Went to the Optometrist today, time for the annual checkup and some new contacts. I've been going to the Optometrist since I was I think just six years old. So, nothing new; oh, and I've been wearing contact primarily since I was about 10.
I'm old enough that this means my first pair of contacts were what we call hard lenses. As in, like putting a smoothly polished shard of glass into your eye. I'm not really kidding. I still recall that you had to work up to wearing them full-time. It was like a week of one-hour on, blinking and crying and then one-hour off, then again and again. I guess you got some kind of eye callouses built up.
Contacts weren't the vanity choice - I have a particular kind of vision degradation that makes even the space between my eye and a glasses lens a significant enough factor that it was weakening my eyes. So, I'm fortunate to live in this modern world where the contacts are now soft and you can sleep in them and then throw them away instead of boiling and disinfecting. But, i digress.
So, today's the Optometrist and since they are conveniently located downtown, I walked. It was steely and overcast and even once or twice seemed close to a downpour, but a good walk and I made it with a minute to spare. They were lovely, my Dr. was excellent, and we did all of the stuff. I'm happy to report that I'm just fine, retinas healthy, interior eye clear and no signs of anything troublesome. Got some new glasses since my pair is about 6 years old now, and then did the last thing.
Ever been to the eye doctor and had your retinas dilated? It's so they can see the interior of your eyes - but its really freaky and it takes hours to go away. So, I got the weird and extreme pleasure of walking home, fuzzy, blurred, with just enough clarity to see lights and walk signs, but mostly nothing else.
I'm a visual person, and I love reading. So, I noticed in that absence how much of my time and mindspace I take up doing that. In that absence of that input, I had to have 'other' perspectives. I guess that's one of the weird blessings of vision that needs correction. I can take out my contacts or remove my glasses and immediately and directly alter my experience and my perceptions. I can appreciate clarity and perception in the lack of them.
I know that's one reason yogis love inversions, because again, they completely change perception. What else can you do to easily but radically alter the way you are seeing things, or even try not seeing for a while and listen, or simply be? What opportunities can you take as they arise to find a different way to look at things?
And, when your well-laid plans for a productive day are shot because you can't focus - what will you do instead??
Give thanks and praise!
I'm old enough that this means my first pair of contacts were what we call hard lenses. As in, like putting a smoothly polished shard of glass into your eye. I'm not really kidding. I still recall that you had to work up to wearing them full-time. It was like a week of one-hour on, blinking and crying and then one-hour off, then again and again. I guess you got some kind of eye callouses built up.
Contacts weren't the vanity choice - I have a particular kind of vision degradation that makes even the space between my eye and a glasses lens a significant enough factor that it was weakening my eyes. So, I'm fortunate to live in this modern world where the contacts are now soft and you can sleep in them and then throw them away instead of boiling and disinfecting. But, i digress.
So, today's the Optometrist and since they are conveniently located downtown, I walked. It was steely and overcast and even once or twice seemed close to a downpour, but a good walk and I made it with a minute to spare. They were lovely, my Dr. was excellent, and we did all of the stuff. I'm happy to report that I'm just fine, retinas healthy, interior eye clear and no signs of anything troublesome. Got some new glasses since my pair is about 6 years old now, and then did the last thing.
Ever been to the eye doctor and had your retinas dilated? It's so they can see the interior of your eyes - but its really freaky and it takes hours to go away. So, I got the weird and extreme pleasure of walking home, fuzzy, blurred, with just enough clarity to see lights and walk signs, but mostly nothing else.
I'm a visual person, and I love reading. So, I noticed in that absence how much of my time and mindspace I take up doing that. In that absence of that input, I had to have 'other' perspectives. I guess that's one of the weird blessings of vision that needs correction. I can take out my contacts or remove my glasses and immediately and directly alter my experience and my perceptions. I can appreciate clarity and perception in the lack of them.
I know that's one reason yogis love inversions, because again, they completely change perception. What else can you do to easily but radically alter the way you are seeing things, or even try not seeing for a while and listen, or simply be? What opportunities can you take as they arise to find a different way to look at things?
And, when your well-laid plans for a productive day are shot because you can't focus - what will you do instead??
Give thanks and praise!
