Healthy Me

My eyes are highly sensitive to light. I can remember being about 11 - 12 years old and all of a sudden, the light was excruciating on my eyes. I couldn't open them. There was no reason that I knew of that I had tears running down my face and needed to call out for help. My father came to see what was wrong and gave me the oddest look as I stood there crying - like I was crazy. He didn't know what was wrong with me. I couldn't open them; it hurt so much. That sensitivity never went away. Every once in awhile, it happens to me just like that. It's bad when I'm driving and that happens so I always have sunglasses available to wear to cut the glare. I've seen it referred to as photophobia but I've never gone to a doctor for a diagnosis.

With winter coming, a lot of people don't think about what effect the sun can still have on you. For me personally, I still have to wear sunglasses during the winter months because the glare off the snow literally hurts my eyes. It makes it heard to see to drive with tears pouring from them. Polarized Sunglasses are designed to cut that glare from the snow (water, grass, and asphalt too). Sunglasses are a good investment. They protect the inner eye from sun damage. Plus they protect the skin around your eye - if you're squinting all the time, you'll get wrinkles!

My husband and I completed our testing for glaucoma the way our eye doctor wanted us to. We have to go back in six months for a pressure test and then in another year to repeat all of the testing to see if anything has changed from the tests they just finished up with. That would be indicative of glaucoma but the chances are very small and the doctor didn't seem that concerned. We feel, and the doctor seems to think it is likely, that the way our optic nerve looks (similar to the start of glaucoma) is just the way we were made. Our son also has the same look to his optic nerve. Even though both mom and dad have it, which seems to indicate it is hereditary and not glaucoma, he will still be tested just to be sure.

The testing wasn't exactly pleasant. I tend to be a baby and do not like having my eyes dilated but all the touching of instruments to my eye, even though they used anesthetic, was creepy and I didn't like it. It also left my eye a little sore once their eye drops wore off. It was only for that day though so it was manageable. I guess I can put up with lab coats making my eyes feel creepy in a year if it means I won't have to do it again for a few years after that.

The entire family had our eye exams yesterday. There were a ton of surprises for everybody, except my youngest child.

For my husband, he found out he had 11 pieces of steel in his eye that he couldn't feel. Usually when he gets slivers of steel in his eye, he feels it (it hurts a lot). This time, he didn't feel them. They also found that he should be tested for glaucoma (because of how the back of his eye looked...may be just the way he was made but they want to test to make sure). He went to an eye specialist right away to take care of his problems. They dug around in both of his eyes and removed all the steel. At least he didn't need to go to the hospital to have it done. I'd rather go to an eye doctor than go through the stress of a hospital visit. I don't know about you but I'm not anxious to see medical scrubs any sooner than I have to. Sounds fun for him, eh?

For myself, they also want me tested for glaucoma since the back of my eye gave the appearance that it could be (or again, it could be just the way I was made). I get that test next week.

My oldest daughter had her tear ducts clogged so she gets eye drops, warm wash cloths, and eye massages. Should clear up in a couple weeks.

For my son, he also had dry eyes due to clogged ducts so he got his own eye drops. He is also getting tested for glaucoma because of the way the back of his eye looks. By this point, we figure it was just the way we were made because all three of us couldn't have developed glaucoma in the last year! He gets tested in a couple weeks.

My my middle daughter, she has a hard time focusing when she goes from looking long distance to up close. I have exercises I have to do with her. If it's not corrected with them, she might need glasses in the future to help.

My youngest daughter's eye exam was fine. They think she has a wonderful disposition for a four-year-old. When the eye doctor asked her if he could call her "smiley" because she smiled so much, she told him, "No."