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Ed Rooney

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9 hours ago, Cecile Marion said:

While traveling, I had flashing lights in my right eye, along with blob-like “floater” shapes blocking my vision. I made fast tracks to the opthamology clinic, thinking my retina was detaching. Fortunately, it was the vitreous. The next summer the other eye had the same issue, almost to the day, while in the same city. At least the second time it didn’t frighten me half to death thinking I was either losing my eyesight or heading into surgery. 

Exactly. Because the two conditions show similar symptoms, never ignore them. One is bothersome, the other could leave you blind in that eye if ignored.

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1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

 

I had a similar problem about 20 years ago -- a reoccurring psychedelic light show in one of my eyes. Turned out it was due to "floaters" tugging on the retina (as Edo suggested). It was a bit freaky, but the condition eventually disappeared on its own and has never returned (touch wood). Now I've moved on to cataracts...🤓

The floaters don’t tug on the retina. They are a result of the vitreous, during its thinning process, tugging on the retina. A floater is no more substantial than a tiny flake of dry skin, but if they are floating around in your eye, they can look like (to you) you have a piece of a barn in there!
when young, the vitreous is thick and jello-like. As we age, it begins to thin. We didn’t hear much about floaters until people hit 40, and then very seldom. Each few years increases incidents but seems to be pretty much over with (Or greatly decreased) after 60-65 or so.

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3 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

The floaters don’t tug on the retina. They are a result of the vitreous, during its thinning process, tugging on the retina. A floater is no more substantial than a tiny flake of dry skin, but if they are floating around in your eye, they can look like (to you) you have a piece of a barn in there!
when young, the vitreous is thick and jello-like. As we age, it begins to thin. We didn’t hear much about floaters until people hit 40, and then very seldom. Each few years increases incidents but seems to be pretty much over with (Or greatly decreased) after 60-65 or so.

 

Interesting. My hair did the same thing -- thin that is. 🙄

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On 17/09/2020 at 13:53, Thyrsis said:

 

Yes, I get those aura migraines occasionally. Just the jaggedy flashing but no headache. 2 ibuprofen and drinking  lots of water works for me.

 

 

Just thinking T you might not need the ibuprofen just lots of water might do the job. Something to do with  becoming a bit dehydrated. Try it next time but hoping there won't be a next time.

 

Allan

 

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I really ought to start my own blog for this.

 

Went into Lincoln this morning on the bus to look for a new street map of Lincoln as my existing map is way our of date and there have been a lot of major road works since. I also wanted a "Pathfinder map" for the area showing all the public rights of way, footpaths, and bridleways etc. Went to WHS and they did not have either. Then I tried Waterstones and they did not have them either but an attendant told me that they were waiting for Ordnance Survey to start producing the Lincoln street map again. He also told me that OS did not produce the "Pathfinder" maps any more either. WASTE OF TIME.

 

Back to bus station to catch the bus home again. Now I should have had my glasses (specs) on - but I didn't. Caught the bus that was at the stand where the number 3 waits. We set off and after a little while I noted the bus was going a different way. I ended up at Lincoln hospital. Had a word with the driver when he stopped at a stop in the hospital grounds pointing in the opposite direction to which I needed to go and told him I think I have caught the wrong bus. "Where do you want to go?" he said. "To Cherry Willingham" I replied. "You want the number 3 bus" he said. "I know that and thought I was on the number 3" I said. "This is the X6 for the hospital only" he said. "Stay on the bus and I'll try to get back to the bus station so you will be in time to catch the the next number 3" he said. As we approached the bus station the driver said "The number 3 is just leaving, sorry". "Thank you for trying" I said.

 

Went into the bus station and looked at the notices with my specs on this time and noted that both the numbers 3 and X6 were now sharing the same stand. So I went on a circular trip and WASTED 20 minutes on the X6 for nothing. The next bus for C W would not depart for another 20 mins and time was getting tight for my next appointment at the surgery.

Went into The Grand Coffee House, attached to the bus station, and had a coffee and tried to calm down. Well I could not do anything else and I wasn't paying for a taxi. Caught the next bus for C W which arrived at the stand a bit late. Horror of horrors the driver left the bus and walked off. Oh! MG they are changing drivers. After another 10 minute wait I was starting to hop from one foot to the other.

