July 31, 2006
Blind as a Frickin' Bat!
Over the past few weeks, I've noted the fact that my contacts have begun to deteriorate at a (seemingly) rapid pace. This is not unexpected, as I have been wearing this pair of Two-Week disposeable lenses for around four months. When I get busy working, I never seem to be able to find time for much of anything else, and I feel guilty s,cheduling an eye appointment when there's work to be done. This time though... Shit was getting extreme.
I noticed last week taht a few calcium deposits had built up on my left lens. There were a couple of "Dots" of it toward the center of the lens, and they had grown to the point where they were protruding through both sides of the lens, and scratching the fuck out of my cornea. Needless to say, this situation was a tinge... uncomfortable. I tried for an eye appointment last Thursday, but could not justify it with work, so I settled for this morning.
Holy-Cow! I didn't realize how advanced the technology is getting at the old opty's office. When I went to get my first fitting for glasses... in 1976 or so... the doc had to keep flipping lenses over, and canoodling with his apparratus, until he could dial in my proper prescription. I think I answerred the questions "Better?" and "Worse?" roughly a hojillian times until I was released from the "torture chair". Nowaday's, the man in the white coat just uses a mouse, and the lenses change around. The questions are the same, but the process is much speedier.
They wanted to "dilate" my eyes to determine how healthy they are, but if you've ever gone through that process, you know that doing any significant work later that day is a virtual impossibility. Luckily, this office has a process that does not require you to go through the whole "eye-drops" thing. It costs an extra thirty bucks, but instead of putting you Out Of Commission for a day, they are able to take a high resolution digital picture of the inside of the eye, and forego all the drama. It took five tries to get a good shot of my right eye, but after that, I had it figured out and we got two good shots of each eye.
I suffer from a condition that is known as Myopia, or "nearsightedness". When I went to get a Driver's license, there was a code added to it referring to the fact that I am "Legally Blind" without corrective lenses. This was when I was sixteen years of age. Since the time that I got my first pair of contacts, I've only had one pair of prescription eyeglasses, and they were a set of "Birth Control Glasses" that were issued to me when I was in boot camp back in 1989 (I hadda get an "eyesight waiver" just to enlist). This morning, I orderred a new set of glasses. The frames were $149.00 and the lenses were around $250.00... nothing close to the $99.00 "Soup to Nuts" glasses that were described to me when I enterred the establishment.
Everyone at the office (from the doctor to the attendants) noted that I was a "little nearsighted", and I gave each of them grief for using that phraseology. If wikipedia can be trusted, then take this statement into account:
The strength or optical power of a corrective lens that enables the eye to focus distant images on the retina is measured in diopters. Myopia of –6.00 diopters or more is considered high, or severe.. My right eye is registerred at a -9.00 (with slight astigmatism), and my left is measured at -9.25.
The best part of this whole deal is... aside from the fact that I'm blinder'n a daggum bat... my eyes are the pitcher of health. Despite my penchant for abusing them for years on end, my peepers are in "extry good" shape. Hell. I've even got an appointment with a laser center to determine whether or not I could get me a LASIK or PRK procedure, to help correct my errant eyeballs.
By the way... My new contacts feel absolutely delightful. Due to the new glasses though, I left the place $550.00 lighter... but I think it'll be worth it.
July 18, 2006
See? Told you so.
Found this little bit of drivel over at Richmond's.
| Your Birthdate: June 25 |
 In other words, you're a total (brilliant) geek. It's difficult for you to find people worth spending time with. Which is probably why you'll take over the world with your evil robots! Your strength: Your unfailing logic Your weakness: Loving machines more than people Your power color: Tan Your power symbol: Pi Your power month: July |
Pretty accurate I think, and I'm in my "Power Month" here people so just watch out.
July 16, 2006
Pardon me...I have nothing to say.
We all know that I ain't a linker, and very seldomly a thinker. I like to post about the things that are going on in my life, and any ideas that I might have rattling around inside my brain. My recent hiatus has been caused not by a lack of things to post, but a general reluctance.
It was revealed to me that my little corner of the internet is being perused by my cowworkers. Not all of them to be sure, but enough that are in positions of influence to potentially affect my carreer. I LOVE what I do, and the people that I do it with/for, so I've chosen to stop posting about my job. I've mostly been complimentary towards everything involved, but I'd like to ensure that a simple post "venting" my frustrations doesn't turn into a pinkslip.
I'd put something up about my "personal life", but that only consists of my weekly visit to the Texas Roadhouse on Saturday's, mowing the lawn, and doing laundry. I have a little trouble keeping all of that timely and pithy on a daily basis. I guess I'm just not that creative.
The current thought that is running around me gulliver, concerns the simplicity of the term "Totalitarian" and its application throughout our society. Unfortunately this type of concept either takes twelve pages worth of elucidation, or it devolves into a case of "Why can't you see? It's as plain as the nose on your face!". Bit too condescending if I do say so myself.
Anyway's, posting is bound to be sparce...but I ain't quitting. It's just gonna take some time to find something to say.