Let me tell you about my weird vision:
The only way I can see well is to put something over one of my eyes. Then, pop, everything goes into focus.
About 10 years ago, during a routine eye examination, I was diagnosed with macular degeneration.
In the past 10 years, I have gone to 1 optometrist and 3 eye specialists, had 3 extensive (and expensive) tests done at the Eye Institute in Milwaukee, and gone through approximately 15 prs of eyeglasses, 4 in the last two years.
About 2 years ago, my weird vision started happening to me. I must close one eye to have everything in focus, and small objects, print, is beyond my capabilities. I don't exactly have double vision, just slightly out-of-tuned vision.
For example, a sign might say "NO SMOKING", but I'll see "N SMKNG" until I cover the center of my left eye, then the sign will pop up "NO SMOKING". Imagine what that does to a face! This is not exact, but as close as I can come to describing how I see. Maybe "crooked vision" is a better description.
When I check my vision with the Amsler Grid my left eye fails the test.
I have magnifying glasses in every room of my house. Everything on my computer that I can adjust is set for bold, large type. My needlepoint has been put away.
In a grocery store I can't scan items. For example, if I need a can of corn, I must look at each can individually instead of sweeping my eyes over the whole row.
I love flea-markets, but they drive me crazy. It takes me forever to see everything, so I miss a lot. (probably good on the pocketbook).
When I am in public, I avoid looking at people because it takes me so long to focus on a face (5-plus seconds if I am close enough) that it is rude. I wait for people to address me. I could focus sooner if I covered one eye, but it looks kind of weird for someone to look at you, then either wink, or cover one eye with her hand.
Prisms were added to my lenses, 3 times they were strengthened. But it seemed to work for approx. 1 week, then, bam, back to covering one eye. The last attempt was in November of 1997, when my doctor suggested I try a Fresnel lens in one eye. That also seemed to work for a while, now I am back to zero again.
My doctor is fantastic! She has spent hours with me, trying to help me. I can't believe my good luck in finally finding someone who cares. She has discovered that I have scar tissue on my left retina, and that I am slightly cross-eyed.
Those two discoveries are more than likely why I am having vision problems now.
Unfortunatly, she cannot (yet) find a recourse for my weird vision. So we are still working on that. I have, over the course of the last 3-4 months, come up with a few "off-the-wall" ideas, which I presented to her a few days ago. She tossed out most of the ideas, but considered a few.
putting all the prism in one lens, none in the other.
(she said that wouldn't work.)
putting plasic webbing on left lens.
(she didn't comment on that one)
placing a thin layer of tape vertically over left lens.
We are working on this one. She put transparent tape on my left lens, but I am having trouble with that. I will continue to work on it.
She has removed all prisms from my prescription, and has given me "computer" glasses.
I wear trifocals, but since I sit at a computer for the better part of my waking hours, I never use the top part of my lenses, and that accounts for the largest area of the lens. So I am always straining to see through a very narrow slot in my glasses.
That will help my close vision (I hope).
But we must still work on distance. She has high hopes for the taping, or shading of my left lens.
All I need is something to block my center vision. My peripheral vision is fine.
Ironically, that is what macular degeneration does. It destroys the center vision.
Does anyone else have my weird vision? Would love to hear from you.
09-23-98 - Update.
I visited an optician a few months ago, and he lightly frosted my left lens. He also took the prism out, at my physician's request.
It was great at first - I could see just fine. Except... my total vision was dimmed. I didn't realize this would happen. So I started experimenting.
I took an old pair of sunglasses, and removed the right lens. Same thing - vision improved, but still dimmed.
What I mean by "improved" is that I don't see double (crooked).
Well, I have come to the conclusion that the dark/frosted left lens will not work for me. I need the brightest vision I can get. If I need to see straight, I'll just close my left eye. (only problem is it is tiring keeping one eye closed).