Finally the new driver arrived and we soon set off about 20 minutes late. The driver seemed he wanted to make up time and sped along when he could but still seemed as though he had to stop at every bus stop on the route.

 

When we arrived in C W I managed to get off at the stop before the one I wanted. ARRRRGH! Another extra 5 minute walk on top of the time it usually takes me to get to my bungalow from the correct stop.

 

After all that the only good thing to come out of it was I still managed to get to the surgery on time for my appointment.

 

Sorry I just had to get the above off my chest. Enjoy and have a laugh on me.

 

Allan

 

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12 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I really ought to start my own blog for this.

 

Went into Lincoln this morning on the bus to look for a new street map of Lincoln as my existing map is way our of date and there have been a lot of major road works since. I also wanted a "Pathfinder map" for the area showing all the public rights of way, footpaths, and bridleways etc. Went to WHS and they did not have either. Then I tried Waterstones and they did not have them either but an attendant told me that they were waiting for Ordnance Survey to start producing the Lincoln street map again. He also told me that OS did not produce the "Pathfinder" maps any more either. WASTE OF TIME.

 

Back to bus station to catch the bus home again. Now I should have had my glasses (specs) on - but I didn't. Caught the bus that was at the stand where the number 3 waits. We set off and after a little while I noted the bus was going a different way. I ended up at Lincoln hospital. Had a word with the driver when he stopped at a stop in the hospital grounds pointing in the opposite direction to which I needed to go and told him I think I have caught the wrong bus. "Where do you want to go?" he said. "To Cherry Willingham" I replied. "You want the number 3 bus" he said. "I know that and thought I was on the number 3" I said. "This is the X6 for the hospital only" he said. "Stay on the bus and I'll try to get back to the bus station so you will be in time to catch the the next number 3" he said. As we approached the bus station the driver said "The number 3 is just leaving, sorry". "Thank you for trying" I said.

 

Went into the bus station and looked at the notices with my specs on this time and noted that both the numbers 3 and X6 were now sharing the same stand. So I went on a circular trip and WASTED 20 minutes on the X6 for nothing. The next bus for C W would not depart for another 20 mins and time was getting tight for my next appointment at the surgery.

Went into The Grand Coffee House, attached to the bus station, and had a coffee and tried to calm down. Well I could not do anything else and I wasn't paying for a taxi. Caught the next bus for C W which arrived at the stand a bit late. Horror of horrors the driver left the bus and walked off. Oh! MG they are changing drivers. After another 10 minute wait I was starting to hop from one foot to the other.

Finally the new driver arrived and we soon set off about 20 minutes late. The driver seemed he wanted to make up time and sped along when he could but still seemed as though he had to stop at every bus stop on the route.

 

When we arrived in C W I managed to get off at the stop before the one I wanted. ARRRRGH! Another extra 5 minute walk on top of the time it usually takes me to get to my bungalow from the correct stop.

 

After all that the only good thing to come out of it was I still managed to get to the surgery on time for my appointment.

 

Sorry I just had to get the above off my chest. Enjoy and have a laugh on me.

 

Allan

 

You must have taken A LOT of images  on that "trip" ...

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4 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I really ought to start my own blog for this.

 

Went into Lincoln this morning on the bus to look for a new street map of Lincoln as my existing map is way our of date and there have been a lot of major road works since. I also wanted a "Pathfinder map" for the area showing all the public rights of way, footpaths, and bridleways etc. Went to WHS and they did not have either. Then I tried Waterstones and they did not have them either but an attendant told me that they were waiting for Ordnance Survey to start producing the Lincoln street map again. He also told me that OS did not produce the "Pathfinder" maps any more either. WASTE OF TIME.

 

Back to bus station to catch the bus home again. Now I should have had my glasses (specs) on - but I didn't. Caught the bus that was at the stand where the number 3 waits. We set off and after a little while I noted the bus was going a different way. I ended up at Lincoln hospital. Had a word with the driver when he stopped at a stop in the hospital grounds pointing in the opposite direction to which I needed to go and told him I think I have caught the wrong bus. "Where do you want to go?" he said. "To Cherry Willingham" I replied. "You want the number 3 bus" he said. "I know that and thought I was on the number 3" I said. "This is the X6 for the hospital only" he said. "Stay on the bus and I'll try to get back to the bus station so you will be in time to catch the the next number 3" he said. As we approached the bus station the driver said "The number 3 is just leaving, sorry". "Thank you for trying" I said.

