Wednesday, April 17, 2013

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.


31 comments:

  1. I can relate to this, back last year I was visiting my son in Spain, on the day of my return I was calmly waiting for my son to take me to the airport when suddenly I could see something in my left eye. I didn't know what it was and felt concerned through the three hour flight. Once home visited the doctors who sent me to the eye dept at the hospital after a good examination was told it was a floater, I have got used to it though some days it don't appear at all. I was assured all was well otherwise.
    A good O post.
    Yvonne.

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  2. You did the smart and responsible thing by seeing a doctor right away. Now had those things you thought you were seeing really been spiders, that could've been a prompt for the beginning of a story.

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  3. I think I've a tiny hair like floater, but don't usually see it unless I look for it. It has been there in my right eye for many years. So I'm not sure if this is a floater. Sometimes it is one straight line, sometimes it curls a little. I guess I would see an eye doctor if it starts to bother me. Now what is of concern, when I spent a bit long on this computer screen before bedtime, I kept seeing bright patch in rectangular shape in my eyes, even closed. Heh, must be Z-C writting and hopping getting to me ;)

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    1. AF - What you described may also be symptoms of a detached retina. Please check with an eye doctor to be on the safe side. Hope everything is okay.

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  4. Oh goodie...something else to look forward do lol. Glad it was nothing serious though and thanks for the advice to always get it checked out.

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  5. That sounds quite scary. Glad it was just an optical illusion.

    mood
    Moody Writing
    #atozchallenge

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  6. I had trouble reading your post, because I could not see the writing on your new background. Speaking of floaters.....

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  7. This sounds really scary. I'm glad it doesn't seem to be serious at least.

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  8. Wow - that would be freaky.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  9. Yvonne - I'm sorry that you have them too, but I'm glad you've gotten used to it. We're lucky it's not more serious.

    Cynthia - I hope the drugstore hasn't held on to that tape!

    Alternative Foods - Sounds like you should go to an eye doctor. It's probably nothing serious, but you should still get examined for this, as well as ruling out glaucoma. There are no symptoms for glaucoma, and it could only be found during a simple pressure check. I'm only mentioning this as a preventative, because many people who don't wear glasses fail to get their eyes checked.

    Delores - You probably won't get floaters, and if you do you'll get used to it after a few hours.

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  10. Never heard of this. Last year I developed dry eye, and my vision decreased over the course of a year to the point that I couldn't drive, and depending on the day couldn't read or see beyond just a few feet in front of me. It took a few months and trying various things before we finally hit on a solution, but it was frightening to think I might be going blind.

    Happy O day!
    tm

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    1. Ornery - That must've been frightening. I didn't know that dry eye could cause so many problems. I'm glad that everything is okay now.

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  11. Mooderino - The spiders were an optical illusion, but the condition is real.

    Arleen- The center is white, but are the sides making you feel green?

    Julie - It was only scary at the beginning. Once I knew what it was I felt better. The important thing is to check with your eye doctor, because it could have been a detached retina.

    Jai - I looked pretty "freaky" walking around swatting spiders!

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  12. Thank you for the interesting story. There are so many things that begin to change with age. It is good to have some idea about what to expect.

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  13. Well, I'm glad it wasn't any worse!

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  14. My hubby went to the doctor for this recently. I guess I am lucky to be the youngest in our class, I have another year before the creepy feeling is not actually a spider crawling in my hair.

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    2. Rhonda - Hope your hubby is okay. Yes, you are still a kid, and this will probably never happen to you. Now go eat a seahorse on a skewer!

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  15. Lee - Yes, I do relish it, because it could always be worse!

    Yvonne - It's true. Half the battle is wondering what you have in the first place. Thanks Yvonne!

    Alex - We all know the Ninja Captain worries about nothing!

    Nick - It's hardly noticeable once you get used to it. Thanks Nick!

    Julie

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  16. Thank goodness they dissipated!
    Usually, "floaters" are mob-related finds in Long Island Sound.

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    1. Al - Oh, that's what they mean be "sleeping with the fishes!" I guess I won't be whining about my floaters again anytime soon. Thanks Al!

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  17. Good job getting that checked, darn scary thing that must have been!

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  18. Wow, what a scary experience. I bet the shop assistant thought you was some kind of a nutter seeing crawling things everywhere and that's why when you returned to explained, they couldn't wait to get out your way.

    It's a good thing that you knew what to do though and sometimes people live with the condition for too long, making a worse diagnosis. I'm glad that you got it sorted for now and thanks for the info, as you never know when it might strike any of us.

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  19. Jen - Fortunately, it wasn't scary for long. Thanks Jen!

    Rum Punch Drunk - I'm sure that she wasn't the only one! I do hope that this will be helpful, as it does strike without warning. Thanks Rum Punch Drunk!

    Julie

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  20. That sounds really scary. Glad it wasn't anything too serious and not due to any alcoholic consumption either!

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  21. Jewels, thanks for the warning...I bet they have you on video tape and you will be shown at the holiday party ;)

    Lamp Chap

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  22. Hi Julie .. I've had them for yonks! They come and never really go - but don't irritate me - so I ignore them ... I watch a lot of tennis through one eye .. i.e. moving around so I can see properly! At least you were able to diagnose yourself!

    Cheers and enjoy the cloudy spidery view of our future life! Hilary

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  23. Hi Julie. I know those floaters can be disconcerting. I remember when I thought my retina might be detached because of the line across my view. When I went in and the eye doctor told me that I had an anterior vitreous detachment, that is was a normal thing that happens to everyone, sometimes without us even noticing, and it would go away eventually. Though I was relieved that it wasn't serious, it still was terribly annoying to have it bouncing right across my line of sight. Fun getting older! God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

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