Obstacles in Optics

 

                                                                       

                                                                

Last month I decided to do some shopping while I was waiting for a prescription to be filled.  Without warning I felt like I had walked into a giant spider web. Creatures were crawling down my bangs, and I was desperately trying to shoe them away.

It didn't make sense that I was the only one being attacked by killer spiders inside a drugstore in the middle of March, so I decided to look for a mirror. On my way to the cosmetic counter, the pharmacist announced that my prescription was ready. I continued to twist, turn and swat those pesty creatures, as others pretended not to notice.

While the pharmacy assistant was ringing me up, I asked her if anything was crawling around in my hair. She said no and handed me a mirror. There was nothing there. By this time I had the attention of everyone in the pharmacy department. I immediately ruled out the DTs, because I don't drink and then it hit me. I proudly announced, "I have floaters." None of the young employees knew what I was talking about, but they were grateful that I stopped scaring everyone.

The next day I called my eye doctor's office. When I mentioned my symptoms, the receptionist told me to make an appointment. After I was examined, the ophthalmologist said that it would take between six and eight weeks for the floaters to dissipate. I shared my concern about the dangling weblike images being signs of a detached retina, and he assured me that my retina was fine. He explained that what I experienced was caused by a broken blood vessel in my left eye. This was nothing serious, and he added that there was a fifty percent chance that the floaters would reappear in my right eye within two years. The doctor also said that there was nothing you could do to prevent this age related condition.

Though the onset was a bit frightening, within hours the images continued to get smaller. Signs of a more serious condition usually have some pain associated with them, but it's still best not to take any chances, and consult an eye doctor. I returned to the drugstore the following week, and explained the whole story to the young pharmacy assistant. She looked more than happy that her shift was ending, as she almost leaped over the counter before I could finish.