Double Vision

Fill my eyes with that double vision
No disguise for that double vision
Ooh, when it gets through to me, it's always new to me
My double vision gets the best of me
-Foreigner, Double Vision


Greetings and welcome to The Un-Zone, the only site that gives an insight into the mind of a KU Law School student. I haven't updated as much as I normally do. This is due to, well, circumstances beyond my control. I feel tired mentally. As much as I enjoy updating, I have little motivation in doing so. Oh, some might note the lyrics aren't appropriate in context, but the words seem appropriate for this post. Don't complain as I have already done it for you.

Anyways, I recently went to the eye doctor. It's been about two years since I last went. I really needed new glasses. Once the spring hinges don't spring and you notice the gold frames are now silver, well, it's way past due. Yeah, that and when you start to cannibalize parts from old glasses because you're missing a part. Curses to my bad vision.
I'm blind without my glasses. I've worn glasses since the age of five. I'm very nearsighted. I can't see a damn thing without them. I've gone beyond "blind as a bat." I'm seriously thinking how great it would be to have echo location. Some days, I think I need the Hubble Space Telescope to see anything.
I'm very sure the eyeglass industry is happy that I have lousy vision. I can't get normal lenses. Oh no. I need the special lenses made from advanced plastics. If I got them in regular plastic, the lenses would be several inches thick, possibly more. Because of the technology needed to make and shape these lenses, they cost more. One would suspect these lenses are used for military applications like spy satellites and exotic weaponry.
"We've made this material that's practically unbreakable! Let's use it for bulletproof windows! And then make a huge profit by using it in eyeglass lenses!"
Come to think of it, the materials used to make these lenses probably was originally made for the military. Things like GPS, laser pointers, and good ol' Tang were developed for the military and became a part of the average consumer market. The old version of advanced eyeglass lenses were made of polycarbonate plastic. Interestingly enough, this is the material they use for bulletproof windows in armored cars for the "important people" like Presidents and other rich and powerful people.
For this privilege, lenses cost about $200 on average. Just for the lenses. Add the price for frames. Then add the cost for the eye exam. Pretty expensive. I can expect to pay about $300 for glasses. So the credit card people will be happy also.

My mind works in a funny way when it comes to eye exams. When the doctor tells me NOT to do something, I do it. If the doctor tells me to DO something, I don't. Which really annoys the doctor. I manage to piss them off after a few times. It's not done on purpose. I just can't follow the pen or not look at the light. I have to focus on something and odds are, it won't be what you tell me to look at.
"Look at the pen. I said, look at the pen. LOOK AT THE PEN! We can't continue if you DON't LOOK AT THE PEN!"
A few minutes later: "Don't follow the light. Look straight ahead. DON'T FOLLOW THE LIGHT! DON'T FOLLOW THE LIGHT!"

After a few minutes of struggling not to look at the light, the doctor tells me that I am very nearsighted. (-8.5 in my left and -10.0 in my right. Scary, isn't it? Damn. One of the few times I get a 10.0 on a body part and it's not a good thing. Plus it's a -10.0 and not a +10.0) Hmm...I would have never guessed that. My right eye is worse than my left, which isn't a surprise as every eye doctor has said that. However, the comments about retinal detatchment perked my attention. Apparently, my right eye is so stretched out due to horrendous astigmatism and amazingly bad nearsightedness that the retina in my right eye might detatch. Which will not be a very pleasant experience physically or financially. Just as long as I don't see random flashes of light and/or numerous "floaters," I should be fine. OK...another eye problem to worry about. As if my vision situation could get any worse. At least the eye specialists will be happy to have me as a future customer.

So I get a pair of glasses. They should be coming in a week or so. Then comes the requisite fitting and making sure the nosepads don't crush my nose and everything fits right. And my vision will get worse and probably next year, a new pair of expensive eyeglasses.

Yeah! Hopefully, I won't go blind in the near future due to detatched retinas or my slowly advancing nearsightedness. That would just suck. Reading, drawing, and other activities using sight are very important hobbies that keep me sane. Well, until I see you next time. That's all for now.