# Issue with eye focus when riding



## Rusnak_322 (Dec 6, 2009)

Few years ago I got lasik, love it. perfect mid and long range vision, but need readers.

Recently I have had issues when riding my bike. Once in the woods in a XC style trail and once at a downhill bike park. Both times it has been in and out of light and shadows and going as fast as I felt comfortable (maybe a little more).

My eyes start to get out of focus, best way to describe it is almost like going cross eyed. I stop and literally cannot make my eyes focus on anything more than 5 feet in front of me. I can focus clearly on my stem. After a min, it goes back to normal.

Both times it didn't start until later in the ride, it may be partly due to getting tired. The second time I was wearing non-prescription glasses and took them off thinking that maybe I was having issues with the reflection on the inside inthe sunny areas. It made no difference. 

I do look ahead when riding, I was an instructor for motorcycle track days and always pushed students to do the same. 

Anyone else ever have this happen to you? If so, what did you find that helped? I don't know if there are any exercises that I could do.


----------



## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

I get that when I'm not staying hydrated enough. When it happens, I take a few big gulps and things clear up.


----------



## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Could be simple dry eye issues, vision can fluctuate a lot with dry eye. 

If you've had lasik, you should be wearing protective lenses at all times on the MTB. If anything hits your eye (kicked up or a crash) a lifted lasik flap is not going to be fun for you. 

Best bet, get a thorough eye exam and explain the issue to your Dr.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

At first I read this as "issues with focus", yup, been there, but then I saw the eye thing, nope, that hasn't been an issue 

So I do have a general comment: Why in the hell would someone post about a medical concern on MTBR before going to see a medical provider?

Weird, so weird.

Go see a damn eye doctor, duh!


----------



## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

Nurse Ben said:


> At first I read this as "issues with focus", yup, been there, but then I saw the eye thing, nope, that hasn't been an issue
> 
> So I do have a general comment: Why in the hell would someone post about a medical concern on MTBR before going to see a medical provider?
> 
> ...


Not so weird Ben. Many of us ask about medical issues here AND we go to a doctor as soon as we can get in. We go to the doctor to get medical information like what's going on, how do I deal with it, whats the prognosis, and others.

We (I) ask here to get some feel for the experiential part of illness and recovery. We learn about how our issues are, from a mountain bike perspective, both affected by and affect our health. I want input like "what worked for you?" and more importantly "what didn't work for you?" I'm lucky to have a very good GP that is also a 100 mile a week road rider and he has answers that most GPs won't have, but there is also a wealth of information (and BS) here that doesn't make it into medical journals.

Then there's people like you Ben that actually know what you're talking about from both the medical and the shredder perspectives. Thanks for your input.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

telemike said:


> Not so weird Ben. Many of us ask about medical issues here AND we go to a doctor as soon as we can get in. We go to the doctor to get medical information like what's going on, how do I deal with it, whats the prognosis, and others.
> 
> We (I) ask here to get some feel for the experiential part of illness and recovery. We learn about how our issues are, from a mountain bike perspective, both affected by and affect our health. I want input like "what worked for you?" and more importantly "what didn't work for you?" I'm lucky to have a very good GP that is also a 100 mile a week road rider and he has answers that most GPs won't have, but there is also a wealth of information (and BS) here that doesn't make it into medical journals.
> 
> Then there's people like you Ben that actually know what you're talking about from both the medical and the shredder perspectives. Thanks for your input.


I can't imagine asking a bunch or arm chair mountain bikers to assess a potential life threatening medical condition ... but I might ask for advice on love 

I was seeing this teen for a medical appointment wit' his parents after he had been at football practice, in passing he says he's got this strange fluttering in the corner of his eye. He and his parent thought nothing of it, but I immediately sent him to the ER because he had a detached retina!

Don't mess around with eyes, seriously.


----------



## goyo46 (Feb 19, 2010)

Sometimes when I ride in the cold I have trouble with my vision, usually after a long ride. It might be fatigue related. Seems to make astigmatism worse.


----------



## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

Nurse Ben said:


> ... but I might ask for advice on love
> 
> I was seeing this teen after he had been at football practice, in passing he says&#8230;


Phrasing!

As i age, i do notice eye fatigue from day at work looking at computer screens it takes a while to adjust focus for driving.


----------



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

eye fatigue from computer screens can make eyes tired to the point that some other trigger
...sunlight, or terrain passing by on trail...can make eyes quit focusing, or see double...etc

evaluate if eyestrain from non-riding sources may exist


----------



## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

127.0.0.1 said:


> eye fatigue from computer screens can make eyes tired to the point that some other trigger
> ...sunlight, or terrain passing by on trail...can make eyes quit focusing, or see double...etc
> 
> evaluate if eyestrain from non-riding sources may exist


Not likely, after a short rest accommodation typically returns to normal from digital eye strain and it would be showing up much more often than described.