 

Went into the bus station and looked at the notices with my specs on this time and noted that both the numbers 3 and X6 were now sharing the same stand. So I went on a circular trip and WASTED 20 minutes on the X6 for nothing. The next bus for C W would not depart for another 20 mins and time was getting tight for my next appointment at the surgery.

Went into The Grand Coffee House, attached to the bus station, and had a coffee and tried to calm down. Well I could not do anything else and I wasn't paying for a taxi. Caught the next bus for C W which arrived at the stand a bit late. Horror of horrors the driver left the bus and walked off. Oh! MG they are changing drivers. After another 10 minute wait I was starting to hop from one foot to the other.

Finally the new driver arrived and we soon set off about 20 minutes late. The driver seemed he wanted to make up time and sped along when he could but still seemed as though he had to stop at every bus stop on the route.

 

When we arrived in C W I managed to get off at the stop before the one I wanted. ARRRRGH! Another extra 5 minute walk on top of the time it usually takes me to get to my bungalow from the correct stop.

 

After all that the only good thing to come out of it was I still managed to get to the surgery on time for my appointment.

 

Sorry I just had to get the above off my chest. Enjoy and have a laugh on me.

 

Allan

 

 

Actually Allen, you did make me laugh so some good came out of it. You need to get a smartphone or tablet and you could download whatever you need. That said I still like a good ole paper map and am surprised the OS are no longer making them. Have you checked online?  Of course you could download and print your own if you want paper maps. 

 

Be careful travelling on buses unless you absolutely have to do so. People are very complacent despite the massive increase in Covid-19 cases.  

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I feel for you, Allan. In the middle of all my troubles with my furnace and in-ground sprinkler system, one of my in-law’s mother died. My daughter and I were splitting costs on extra nice flowers for the service. (held 100 miles away.) Kim handled it, ordered the flowers to be delivered before the next day service at 10 a.m.

Kim gets a call the next morning after the service had started and was told after all, those flowers were unavailable. They would upgrade the order with another 10% off for the trouble.

Kim tried to call me, but I was knee deep in alligators and snakes with servicemen here and missed the call. She was off to a doctor’s appt but managed to get me called while driving and passed the baton.

So I call the florist. I get passed from one person to another and back again, with no one taking responsibility to give me the discount on a different order, one dozen red roses to be sent to the home, since the service was missed.

The last guy was rude to me and I snapped. I’m sure it was a product of the stress I was under with my mechanical breakdowns and being pulled this way and that way.

I finally screamed at the guy, said, “Forget it! You all are the sorriest people I’ve ever dealt with, nobody knows what they are doing and I’m not EVER ordering from you again!   What a shame I didn’t have an old-fashioned phone to slam down. Pushing a button on my mobile didn’t release the pressure. I was crying.

This is the first time I’ve ever yelled or been rude to anyone I’ve done business with, even though he was rude first. My circumstances with what I was already dealing with is absolutely no excuse. It’s not their fault my furnace broke down and my sprinkler system didn’t work.  But it was their fault we had no flowers at the service, then gave me the runaround.

I'm so ashamed.

 

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21 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

The floaters don’t tug on the retina. They are a result of the vitreous, during its thinning process, tugging on the retina. A floater is no more substantial than a tiny flake of dry skin, but if they are floating around in your eye, they can look like (to you) you have a piece of a barn in there!
when young, the vitreous is thick and jello-like. As we age, it begins to thin. We didn’t hear much about floaters until people hit 40, and then very seldom. Each few years increases incidents but seems to be pretty much over with (Or greatly decreased) after 60-65 or so.

 

I found this. It sounds like what you're referring too.

 

You're right about the floaters. They've almost disappeared now (I'm 71). At one time, I had a veritable snow storm of them.

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1 hour ago, MDM said:

This is what you are looking for?

