When I was younger, I complained that I probably had an issue seeing but my parents thought I was bluffing. They had this idea that I simply wanted to have glasses because my immediate older brother got them so they dismissed me.
Well, when I got to 10 years, I got to do a test but it was crude. The optician was a fraud so he just gave me a weak prescription that was nowhere near what I needed. He prescribed a -1 lense for me and it was useless.
It was like a drop of water given to a man who has been walking the desert for years without water. It did nothing but increase my problems.
A few years later, I think I was 11 years, I went for a proper eye test at a hospital and I was given a better prescription. I believe that is where my regressive eye defect starts from.
Let me digress.
I suffer from a case of regressive myopia. This means I don't see objects far from me and as I mature, objects that are far from me will continue to blur until I get to a certain age where it stabilizes.
Beginning my progressive eye journey at a -5 was not a good thing. While others have their eyesight improved by lenses, mine worsens. So, my next eye check-up a few years later got me to a -8.
As the number increased (or in this case, decreased), the lenses got thicker. It became less possible for me to survive with my bare eyes.
My next test some years after got me to a -10. This was when my lens got thick. At this point, I began to feel very self-conscious about my eyes.
Last year, I ran a test again and I realized I had moved up again to a -13. This was the worse point for me. I got into a temporary depressed state and I became hopeless.
While others go to the optician and are allowed to start reading the letters in front of them. I sit and I see absolutely nothing.
My eye tests are usually what they call "finger tests". The doctor stands at a nit so far distance and says "how many fingers am I holding up?"
It always feels quite discomforting when I could be out with a person and they go "take off your glasses, how many fingers?" Most times they mean no harm but sometimes it makes me feel pretty low.
Meeting me for the first time and the first thing everyone sees is a blind girl. My lenses are too thick to not notice.
Yesterday's progress
Well, yesterday I went to see the optical once again and I got some good news.
It appears my eyes may have stabilised and probably progressed a bit.
I'll be getting new glasses and after a test, we found that my eyes have improved by 1 point. So, I'll be wearing a -12.
It's a little progress but I was excited about it. My lens will still be thick but it's big progress for me. I had the fear that I would get to the top of the charts and be given a -15 lens.
They are also a bit more expensive than I planned. I'm getting them in photochromic and with computer screen protection so it's double the price.
I'll also be getting an extra pair eventually. This is to ensure that hopefully, I won't be getting new glasses until after at least 3 years.
My optician further mentioned that eyesight issues are as bad as genotype problems. According to him, I ought to avoid men who have similar sight issues as I do to help break the genes.
My trip to the optical was expensive but I'm happy with the outcome.