Where would you be without your vision and what would you miss? I was given in insight into these questions this week. In truth they're actually questions I'd not asked myself much, if at all really however when confronted with the inability to see this week it hit home more solidly.
I've been having some headaches lately; The consistent, front-of-head sort of headaches that are usually associated with neck-tension, lack of sleep and eye-fatigue. I'm also diabetic, although control it well with diet. These combined to lead me to the optometrist on Monday this week for an eye test with the result that I have been prescribed glasses for reading. I'm not sure how I feel about that at my super-young age [of almost 48] however the make me look intelligenter and smarterer than I is without them. (Note, intentional misspelling of intelligent and smarter in previous sentence.)
During my eye exam I was given various tests one being a pressure test which involved having a sharp puff of air shot into each eye a couple of times and I also have some images taken. Once in with the optometrist she did the usual tests shining bright light into my eyes and seeing what she could see. She also wanted to look at my retina which involves some drops into each eye which dilates the pupil completely; It's these drops that caused my inability to see properly for about 4 hours as it's impossible to focus with a pupil that will not close.
After leaving the optometrist I went to grab a coffee. My wife was with me initially as I can't be trusted to select the right glasses to wear by myself, so rather than drive immediately I thought I'd let my vision come back a little.
It's an odd feeling not being able to see properly. I could see where I was walking and the movement of other people however nothing was in focus and anything within about 2 meters of me was a bit of a mystery. (I mean writing and signage, not people and large objects). I managed to order a coffee and hopefully they charged me correctly because I couldn't see. I even had the ask the lady at the counter to show me which card in my wallet was my credit card. I sat and sipped my coffee; A virtual prisoner in my own head because obtaining outside stimulus was near to impossible.
It made me think about now having vision, or being inflicted with vision so bad I couldn't read a book, look at my phone, write on the computer or even find my credit card. Think about how difficult life would be and how much you'd miss out on. People deal with it every day of course, they wear glasses, have people to help them and vision-impaired aides to assist in their daily life however I found it a little confronting even though I know that within a few hours I would be able to see again.
I can't imagine not being able to see the sunset or sunrise, to be able look upon my wife, drive my truck or even pay for a coffee without help. We travel a lot and even that would change due to the lack of vision. I was talking to someone at work about it this morning and she asked me if I'd rather have sight or hearing, if I could have only one. I said sight. What would you say?
And so, in another week or so I'll be sporting my new reading/computer glasses so finally I'll be able to see what I actually write on steemit. I'm looking forward to reading my posts! OK, so that's a small joke ya'll...I read them when I write them. I've heard that's a good way to do it. I'll be able to write without getting headaches though hopefully and the glasses may make me look a little more academic. I might do a steemit poll on my 'intelligentyness with glasses and without to see what the perception of my academicimityness is with and without my glasses on. (Yes, yes, I know they're not words...I made them up.)
On a final note, some of you that follow me, and actually take the time to read my posts, may know that I harp on the importance of being present in the moment, every moment, of your life. It goes hand in hand with my credo of design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default. It also means being grateful, showing gratitude for the people around you, your success and the things you have furnished yourself with. I've never announced my gratitude for being able to see, I've simply taken it for granted, but that changed this week. You see, that's the beauty of taking ownership of ones' life; We can adapt and change at will and take the responsibility for ourselves. no one else will do that for you so you might as well own it.
[- Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default - 
Cool dog photo by Alan King on Unsplash - Cheers Alan, I appreciate it.
Glasses photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash - You're a champ Josh