Just before I went to South Africa I broke my glasses. Nigel at the Opticians mended them for me in the nick of time, but also suggested I try contact lenses. In fact he couldn't understand why I'd never tried them before. I told him the reason... I don't like anything to do with things coming near my eyes. But I said I'd think about it and I'd catch up with him in December as my eyes needed testing anyway so there was no harm in thinking.
However, when I was in South Africa, Tracy Mc, who wears contact lenses, made me realise how convenient they were compared to glasses. The other thing was I went croc diving, and I can tell you that having braved that I felt I could brave anything. And so it was when I had my eye test in December I made the decision that I'd give contact lenses a go. I'm long sighted and can't read anything when it's close by without my glasses and was recommended to have daily ones and to start off with one eye for reading and the other for long sight and see how I get on.
I went back for a lesson in how to put them in and take them out, which was one of those experiences that are best left unwritten about. But the thing was... I managed it. The optician said I really ought to give it a go and she gave me some to practice with and the next time I'm in, in January, I can try varifocal ones and see which ones I prefer.
The first time I tried was in London. It took me just under 45 minutes to get them in and my sight was so odd that I thought I'd got them in the wrong way round and I wasn't sure I was going to make it. I left them in a couple of hours, but getting them out took ages and I'd poked and prodded so much my eyes were quite sore.
I decided to leave it a couple of weeks to allow my poor eyes to recover fully, and then on Boxing Day I decided to give it another go. My eyesight was still so peculiar that I felt like I was tripping when I looked into the distance. I spoke to Tracy who told me it would take at least 3 days for my eyes to get used to them as you use different eye muscles with contacts compared to glasses and to persevere. I did, and left them in for about 4 hours. Getting them out was still a nightmare.
Then yesterday I put them in again, but was getting a bit anxious come taking them out time and so looked online to see if there was an easy way... and I came across this great piece on YouTube by Akuno Tensai. It was so simple even I managed it first time and it took seconds.
And this morning I was able to put the contacts in within 10 minutes and I know I'll be able to get them out within seconds when I come to take them out, so I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself.
Of course I still need the ok from the optician when I go back in January... and it would be good to get rid of the woozy feeling whenever I go from reading to looking into the distance... but I've done it.
I can remember when I was about to go diving with crocs in South Africa thinking what the hell was I doing. I like to look at them, but up close? No thank you! They are damn scary at a distance, but let me tell you they are a whole lot scarier up close. But you know what... sometimes it's good to do something that makes you feel that if you can do that you can do anything and croc diving was exactly that for me. Hooray for the crocs!
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