Ahhhhhh.........

[deilenberger]

Back on the bike after a 5 day gap.. had a bionic eye installed on Tuesday.. and they didn't say when I could start riding again, so.. waited until the vision sorta stabilized and I feel MUCH better after a nice ride to work.

Funny how this bike does that to'ya.. a few days off the bike and I'm ITCHING badly to get on it.

[craigleo]

Congrats on the new eye!
I think as long as you see something well enough to overtake, dodge, or in general, not hit it, you should be good to go.
After all, everything I see in the rear view mirror is blurry anyway.
Just to make sure it is ok to ride you should probably go for another ride.
Leo(non-medical civilian)

[websterize]

I clipped the tail light of a Mercedes convertible this morning with a saddle bag. The MB turned sooner than expected, and I thought I could squeeze by it and a passing car on my right. My fault from every angle — should have slowed down. I stopped, blabbed something about my system cases, and we checked her ride. No easy-to-see damage, but there was a clear smear of plastic on her passenger tail light. I apologized, but she turned away and got in her car.

Probably need to update the firmware on my bionic eyes.

[Stef.]

Glad to hear that all went well with your op. Now enjoy your new vision- does the world look different?
Stef.

[deilenberger]

Glad to hear that all went well with your op. Now enjoy your new vision- does the world look different?
Stef.

Yup. It's in stereo again (almost 3D!).. my old eye was actually legally blind without my glasses (big E? What chart?), and only correctable to 20/100 or so with glasses, and even then, only a very small cone of not very sharp vision. And the image was about 1/3rd smaller then my "good" eye. It was mostly being used for peripheral vision. The brain was pretty much turning it off.

New eye is 20/25, no glasses (put plain glass in the frame on that side) - they expect it to actually get better as my brain teaches it how to focus again. Amazing stuff they can do now.. only PITA is the number of eye drops I've gotta take - but that does taper off after a few weeks..

[websterize]

Don, did you have laser-corrective surgery? I had it done in January and went from 20/200 to 20/15 — should've done it years ago.

[deilenberger]

Nope. Cataract R&R with a focusing lens.. As mentioned - that eye has been BAD for a long time. Knew I had the cataract for about 5 years - but it was getting worse and prevented even correcting the eye with glasses. The other eye has one also - and is getting done next month, but it wasn't near as bad. The focusing lens is the amazing part - supposed to give you the same sort of focus range you had when you were around 15. http://www.crystalens.com/ - not cheap, but since I only plan on having this done once...

I'm not quite there on close vision yet - that's partly leftover dilation from the operation, and also the eye muscle/brain link learning that it CAN do it again. Not everyone is a good candidate, I was lucky - most of my vision problem was in the lens, and that's the best candidate for one to work well.

Oh - 20/200 (uncorrected) is my good eye (the one getting done next month) - the bad eye was about 20/2000 (legally blind without my glasses. -11 diopters and almost legally blind with glasses) Now it's 20/25... I could legally drive now without glasses in NJ.

[craigleo]

Don,
Why do you have to have the 20/20 eye 'done next month'? I do not mean to be too nosey but I have presbiopia which of
course comes with age.
Leo

[deilenberger]

Don,
Why do you have to have the 20/20 eye 'done next month'? I do not mean to be too nosey but I have presbiopia which of
course comes with age.
Leo

Because of the cataract. If it was just vision correction - that would be much cheaper and simpler with contacts, glasses or laser.

FWIW - everyone, if you live long enough - gets cataracts. Some earlier (people of northern European heritage are usually the earliest, especially if you have a lot of sunlight and UV exposure. I am, and I did - from sailing for about 15 years. Turns out sailboat sails actually are a known cause of UV exposure and the resulting cataracts.)

[snag]

Don,

I had both eyes done because of cataracts about 4 years ago. The auto-focus feature sounds new and useful! You will enjoy the return of long lost colours and the wonders of good lenses. My eyes were deteriorating quickly and I squeezed in one last trip south in the winter before I got them done. I had to follow my Harley buds, mostly by sound, because I couldn't make out signs anymore. Turns out that, while loud pipes may not save lives, the make following much, much easier. Take care of your new eyes and don't put anything smaller than your elbow in them (to borrow a useful truism).

Doug

[craigleo]

Health and motorcycle wisdom, all in one place!
Thanks guys
Leo

[hoflix]

that's amazing! bionic eye?? wow

what did you get actually?
I tried googleing, but couldn't find much...

something like this? http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadge ... ralia3.jpg

"upgrade the firmware" ---->

[deilenberger]

that's amazing! bionic eye?? wow

what did you get actually?
I tried googleing, but couldn't find much...

something like this? http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadge ... ralia3.jpg

"upgrade the firmware" ---->

http://www.crystalens.com/ - not quite that high tech.. But cool nonetheless..

[deilenberger]

Quick update.. had 1 week exam today. Vision has improved to 20/15. And the close-vision focus is starting to work.

[Caroanbill]

Quick update.. had 1 week exam today. Vision has improved to 20/15.

Great!

And the close-vision focus is starting to work.

even better .. what would do without your ability to to detailed mods and step by step pics????

[Stef.]

Great news!
Stef.

[sjbmw]

Wow how cool is that?

Only one more operation..... and we get.....






That's 35-40 million in today's dollars of course. Damn Fed.

[craigleo]

Congrats on your eyesight. So I guess you will be able to find The Ducati 'displays' at bike shows with no problem.
Leo

[deilenberger]

Congrats on your eyesight. So I guess you will be able to find The Ducati 'displays' at bike shows with no problem.
Leo

Leo, that's NEVER been a problem - sometimes I had to go by feel (which resulted in some cries of outrage) - but I've always found the Ducati displays..

[craigleo]

You are a true wise....man. The next motorcycle show we can ride up on our truly magnificent R bikes, don dark sunglasses and white canes with orange tips and head for the Ducati 'displays'. It'l be great.
Leo