Wearing goggles in public/at work, please help me.

[eyes78]

Thank you, Dry in Denver, for your input and the suggestion on the store. I'm in Denver, too, maybe I'll see you around sometime. I'll be wearing goggles.

It helps so much to hear from other people who are going through the same thing, it really does.

[Guest]

Thank you, SAAG. I appreciate your story. I read some of your other posts and came across your blog - do you still use those amazing custom made glasses? They are incredible.
Thank you again.

My custom ones sealed better when they were brand new - but my kids bumped into me a few times when wearing them, and the nosepads got moved - so that disrupted the seal, and I've never been able to get it quite right again. The guy who made them is retired I think, and although I finally tracked down his son (who apparently knows how to make them, he's an optician like his dad, and his dad told me he taught his son how to make them), he ignored my attempts to contact him, other than accepting my request to connect on LinkdIn (but still ignored by messages about the custom moisture chambers) The son is trying to start some other eyeglasses-related business, so I guess he doesn't want to trouble himself with people like me who need his custom moisture chamber glasses skills. Bummer.

But I digress...

Since the custom ones do not seal my eyes off from airflow quite as well as my Wiley's, I save them only for use when going out in public at night where having clear vision is a must, and vanity takes a front seat. Otherwise, I use my sunglasses Wiley X's at night, since as long as there are streetlights, I can still see in the dark with them on. If I was driving, I'd wear the clear pair though.

Thank you, MGD30.

I am having severe, almost crippling, anxiety over this. ... I feel like a freak and everytime someone (other than the few coworkers I explained my issue to) walks by, I feel panicked.

The best way to handle this is to tackle your fear head on. Just wear the things, and take the consequences. The anticipation of how other people will react to you is almost certainly far worse than how they will actually react. I predict (based on my experience) that anyone who sees you in the goggles at work or out socially will react with surprise, and then, once you explain yourself (and I recommend you do, it makes things easier compared to letting people draw their own conclusions), you'll get sympathy. And while sympathy is hard to accept, no-one wants to feel pitied, it's far better to accept that with the kindness that people intend with it, than to feel scared to show yourself as you need to be. And then when they are finished feeling bad for you (a natural reaction, so can't blame them), you can get on with whatever your normal relationship with them was prior to the goggles... it doesn't take long at all for you, or other people, to forget about the goggles once that initial surprise/awkwardness is over and done with.

But don't let the anxiety and fear overwhelm you - trust me, the sooner you just get it over with and let people see you in them, the better. Your fear and anxiety levels will plummet as soon as you get it over with.

Funny story... well, maybe not outright funny, but a little bit.

I was talking to a taxi driver here about my eye troubles - he asked if swimming goggles would help. It told him they certainly would, but that I'm sure I'd get a lot of strange looks walking around wearing them as I went shopping etc. We had a good laught at the thought, and then he said, "Well, people would just accept it - they would just be part of you." and you know what, I think he is right - even if one were to resort to such drastic measures, most people likely would accept it as just part of you, or me.

[LaDiva]

No you are not vain. I have done mini-coming out parties. The sunglasses are a godsend, because you just look like any other person in sunglasses, but the clear goggles are another matter. I am now comfortable in front of family, close friends, and used to wear them at work (only 10 of us in our office). The only time I don't wear them now is out to big parties, and then I just use lots of eye drops. So I guess for me, it was a little at a time. People don't really care, or mine didn't. As a matter of fact, two women asked if I had dry eyes, and we had a healthy conversation about goggles, diagnosis, etc...as they had dry eyes too, but had not yet embraced the goggled look. Best wishes to you. I just found myself wearing sunglasses most of the time during the day, and clear goggles in dark conditions. My doctors have told me I look like a movie star in the sunglasses, so rock on! Best of luck to you. I know how you feel. I need bifocals, and am going to look into getting some shielded glasses like SAAG has.

[eyes78]

Thank you so much, SAAG and LaDiva! Hearing what you specifically went through is such a help to me. I really appreciate you sharing.

I can't wait until my 7eyes arrive (I think they will get here tomorrow). That way I can at least wear something that looks better than the utility safety glasses I'm wearing now.

It also helps that I'm only wearing them when I'm at my computer - I just slip them off when I get up to go to the bathroom/breaks, whatever. My coworkers have been extremely supportive. One of them is even engaged to an optometrist so she asked him for suggestions for me. She didn't come back with anything I hadn't already tried, but just the fact that she did that really touched me.

