First things first: My Story

Staircases in Leeds Library, 2014

When I first traveled internationally, my vision was fine. I wore glasses, but that's no biggie, right? I went to the UK (full disclosure: I always go to the UK), met up with a friend, and had a blast for two weeks in October/November of 2014. I was there for Halloween and Bonfire Night. Brilliant time.

A month later, it all changed. I was getting ready for bed. At that time, I lived alone. Just my dog and me. I was bopping along my merry way when the world went red. Even more horrific than that - blood was dripping up in my vision. Both eyes. My own personal horror show.

I called my GP first thing in the morning. He saw me immediately and referred me to an ophthalmologist, who saw me the next day. He checked things out and then turned to his assistant and said quietly, "Get the retina specialists' office on the phone and see when they can see her."

The assistant said, "Okay, but it's not an urgent appointment, right?"

"Oh yes, it is," he said.

Evidently, I'd been seeing the wrong doctor for my eyes, for a long time. I've been diabetic since I was 28. The optometrist told me he had this new scanning device to show if I was starting to have bleeds and needed a specialist. He was so wrong. It didn't show that. I was indeed having bleeds. I just hadn't seen them until that one night, when a hemorrhage happened. Just for good measure, the scar tissue from previous bleeds was pulling on my retinas.

My vision became distorted with what I can best describe as smoke. Dark, shadowy tendrils were obstructing my field of vision. I had to get help driving to the next town to pick up my daughter from the airport.

I'll spare you the details of the following year, but here's the Reader's Digest version. I learned words like vitrectomy and Avastin. I learned that staying on my side for weeks at a time was not the relaxing time I originally thought. I learned I can rock an eye patch. I learned that vitrectomies can cause cataracts. I lost peripheral vision and depth perception. And oogiest of all, I learned how to sit still as a needle came at my eye.

Five surgeries later (three on the left eye and two on the right), I decided to travel back to the UK in 2015. That time, I had a whole new and startling perspective. I noticed the things that made travel a mine field for a low-vision person. I found my way through those mines. Mostly. Three more trips, in 2017, 2019, and just a couple of weeks ago, I've experienced the good, the bad, and the appalling. And the marvelous! That goes for domestic flights, as well. Until COVID swept all travel aside, I had business trips to manage, as well.

What is it like now?

So, now what is it like to see from my eyes? The left eye - my "problem child" - has significant distortion. Due to laser burns, scar tissue, and a tear and creases in the retina, a large grey distortion extends vertically across my vision. The creases cause intense distortion, with everything blurred and wavy. It's pretty well useless, which is why the depth perception has gone. I also have a shunt in it to relieve the glaucoma. The right eye is better, as it's done well with surgeries and treatments. Text is distorted, so I rely heavily on magnifiers to read or see details. Due to the lasers used to re-attach my retinas, I have no peripheral vision, as that portion has burned away.

New adventures will come. I'll be happy to have you all along with me on those, as well! All I can hope is that my experiences are useful to you, dear visitor.