September 29, 2011

• I spy with my lil' astigmatism'd eye..

  So yesterday I went to Lenscrafters and got my eye exam. I walked out knowing that I have better than average eye sight (20/15), as well as a prescription. LOL. I have astigmatism (did anyone NOT just think of the Accuvue contacts commercial? haha). Sadly I can't just get reading glasses at CVS since the two eyes vary slightly.. but it was nice to see things less blurry (although the prescription is minimal: +0.25). Apparently wearing the glasses or not wearing them will not make my eyes better or worse which is nice. I'm thinking of them mainly as computer glasses--since that is the only place I really notice that i'm seeing a little blurry and end up squinting. That said, they'll be good for driving at night too I bet. I wonder if i'll end up wearing them all the time..  I guess we'll see. I really value seeing things sharp. The optometrist took me outside with the lenses and I realized that I was seeing things in the distance slightly blurry as well.. who knew?!

  The optometrist also advised me to wear sunglasses--even in the winter time because i have pinguecula. So both for cosmetic reasons as well as to not have cataracts later in life.. i need to UVprotect my eyes. A downfall of having blue/green eyes she said. They're nice and big and clear pupils.. perfect for the sun. I have a brownish spot in my eye already and spots in the other eye that aren't visible to me.. but for cosmetic reasons as well as to protect my eyes I should wear sunglasses I suppose. This will take getting used to for sure.

  "Eye Bumps" - Pinguecula and Pterygium (the description and photo below were copied from the link)

  The most commonly encountered "bump" on the eye concerning patients is a fleshy-appearing growth called a pinguecula (ping-gwek-u-lah). They may be yellow, gray, white, or colorless. They are usually found on the white part of the eye in the space between the eyelids, almost always on the side closest to the nose. Pingueculae are more common in middle-aged or older people but they can also be found in younger people and even children.

   Causes

  Overlying the white part of the eye (sclera) is a transparent mucous membrane called the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva also lines the inside of the eyelids. A pinguecula is a slow growth caused by the degeneration of the conjuctiva's collagen fibres. Thicker yellow fibres, or in some cases calcified deposits, eventually replace the original transparent fibres. In rare cases, the conjunctiva can also become red and irritated. Pingueculae can be found in one or both eyes and do not affect vision.

  The exact cause or causes of this disorder is unknown, but it occurs more frequently in people who live in sunny and windy climates and people whose jobs expose them to ultraviolet (UV) light (for example, farmers and arc welders). The frequency of pingueculae increases with age lending credence to the idea that they are primarily the result of prolonged exposure to UV, infrared light and irritation.

  The eye doc overall was very complientary of my eyes. haha.. i'm not even sure what that means, but she was! She said that my pics came out perfect (the reflection that showed on the pics was a perfect 10). She said that that was very cool for her to see--as an eye doc dork.  I ended up paying $118 for the exam -- they give a 20% discount for those without vision insurance. It was perhaps steep, but totally worth it to know why I'm seeing blurry and to know that soon I will see everything perfectly sharp. I also was given samples of tears and told to make sure I blink while at the computer or watching TV and to break to apply the tears once in a while.

  I tried on some pairs of glasses at the Lenscrafters yesterday however the doc had dilated my pupils so it was hard to see. The black pairs all looked very harsh. There was a grey pair that looked okay, as well as a red Burberry pair.. but they were both very expensive and I couldn't see properly. I need a friend to come with me and help me pick what looks best. Some of the no-frame ones looked good too--but I felt like those are more for older people, no? Plus, i'll likely bend them too much...  plastic somehow seemed like a better option. Who knows. I'll check out Pearl Vision this weekend (they have a 2 for 1 deal) as well as a bigger Lenscrafters. I'll bring a friend for feedback too. 

  I had a very funny conversation with my sister on my blackberry on my way home. I could NOT read what the blackberry said (I also had no clue what time it was). It was so crippling. I could see I had emails, but could not read them. I did somehow figure out that it was my sister who was messaging me. I was writing to her without being able to read what I could write. I must say--i am good at blind typing on the BB. Eventually I blindly upped the font size on my BB and after 2 hours I was back to seeing normally. To you 4eyed pros I must sound like an idiot not (finding this all so new) but I'd never had that done before.. it was strange. I wished I had been drunk cause it kind of felt like I was.

  WarbyParker sells glasses for $95 online and for every pair bought, they donate a pair. I think this is pretty cool (it's like Toms shoes but with glasses sorta) and so I may go that route.. yesterday at Lenscrafters I tried on a couple of pairs and didn't really like any of them that much. The non frame ones overall tended to look better but WP doesn't sell those so below are some options from the site..just for fun..    I need rounded frames (can be sort of square, but rounded..no sharp corners).  

  

  That last two pictures are just for a laugh. LOL. I'm not really seriously considering any of these but the Langston I don't think.. but I need to try some on at the store first.

  I'm about to go meet my mom's old friend from college--a family friend--(who happens to be the publisher for the London Review of Books) for lunch. He's in NYC for business and he called. Neato! This is the man who taught me how to eat peas one at a time when I was younger. That and the poem: "I eat my peas with honey, i've done so all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on the knife". He was also a speaker at my mom's funeral.. he's know me my whole life and he loved my mom and is a good friend to my dad.. it'll be nice to have lunch and catch up. 

  In other news, last night I watched the X Factor and I have NEVER said this about a complete stranger before, but I would totally marry Josh Krajcik. Hahaha. Sure, he's a lil' greasy looking and that V neck shirt he was wearing HAS to go, but his demeanor was nice and laid back, he loves his mom and his voice amazed me. He's the one who sang Etta James' At Last. Here he is:

  
  Since it is Rosh Hashana and my office is practically empty (why _am_ I here today?!) I may be back with more glasses pictures after lunch.. 
  

  • 12:06 pm
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