not for the squeamish...

... of which I am one. But due to the fact that I was the 'victim' today, I am more than willing to share about my experience. It sounds much worser than the actual event, not at all excruciating, which is what I had expected, and without drugs to medicate. I deliberately did not put too much thought into the appointment with at the vision clinic this morning, or I probably would have cancelled.

I've been having a problem for years with dry eyes. Not enough to be miserable, or even slightly painful, just more of a nuisance. As well as making me look like either: up all night studying for finals, or a serious hangover, with red eyes that looked dreadful. I'd been to the 'red-eye' specialist, who wrote a Rx for high priced drops, that did not seem to have any effect. So he said: 'if you did not have a mirror, would this be a problem?' I decided No. And would occasionally put some moisturizing drops in when I would look at me looking back, appearing to have been on a bender. But mostly just practicing living with something that was barely a 1, on the How Annoying Is It? scale.

Until I started going to this dr. at the optical shop. Who decided I should be concerned about beginning stages of cataracts and something my dad struggled with: macular degeneration. So he suggested 'we' (as in the Imperial WE, meaning I would be the victim, and he would be the one holding me down. Not really - I just sat there and let it happen.) should put some little wee bitty 'plugs' in my tear ducts. To keep more of the moisture there, to stay on my eyes each time I blink.

You probably did not know, or realize that you have two different types of duct work there. One is from the place/gland that makes the lubricating fluid, a sort of mini-irrigation or sprinkler system. And the other is more like gutters along the edge of the roof. Designed to drain off the wetness, so it does not run down your cheeks unless you produce an abundance, when going to see a really sappy movie, or reading a most distressing tale.

These wee 'plugs' were inserted with pointy tweezers. Try to not blink when someone is headed towards your eyeball with a sharp pointy object and says: keep your eye wide open. Ha! It was surprisingly painless. A good thing, as I was getting thoroughly anxious by the time he came in and they turned the lights down, having second thoughts, and gazing about for a nearby exit.

I have an appt. to go back in early May, to decide if doing different 'plugs' that are more permanent is a good idea. Instructed to continue to put drops in twice a day, and use the multivitamins that have added ingredients for good eye health. We'll see how this works out...