One Good Eye

Yesterday I learned that my right eye, the one that got infected after cataract surgery over a year ago, has reached its maximum level of improvement. What that actually means is I now only have one good eye. Fortunately, I can see to drive with it and recently passed my drivers license renewal exam. Unfortunately, my bad eye is dominate and is still trying to see. It creates a distortion of sorts while trying to see certain things. Thus, I subconsciously close the bad eye on occasion. Judy does not like to see it closed and reminds me to open it up. Easier said than done. In fact, I find it more comfortable to wear a patch over the eye. The doctor said my brain will gradually switch to the left eye as the dominate one and I will adapt to it. She said many people do not even realize they only make use of one eye, the dominate one, until it is demonstrated to them. I suppose things could be worse. She also said that my bad eye (legally blind at 20/400) is still considered "ambulatory" because, should I lose my good eye; I can see just enough to get around. I take that to mean I can see the door or chair or person although I cannot see well enough to describe the door or chair or person. I certainly can't read or watch TV or do anything that requires me to see clearly with the bad eye so I guess I should take every step to protect my good one.

Now I have to decide what to do with my woodworking tools. I might be able to build rustic birdhouses but I doubt that I can do the intricate cuts required to make my scale model trucks. If so, it just may be time to change my hobby to something I can do without the danger of losing a finger or hand or eye.

I plan to go see the Ophthalmologist who performed the original cataract surgery that started all this and see what, if anything, he can/will do about it, either medically or financially. I'm thinking the very least he can do is give me back the $2,000 I had to pay out of pocket for the Crystalens that he recommended, installed and now doesn't work. I will say he has been very good about trying everything he can to fix it.

We'll see (pun intended)

Leroy