Cycling UK Forum

I suffered a silly accident over christmas and have lost the sight in eye. I have had an operation and now have to wait and see if I will regain any sight. Its early day yet but been to shop on bke with out any issues.
I wonder if anyone else has suffered the loss of sight in one eye and how they get on ??

That's really tough, I dread any damage to my eyes. I hope it gets better.

Not personal experience but my cousin lost use of his eye when a long drill bit whipped him in the face.

It doesnt seem to have caused as much trouble as you would expect for judging speed and distance as he is still racing around on his superbikes much as before.

I've only been able to see blurry shapes in my left eye since birth. Can make out a blanket of colours, but that's it. Can't read, can't recognise faces. I can see a road as such, but not well enough to navigate by and will head for the kerb/parked car if I try.

For that reason I always cycle with eye protection. Even at night I wear cycling glasses with clear lenses.

Other than that, no much to say really, never been a problem.

But I hope you get the sight back and make a good recovery.

Gazza

I have very poor vision in my right eye though the left is fine.
I have no problems at all.
The only thing I have to do is the turn my head that much further round when looking behind before doing a right turn ect.
Take it steady to start with and you'll be fine.

A friend passed his driving test after losing an eye. He continued to rock climb and mountain bike at a good standard.

I hope the injured eye recovers as much a possible but if it doesn't you can carry on doing most activities.

Peter really sorry to hear your news and fingers crossed that your sight returns.

I lost my right eye completely and have been fitted with a prosthetic eye.

It has never stopped me from doing anything, | drive, jump out of aeroplanes, cycled all over the world (see my web site) ect ect, so in that sense it shouldn't stop you from enjoying whatever activities you do now.

However, you may find that you need to compensate slightly such as I am very careful about leaving a side street and aware that sometimes the oncoming vehicle is not going as fast as I think and my wife lets me know "are you going to sit here all week???"

The biggest problem is not being able to look over my right shoulder easily so I simply use a mirror and would always recommend one whether you have one or two eyes. Oh and trimming the right side of my beard - always a bit of guess work.

Mate I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but have to say that over the years it's given me some bl***y good laughs.

Lost nearly all the vision in my left eye by accident as a child. It used to worry me crazy that I'd have an accident to my good eye, especially during my teen years. I've just gone 50 and it takes something like this thread to remind me that I've a problem.

My left eye is 'lazy' and I've had this since the early 1950s. Never had a problem with cycling or driving.

I worked with a bloke with one eye, he drove his car fine mostly, but he had a devil of a job getting through the 6'6" width restriction near the office.

A friend lost sight in one eye, and was the holder of an international motorcycle racing licence at the time.
It took him a while to adjust, and his racing licence was suspended for one year, which is apparently the standard adjustment time allowed (and I can't think of much that places higher demands on eyesight than racing motorcycles at over 150mph). Hopefully, you'll regain sight before fully adapting.

Hi many thanks for the replies and best wishes , well been on the bike to doctors this morning so getting there. The worst thing for me at the moment s bright light in the good which I find really difficult to deal with. I guess with time this will adjust fingers crossed

Peter sorry to hear of your problem.
A mate's son recently lost the sight in one eye in a rugby-related injury.
He's now back on the bike and has continued driving too.

Another, older mate of mine lost his right eye years ago in a work-related accident.
He rides around 8,000 miles a year, so no problems there.
Incidentally, as he rides in traffic a lot, he uses a mirror clipped on to the left side of his spectacles,
so that he doesn't need to turn his head right round (?) to judge traffic coming up behind.
He's the most alert cyclist I know!

I hope it recovers

Some people get problems after losing one eye and some seem to cope well.
The worst aspect is the modern obsession with h and s rules which discriminate against people who actually could cope and want to . For example I think building site regulations ban deaf people ....
The first man to fly round the world , in the 1930's , lost an eye in his twenties but was obviously a famous pilot. American, though. You can on and on with such examples.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocular_vision
While you are recovering get http://www.amazon.com/Minds-Eye-Oliver- ... 0307272087 which is an entertaining presentation of the neurology of vision

Monocular vision is a bar to holding a bus licence - unless you held it before the rules changed. I suspect those with Grandad's Rights can drive just as well as the rest of us.

I've been flicking through this online book as a result of a different thread on here. It is a bit technical, but it lists 6 different ways the eye can perceive depth through monocular vision. I think you'll be just fine cycling.