The Windows to My Soul Are In Trouble

Just a few days before Christmas, I finally called the eye doctor to do something about my vision.  I'd mentioned the problem to Kyle several times, but we always waved it off, as it corrected itself within time, but when I lost sight in both eyes at the same time, with contacts in, I panicked. This was an all-time low, as it usually was just one eye at a time.  On top of that, if one eye is out of focus, you don't notice too much as your other eye compensates for it and you still see okay. Now, let's just clarify, that I could "see" but I can attest that when I removed my contact lens, my vision neither improved or worsened. It was that weird.  And it was scary. And it happened in a matter of 3 hours.  I went from seeing to bam! I can't see.


The Problem: This is what I told Dr. Kohler: With my lens in, I was experiencing blurriness, and it would shift from eye to eye, in varying lengths of time, at different intervals, with no apparent cause.  I'd go to church and realize I couldn't read the numbers on the music page indicator (so 50 feet away) with just my left eye.  Or I'd realize my right eye was out of focus while driving, and I wouldn't be able to read the stop sign. It was never consistent, never predictable.

However, it never lasted.
It just went away, and by morning I was usually just fine.


I called the eye doctor, and they recommended I come in for an exam.  I felt that would be a waste of time and money as I knew my vision would be fine when I'd go in.  How to prove, then, when one eye was 'down'?  I'd need an appointment when my vision was wacky, not square.  And that isn't how doctor's offices work.  So I put it off.

Probably shouldn't have.

Hind sight.

On the day that I lost sight in both eyes, and my world was completely out of focus, I was able to get into the doctor, as an emergency.

They had me remove the lens immediately and took a quick look.  Yeah, my corneas are in pretty bad shape. Very inflamed, stressed and dehydrated. The few tears my eyes are producing are being soaked up by my lens.  My corneas are not receiving enough fluids.  Also, it's most probable that my eyes are not producing the 'right kind' of tears.  Who knew!  The right kind of tears?  Turns out that tears are layered and my eyes aren't doing a good job of producing enough.  Some people have eyes that seem to tear up just because, like an allergy thing and have dry eyes in reality, because they're the wrong kind of tears!

So, The Diagnosis: Dry Eye Syndrome, a really bad case of it.  While I went in a week earlier, the first real appointment they had available was Dec. 26th.  This appointment confirmed that my vision had slipped further in the right eye, but had improved slightly in the left.  A very strange outcome that surprised Dr. Kohler.  Further examination led to the diagnosis and overall condition of my eyes.

The combination of having had lasik eye surgery in 2000, wearing lens from sun up to sun down, and my eyes producing the lack of or wrong tears led up to weak, inflamed, dry, and over-worked corneas to which end caused them to not be able to do their job.  Thankfully, there is much we can do to begin the healing process, though Dr. Kohler's concerned we might have some erosion issues on our hands.  We'll know if there will be damaging and lasting impact in a month or so when I go back, AFTER DOING ALL THIS:


1-I have been instructed to take Omega-3, to which I also decided to add Bilberry.  These capsules are a 2x a day thing, and cost me roughly $35 for a months' worth. These pills help with eyes, along with other benefits.

2-I stopped using my regular contacts and am using a 30-day supply of sample Dailies.  It's weird to throw contact lens away, just sayin'. This will prevent the possibility of any build up on the lenses.

3-I am using a prescription drop called Restasis, also another months' trial supply.  Theses drops are milky and sting a little. I'm to do this twice a day also, without lens in. This drop is supposed to cause your eyes to produce more of their own natural tears.

4-I am also using a re-wetting drop called Mini-Drops, which I have yet to find over the counter. This is basically like giving my eyes a drink.

5-And lastly, I am to wear my contacts as little as possible.  Which meant I had to get glasses.  Those ran us $205, and $70 for the eye exam. This is so there is less strain on my eyes, in general.


I am so frustrated with, and yet so grateful for, my sight. It is worth the cost ($300+) to see.  The timing of needing $300 in December?  Painful. Oh well.  I'm grateful Kyle feels I'm worth it, and for emergency budgets.  Right now, my routine is pretty intense to help solve the sight issues I've been having and I wanted to jot down everything I'm doing, so that I have some record of it.  Also, I have siblings who might benefit from this information!  We've all got eye problems.  Which makes me wonder if these little eyes will have life long eye drama too.