Dry eye is far more likely and typically results in the issues described. Being a post lasik patient could also complicate dry eye issues for certain people.

The only other thing that can typically cause a swing like this in vision is typically diabetic issues. A blood sugar swing on the bike is certainly not unheard of.


----------



## JKA (Jul 26, 2006)

I definitely wouldn't ask for advice on love from any of you clowns.
I am an eye doc though and I fully recommend getting in to see your eye doc when you can. Very likely post LASIK dry eye issues though. LASIK can leave you with chronic ocular surface disease(OSD) for many years and probably lifetime for a lot of people. Some don't get it right off the bat, but it starts giving them problems years after LASIK as they age and OSD just gets more common with age. Riding with the breeze drying your eyes and trying hard to focus on the trail (leads to minimal blinking) can really bring out the problem. See your doc and also try some good artificial tears, as well as some good glasses that protect your eyes not only from debris and damage, but from the wind. Whoever said it earlier was right, a dislodged LASIK flap is a real problem. Protect those peepers.


----------



## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

JKA said:


> I definitely wouldn't ask for advice on love from any of you clowns.
> I am an eye doc though and I fully recommend getting in to see your eye doc when you can. Very likely post LASIK dry eye issues though. LASIK can leave you with chronic ocular surface disease(OSD) for many years and probably lifetime for a lot of people. Some don't get it right off the bat, but it starts giving them problems years after LASIK as they age and OSD just gets more common with age. Riding with the breeze drying your eyes and trying hard to focus on the trail (leads to minimal blinking) can really bring out the problem. See your doc and also try some good artificial tears, as well as some good glasses that protect your eyes not only from debris and damage, but from the wind. Whoever said it earlier was right, a dislodged LASIK flap is a real problem. Protect those peepers.


Is OSD at all typical in non-Lasik eyes? I don't even have an eye doc. I may in the future here, tho. 

Thanks,
-F


----------



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

FrankS29 said:


> Not likely, after a short rest accommodation typically returns to normal from digital eye strain and it would be showing up much more often than described.
> 
> Dry eye is far more likely and typically results in the issues described. Being a post lasik patient could also complicate dry eye issues for certain people.
> 
> The only other thing that can typically cause a swing like this in vision is typically diabetic issues. A blood sugar swing on the bike is certainly not unheard of.


mine would happen on blue and white screens use at work.... leave work,
drive home double vision would hit if the sun was out,

and it would hit on sunny days on road bike, under trees, as the sun dappled and I had zebra stripes shadows on pavement ....tree limbs.... on the pavement for miles, my eyes would just have enough of that and I'd have to fight to keep my vision stable.

I changed my colors on the screen and all that went away. even road bike rides in sun, eyes were fine. it was all about cumulative eye strain at work. took 3 days after screen color change for it to stop happening. I mean after resting for 2 hours it would stop, but overall it never happened again after 3 days of no blue/white terminal use at work. literally double vision... I had to close one eye to drive home.


----------



## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Sight is a growing challenge with age but I'm also very much due for a new prescription and want to go back to riding with no multi-focal glasses or contacts. It's worse in low light. I'm not giving up my sports or fun so I just hang in back of a group now if I feel I'm not processing visual stuff fast enough.


----------



## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

127.0.0.1 said:


> mine would happen on blue and white screens use at work.... leave work,
> drive home double vision would hit if the sun was out,
> 
> and it would hit on sunny days on road bike, under trees, as the sun dappled and I had zebra stripes shadows on pavement ....tree limbs.... on the pavement for miles, my eyes would just have enough of that and I'd have to fight to keep my vision stable.
> ...


Considering your issues, I would consider a good pair of glasses that will also filter high energy blue light. Something like the Hoya Recharge anti-reflective treatment has had very good results for us.

Stay away from "clear blue light filters", they are useless and offer basically zero protection from blue light.

Blue light is _part _of digital eyestrain. The other part is spending too much time hyper focusing on what is typically an unnatural focal length for our eyes (intermediate vision). Forcing your eyes to constantly strain to accommodate the focal length for hours and hours (keep in mind, this can be very dependent on your individual refractive needs).

Depending on your needs, there are a lot of different lens solutions available to help the eye relax and let the lens take over the heavy lifting.


