Every day that I cross the bridge from one side of the lake to the other, I wonder if this is what it was like to live in industrial era London, where the fog, as often as not, was mixed with horrible pollution. At least for us, it's supposed to clear up with a weather change in a couple days.
Those who see the cosmic perspective as a depressing outlook, they really need to reassess how they think about the world. Because when I look up in the universe, I know I'm small but I'm also big. I'm big because I'm connected to the universe, and the universe is connected to me. -- Neil deGrasse Tyson
Every day that I cross the bridge from one side of the lake to the other, I wonder if this is what it was like to live in industrial era London, where the fog, as often as not, was mixed with horrible pollution. At least for us, it's supposed to clear up with a weather change in a couple days.
A week ago I went in to see the eye doc for the first time in four years. I know. That's too long. But there were complications with getting in. For the first three years I just didn't catch the passing of time... and then the changes in my eyes got so noticeable that I started realizing oh, it's time to get back in... and I finally got there.
They didn't dilate my eyes for the first time ever! They asked if I wanted the new technology, that would cost $25 more and insurance wouldn't cover - they take a picture of the back of your eye bulb without dilating them. Then they can keep the image on file and compare next time. A picture is worth at least a thousand words! So I took that option.
Six total pictures, three for each eye (well, four for one and seven total because I blinked in one because bright flash of light!). I told the eye doc that I was glad I didn't have to get my eyes dilated, I think last time I accidentally kicked and/or hit the eye doc because reflexes. She laughed and said it happens all the time. Then I made her explain the images to me and what she was looking for and seeing.
Y'all -- it was so cool! She looked at the blood vessels to see that blood flow was good (it was), she pointed out that all of the blood vessels flowed to the center of my eye, the optical nerve. She pointed out the macula - the point in the eye that actually "sees". I was surprised that it was not as near the optical nerve as I thought it would be - she said the optical nerve actually is a blind spot which is why the optical illusion discussed in this article works. I highly recommend it, mostly because it's really fascinating to see the back of your own eye bulb. They tried to give me logic beyond that, along the lines of this one patient who got it done left the office, and came back within five minutes with a tear and they were able to see exactly what had happened, which yes, and yes it's good to see changes year over year, but really? For me? Just really neat images. :) With other relevant benefits.
With love, a new glasses prescription (the better to see you with, my dears), and curiosity,
--Susan