A couple of months ago, an eye doctor diagnosed me as slightly nearsighted with a slight astigmatism in one eye before handing over a prescription for eyeglasses. A few days later, I picked up my first pair of glasses and my life changed.
I had no idea what I was missing.
My eyesight used to be nearly perfect. I ferrying a group of friends to a movie when I was younger and reading the movie marquee en route to the theater. We were still nearly a mile away and they thought I was making it up. They were shocked when we got there and discovered I was actually reading the sign.
My vision has steadily and gradually declined over the years and I never gave it much thought. Who needs to read a movie sign from a mile away anyhow? It’s not like I’m training to be a sniper or something (and even they have scopes to home in on their target). But the amount of time I spend in front of a computer screen at work and play was taking its toll. I would get tired, then the headaches would come and I would get grouchy.
The first time I put my glasses on was like the first time I rode steady on a bicycle without training wheels. I was popping optical wheelies! I was visually bunnyhopping over curbs! I should have gone to the eye doctor years ago.