That’s a landranger map rather than the pathfinder range that Allan was looking for. The difference is that whilst the landranger is 1:50000 the pathfinder is 1:25000 scale which is much more useful depending on your intended usage ( 1:25000 is more helpful for more accurate work ie local walks and geology etc). Both sets are a dream for boring folks like me that can sit and look at maps all day long but the different scales do suit different needs :)

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1 hour ago, Bionic said:

That’s a landranger map rather than the pathfinder range that Allan was looking for. The difference is that whilst the landranger is 1:50000 the pathfinder is 1:25000 scale which is much more useful depending on your intended usage ( 1:25000 is more helpful for more accurate work ie local walks and geology etc). Both sets are a dream for boring folks like me that can sit and look at maps all day long but the different scales do suit different needs :)

 

OK thanks for enlightening.  I have accumulated a lot of OS Maps over the years but didn't realise the difference there (my British ones are Landranger or Explorer which are 1:25,000 but restricted to certain areas it seems). Doing a search on Amazon, it  looks like the Pathfinders are no longer made. I guess so many people use digital maps now and they can usually go to very large scales so self-printing may be the best option if paper is required. For geology, the BGS website is the place for online geological maps in Britain - an excellent resource.

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1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

 

I found this. It sounds like what you're referring too.

 

You're right about the floaters. They've almost disappeared now (I'm 71). At one time, I had a veritable snow storm of them.

Yep. I’m rusty, but I remember that information.  And, of course, I’ve had floaters myself along with flashing lights, fog, wavy vision and even foggy half vision. All of that Weird vision was from ocular migraines, though. Just not saw it all at the same time! 😊 sometimes it seemed I’d deliberately look at a bright window and try to directly see the floater, but of course the pesky thing would “seem” to dart away. They appear much larger than they actually are.
I enjoyed my 10 years as an Opthalmologist assistant. I assisted the doctor during exams, did contact lens training sessions, did visual fields, assisted in office surgery, patched eyes with pressure patches and put in the eye drops during exams. Also took medical histories and sterilized instruments, scrubbed down exam rooms with alcohol.

Funny thing. The first office surgery I assisted with was on a woman. She was lying down, but as the procedure began, she felt faint. The doctor told me to break an ammonia capsule and wave it under her nose. I did. Then I sat on a high stool until he needed me, and watched. When he started mopping blood from the surface of the eyeball, stringing it up, I got very dizzy. A blue iris floating in a sea of blood didn’t appeal. 
Stringing it really didn’t.

So I sneakily waved the ammonia under my own nose and the doctor caught the slight movement, turned and looked at me and grinned his fool head off. So much for trying to fly under the radar.

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1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Yep. I’m rusty, but I remember that information.  And, of course, I’ve had floaters myself along with flashing lights, fog, wavy vision and even foggy half vision. All of that Weird vision was from ocular migraines, though. Just not saw it all at the same time! 😊 sometimes it seemed I’d deliberately look at a bright window and try to directly see the floater, but of course the pesky thing would “seem” to dart away. They appear much larger than they actually are.
I enjoyed my 10 years as an Opthalmologist assistant. I assisted the doctor during exams, did contact lens training sessions, did visual fields, assisted in office surgery, patched eyes with pressure patches and put in the eye drops during exams. Also took medical histories and sterilized instruments, scrubbed down exam rooms with alcohol.

Funny thing. The first office surgery I assisted with was on a woman. She was lying down, but as the procedure began, she felt faint. The doctor told me to break an ammonia capsule and wave it under her nose. I did. Then I sat on a high stool until he needed me, and watched. When he started mopping blood from the surface of the eyeball, stringing it up, I got very dizzy. A blue iris floating in a sea of blood didn’t appeal. 
Stringing it really didn’t.

So I sneakily waved the ammonia under my own nose and the doctor caught the slight movement, turned and looked at me and grinned his fool head off. So much for trying to fly under the radar.

 

This is an unfair question to ask, but in your experience when do most people get cataract surgery? My eye physician/surgeon, who is very good, is pushing me to have him do my cataracts now, even though they aren't "ripe" yet. He says that it's best to have the operation done when you're a bit younger -- not that I'm especially young -- because it's easier to get the lenses out and the eyes heal more quickly. I think that I could probably go another year or two. Hate to say it, but I'm a bit suspicious because eye surgeons here are a wealthy bunch. They bill the government a lot for cataract removal (it's free for me fortunately), and my doctor is as old as I am. Chances are he wants to retire as rich as possible. Can't blame him, of course.

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This is always what my doctor told his patients. “They are ready to come out when they hinder what you want to do”.  
In other words, a reader will probably want them out before a farmer, given the same stage of vision.

An artist will want them out sooner. If you drive a lot, over here you need your best eye to be able to see (be corrected to) 20/40, with glasses if they help.

