The Eyes Have It

Last Tuesday I got my first contact lens.  Just one.  It took 25 minutes in the doctor’s office for me to get it in (on?) my right eye the first time.  This morning it only took 5 and today I get to wear the lens all day.  I’m still tentative while learning this new skill.  I’m not squeamish about touching my eye, but there are tapes in my head from decades ago when my college roommate got her first pair of hard lenses.  The kind that used to suddenly pop out and forced people to say, “Nobody move!  Drop to your knees and look for my contact!”   That doesn’t happen these days since the lens is so soft and pliable that it folds or turns inside out, but still, the whole idea is actually a marvel.

My eyes and brain have not mastered their new skill either.  They have not adjusted to one eye being distance and the other for close up.  That means I’m still wearing my reading glasses over the contact.  I’m not able to give up my fun familiar accessory.  Their replacement isn’t working yet and/ or the prescription may need to be tweaked.  I don’t remember such a lengthy adjustment period with bifocals nearly 20 years ago.

There have to be some parallels to life here.  Not seeing clearly in new situations.  Not able to give up the old.  You can figure out how it applies to you and I’m hoping you might share!

Meanwhile, I’m focusing on 2 things:

• Beating my time from yesterday of 3 minutes to remove the lens
• Finding jazzy sunglasses as my new fashion statement.

Marilyn