So I'm pretty much blind as a bat. I've been wearing glasses since 3rd grade. And contacts since the end of 8th (that was a blessed event, the day I got contacts!). Seriously, though... The last time I went for an eye exam, I had my contacts out (it was a 'glasses' exam) and was texting Julie... And in order to see the screen and what I was typing, I had to hold it like an inch from my face... And the doctor walked in and said, "I'm betting you're very myopic." So yeah... blind as a bat.
I've pretty much always taken for granted the fact that I can get corrective lenses -- of one type or another -- so I can see. I've always been able to go get eye exams (even if I neglect them a lot as an adult...). I've always been able to get glasses and/or contacts (even though I often only get one or the other per visit). But what a blessing it is. Because not everyone can.
B.C. (before child), I pretty much always wore my contacts. Mostly because I was almost always going somewhere. Usually driving. And now that I'm used to driving in contacts, I'm not a fan of driving in glasses. It bugs me that there are spots I can't see (where my glasses end...). So I pretty much always kept my contacts updated and would let my glasses expire for a couple of three years or so... This also meant that I put my money into contacts (I have an astigmatism, so I can't get regular contacts and the toric curve is pricey!) and my glasses were usually of the uglier (and therefore cheaper) variety. With seriously thick lenses... (My current glasses are ones I decided to put a little money into). These days, if I am not going anywhere (or at least not driving anywhere), I generally stick with glasses.
I remember when my dad took me to see about getting my first set of contacts. He didn't know that technology had come a long way and soft lenses could now be worn by people with astigmatism. So he took me to get fitted for hard contacts. Even though it was a pretty traumatic experience for me (those things suctioned onto my eyeball beneath the lower eyelid -- not on the pupil), it's actually a fond memory I have. Because we went to Paitilla (in Panama City) and on the way home we experienced the panasecond (which is the length of time between the light turning green and the first horn honk). And we laughed about it, because it seemed the honkiest cars were the furthest ones back anyway -- and therefore unlikely to be making that light...
But I digress... I ended up getting soft contact lenses. I'm sure my parents paid a pretty penny for them. But I didn't want to start high school in glasses, and my parents were kind enough to allow me that. I still laugh about how hard it was to get them in my eyeballs for the first week or so. Now it sort of freaks people out that I have no issue touching my eyeball. Like ever. It also cracks me up that I carried eye drops with me everywhere at first. Like I needed to constantly moisturize. Or maybe I'm a horrible contact-taker-carer now?
The point is... I've been blessed. Blessed that, though I wasn't blessed with perfect vision, I am blessed to be able to correct my imperfect vision so that it's practically perfect in every way. ;). Being able to do so enables me a world of other opportunities (because believe me, you wouldn't want me behind the wheel if I couldn't correct my vision...).
Just one more way I am realizing how very blessed my life truly is.
What are you grateful for today?
No comments:
Post a Comment