Nothing is more important than your health and that includes eye health.

Preserving your vision can be as simple as seeing your eye care professional for annual exams or as complicated as having a condition that requires regular professional intervention. I fall into the second category. However, that has not always been the case.  

My Vision Story

Many years ago, I had Lasik performed on both eyes. My reasons aligned with those of people who not only wanted to rid themselves of wearing glasses, but also wanted to be able to see when they went swimming.

I was born both near-sighted and with astigmatism. My eyes see independently so I can never achieve the 3D vision that everyone is basically born with.

My world is flat. This also means that I cannot participate in activities that require depth perception, like catching or throwing a ball. I have a fear of heights. These are a few of the issues I have faced and continue to face on a daily basis since birth.

So, I chose Lasik because it was going to address at least one of the issues I had dealt with my entire life. Before the procedure I could barely see my hand in front of my face without glasses. Understandably, I could not go swimming alone.

Not only was I unable to see people until I ran into them, literally, but I could not find my way back to where my towel was after I finished swimming. Having Lasik done gave me some independence.

The Price of Vision

Many years have passed since I had the Lasik procedure done. It is only now that I am beginning to see some of the effects that Lasik can have on some people. I am one of those people. I have DES, or dry eye syndrome – and it’s not a mild case.

Over the past couple of years my eye care professional and I have tried many remedies. We have tried everything from over-the-counter eye drops to custom made tears. I have increased my water intake and used hot compresses to increase my own tear production.

My vision continues to fluctuate so we move on to the next step. It is costly, but how do you put a price on your sight?

Scleral Lenses

What are scleral lenses? Here’s the Wikipedia brief:

“A scleral lens, also known as a scleral contact lens and ocular surface prostheses, is a large contact lens that rests on the sclera and creates a tear-filled vault over the cornea. Scleral lenses are designed to treat a variety of eye conditions, many of which do not respond to other forms of treatment.”

These lenses are designed to rest on the white part of the eye and not on the cornea. You fill them with solution and that solution covers and bathes your cornea all day long. The lens also corrects your vision while addressing the dry eye issue.

I have been doing my research, and it seems that scleral lenses are used for people like me who have exhausted all other possible remedies. The research also indicates that the procedure is mostly successful. If it works for me, it will be the end of a long journey.

How Do You Care for Your Vision?

I cannot stress enough how important it is to see your eye care professional on a regular basis. My vision had been fluctuating from seeing clearly to blurry vision. Each time I had an exam I had a different prescription.

We are talking about exams that took place only months apart. Vision should not change like that. If I had not been seeing my eye care professional on a regular basis, I would probably not have known how severe my situation is/was.

Don’t take your vision for granted. It is a gift to be cared for. Most issues can be dealt with if discovered early enough.

How long has it been since your last eye exam? How do you care for your vision? Do you have any issues that need to be addressed? Have you had Lasik or other procedures done to better your sight? Please share your experiences with our community!