DUEL VISION

Eagle eyes used to me my nickname. As a kid could clearly see and identify objects a lot further than my friends. I still have very extensive peripheral vision. I remember the classroom driver’s education teacher, who was the football coach, being surprised that I could see so far back. He asked why I wasn’t in sports; I had to admit to lack of interest in front of the whole class. Embarrassing.

All was well until I went to college. I began to get headaches while reading. I went to the doctor who said that I should get my eyes examined. As a result, I procured some mild reading spectacles with a correction for astigmatism. I used them all during college and only needed a stronger prescription once. Around the age of thirty I began to notice that distances were starting to get blurry. I procured glasses for driving and long distance viewings, like attending movies.

Around the age of forty it was necessary to obtain reading glasses again. I was able to acquire a pair of standard glasses from the pharmacy. Unfortunately, my need for stronger distance and reading glass prescription occurred after my health insurance ended. I checked around but there are very few options for no or low cost vision assistance for adults in the Twin Cities area. Dial 211 to obtain a referral via United Way’s First Call for Help. www.211unitedway.org or call 651-291-0211 for assistance.

I was accepted by Salvation Army’s Vision Program. They paid for an exam and I had to pay $25 for a pair of glasses. The frame selection was extremely limited but I found a pair that was acceptable. The doctor convinced me that I should wear bi-focals. It took a couple weeks for the glasses to be delivered and the reading portion was too high on the glasses. I had to get them sent back. When they were returned I said that I’d try them out. www.salvationarmynorth.org

I do not like my bifocals. The line of the bifocal is still rather high and I don’t feel safe driving with them. I tried wearing them at work but they were useless because I don’t need the distance correction for the computer screen. They have only proven useful for reading books and watching television. I doubt if the vision program will let me get them adjusted again. I’ll just have to wait to get a full-time better paying job and buy nice glasses.

What a pain in the optical nerve.
Copyright © 2013 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved.