It's not a thing - it's a person. It's Z time - time for the letter Z, and the end of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
Today's post is a tribute to eyesight. We take it for granted, but not everyone is granted eyesight.
Some of you may have seen the video of a baby in Seattle with a rare eye condition. A video camera catches the minute little Leo, being treated by an eye specialist in Los Angeles, has special glasses put on his head and his first experience with seeing clearly.
It's not the first time I've seen glasses like that, though.
Earlier this month, my spouse and I sat with my mother in law in the office of Dr. Gerald Zaidman, an eye specialist in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City.
As we waited (and waited) for my mother in law to be seen by Dr. Zaidman, we saw a number of patients called in ahead of us.
One of them, a toddler, had been playing a game on a tablet before she was called. She was holding it right up to her nose. Her mother (I assume it was her mother) sat with her patiently.
Another little girl, perhaps a preschooler, announced to the entire waiting room "I love all of you!" as the staff smiled. One offered her a lollypop.
One of the patients was a baby, and he was wearing glasses that looked like the glasses little baby Leo was wearing. I could only imagine what that baby, and his parents (both accompanied him), had already been through. I overheard the mother tell the person sitting next to them that their baby would have his next cataract surgery in three weeks.
As for that long wait - Dr. Zaidman had handled one emergency already, and was being called away to another one. He is obviously in great demand.
Too many of us take our sight for granted. I have poor uncorrected vision (I have been legally blind without corrective lenses since around age seven or eight) and used to go annually to an eye specialist at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in Manhattan until I was a teenager. But I am fortunate - my vision has always been correctable. And perhaps it always will be. For me, my poor vision only lasts until I can reach my glasses. But, as I sat there in Dr. Zaidman's waiting room, I thought about my childhood vision for the first time in years- what if I had been one of those children in that waiting room, back 60 plus years ago?
Other bloggers I have read have much greater challenges with vision than I have, and face their challenges with great courage (and, for many, faith in a higher power that helps them to find that courage). These bloggers, such as blogger Amy Bovaird, are well worth reading.
I hope that the efforts and vision of doctors like Dr. Zaidman and others will eventually make vision challenges a thing of the past.
Thank you for reading my blog during the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Tomorrow, I return to my normal blogging schedule.
I, too, have poor vision until I put on my glasses or put in my contacts. I'm very grateful to have vision that can be corrected. I've covered classes for blind or mostly blind students. It's interesting to see what they can and can't see (some need to go completely Braille, others just need really big print).
ReplyDeleteWhere we live there is an organization called AVRE which works with vision impaired people. My balance class (the one I blogged about every Friday for a while last year) was held at AVRE and they even provided a guest speaker for the class- many in my class had macular degeneration. She spoke about that and other vision problems. Her talk was absolutely fascinating.
DeleteJ here, of the #atozchallenge Arlee Bird's A to Z Ambassador Team.
ReplyDeleteHave you enjoyed the challenge? Did you hop to other blogs? The end of the alphabet here! Reflections sign up is May 9-- mark a calendar.
My blog's giveaway is still going. I'm encouraging everyone to visit more stops.
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
Vision is so very precious. My parents and grandparents always told me to take care of my eyes. But ~how~ exactly never came up.
J, I enjoyed the challenge. I didn't hop to as many blogs as I may have liked - I was gone from home much of the first two weeks of the challenge and, for several days, I had either poor or no Internet access where I was. The time sped by. I hope I can participate again next year.
DeleteI have had mono-vision all my life - one eye for close, one for far. Several years ago I lost my mid-range and now have to wear glasses to go to the grocery store. My mom lost most of her vision in later life due to complications from diabetes. I never take my vision for granted and am very thankful for it.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad had diabetes and it gave him problems with vision. I, too, do not take vision for granted. I am grateful for every day they still have a prescription for me.
DeleteI absolutely agree with you on that Alana! It is one thing that I'm ever grateful for, since I've seen my dad being partially blind on one eye and realised how much we take our regular vision for granted. It is shocking how so many of us neglect proper eye-care routines until some damage is done. Your post is a great reminder o do just that! Btw, well done with surviving the challenge. I too surprised myself and completed it today...and what a feeling it is :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Esha and I hope both of us are able to participate next year.
DeleteI have been very blessed with perfect vision--and my husband and children were blessed in that way as well. Now that we are within (perfect) sight of 50, my husband and I both are starting to have age-related issues and will likely need glasses soon. You are right, though, that we tend to take things we've always had for granted and we really shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your successful completion of AtoZ! Missed reading your posts! Will get back to you in May to read from beginning! For now, cheers! :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful post - my Dad has been slowly losing his sight due to histoplasmosis blebs around his retinas. I have the same blebs, although so far they have not caused an issue. It is a frightening thought.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on completing the A to Z challenge!! You did an outstanding job!
I wish I could take eyesight for granted. I've had glasses since I was 6. That is 31 years of dealing with glasses and contacts at sleepovers, school gym class, swimming, summer camp, overnights at guys' houses, the beach, vacations, camping, in high wind where sand and grit is getting in and sticking to my contacts, and times at home when I just wanted to drop into bed and not have to futz around with my contacts! I wish to be rid of this curse, but dealing with my eyes is an every day thing. I'm so jealous of my partner's 20/20 vision. Still, I guess I can be glad I live in an age when I have these options and don't just have to be out there stumbling blindly.
ReplyDeleteI've worn glasses daily since I was in the third grade. Now, I only wear them when I want to see anything in a distance, or watching tv.
ReplyDeleteMary
#AtoZChallenge Z is for Zenda
Congratulations on completing the A to Z challenge. Z was particularly meaningful to me as my husband suffers from macular degeneration.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on completing the challenge! I don't have big dioptry and wear glasses only at work or while reading but need to have a minor procedure soon so hopefully everything will be ok. Best regards!
ReplyDelete