There really isn’t such a thing as “ripe”. But if one waits a long time, the cataract can harden and be a bit more difficult to remove.

All a cataract is is a clouding of the lens in your eye. The lens, when young bends and flexes as you look from near to far. 
 

As one ages, the material in the lens becomes stiffer, and the eye muscles have to work harder to bend it. When the lens gets stiff enough to be unable to bend enough for close up focusing, that’s why we need reading glasses.  Someone who has always been nearsighted need glasses to see distance, but often can read without.

Aside from “bending and focusing”, the material within the lens gets progressively cloudier when you have cataracts.

You are in the driver’s seat. Only you know when you can’t see well enough to do what you want to do, nobody else should make that decision.  If your vision reaches a point where you no longer can legally drive, and driving is important, then it’s time.
 

I had mine done. I’ve never needed glasses for distance, but my cataracts got cloudy enough that I had trouble reading street signs while driving. One eye was worse than the other. Television became blurrier, and I had trouble discerning how sharp my images were.

I had one eye done, then a week later I had the other done. Never regretted it. But it was my decision, not the doctor’s. Another thing about cataracts. The material within the lens not only gets cloudy, but usually takes on an amber tint, which throws off how you see colors. Like having amber tinted sunglasses on.
After surgery, I couldn’t believe how bright colors were, and how sharp blades of grass looked, even my hair looked sharp and weird! Before surgery, I think my vision was 20/50 in one eye and I just was still seeing 20/40 in the other. So not real bad. But it hindered my reading street signs while driving, hindered knowing if an image was in focus before pressing the shutter and my telling if it were sharp on the computer, so I made that decision. Besides, I watch American college football and it was a bit blurry, too. 😊 Couldn’t have that. I’m a big reader and one eye started twitching with fatigue.
I quit occasionally failing submissions after surgery, too. I wasn’t having to guess if they were sharp enough.

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13 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I really ought to start my own blog for this.

 

Back to bus station to catch the bus home again. Now I should have had my glasses (specs) on - but I didn't. Caught the bus that was at the stand where the number 3 waits. We set off and after a little while I noted the bus was going a different way. I ended up at Lincoln hospital. Had a word with the driver when he stopped at a stop in the hospital grounds pointing in the opposite direction to which I needed to go and told him I think I have caught the wrong bus. "Where do you want to go?" he said. "To Cherry Willingham" I replied. "You want the number 3 bus" he said. "I know that and thought I was on the number 3" I said. "This is the X6 for the hospital only" he said. "Stay on the bus and I'll try to get back to the bus station so you will be in time to catch the the next number 3" he said. As we approached the bus station the driver said "The number 3 is just leaving, sorry". "Thank you for trying" I said.

 

When we arrived in C W I managed to get off at the stop before the one I wanted. ARRRRGH! Another extra 5 minute walk on top of the time it usually takes me to get to my bungalow from the correct stop.

 

After all that the only good thing to come out of it was I still managed to get to the surgery on time for my appointment.

 

Sorry I just had to get the above off my chest. Enjoy and have a laugh on me.

 

Allan

 

 

Put it down to experience Allan. 

 

I confess to being a frequent bus traveller. I'd normally cycle to work, but if there was a lot of black ice about, I'd take the bus.

 

Since retiring, and armed with a free bus pass, I use the buses a great deal more. Walk to the shops and get the bus back, take the bus along the coast and walk back etc.

 

It's got to the point where I can advise fellow travellers on appropriate bus usage !

 

However even an experienced bus traveller can come unstuck. I recently took the bus home after leaving the car for a service. This was advanced bus usage, requiring two buses. Unknown to me there were roadworks in the town where I needed to swap buses, and the bus stopped outside the town and then drove off along a fast dual carriageway, with me still aboard. Irritating for sure, but logged into the bus company's WiFi I could do the Guardian crossword. Got off at the next settlement and caught a bus back etc.

 

In the world of the bus you have to be prepared for any eventuality! I could tell you of the time when it snowed and the bus slithered to a halt on a steep hill, or when on a coach along the motorway a car cut in in front, clipped the front of our vehicle and then summersaulted onto the grassy roadside bank. The driver emerged unscathed.

 

Sadly, with a recent surge in the number of cases of the virus in these parts, I fear that I shall have to curtail my bus travel. Bike, shanks's pony, or, as a last resort, the car for now.

