So I decided to treat myself to a Christmas gift...

[permetaform]

...the gift being that I go to Lenscrafters and finally figure out contacts and glasses for myself instead of thru obscure asian optometrists whom I barely understand.

Which, granted, getting new contacts and glasses for a gift to myself sounds a bit retarded when it's actually put down like that but I feel like I'm pampering myself.

I went in sorta nervous but mostly curious because they're like, "When was your last eye exam?" And I was like, "...er...4 years?" Upon which they decided to give me the full battery of tests, (whereupon during one test we discovered that I had, quote, "Excellent peripheral vision." Booyah.)

But something fantastical was discovered to my extreme and utter delight: my astigmatism went away. In BOTH eyes. DUDE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ASTIGMATISM CAN *DO* THAT! ::bounces so much:: Only the perscription in my right eye rose, and apparently my sensation of my vision deteriorating was actually because my eyes got a bit *better* and I didn't need the special astigmatic contacts anymore. W00t!!

Apparently my astigmatism had been induced by rubbing my eyes alot during high school. I stopped rubbing my eyes in college partly due to the fact that I started wearing makeup and partly because I kept getting eyelashes in my eyes after rubbing them. My optometrist was all disgruntled-face at even the mention of the phrase 'rubbing one's eyes' and said that it does alot to fuck up your corneas.

Granted she also made a moue at my mention of staring at a computer screen alot due to hobbies and career, but mentioned several things that could help that, being,

- try to have the computer screen lower than your head, it does a thing with your field of vision that makes the monitor have less harmful effects on your eyes
- drink at least 4 cups of water a day 'cause eyes can stand up to more strain if properly hydrated
- try to reduce caffeine, (blah dryness-causing blah)
- look at something else for a couple minutes every 20 min. of screentime.

To which I go, ::makes snappy salute::

And then we looked at photographs of my retina which were cool. It looked almost like the inside of a nebula with it's blends of red and orange and green.

In any case, my eyes are much healthier than I feared they were going in and I have new contacts to wear and new glasses planned for the new year. ::victory sign!:: ^_____^

Comments

[klia.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! Yay! \o/

My birthday gift to myself is going to be new contacts -- the toric ones, because I've never had contacts that corrected my astigmatism (I wish mine would go away *sigh*).

I have a hard time wearing contacts when I have to stare at a computer, like for vidding, I think because they make me blink too often, and I can't stare long enough. *g*

[permetaform]

::glomps:: hey you!

I've had the toric ones. =D They were really awesome when I first got them, because things got way less blurry, but they're a wee bit tricky at first because they sometimes go a bit off kilter. I learned how to nudge at them through my eyelid so that they would rotate back into position, because unlike other contacts it matters more that a certain quadrant of the contact is pointing towards your chin rather than towards the top of your head. (I hope that makes sense ::bemused::)

Yeah, I know what you mean about the contacts and computer...I think it has to do with the refresh rate or something. Whatever it is that makes it look different when you wave your hand in front of a monitor versus any other surface. Your eyes have to work harder or something, which means that they need more liquid. My optometrist actually recommended eyedrops called Systane to help with the blinking. Well, that and encouraging me to drink more water than I usually do. Heavy computer users need more apparently. ::shrugs:: Then again, she also said that eyes were different and some people are genetically predisposed to dry eyes.

[klia.livejournal.com]

I tried out a pair of toric lenses over the summer, and they were great, but then when the doc wrote the RX, there was something off, and she apparently didn't know enough about fitting them to fix the problem. So, now I have to find someone who's experienced in fitting the darn things. And I've been wearing my glasses in the meantime, because it drove me too crazy to wear the wrong lenses (every time I blink, which is, what, about every 6-8 seconds, the right one shifts, and I can't see). Bleargh.

Then again, she also said that eyes were different and some people are genetically predisposed to dry eyes.

*waves hand* Yeah, that's me. It's never stopped me from wearing contacts, or needing drops, though, fortunately.

Good to see you posting! *hugs*

[permetaform]

I tried out a pair of toric lenses over the summer, and they were great, but then when the doc wrote the RX, there was something off, and she apparently didn't know enough about fitting them to fix the problem.

ohhh yeah, apparently fashes's optometrist mentioned that too, that contacts (despite people's conception of it) really need to be fitted to the specific person. And mmm, I know what you mean about the blinking shifting the contact, that was a pain in the ass to get used to and get around.

But ohhh, the things I do to retain peripheral vision... XD

::hugs back::

[klia.livejournal.com]

But ohhh, the things I do to retain peripheral vision...

I'm really missing mine! *mope*

[oboros.livejournal.com]

congratz!!! 0-0

[permetaform]

hee! thank you! =D

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! I hope the new glasses and contacts feel great.

[permetaform]

the contacts are awesome!...the glasses I'll find out soon enough, I didn't have enough money last december, so I'm gonna actually receive them for the new year. =)

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

That makes an awesome New Year's present for yourself.

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Yayness indeed!

[permetaform]

^___^

also!! SMILEY JOHNNYDEPP! ::glomps icon::