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Four Letters Re: Vision Care, Post-TEOTWAWKI
Hi Jim,
Acting on a recommendation from another reader, I'm happy to report that
quality of the six pairs of eyeglasses purchased from Zennio
Optical are good.
These glasses are surprisingly inexpensive and only cost $150 for
all six pairs, which is less than the typical cost of one pair [from most other sources].
The ordering process does require some thought
and time to measure your current pair, yet a variety styles and sizes can
be ordered insuring that at least one pair will be satisfactory. I'm happy
with
all six pairs and at those prices felt bold enough to order a pair of which
can easily be worn inside goggles. Ask your optometrist to provide you with
your
pupilary distance (PD) at the time of the examination. In a pinch, even an
old prescription could be used as it is not verified by the company. - EL,
somewhere in Montana
Jim,
From your posting from today (August 1st), my optometrist always advises me
to keep my old pair of prescription glasses as a spare in case the new one
breaks. I keep my last three most recent pairs of glasses (one in my car, two
in the house) for emergencies. In a TEOTWAWKI situation,
having a two or three-year old
pair of glasses is better than having none (besides, you have already paid
for them). I donate older pairs of glasses to a local charity (always keeping
the three most recent pairs). - David M.
Mr. Rawles,
Took a dig into your own archives, and came up with this letter. I remembered
seeing the adjustable eyeglasses on the Discovery channel a while
ago, and that post was the first Google hit when I searched "adjustable
glasses Africa". The web page indicates that they normally only sell
in bulk, but I shot them an e-mail to see if I could get a sample pair or
five,
for
a nominal
fee, of course... - Aaron in Florida
JWR,
A few notes regarding vision care etc. (I am an optometrist). Not sure if this
is worth posting or not, you won't hurt my feelings if you don't:
Buying lot of contact lenses to stock up is a good idea if you are worried
about SHTF scenarios.
However stretching your wearing time in order to make them last
longer, such as wearing monthly lenses for three months, is not a good idea.
I have seen numerous cases of bacterial conjunctivitis, and almost always it
is because people have worn their contact lenses longer than directed or slept
in contact lenses they should not sleep in. Note that many eye care centers will
not allow you to stock up on extra contact lenses because
that is the way some people try to avoid yearly eye exams (i.e. buy three years
of contact lenses and
then see the optometrist every 3 years rather than every year). Another problem
with stocking up on contact lenses is that your prescription may change, and
you may be stuck with contact lenses that are less than perfect for you--although,
in a SHTF world they would be ok. So weigh your options and priorities.
Regarding glasses: safety glasses are truly a notch up as far as durability.
To be called "Safety Glasses" they must pass ANSI Z87.1 standards,
which calls for both tougher frames and lenses. They are about the same cost
as regular glasses, but they are both heavier and stronger. The lenses must withstand
greater forces, and are therefore thicker at their thinnest point. So, if you
are worried about your glasses "holding up" in a post-SHTF world, you
may want to have a pair of safety glasses. Again, the primary problem would be
if your Rx changes.
Another consideration is the scratch protection your lens offers. I have seen
lenses from Sears and WalMart that are one year old and scratched so much you
can barely see through them. If you are worried about a SHTF scenario, I would
recommend a high-quality scratch coating. At our office we sell TD2, and it is
fantastic; I am sure there are other offerings at other places. You generally
get what you pay for.
Lasik and photorefractive
keratectomy (PRK) are also good options (as already noted); like the country
doctor, I am biased towards PRK and in fact steer my patients away from Lasik
due to
flap complications.
In regards to overall eye-health issues (both pre- and post-SHTF), I would
add the following top two tips: (1) Listen to your body. If you are a contact
lens
wearer and your eye(s) is (are) bothering you, get your contact lenses out!
The worst infections come with the story, "Well, I knew there was a problem,
but I had a basketball game, so I couldn't wear my glasses!" or something
similar. So make sure you have at LEAST one pair of backup glasses, and use them
immediately if your eyes do not "like" the feeling of your contact
lenses. Of course if problems persist see your local optometrist. (2) Wear
safety glasses, preferably with side shields, anytime you cut, hammer, split
wood, ride
a motorcycle, etc.
Hope this helps, - Country Eye Doctor
