Eye Update

Ewww -- an eyeball. Halloween is coming, so I thought I'd post a picture of my eye. Eyes are creepy and mine is no exception, especially right now. Thanks to everyone who has asked how my eye is. For those who missed what happened -- a little over a week ago I was helping Neil with an outside science experiment. I was documenting it with pictures and when I bent down to take a photo, a piece of grass poked me in the eye. When I came up, I had something like a hard foxtail stuck in my eye. I couldn't get it out, so I had to cover my eye and go inside. By the time I got to a mirror, the foxtail had wedged itself completely under the lid. After a few panic-stricken moments, I was able to get it out. It felt better, of course, so I didn't think I needed to have it looked at. Fast forward a week later and it was really starting to hurt, so I knew I had to do something.

I finally stopped being a baby and made an appointment with an eye doctor. It had been about seven years since my last eye exam, so I knew I was way over due. This was a medical visit though, so I'll have to go back for the exam later. Anyway, the doctor said my eye was pretty scratched up and he could see where the sticker-thing had poked through. He also saw two specks of seed material floating around. He got one out, which wasn't a pleasant experience. When he went back for the second one, he couldn't find it. I still feel something that seems to move from place to place, so I think it's still in there. He sent me home with two prescriptions -- some drops and an antibiotic ointment to use for a week. He also suggested I start taking fish oil supplements. That's something I wanted to do anyway, so this was just a good reason to start. What's one more tablet to the handful I already take?

I've been using the drops and ointment for about four days. Yesterday my eye was feeling pretty good, so I thought it was on the mend. People were asking about it, so I was telling them how much better it felt. Then of course, Murphy's Law struck and it started acting up again last night. Typical, huh? So, it goes from feeling okay to feeling irritated and scratchy again. I'll give it a week and then call to make another appointment to have it checked. I'm such a baby when it comes to my eyes. I'd honestly rather have a root canal than an eye exam. I've never liked anyone messing with my eyes. I felt like passing out when the doctor told me he was going to use the wooden part of a Q-tip to roll my eyelid back. Ack! That wasn't fun. The drops aren't fun either. I've never been able to put those dumb things in. I'm getting a little better, but not much. The ointment sucks and everything is cloudy when I get up in the morning.

So, I'll give it a week and see how it does. Hopefully, that second piece of seed will work its way out, if it is still in there. Then I'll have to go back for that dreaded eye exam. When I went in, he had me read from the chart and I totally flubbed that up. He said to read the smallest letters I could see, so I started with the third line. Bad choice. I went back up to the first line, but even messed that up. My eyesight is shot. The doctor said I have Dry Eye Syndrome, so that's why he suggested the fish oil supplements. He also said I don't tear up the right way and when I do, it's not normal -- whatever the heck that means. To make a long story longer, I have a lot of issues going on in addition to the eye injury, so I think this is just the start of many eye exams and treatments. Oh joy ... lucky me.