Wednesday, June 22, 2011

He Can See Clearly Now (Almost)

Today Barry had the cataract removed from his left eye.  I had agreed to drive him to the clinic and home again.  I have to admit, I know virtually nothing about cataract surgery and was a little curious about the procedure.  We checked in, Barry vanished behind a door that released clouds of disinfectant into the waiting room, and I spent an hour and a half reading the book I brought along before he reappeared with his left eye taped shut.

I asked him about the experience over lunch but he didn't remember anything other than receiving the anesthesia, which I suppose is a good thing.  I hung around for the unveiling of the eye and helped him put his eyedrops in.  His immediate reaction was dismay; he was seeing double and his left eye was seeing things tilted.  The nurse at the clinic had warned him that this would probably happen, but he hadn't realized it would make him dizzy.  He spent the rest of the afternoon in his recliner trying to watch Kung Fu Panda.

Once he was no longer bothered by the dizziness he realized that the vision in his left eye has changed significantly.  Lights are brighter, colors are more vibrant, and he can see longer distances more clearly.  Of course he's grumbling that his glasses are now the wrong prescription, but so what?  Maybe when the other eye is done he'll be able to watch TV without wearing his glasses at all - and what a boon if he's again able to drive after dark.

The only real downside to the whole experience is that I have to get up quite a bit earlier than usual tomorrow to take him in for his follow-up appointment.

"The challenge lies in the limitations of human vision. No amount of training can, or will, overcome the shortcomings of our eyesight. Technology remains the solitary solution to this extremely complex problem." ~ Steven Lancaster

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