Double Vision

Since becoming an adult, my practice has been to go to the eye dr. and then order new glasses every 3 years. Except for the years that I was pregnant or the times I smashed my glasses in car wrecks ( a couple of times) that's what I've done. I've been in glasses since Jr. High and I wore contacts from the age of 16 until David was a newborn and I decided that they weren't worth the hassle they took, particularly with all the demands on my life at that time (the boys were 4, 2, and 0 - I didn't have time to brush my teeth, let alone mess with contact lenses).

But I went this year and I wasn't supposed to go again until another year from now. For the last 6 months or so, I have really begun to struggle with reading fine print. I've held papers further and further away from my nose and alternated with bringing them up to the front of my eyeballs, all in an attempt to be able to see what was printed. I gave up on using church hymnals months ago (I knew we should have joined a more progressive church - one with the songs printed on a 9 foot screen up front!). My fear has been that it is time for me to join the ranks of the elderly and infirm - those that wear bi-focal glasses.

So, Monday of this week I had an appointment with Dr. S . I like his office because he bills his business as "Family Christian Eyeware." He also has quite a few "Voices of the Martyers" magazines in his waiting area. That particular magazine actually makes me sick to my stomach to read it, but I like seeing it out in the open like that. It's actually something I need to read more often.

I particularly enjoyed this visit because I discovered that Dr. S is a homeschooling dad. I saw he had pictures of some very young children in his exam room and I assumed they were grandchildren. But they're not. Evidentally, the good doctor just had his children late in life. We had a great conversation about homeschooling and the state of the country in general. He is Egyptian by birth and I finally just bluntly asked him, "Why aren't you Muslim?" He explained that a good part of Egypt is actually Christian - was Christianized by the Apostle Mark, actually. But there is more and more persecution of the Christians today there because of the Muslim influence. But his entire family is born again. Now he's an American, though. So that was really interesting. In fact, while I was picking out glasses later, Dr. S came out to me, and pointed out another patient who had walked in as another homeschooling mom and suggested I talk with her. I didn't take the time, but I thought it was a nice gesture on his part.

By the way, the above paragraph is why I'm abbreviating the doctor's name. I know it's a long shot, but I don't know who all reads my blog and I'd hate for any trouble at all to come to him or his extended family because of my careless words. In the day and age we live in and with the intense hatred that followers of Islam have for America and Christians especially - it's better not to take any chances.

So, he examined my eyes and said, "You need bi-focals." I wasn't surprised, but it did make me feel pretty old to hear that. I felt like I ought to stop by Hammer Medical Supply on my way home and pick up some compression hose and maybe a walker to go along with my new glasses!

Then, I went to pick out new glasses and discovered that none of the glasses I actually liked (small, non-obvious) can be made into bi-focals! Because of the extra lense, they have to be a certain diameter. So I spent $300 on a pair of glasses I don't even like and don't want to wear.

I picked those up today and - whoa! Bi-focals are not anything at all like what I am used to with single vision lenses. I had a headache within a minute of putting them on and I am still staggering around the house, just trying to see things.

The good thing - and my only reason for hope these days - is that I did order contacts. I think I could probably handle them better now at this stage of life. Dr. S said we could try them, although there were no guarantees I'd actually be able to tolerate them. They're soft, which will be interesting. I've only ever worn the hard, gas permeable kind. They, too, will have bi-focal lenses. They should be in in about a week. I think it will be fun to be able to wear any kind of sunglasses I want, and to be able to just push them up on top of my head when I go in out of the sunlight. I'm always taking forever to switch from my prescription sunglasses to my regular pair and vice versa when I go in and out of places. But that's assuming they work out for me. If not, then I'll have to order another pair of bi-focals in sunglasses.

I see this as just another "Welcome" to the latter half of my life. I guess bi-focals match my gray hair, crow's feet, retirement worries, and poochy middle. The downward slide has begun...