with a photography background might have experimented
with a pinhole camera, which has a VERY small aperture,
and can produce tremendous depth of field in photographs.

I have always had poor eyesight.
It's not getting better.

Bright LED lights in my shop make things easier.

http://www.medicineonline.com/topics...resbyopia.html

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[Richard N Elliott]

Obvious question: Have you consulted an opthamologist about this?

Oh heck yah! For about a year I got a shot in the eye every 4 to 6 weeks. Sometimes it helped, other times the retina looked like Mount Vesuvius! I finally just quit going...

it's likely to be a major annoyance. I suspect you'll learn pretty quickly where you have to pay extra attention.

That's good to hear! I can live with annoyances as long as I can do the work! Is that a Great Pyrenees in your avatar? We have 2.

I understand there is an operation that may cure the eye problem. Laser the ruptured vessel that is leaking blood into the eyeball. But the doc wasn't to keen on it for some reason. Maybe when my wife doesn't need all my attention I may look into it further... as well as getting my ruptured disk repaired! Right now I'm just planning (dreaming) about what I'm gonna do with that whole unfinished basement I have! Step #1 is setting up my first (finally after 69 years) woodshop!

[Myk Rian]

My eyesight was fine, then I quit drinking. Now I wear glasses.
That was 28 years ago.

[Shawn Pixley]

My sympathies. I have worn glasses since I was 4 years old. Each year my eyesight is getting worse. It is only a matter of time before I am legally blind. However, I think it is only as limiting as you let it be. Chuck Close lost eyesight mid career. It changed his style, but not his ability to create art. My best friend lost sight in one eye chopping wood. If I ever feel sorry for myself, I realize others have it worse.

I am farsighted, so lasic is no option. The glasses get stronger and stronger even as the cornea & lens get more difficult to flex / focus. If I lose sight, I will change to more free-form work. I go in next Tuesday to get a stronger prescription.

[Von Bickley]

I am practically blind in my left eye, always have been. I have never had any depth perception and never will. I guess I just compensated for it, and never having it, I never missed it.

Wishing you the best......

[Justin Koenen]

Hello Richard, Have been visiting this site for a long time but have never replied. I feel I must reply now because I wish to tell you to "let her rip" and not look back. Lost all of the vision in my right eye in 1997. Glad it was my right eye because it makes driving easier! Have built a new house with my twin grandchildren and brother. Hung all of the siding including a two story peak all by myself (be careful and be sure you have the last step on the way down a ladder!). Did all interior work by myself including making all trim from maple lumber. All vanities and cupboards are solid maple. Did all this after my 70th birthday. Hope this encourages you!!!!!!!! Justin

[Art Mann]

My first comment is that depth perception is an illusion for a person with one eye. You need two eyes to triangulate distance. Having said that, I will encourage you to keep going until you lose the love for it or it becomes unsafe. I have a dear friend who has essential tremor so bad that he can't operate a phillips head screwdriver very easily. Yet, he recently completed what I consider his crowning achievement of 50 years of woodworking. He built a pair of solid walnut bookcases that look like they came from a high end custom shop. I helped him a little and another friend helped him more, but he mostly completed the project by himself. I can't say I could have done nearly as well as he did, even with his handicap.

[Richard N Elliott]

..."let her rip" and not look back. Lost all of the vision in my right eye in 1997. ...built a new house ... Did all interior work ... all trim ... All vanities and cupboards ... Did all this after my 70th birthday. Hope this encourages you!!!!!!!! Justin

ENCOURAGES!?!? Heck man! You my he-row!!!

Time for me to stop whining about my age and infirmities and get to work!

Glad you posted. I've been here every day reading and learning.

[Richard N Elliott]

All y'all have been very encouraging and I appreciate it. I really got concerned lately when I had a hard time driving a nail straight! If y'all don't mind I'll continue to ask questions but I promise to do so only after I research the subject.