Visit To The Eye Doctor
May 31, 2007
Today, I went to see my eye doctor for a my roughly annual eye checkup. I do actually see an ophthalmologist due to occasional eye problems related to an arthritic condition. Luckily, the arthritic condition doesn’t really impact me, but the eye does when it flares up, which seems to be about every two years. Also, my sister has had glaucoma, so I always get checked for that.
With this visit, I was fully expecting to come away wearing glasses. Not only glasses, but two types – regular distance glasses and reading glasses. I have always had excellent vision, even better than 20:20. It’s been great to read road signs way on down the road and to make out details of objects at great distances.
Recently, however, I have felt that my distance vision had soured significantly. In addition, being that I am approaching the mid 40′s, it seems that items I read are getting further and further from my face. I hardly wear sunglasses, so having two pair of glasses was going to be interesting, but contacts are not for me.
However, at the checkup, my eyesight still came in solidly at 20:20. He also did refraction testing. The doctor agreed their may have been some distance degradation but he claims it is still better than almost everyone else and that glasses definitely were not needed. He said he would feel guilty writing out a prescription for eye glasses given the quality of my eyes and vision. As to the reading glasses, he said its getting to be about that age and I could probably use some, but that he wouldn’t write a prescription because it would still be the weakest correction there is. In his words, it definitely wouldn’t be worth the money to buy prescription glasses. He suggested going to Walmart and getting their lowest, over the counter, corrective reading glasses for about $5. A lot cheaper than prescription and I wouldn’t have to worry about losing a cheap pair and could even buy several and stash them in places they might be needed. That can’t be done with expensive, prescription reading glasses.
I wasn’t really that worried about having to wear glasses and was happily going to the eye doctor to see if they were required. That said, I was happy to know that I don’t yet need regular glasses, though I still feel like my vision has deteriorated. Regular glasses and prescription reading glasses may still be required at some point in the future.
Also, the check for glaucoma came back negative once again. Suzanne is supposed to pick up a cheapy pair of reading glasses in Sierra Vista this evening for me to try out and see if they are value added.
Wide Loads
May 30, 2007
I had an interesting drive in to work today. I had five wide loads go by me. Living out in the country that’s a lot of wide loads. I have always found it interesting too how the they route the wide loads through our winding, mountain pass road.
Actually, they don’t really have much choice. From our crossroads to the Interstate is about 25 miles. If you head East on the Interstate, the next major road exit is about 20 miles. However, in between those exits, is a railroad overpass that is a low overpass. A lot of the wide loads cannot make it under that railroad overpass. The State has had it on there “To Do” list since we have lived in Arizona to raise the height of the overpass, but it never seems to happen.
Thus, all the high profile loads, which includes most wide loads, our routed off of the Interstate and through our little rural area and through windy, s-curve pass. You don’t really notice these wide loads unless you happen to be on the road driving. Then, you hope that the wide loads are going in the opposite direction of you.
Today, all five wide loads were going against me. This minimizes the impact. If they are being escorted by the State Police, they make you pull off the side of the road until the wide load passes. So you may lose a couple minutes per load. However, if you are going in the same direction as the wide load, you may go many miles at 20 or 30 miles an hour before you are given an opportunity to get around the wide loads.
Before today, I am not sure I have encountered more than one wide load per trip between the Interstate and the crossroads. Luckily, I was going in the right direction today. There were many cars being held up heading to Sonoita. Being a rural area, “many cars” is probably being very subjective here. I suspect folks living in the big city would just consider it a minor annoyance compared to the day-to-day rush hour traffic they endure.
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