----------



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

FrankS29 said:


> Considering your issues, I would consider a good pair of glasses that will also filter high energy blue light. Something like the Hoya Recharge anti-reflective treatment has had very good results for us.
> 
> Stay away from "clear blue light filters", they are useless and offer basically zero protection from blue light.
> 
> ...


I haven't had any issues whatsover in over 25 years. I described what happened to me a long time ago.


----------



## Rusnak_322 (Dec 6, 2009)

WTF? This is somehow a life threatening medical issue?? I had Lasik years ago. I don't have dry eyes - almost the opposite. I have been at work in front of my computer all day and my eyes are tearing up, not dry.

This happened only twice. I ride motorcycles on the street and ride all day and don't get eye strain issues. but I have a tinted shield and I am not as physically straining myself on my street bike as I am on my mountain bike. 

The glasses i was using had a orange tint, then i changed to clear in the afternoon when it got brighter out (it was overcast in the am). It was still too dark in the woods for tinted glasses. 

I wasn't looking for a medical diagnosis. Just looking to see if anyone else had a similar issue and if there was a way to prevent it or a exercise that could help lessen it in the future. My last eye exam was in March, there was no issue at the time, but I do get my eyes checked every year.


----------



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Rusnak_322 said:


> WTF? This is somehow a life threatening medical issue?? I had Lasik years ago. I don't have dry eyes - almost the opposite. I have been at work in front of my computer all day and my eyes are tearing up, not dry.
> 
> This happened only twice. I ride motorcycles on the street and ride all day and don't get eye strain issues. but I have a tinted shield and I am not as physically straining myself on my street bike as I am on my mountain bike.
> 
> ...


Windows 10 has night light mode for the screen which mellows a lot of the blue light. meant to use for the last hour before bedtime, research says it helps nitenite time...

if you have a similar setting on your display or use windows 10 running in night light mode may be worth a shot for a while. cut back on a lot of blue, easier on the old eye nerves


----------



## JKA (Jul 26, 2006)

Fleas said:


> Is OSD at all typical in non-Lasik eyes? I don't even have an eye doc. I may in the future here, tho.
> 
> Thanks,
> -F


Very much, yes. OSD is more common with age, gender (women more than men, particularly post-menopause), post LASIK and a real biggie...environment. There is a lot more OSD in hot dry environments. Eyelid disease is a huge factor as well and is something that can be modified to improve OSD.


----------



## JKA (Jul 26, 2006)

127.0.0.1 said:


> mine would happen on blue and white screens use at work.... leave work,
> drive home double vision would hit if the sun was out,
> 
> and it would hit on sunny days on road bike, under trees, as the sun dappled and I had zebra stripes shadows on pavement ....tree limbs.... on the pavement for miles, my eyes would just have enough of that and I'd have to fight to keep my vision stable.
> ...


Yeah, computer vision syndrome is a real deal to many people. I'm glad you found some things that work for you.


----------



## goyo46 (Feb 19, 2010)

goyo46 said:


> Sometimes when I ride in the cold I have trouble with my vision, usually after a long ride. It might be fatigue related. Seems to make astigmatism worse.


I get this as well. Regular eye exams, no serious problems. I have trouble riding safely those final miles when I can't judge distances as well.


----------



## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Rusnak_322 said:


> Few years ago I got lasik, love it. perfect mid and long range vision, but need readers.
> 
> Recently I have had issues when riding my bike. Once in the woods in a XC style trail and once at a downhill bike park. Both times it has been in and out of light and shadows and going as fast as I felt comfortable (maybe a little more).
> 
> ...


How about seeing an ophthalmologist and getting some direction from the proper source? This could be something simple or more complicated such as a retina detachment.


----------



## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

Could be a host of problems like computer screens, ipad screens, cell phone screens.
Also diet, maybe research carrots and what real foods you can eat, or modify your diet if you eat processed foods or fast foods.

Food really does help with many health ailments but do your own research and consult a doctor, but beware doctors spend little time on diets and addictions, they prefer to prescribe you drugs, thats their culture.


----------



## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

matt4x4 said:


> Could be a host of problems like computer screens, ipad screens, cell phone screens.
> Also diet, maybe research carrots and what real foods you can eat, or modify your diet if you eat processed foods or fast foods.
> 
> Food really does help with many health ailments but do your own research and consult a doctor, but beware doctors spend little time on diets and addictions, they prefer to prescribe you drugs, thats their culture.


Or you get in with the right physician... Rare, as hen's teeth but there are a few out there. 
My physician recommends the use of homeopathics as a first line, and does look at dietary intake and change.
Process foods are out, period.


----------