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Thanks very much for all the info, Betty. I obviously asked the right person. Are your IOL's the monofocal type? Those are the kind that I'd be getting as the Canadian healthcare system doesn't pay for the much more expensive multifocal ones. The lenses would be set for distance, which means I will still have to wear glasses for reading and perhaps computer work (not sure about this). I currently wear glasses with progressive lenses. As it is, I can see OK, with a few exceptions -- e.g TV subtitles. Driving at night can be a bit tricky sometimes as I start to see halos and "stars" around oncoming headlights. One of my eyes is worse than the other. Sounds like that's common. BTW, "not ripe" was the term my eye doctor used. I assumed he meant that my cataracts still have a way to go before I'm in big trouble.

 

P.S. I guess this discussion is sort of photography related. No eyes, no pics. Sorry if I'm boring anyone.

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7 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

This is an unfair question to ask, but in your experience when do most people get cataract surgery? My eye physician/surgeon, who is very good, is pushing me to have him do my cataracts now, even though they aren't "ripe" yet. He says that it's best to have the operation done when you're a bit younger -- not that I'm especially young -- because it's easier to get the lenses out and the eyes heal more quickly. I think that I could probably go another year or two. Hate to say it, but I'm a bit suspicious because eye surgeons here are a wealthy bunch. They bill the government a lot for cataract removal (it's free for me fortunately), and my doctor is as old as I am. Chances are he wants to retire as rich as possible. Can't blame him, of course.


 

 

2 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

Thanks very much for all the info, Betty. I obviously asked the right person. Are your IOL's the monofocal type? Those are the kind that I'd be getting as the Canadian healthcare system doesn't pay for the much more expensive multifocal ones. The lenses would be set for distance, which means I will still have to wear glasses for reading and perhaps computer work (not sure about this). I currently wear glasses with progressive lenses. As it is, I can see OK, with a few exceptions -- e.g TV subtitles. Driving at night can be a bit tricky sometimes as I start to see halos and "stars" around oncoming headlights. One of my eyes is worse than the other. Sounds like that's common. BTW, "not ripe" was the term my eye doctor used. I assumed he meant that my cataracts still have a way to go before I'm in big trouble.

 

P.S. I guess this discussion is sort of photography related. No eyes, no pics. Sorry if I'm boring anyone.


I recall talking about this before with you  but having lens replacement surgery was the closest thing to rebirth I have ever experienced. I had mine done 4 years ago and wish I had done it years before. Like you I was being told the cataracts were not ripe and I was waiting to get it done for free on the NHS here but due to ongoing government cutbacks they kept raising the bar every year for how bad they had to be so by the time I decide to pay for the surgery you had to be virtually blind in an eye test to get it done. By the sounds of it your eyes are probably worse than mine were. I guess most people go for years before getting surgery and then wish they had done it much sooner. 

 

As a photographer it becomes even more critical. For me it was like having old, yellow filters in front of my eyes. The experience of waking up the day after the first operation and seeing everything really sharp with beautifully clear colours, properly saturated and the yellow filter gone is one of the standout moments of my life. As I didn’t get the other eye done for a few weeks, I was able to compare and the difference was amazing. My only regret was waiting so long to get it done. 
 

Mine are mono focal  and I still wear reading glasses but I have perfect distance vision. The surgeon recommended the mono vocals as he said they are a lot less likely to have complications afterwards. The bit about age is also likely true. I was in my early 60s. 
 

So my advice is get them done now, yesterday, ASAP.  


One other thing. The deterioration is so gradual you don’t notice it happening so it becomes normal to have imperfect eyesight. The change when you take the eye shield off after the operation is truly  and literally  amazing. 
 

 

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12 hours ago, MDM said:

 

Actually Allen, you did make me laugh so some good came out of it. You need to get a smartphone or tablet and you could download whatever you need. That said I still like a good ole paper map and am surprised the OS are no longer making them. Have you checked online?  Of course you could download and print your own if you want paper maps. 

 

Be careful travelling on buses unless you absolutely have to do so. People are very complacent despite the massive increase in Covid-19 cases.  

 

Thank you Mick. Actually around this area everyone seems to be taking covid seriously and abide by all the rules.

 

Allan

 

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2 hours ago, Bryan said:

 

Put it down to experience Allan. 

