The condition is not only EXTREMELY painful when the corneal tears occur, but for two days or more – depending on the severity of the tear – my vision is blurred. As far as I’ve been able to determine, there are two causes for the blurriness: First is the unevenness of the cornea after a tear. Second, there are occasions when a layer of cells detatch but do not completely tear off, so there is a space created where fluid can collect. The fluid distorts my vision.

I am scheduled for laser surger, where they will first completely remove the cornea, then they will reshape the lens so that it provides a smooth surface for the corneal cells to seat firmly.

In preparation for surgery I had a comprehensive eye examination, including the classic “eye chart”. Since I could not see anything but the largest “E” on the chart and even that was very blurry, the technician flipped a cover over that eye which had small holes in it – and I literally let out a gasp because suddenly I could see every single line on the chart – all the way to the bottom!

I asked if I could borrow or buy the “Occludor” with the pin holes in it so that I could return to work (as a database programmer) and they refused on the basis that there was no periferal vision and there was a liability issue – even after I told them I would not drive or walk or do anything but use them to work on my computer.

So when I got home, I pulled out my wife’s scrabooking kit and found a pair of red/green 3D glasses to use as a template for the frame shape. I cut out the frame and then poked an array of holes in each “lens”.

Sure enough, it works like a charm. Not only do these make-shift pinhole “glasses” completely eliminate the blurr and double-vision I had. The effect is significant even though the array of holes I made with a nail are not consistently spaced and have rough edges. It works with or without my regular prescription glasses, and it works for close computer work as well as distance vision.

I went online to see if I could find and purchase a pair of the Occluders that have these pinholes in them, and I discovered a wide range of pinhole glasses for as little as $13. Even though I’m scheduled for surgery, I’m going to purchase a pair because I can only get one eye fixed at a time and I can use them so I can work for a month or more until both eyes have been fixed.

Now, all of that sounds like so many other testemonials from questionable sources and I’m not claiming otherwise. I would, however, offer the following mitigations:

I’m a skeptic, through and through. I’ve been an atheist my entire life. The scientific method rules my world view, and I read The Skeptical Inquirer and various science oriented magazines and books on a regular basis. (well at least until reading became impossible due to my condition – but I still satisfy my inquisitiveness via youTube and podcasts)

I believe the skeptical responses to claims made for pinhole glasses where they say using the glasses for 10 to 15 minutes a day will imporve your vision – although I plan to test these claims first hand.

I’m making no extraordinary claims for pinhole glasses. All I’m saying is that for the blurriness caused by my corneal erosions, the pinhole effect works in that it allows me to see text and images without blurred or double-vision. I’m hoping that by purchasing a pair of laser cut pinhole glasses I can get even better results because the hole edges will be more precisely cut and the hole pattern will be more cosistent so as to avoid the spots in my make-shift glasses where there are small opaque areas due to the inaccuracy of poking holes by hand.

Also note that my wife tried my make-shift pinhole glasses (she has prescription glasses too) and her impression was that my glasses didn’t match her prescription glasses, she could indeed see text of a size and distance that she could no otherwise see. i will be interested to get her opinion of laser cut pinhole glasses.

Obviously, pinhole glasses don’t replace prescription glasses because of the lower light levels, lack of periferal vision, etc – but they absolutely help my current condition.

I hope this helps clarify the effectiveness of pinhole glasses.

Thanks!
BobK