Vision when in reclined seating position
Any vision experts out there?
I'm 74 with generally excellent vision - no need for driving glasses. I do use reading glasses but these are not needed for driving street cars or race cars. My optometrist tells me every year my eye tests are "excellent". My cars are (1) vintage Atlantic, (2) historic F3000 and (3) 2L CanAm.
I been trying to sit lower, more reclined as they did in the day but am not totally happy with this because it means my head is bent 'down' (chin on chest). Towards the end of a 90 minute 'enduro' the other weekend I guess I was getting a little tired and let my head/neck relax a little so that it was reclined backwards slightly more. To my horror I thought I was getting double vision - in fact I was - but as soon as I 'lifted' my head everything was normal again.
Put it another way - if I stand vertically and look straight ahead, horizontally, everything is fine. If I hold my finger straight ahead I can focus on it normally with either eye or with both eyes. If I lower my finger about 6", say about 15deg below horizontal, I can still focus on it with either eye but with both eyes open the two images don't merge into one - what I would call "double vision". It only happens downwards, not upwards or sideways.
The immediate solution is obvious - don't slouch - remember to keep my head 'up' - but is this phenomenon normal? - is it correctable? - is it age related? - is it a first warning that my racing days might be limited? etc?
Thx for any insights or help - Derek
Thought it was fairly normal
I have noticed the same thing if I am watching TV late at night, tired. Head more reclined and eyes looking low - not good vision; sit up more and eyes looking more straight ahead - problem gone. I'm 58. I figured there's some elasticity that simply deteriorates with age and I figured that's normal. However, I will consider the view of our friend from NZ and get it checked out!
David