 

I confess to being a frequent bus traveller. I'd normally cycle to work, but if there was a lot of black ice about, I'd take the bus.

 

Since retiring, and armed with a free bus pass, I use the buses a great deal more. Walk to the shops and get the bus back, take the bus along the coast and walk back etc.

 

It's got to the point where I can advise fellow travellers on appropriate bus usage !

 

However even an experienced bus traveller can come unstuck. I recently took the bus home after leaving the car for a service. This was advanced bus usage, requiring two buses. Unknown to me there were roadworks in the town where I needed to swap buses, and the bus stopped outside the town and then drove off along a fast dual carriageway, with me still aboard. Irritating for sure, but logged into the bus company's WiFi I could do the Guardian crossword. Got off at the next settlement and caught a bus back etc.

 

In the world of the bus you have to be prepared for any eventuality! I could tell you of the time when it snowed and the bus slithered to a halt on a steep hill, or when on a coach along the motorway a car cut in in front, clipped the front of our vehicle and then summersaulted onto the grassy roadside bank. The driver emerged unscathed.

 

Sadly, with a recent surge in the number of cases of the virus in these parts, I fear that I shall have to curtail my bus travel. Bike, shanks's pony, or, as a last resort, the car for now.

 

I like using the bus too and people around here seem to be sticking to the covid rules.

 

Allan

 

Edited by Allan Bell
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1 hour ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thank you Mick. Actually around this area everyone seems to be taking covid seriously and abide by all the rules.

 

Allan

 

 

So that assumes that following the rules will keep you safe. I would think that is a very dangerous (literally dangerous that is) assumption given the unbelievable levels of incompetence we have experienced and continue to experience by those who make up and apply these rules.

 

In order to get on with my day I will try to keep this short. Testing capacity is currently at about 20% of what is needed so once again nobody has any realistic idea of the actual number of cases, locally or nationally. I find it truly incredible that those who supposedly manage all this did not foresee that there would be a greatly increased need for tests by now, firstly after society opened up again in most parts of the country over the summer and secondly as kids go back to school simply because of all the interactions. But testing capacity is greatly depleted again because nobody had the foresight to realise that the number of cases would start to increase again significantly. 

 

Open the schools at any cost - they are safe places is the message, but don't forget that a lot of kids are asymptomatic and infectious at the same time. Keep them in year group bubbles - that should work. Of course they won't meet up with their friends or family outside of those bubbles - or will they? Shut the pubs early - that might work. What insight they have into the drinking habits of the masses. How about a rule of 6 (did they throw a dice for that one)? Don't wear a mask, wear a mask. 

 

Trust the rules to keep you safe. Tell that to all those who died in care homes. But don't forget this is not just about death. This is a serious and potentially life-shattering illness for those of us who got through round 1. We await round 2.

 

OK I said short. It could be a long essay. Take care Allan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by MDM
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4 hours ago, MDM said:

 

So that assumes that following the rules will keep you safe. I would think that is a very dangerous (literally dangerous that is) assumption given the unbelievable levels of incompetence we have experienced and continue to experience by those who make up and apply these rules.

 

In order to get on with my day I will try to keep this short. Testing capacity is currently at about 20% of what is needed so once again nobody has any realistic idea of the actual number of cases, locally or nationally. I find it truly incredible that those who supposedly manage all this did not foresee that there would be a greatly increased need for tests by now, firstly after society opened up again in most parts of the country over the summer and secondly as kids go back to school simply because of all the interactions. But testing capacity is greatly depleted again because nobody had the foresight to realise that the number of cases would start to increase again significantly. 

 

Open the schools at any cost - they are safe places is the message, but don't forget that a lot of kids are asymptomatic and infectious at the same time. Keep them in year group bubbles - that should work. Of course they won't meet up with their friends or family outside of those bubbles - or will they? Shut the pubs early - that might work. What insight they have into the drinking habits of the masses. How about a rule of 6 (did they throw a dice for that one)? Don't wear a mask, wear a mask. 

 

Trust the rules to keep you safe. Tell that to all those who died in care homes. But don't forget this is not just about death. This is a serious and potentially life-shattering illness for those of us who got through round 1. We await round 2.

 

OK I said short. It could be a long essay. Take care Allan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. Be assured I am doing all I can to keep safe and not taking anything for granted.

 

Allan

 

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