Painting with a magnifying glass

I am a very visual person. Somebody tells me something and I see it in living color. You tell me a name and I immediately see it written (and very often I get the spelling right too). I read a book and I make my own mini movie in my head.

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And my sight was always good. I have needed glasses for work on the computer or to see far into the distance for years but the past 6 years my eyesight was excellent and I could ditch the glasses.

Then a couple of weeks ago I noticed that I had a blurry vision in my left eye. And that did not go away. In fact, it got worse. I was doing my painting with a large magnifying glass in my left hand.

Eventually, after 3 weeks I went to the doctor who send me to an eye specialist in the hospital. Tests were done. Tests that were not fun at all. When the results came back I was shocked. I have cataract.    Cataract?    Really?

Geez, suddenly I feel old. I know that I have my fair share of grey hair (but I will confess, it is dyed a very youthful blonde) but honestly, cataract…   Isn’t that for the old folks? I've only just turned 50. Give me a break will ya!

My left eye has a vision of -3,75 and I see something like this:

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He gave me an option of an operation or getting glasses. The way he described the operation made my stomach turn. This time I did not need to use my own imagination, he had pictures. Very graphic pictures. In color. Very detailed. And It would be done without general anesthesia!

                                                                                    YIKES!

Well, I can tell you this for nothing... if anyone coming near my eye with a scalpel, within a range of 10 feet I would kick his or her ass. This simply was not an option for me.

So I am asking about the option of having it with the general anesthesia, and he told me they would generally do this only with small children. Trust me on this; I am big very very small child. He proceeded to tell me all the risks involved with general anesthesia. Not a pretty sum up. And the way he said it...(If you ever need someone to send your guest home after you thrown a party, and the guest linger longer then wanted... THIS would be the guy to have around. 10 seconds of him talking and everyone runs out the door).

He said I could get glasses, and maybe in a couple of months time I could possibly need stronger glasses and again and again. For a couple of years I could have joy and vision with the glasses. For a full 100 percent on both eyes he said, with glasses. But then eventually I would need that operation. No way around it. Slicing and dicing will come my way. No escape.

Fine. In a couple of years time I will be brave enough to have that operation. But not now. For now I will get glasses and look intelligent.

So, because I need glasses I thought I would buy me a nice funky frame. Electric blue came to mind. Purple too. Forest green. Fire engine red. I wanted something eccentric. Because, if you got it, you flaunt it. Right? And I definitely did not want a black one. I want to stand out in the crowd.

Last week Thursday I went to the optician and he did tests as well. Pleasant ones this time and very very thorough. Turns out I have not a -3,75 but a -5,25 and also my right eye had a difference. (did my eyes get worse in the two weeks between the hospital examination and the trip to get glasses?, or did the doctor do a not so good job of it...)  And the optician said that with glasses I will have a 60 percent vision in my left eye. 

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I went to try on frames. All the colors that I wanted. And the models that I liked. One after another were rejected because either the frame model did not look on me, or the color did nothing for me. Finally there were two frames left. One was a metallic forest green one that I liked but the optician said I could not have this frame because the glass I need for my left eye would be too thick for that kind of frame. 

And then there was only one. I loved this one. It looked good (I'm trusting my right eye and the girl in the shop who helped me), it felt right.

And what color is it? ... drum roll please ... Black. 

Say what??????? (insert high pitched voice here) Yes, it is BLACK, but with turquoise accents:

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I can pick it up Thursday afternoon. Just one more day. Hoping to ditch the magnifying glass but will keep it handy just in case. And for now I return to my painting WITH the magnifying glass.

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