Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Taking off my beer bottle glasses!

I had surgery on my left eye today for removal of a cataract.  Now I know that my vision has been getting worse steadily, but I honestly had no idea of just how bad it was until I came home from the hospital today and looked at my kitchen, which is white.  Really white.  Except, out of my uncorrected eye, it is definitely a yellowish brown, as was the entire world.  I had simply gotten used to poor vision.   I am so happy, and so thankful to my opthamologist for giving me new eyes - well one new eye.  Getting the other one done in two weeks.  I haven't been able to drive at night for a long time, so I'm anxious to see if once again I'll be able to go someplace after the sun sets.

Anyhow, I just have to mention that modern medicine is a complete marvel (as long as the doctor is, too).  In a way, the surgery is a little strange; you're pretty relaxed but aware of things.  The part that really sticks in my mind is the eye thingy they slap on your face to hold your eye open.  It reminded me of the scene in Clockwork Orange where they strap the droog down, attach a device that won't let him blink, and make him watch horrible acts to cure him of violence and aggression.  Stanley Kubrick.....a visionary (no pun intended) for sure.

Not sure if I'm cured of violence and aggression, but I am SO happy with having one good eye, I could just shout from the rooftops.  But I have to clean my kitchen first.





2 comments:

AlexisAR said...

I'm glad you're vision is better. My mom had cataracts when she was in her late 30's from steroids she took with thyroid eye disease. She said it came on so gradually that she barely noticed until she couldn't see pedestrians crossing the street and almost hit one while she was driving.

Citizen X said...

I'm glad my vision is better, too! I've had to use steroids a little in the past five years, so I wonder if that didn't contribute to my vision difficulties.