Wednesday, October 15, 2014

I'd Rather (Not) Go Blind

For a while now I haven't been able to enjoy looking at the heavens. Even on the clearest night the stars would not stay still for me. When buzzards flew above this house, which they often do, I've not been able to see them as sharply as previously. Looking into the distance seemed to strain my eyes. Using binoculars did not help. I couldn't get them to focus. Maybe it was time to get stronger spectacles?

Yesterday while driving into town I thought my glasses were fogged over and, while stopped at traffic lights, cleaned them. I picked up Hannah and on the way home it felt as if my lens was dirty. I knew it wasn't. I closed my left eye and all was fogged, closed the right, could see clearly. Closed the left again and it was as if my lens was smeared with Vaseline. I made an appointment with my optician when I got home and saw her today. I have a well advanced cataract in my right eye. A year's wait for free treatment. I'm not sure what to do.

Only the other day I was thinking that the quality of recent photographs had deteriorated. No wonder! I've been using a half blind eye to focus them.

When I left the optician I felt so sorry for myself. Ten pounds heavier than I was, penniless, going blind, sore achey shoulders, getting old. I had to give myself a mental shake. Sure if I lived a hundred years ago there wouldn't even be any treatments, never mind free treatments! I have options. I spent the rest of the day rooting up sunflowers, preparing my garlic bed and chatting to the younger generation. And the younger generation told me that their grannies have all had cataract operations and are doing just fine.


8 comments:

Brig said...

Whoa, that must have been scary. I hope you can get in for the surgery soon than later.

Leitrim Sister said...

Scary indeed. Hope your ok.I thought I was going blind last week as well but it turns out it was a migrane. If I ever finish the latest corrections I'll be up. X's

Nelly said...

It is not as bad as it seems. My mother had both eyes done and she was fine afterwards. It does have a genetic component. Just didn't think it would happen so soon.

ganching said...

At least you went to the optician as soon as you noticed it instead of worrying that you really were going blind. Hopefully it will be sorted out and everything will be fine.

Tony Adams said...

You'll be fine. Meanwhile, I'm also getting ready to put in the garlic and root up the rest of the sunflowers etc. PS: I can see just fine, but I've been annoying the hell out of everyone by asking them to repeat what they say. I suppose I better go to a hearing doctor and get fitted with a gizmo. Not happy with the old age thing, but the alternative is less attractive.

Nelly said...

Very true Tony. My hearing isn't that great either. Thanks parents. Irish genes aren't the best except, of course, for the great skin, curly hair and being able to carry a tune.

Grannymar said...

Nelly, in your last comment you forgot Humour! Where would we be without it?

I had both eyes done and it brought colour back to my life. Since then I have never looked back.

Nelly said...

You're right GM about humour. Did you have your eyes done on separate occasions?