SAAG - that taxi driver sounds very wise. I wish I could be more so. :-)

Thank you again.

[MGD666]

Cosmetically speaking, as far as the clear lenses go, there is always the option to have lightly tinted lenses made and fit into the 7eye, or Wiley frames.
Finding an optical place/optician that can do this (for a reasonable price) is more the challenge here, but that is exactly what I am planning on doing for mine. Something like a 10% tint in a light blue, rose, or violet would still allow you to see things clearly with no serious alteration to actual colors. Just something you might consider...

[eyes78]

Good point, MGD666. I kind of am wishing now I had purchased the 7eyes with darker lenses, but you're right, I can easily get them replaced by an optical shop. I have a while to get around to it, seeing as how now that it's the fall/winter season, my drives home from work are in the dark. So I guess it's a good thing I got clear lenses that I can wear in the car in the evenings.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[L8rgator]

Thanks for replying, Rebecca! I wish those smaller Ziena's were out, too.

So about this homemade option -

I have made quite a few homemade options for myself. Usually it involved buying motorcycle sunglasses, and then adding material to seal it to my face. None of the motorcycle glasses come close to a seal without being heavily jury-rigged. I've had the best luck with using glue from a glue gun, or clear ear-plug wax (which doesn't stick to the frames or lenses well, but gives a bit of stick to the face so holds it on better). I've also used the foam from tranquileyes, but that never worked quite right.

Right now I pretty much use only homemade patches with no frames. I use Durar-Lar clear film and cut out a shape similar to a larger eyeglass lens. I punch holes over the nose and by the ear, and tie a beige piece of thin elastic (I'm trying a few new things now I found on ebay that is used for hair and other unusual purposes) to both ends, and then hide that strap under my hair. The plastic sits on my eyebrow and cheek, so it's held off my eye but seals the entire way around. Then I can wear regular glasses over the patch to make it less noticeable. It helps not having any ugly foam showing. Sunglasses without nose pieces fit especially nice. I only have one eye to cover though, and have deep set large eyes, so this solution might not work for others. Or ear-plug wax might need to be added to hold parts off the face enough to make room for longer eyelashes.

I have a bunch of other materials I've played with that have been interesting also. Dragonskin makes a translucent silicone that can be used on skin after it forms. I used it to make some semi-clear gaskets to put under duralar. Keeps it's shape well and attracts much less dirt than ear-plug wax. Plus you could theoretically make yourself a mold (you'd have to be pretty creative here) and mold something to your face or your glasses. Like side gaskets. I tried to use clay to make a mold. Then I discovered I liked the duralar with no gasket, and stopped playing.

For the duralar, I'm liking .005 . .003 is flimsy, so it can cave in towards my eye if the strap is too tight. But that probably does make for a softer smoother seal. .005 is what I use now, but slightly thicker would probably be my preference. I got Duralar for $1.25 for a 20x25 sheet at Utrecht.

I wear my patches over a scleral lens, at least when the temp sinks below 65 degrees or it's windy and dry. The scleral is wonderful, but the dry air in winter sucks the moisture right out of the areas the scleral doesn't completely cover. The combo of lens + patch + drops makes life pretty bearable most of the time. Often I even forget about my eye (which is not always good because I'll forget to put drops more than a few times that day and the next day it'll be a bit scratchy). Hence why I haven't visited in a while. I am still very highly considering moving to a warmer/more humid climate. This summer was so wonderful compared to previous years (my first year with a scleral). I rarely wore a patch - just used the scleral and drops. I really want that year round. My little autofill humidifier helps in the house, but can only get the humidity up to 42% on a good day in the dead of winter. My eye prefers 65% and above. So I'm thinking about Florida, Oregon, or places in the southeast. Or Costa Rica & Ecuador would be nice

[L8rgator]

Another unfortunate thing to consider about glasses and patches are that the better the seal, usually the heavier the fog. I only have to cover one eye, so a sealed duralar patch is great -but it's often wet/foggy. When I talk to people, I generally wipe it before I look up, or take it off for short conversations. Or wear it behind sunglasses. I think the fog looks kinda gross . Hence the main reason I'm looking forward to a warmer climate.

