i mourn for the loss of my 20/20 vision, a little more each time i feel such impairment hindering my daily activities.
when i was younger, my mom always told me to turn on the light whenever she saw me reading in a dim spot. she said that i shouldn’t be doing that because it was not good for the eyes. my immature self did not believe the wisdom of her age and now i suffer the consequences. my mom also coaxed me into eating squash for a healthy eyesight, mixing this yellow vegetable in my plate of rice as if it was paella. i absolutely abhorred it and this was mainly the reason i badmouth squash every chance i get. but in revenge, i lost my 20/20 vision which i refer to as the curse of the squash queen.
i first recognized the problem in my japanese 3 class, that was 5 years ago. the board always seemed blurry from where i sat but since i didn’t have medical insurance (a deliberate choice because it costed over 7,000 yen which was then enough for a weekly meal), i had to endure it although it wasn’t that bad yet. when i went to hawaii for a vacation, i tried one of my mom’s glasses and i saw clarity around me in a very literal way so i took them with me in japan and used them from time to time, which of course was a big mistake. those non-prescribed glasses only made matters worse.
for the longest time, i refused to wear contacts for some reasons even i could not fathom. maybe it was the obstinate me still in denial. but my wedding day proved to be that catalyst. a few days before it, i dragged myself into an optical shop because i knew i was going to get all that crap for not having my eyes examined. luckily, the optometrist only empathized with the poor bride that was me and made no further talk about using non-presecribed eyewear. in fact, she even gave me a discount on my contacts and the glasses which i had the optical shop do. i swear i almost cried when i first put on the contacts and see clearly the world around me. it was like getting a new set of eyes.
but i still have problems every now and then. like when my contacts irritate my eyes like a constipated shit to one’s ass and i don’t even know why. i think it’s the curse reminding me that contacts are mere aid to my vision. i had this case last sunday when my right eye was hurting because of the contacts that i decided to take it off, while watching 2012 at that. throughout the entire film, i felt like a one-eyed monster in the dark. but the movie is catastrophic in itself that i can’t even wallow in my own tragedy.
somehow, my listening skills got affected too with my impaired vision. it seemed silly but i think that i was so used to lip-reading while listening before so if i don’t have my contacts or my glasses on, i can’t seem to hear people from afar. i try to fight it off and focus on what a person says but reading is so much a part of me which makes it really difficult.
oh well, if i have the money i will definitely opt for a lasik treatment. now excuse me while i go and find my fortune first. see ya. no pun intended.