I Can See Clearly Now

I remember it as if it were only yesterday. There I sat, Freshman Civics, squinting at the board. I reach over and grab the glasses of a friend and put them on and realized, no, blind girl, you shouldn't be squinting at the board. The chalk lines aren't blury, it's your eyes.

So began my love-hate relationship with lenses. First, the glass kind- which lasted about a week. Then, the contacts after that. Every sleepover, volleyball game, homecoming dance, college exam, late-night pizza session, job interview, vacation and run now involved putting in the contacts. The spontanaeity was gone. I now had to learn how to plan for these pain-in-the-rear lenses that would haunt me for 11 years.

Then, LASIK eye surgery came a knockin'. First, it was just a commercial. Then, family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers all began sharing their experiences.

"It's amazing. I never imagined I could see this well," they said.

"But it's surgery. In your eye," I'd say.

So, being the anal, know-it-all reasearcher I am, I finally decided to look into it. For over a year I read and researched the risks, the possible outcomes/complications and the benefits. I researched doctors near and far. And finally, after years of hem-hawing (what a good word that is), I made the appointment.

And now, I can see clearly for the first time in a long time.


In 9 weeks the Caribbean and I have a snorkeling date. And I'll be able to see the fish!