I quit my job.

I realized that I needed some rest and enjoy my life instead of just working after my close shave with developing cataracts. After my 10-min surgery to have my cataracts removed, I needed to wear a protective shield and sunglasses when I go out for about a week or so and it was quite an uncomfortable experience, but I was prepared to go through such ‘tortures’ to get back my normal sight because my cloudy vision is affecting my daily life too much.

Right now as I’m typing this post, I am left satisfied with my almost perfect eyesight. I appreciate the wonderfulness of being able to see the beautiful world although I have colour blindness.

I want people who do not have the chance to see be able to witness and know the world just like I have been able to.

Therefore, I am going to donate my eyes should anything happen to me. I hope others will be able to benefit from my eyes and get a new lease of life – with my eyes.

I went to the eye doctor today.

He took a visual acuity test which uses an eye chart test that measures how well you see at various distances and a Glare Disability Test where there is the measurement of visual function in the clinic performed under ideal conditions of daytime ("photopic") lighting and the absence of extraneous light sources. He said I developed cataracts due to my ‘old’ age. I’m not even old, only 52!

The doctor said it’s called a nuclear cataract that forms in the nucleus, the center of the lens, and is due to natural aging changes. He said that I can have the cataract surgically removed by using a regular single-vision (monofocal) intraocular lens or a presbyopia-correcting (multifocal) intraocular lens in the eye in place of my clouded natural lens since it was not fully developed. What a blessing!

Other than that, he told me a lot of information but I was not listening because I was still absorbing the fact that my eye… But, I have decided that I need to know more about my condition so I researched a lot on this disease.

My eye

The lens is mostly made up of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a specific way to keep the lens clear and allow light pass through. As we age, some protein may cluster and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract, and eventually, it may grow bigger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see. Thankfully, it cannot spread from one eye to the other. I’ve also found that people can have an age-related cataract in their 40s and 50s.

How we view things:

I should have taken care of my eyes.

From what I researched, many studies suggest that exposure to ultraviolet light will cause cataract development, so eyecare practitioners recommend wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to lessen your exposure. Other risk factors include cigarette smoke, air pollution and heavy alcohol consumption. Also, eating a lot of salt may increase your risk.

Some preventive measures will include:

• a diet high in antioxidants, such as vitamin A, selenium and vitamins C and E

• stop smoking

• wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to block ultraviolet sunlight

• If you are age 60 or older, it’s better to go for a comprehensive dilate eye test or a check up once every two years. It is also advisable to go for other check ups to test for other disease.

So people reading this, I hope you will take care of your eyes and learnt something from me!

Recently, I realised that my vision has become blur.

I think it could be the amount of work stress, or perhaps due to the glaring, bright lights of the sun and lamps in the office. And, I never had poor night version before, but just yesterday night, I snubbed my big toe by a chair that had always been there!

Ouch!

Gotta end here. Piles of work left to be done. Ciao!

Hello!

Today is my first time using the computer without having to wear my spectacles!

Yup, I've gone ahead with the Lasik surgery after making sure that the doctor, Dr Michele Cardin, had experience with lasik surgeries and many friends recommended him to me.
His clinic is modern and comfortable, and he answered all my questions about the procedure frankly, addressing all my concerns without forcing me to come to a decision.

I had to undergo two surgeries, one on each of my eye!

So it was a pretty long time before I could return to my daily routine of blogging, which explains the lack of posts for the past month!

The instruments used!


The surgery was all over in around 30 minutes. Here's what happened:

• A numbing local anesthetic drop was placed in my eye so that I won't feel the pain or any sensation during the procedure.
  
• The doctor cleaned the area around my eye with a sterilizing agent to reduce chances of any infection.
  
• A lid speculum was used to hold your eyelids open, so that I don't blink during the surgery
  


• A ring was then placed on my eye and very high pressures was applied to create suction to the cornea. Afterwards my vision temporarily dimmed and it was pretty uncomfortable.
  
• The microkeratome, which is a cutting instrument, was attached to the suction ring and used to cut a flap in my cornea.
  
  
  
  


• The microkeratome and the suction ring are then removed and I was able to see but my vision was still kind of blurred.


• The flap was folded back on its hinge, to expose the underlying corneal tissue.
  



• The laser was positioned over my eye and I was asked to stare at a light. Dr said that the purpose was to keep track of my eye and make sure that it is properly centered.
  
• When my eye was finally in the correct position, the laser which was preprogrammed, vaporized specific amount of corneal tissue based on my eye parameters.
  
• The flap was put back into position.
  
  
• After the surgery, Doctor Cardin provided my with a shield to cover the eye, so that I don't rub my eye, or put pressure on my eye while I sleep, and to protect my eye from accidental injury.
  

Hmm if you aren't squirmish about surgeries, watch my lasik surgery!






Doctor Cardin told me that I have to dutifully take note of some precautions so that there will not be any problems after the surgery.

I have to:

• Avoid using lotions, creams, or make-up around the eye for a few weeks
  
• Avoid contact sports like boxing, football etc for a 1-2 months to avoid injury till the flap is well healed.
  
• Avoid swimming and using hot tubs or whirlpools for 1-2 months.

Not that I mind, I'm just so happy that I don't have to wear spectacles anymore that it's worth sacrificing swimming for!

Hmm I'm considering whether or not to go for Lasik surgery.

It's a type of refractive laser eye surgery performed by ophthalmologists for correcting myopia,
hyperopiay and astigmatism.



If I do undergo the surgery, then i won't lose any more spectacles on the bus!

There are certain complications that MAY occur during surgery, and that's making me have second thoughts. =/

• Malfunction of a lasik device,
• errors during cutting the flap of cornea and hinge

These complications could lead to irreversible damage to the eyes!

The chances that complications occur is relatively low, but still, there are risks to consider.

• Some patients develop glare, halos, and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime vision.
• Undercorrection or overcorrection may occur. You may still need glasses or contact lenses after surgery, although a very weak prescription.
• Some develop dry eye syndrome and the eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable. Dry eye not only causes discomfort, but can reduce visual quality due to intermittent blurring and other visual symptoms. This condition may be permanent.
• Improvement of vision after surgery may decrease with age.
• Very large errors may be difficult to correct. Reasonable expectations of correction need to be discussed with your doctor.

Oh dear, seems like I really have to think it through carefully.

_______________________________________
I remember having blue eyes when I was still a baby, then while growing up, my eye colour changed to grey! I used to think that it was due to magic and something incredible!

when i was a baby,


and when i was 20 years old,


Look how beautiful my grey eyes are! Ain't I pretty now? =)

But, while having my usual eye check-up, I asked my optician why the eye colour of babies will change as they grow older. He said it was because of the exposure to light after birth which triggers the production of melanin in the eyes. By three years of age, the baby's eyes will produce enough melanin to indicate the natural shade of their eyes. But the doctor also said that eye colour change can happen to adults too! This is caused by the exposure to the sun.

Also, pigment in the stroma gives the iris color. Iris color can lighten if the number of pigment granules in the stroma decreases or if the granules produce lighter pigment. The iris can also lose color if the stroma pigment degrades.

The pupil changes size to regulate the amount of light entering the eye. If the iris contains pigment on both the front and back surface, the incident light that reflects off the iris is brown. Sometimes there is little or no pigment on the front surface. The light interacts with the gray iris fibers and the iris stromal cells and reflects as blue. The size and spacing of the fibers and stromal cells determines the "blueness" or "greenness' of the reflected light.

So don't be surprised if your eye colour changes even if you're 50 now! its a natural thing especially for us Caucasians because we have a paler skin!