People do get used to seeing you in your glasses also. It's embarrasing at first, but seriously if they are around you for a while, they stop noticing altogether. My husband is constantly asking me "did you grab a patch" or "have a bandage on", because he just looked me dead in the face 5 times and just doesn't notice it's already there anymore. Once the novelty wears off, nobody notices. And for me since my eye feels betternow , I'm much much less self concious then I was back when my pain drove me deep into to the depths of despair. I still have my days, but now I no longer feel like a hopeless hermit.

[MGD666]

I have had a little success making home-made moisture chambers using the clear, silicone putty earplugs made by Mack's. It can easily be formed around the sides, tops or bottoms of your glasses frames, and actually sticks to them pretty well (especially if your frames are thicker). It's also very comfortable against the skin. It is however pretty unsightly from a cosmetic point of view, but if that's not a concern (i.e. you're just using them at home) it's definitely worth trying, and very inexpensive to do so. Like L8rgator mentions though, this putty does tend ot attract dust and dirt, so best to keep whatever pair of glasses you attach this to, in a small covered box, or something like that. When mine got dirty, I would just re-form some new putty and attach it carefully along the frames. With some practice, you can get a pretty nice seal.

[André Pereira]

I have not read the whole thread (I intend to read this week ) .
I saw that all are legal throbbing glasses, so there you go !

Oakley WindJacket
Cool , protects you from sandstorms (according to the movie Mission Impossible ) , more comfortable than my last 7 eye ( and MUCH prettier ) .

Nobody says I 'm using protective eyewear .

I have other glasses, but considering the appearance , this is the best .

Good luck in choosing . Do not save money until you find something you like .

I forgot , you can also change lenses . Dark lenses of day. Clear lenses at night.

[MGD666]

I liked (and tried) the Oakley Wind Jackets too, but alas, they were not wide enough for me. Also, they have discontinued them here in the States and will no longer be making the rubber gaskets for them (stock up while you can Andre!). Glad to hear you found something that helps you.

[Rebecca Petris]

What an awesome thread

I was talking to a taxi driver here in Penang about my eye troubles - he asked if swimming goggles would help. It told him they certainly would, but that I'm sure I'd get a lot of strange looks walking around wearing them as I went shopping etc. We had a good laught at the thought, and then he said, "Well, people would just accept it - they would just be part of you." and you know what, I think he is right - even if one were to resort to such drastic measures, most people likely would accept it as just part of you, or me.

I knew a guy - haven't talked to him in a few years I think - who had severe post LASIK dry eye as a result of which he had extreme sensitivity to perfumes and colognes. He worked in a Social Security office dealing constantly with the public. No moisture chambers kept out the fumes. So he wore swim goggles. It's what worked. One of the things I love about running the dry eye shop is I get to talk to people in all these interesting situations and so I learn more all the time about the strategies people come up with to cope.

I do think people can be surprisingly accepting of things when we give them the chance.

[eyes78]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, everyone! I agree, Rebecca, this is an awesome thread. I don't know what I'd do without this forum.

[L8rgator]

Today the weather was so frigid and breezy outside that I felt more comfortable after taping parts of my goggle to keep out more wind. I use the same skin colored waterproof tape to help seal my overnight bandage or patch - Nexcare http://tinyurl.com/nexcareeye. You could use similar tape to make air shields around regular glasses. At least for glasses with thicker frames.

[Murphy321]

Im using gunnar groove glasses with a light brown tint. The lenses are curved and it sits really close to my face. They dont offer full protection but look like normal glasses on me. I found wrap around oakleys I love and got those with a light brown tint for my bad days. They are a tight fit around my face and look less goggly than my wiley x. The oakleys and gunnars have prescription. I got recently got a custom made pair of moisture glasses from a mark in winnipeg but feel self conscious about the plastic. I have severe mgd. Scleral lenses help me for a few hours but then start to feel too dry. Im still struggling the loss of wearing normal glasses and often feel depressed but its getting a bit easier. The worst part is finding a doctor who takes my pain seriously. Its hard for me to get a sick note on bad days ...even when.i.cant even read. My optomologist in wpg thinks my eyes look great? Im seeing a dr.maharaj in brampton ontario until I get a good dr in winnipeg. My flights to brampton and all the glasses arent covered. Been very expensive. My eye condition has improved since taking doxy and testosterone cream