I’ve worn glasses since fourth grade, with the need to
wear bifocals coming shortly thereafter. No. bifocals aren’t just for
grandparents. Due to my poor eyesight and my astigmatism, my world quickly
became a large blur. Since the members of my family also wore glasses I didn’t
have encounters with many people who didn’t understand that I couldn’t see
without them.
Then I met my husband.
The first time I realized he didn’t understand my limited
vision was after we were married and he asked me how his hair looked. At the
time I was in the tub, sans glasses. I mean I could see his general shape but
his hair was a blurry mass. As he never got closer than standing by the tub, I
could not see if his hair was combed.
This complete lack of understanding my visual
limitations has expanded to my children though they do attempt to be more understanding
about it.
Now, if you know anything about bifocals, you know
that whatever you want to read or see up close, must be positioned at a
specific angle for you to see/read them. Because of this, being height-challenged,
I cannot share any sort of reading material. For example, I do not share a
hymnal at church.
Up until the advent of smartphones and tablets, when someone
wanted me to read something they would let me hold it where I could see it.
Now, they are reluctant to let go of their phone or tablet so I’m stuck
explaining why I can’t see it.
Now I’ve had cataract surgery on both eyes.
Yeah! Better eyesight.
Not so yeah, I still have astigmatism. My distance
vision is still blurry and for reading I’m learning the age-old problem of my
arms are not long enough. I’m adapting to my temporary less than perfect
vision.
I am, however,
increasingly frustrated with my family’s insistence that I read or look at
something on their tech while they are holding it. None of them, especially my
children, understand the position I need to see it because they don’t wear
bifocals. Now, even if they could remember my reading position, they are
failing to comprehend that I can’t see anything that small, or close right now.
So, even though my vision is better, I’m constantly having to tell someone that
I cannot see whatever it is they want me to see.
I’m also not just talking
about words.
The other day my son
mentioned he had a splinter. As in, I’m helpless in this situation and need my
mommy to doctor me.
I’m thinking a sliver?
Really? I can’t even read what I wrote down because I can’t see it and you
expect me to see something as small as a sliver?
I sent him to his sister.
If I get a hangnail I
might be able to feel it, but I cannot see it. If my nails get a snag in them,
the same thing. I’m constantly feeling my nails to make sure they are still
smooth.
Typing is another issue.
I can do it on my computer because I do know how to touch type. On my tech, it
is a different issue. I’m never even sure I’m hitting the correct buttons.
Fortunately, I’ve learned magnifying things makes it easier to read them. I
have my tech screens magnified 125%. For Word, I have the page at 190%.
It’s not that easy to
magnify things that aren’t on tech.
Did you know the camera
feature on your tech can zoom in, magnify, what you’re looking at?
I do now. I’ve used my
camera more in the last week than I did the previous year, though I’m not
normally taking pictures. I’m just trying to read something.
However, there have been
times I’ve just asked my husband to read it for me since he’s beside me. He’s
been consistently telling me he can’t see it either and has never made any
effort to get his reading glasses (which he does have) to help me out. Though I
guess I should have expected this since he was always asking me to read things
for him instead of getting his glasses and reading it himself.
So, with my husband
beside me, I’ve had to call a child in to read something because he wouldn’t.
On top of all this, I’m
dealing with a near-constant headache from eyestrain.
And now it’s the first of
the month. Time to pay the bills, and I can’t see.
This is going to prove to
be an interesting couple of months.
At least I will
eventually have new glasses because, after all these years, it’s disconcerting
to see my face without them.
Smile. Make the day a
brighter day.
