Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I'm back

I'm back and I can see. The cataract operation on my left eye was in August and all went well, Then I went through what was for me a really weird period when I had what could best be called "limited vision". The sight in my left eye is the same as that in my right eye now - I can see long distance very well but everything else is out of focus. While waiting for my left eye top settle down after the operation I bought a pair of "over the counter" reading glasses which helped with reading the newspaper, etc. However, I discovered that everything between the close and distance work was just a blur which made my life rather interesting for a while. Shopping was a nightmare, unless the Husband was with me as I could not read labels of anything and you just don't know how much you read labels of goods in shops unless you dig out the reading glasses every time you want to read something and then put them away until you get to the next label to read - a generally time-consuming and fiddly thing to do every time you go shopping.

I did try to use the computer after the second operation, using the magnifier which is part of the accessibility package provided by Windows but it gave just a "letterbox" slot of magnified text. This was both disconcerting and wasn't much help when trying to navigate the Internet. As it was, virtually the first time I tried it I managed to click on the wrong link and ended up with a Trojan on my computer that I've now finally managed to dispose of.

I got my new glasses yesterday that have finally given me back my freedom. Varifocals, of course, so I now have full vision both with close work, what I call "middle distance" and they even sharpen up my long distance vision slightly. But for the first time since I was about 5 years old I can go out without glasses at all, a pleasure I cannot describe.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good going, Adele! Glad that you are now doing well. You and I feel differently about our glasses: I feel naked without mine! When I have my cataracts removed, I plan to ask that they insert lenses that allow me to see as I do now--focusing at 6" to 8" away. My vision has been approximately the same, focus-distance-wise, for the last 25 years. I am so accustomed to whipping off my glasses to see up close that it should be a pain to re-train me!
Cop Car

Adele said...

CopCar,

You shouldn't have too much difficulty asking for the type of vision you want from your new lenses - when you are finally ready for cataract surgery. Certainly when I had me forst (right) eye done I was asked what type of vision I wanted at the end... and was advised on the best lense suitable for me. The trouble was no-one mentioned that I'd still be myopic after the operation which has been another reason why I really needed glasses.

I have been revelling in the fact that I no longer need to wear glasses every dat but I understand your pount of view. On the other hand you are never too old to change the habits of a lifetime (grin).

Anonymous said...

I think that we are, sometimes, not mindful that the implanted lens will not have the capability of adapting to various distances. That capability is lost, even with our natural lenses, over the decades--the reason that many people over age 40 require reading glasses.

Gad! I'm the sort who would have plastic surgery and tell the surgeon to make me look just the way I looked before the surgery! *laughing* Not much on change, am I?
CC

Adele said...

CopCar, What you mean is that you look so young you don't need surgery to change your appearance. And I'm sure you are right.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the positive thinking, Adele; but, I didn't look young when I was young--let alone, now! CC