It happened during the summer of 2005. My wife and I were driving home from a Florida vacation when I noticed my right eye would not focus. As the day wore on, it not only got worse, but my blurry vision turned into a kaleidoscope of colors.
When I got home I called the eye doctor and was told to come to his office immediately. Within ten minutes after I arrived at the eye clinic I was in surgery for a detached retina.
It was later discovered that I also had Glaucoma, an incurable eye disease that can lead to blindness.
I am now on medication for the rest of my life and have also had Cataract surgery to replace the lense in my right eye. All of this has helped, but when I open a book and sometimes see only blank pages, need a magnifying glass to read a restaurant menu, or am driving and have trouble seeing the white lines on the road, I realize that I am at war.
The medication has stabilized my illness for now. I have good days and bad. The good ones - I am never aware that there is a problem. The bad, however, remind me of how fragile my eyes are.
I'm okay with the possibility of someday losing my fight to see. I don't want that to happen, but I have known people in my lifetime that have lost bigger battles. I've seen first hand friends and family members courageously tackle Cancer, AIDS, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Multiple Scierosis, Bulimia and drug addiction. So if it happens that blindness is my cross to bare, well then...bring it on.
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