Distractions, reflections

I’ve been feeling fine since the cataract surgery, but having surgery to only one eye has resulted in a slightly annoying condition. While the vision in my left eye is 20/20, the vision in right eye is about -6. To make things more complicated, I was told by the intern that my left eye had been about -6, and the surgeons put in a lens with a correction factor of 8. This overcorrection complicates reading and working on the computer, because the left eye is bad on short vision, and I’m totally myopic in the right eye. Trying to wear my old glasses with the left lens popped out doesn’t work, because the images from left and right eyes don’t line up. The interim solution has been to wear my right contact lens — which I normally used to wear about 8 to 10 hours per day — now from the time I get up until the time I go to bed, and also wear drug store reading glasses (strength +2) to get by on the computer and reading.  Read more... (1040 words, estimated 4:10 mins reading time)

The opthamologist called me with an appointment.  The next available date for an operating room at St. Michael’s Hospital for Dr. Squires is Monday, May 15.  I’m scheduled to be back from Austria / Finland / UK on Thursday, May 11, so the timing is good.

I was assessed as needing the surgery on February 17.  From February 17 to May 11 is 87 days.  (This didn’t include the span from December 1 until February 15, which was how long it took just to get the consult with the optometrist!) 

I had previously commented on the Ontario wait time web site.  Here’s a snippet from scorecard, most recently and with some history.  (In addition the measures for all hospitals and St. Mike’s, I’ve included Don Mills Surgical Unit, which I see on the list as a privatized alternative).  Read more... (323 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)

In December 2004, my left eye was struck by a badminton bird. (I was turned to my left to take a backhand shot, and missed. The partner for the game was overly aggressive, and took an underhand clear, so the bird flew straight into my eye).  Read more... (326 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)