I think in your sixties, there aren’t so many things left to do for the first time in your life.
For me, using contact lenses is the one that I had never experienced before.
As I have never worn them, it terrifies me just thinking about it.
Therefore, trying on contact lenses is such a precious experience. My heart started throbbing.
As I always had a very good eyesight, I had never been to an optician.
But that has become a disadvantage now.
If one’s eyesight deteriorates, you can’t see properly without wearing glasses.
You just have to rely on guessing when reading texts on your smart phone or magazines, or reading where the notes are on the stave, following your hunch, and it’s far too dangerous to do so. So, I have no choice but to wear glasses, but as I’m not used to them, I really get bothered about it. I feel as though I can only see the world through the frame within my glasses, and I feel that my vision is so narrowed down.
Putting on and taking off my glasses so frequently has become the norm but as I often forget where I’ve left my glasses, I started leaving a few pairs that I bought in a 100-yen shop all over the place. But before long, I somehow cannot find the glasses that I ‘d left everywhere. Why are they missing?
As I wonder around looking for them, I suddenly feel something strange on my forehead. When I touch it, I finally realise that I had two pairs of glasses there…
Then I carried on searching and found two more glasses in my handbag…
I couldn’t help laughing bitterly alone.
It’s all over when I forget my glasses when going out!
I can’t read, I can’t understand what’s going on, and I have to ask someone.
When I go out to eat, I can’t see the menu properly so I tell the waiter that I’m having the daily special dish with a smile!
It’s also a big problem when I have rehearsals with orchestras.
Even when the rehearsal is going well, the conductor says “Play from this part once more please” and I look at the score on the podium. But even if the conductor points to a specific spot in the score with their finger, I can’t see it. I try plying a part by instinct asking “This melody?”, they say “No, no, from here”. Then, I would have to be honest and admit simply that I cannot see.
As it really became troublesome, I went to see an ophthalmologist.
I went to my friend who is a really skilled ophthalmologist who explained various options to me, but beong a very impetuous sort, I thought “Why not just have a surgery and get a lens implanted?”
But Dr. N, spoke to me in her calm and intelligent tone, not denying my thoughts but gradually helping me to relax.
She seemed to be guiding me after I had suddenly brought up the idea of a surgery right away, and on my next appointment day, she gave me the initial tests and the nurse said, “Let’s try with fitting you a soft contact lens.”
“Oh, I’m so scared, it’s my very first time!” I said, to which she cheerfully replied, “Of course, don’t worry, I’ll put them in for you to start with.”
She placed the lens in for me. I tried blinking a few times. Oh, I feel alright.
Are they really in there? It felt so natural, as if they weren’t inside!
And, I could see! See really well! I could even read the text on my smartphone and the words in the magazine! How amazing!
So, I decided I would try the contact lenses for a while.
Dr. N said, “See? You don’t have to have any surgeries yet! Try the soft contact lenses for a while.”
The next day, I tried putting them in myself.
Oh, it was so scary! So difficult! Even just bringing my finger close to my eye and touching it was so hard. I felt half-defeated that I might not be able to do it.
It took me 30 minutes just to get one lens in.
“It’s a bit of a struggle until I get used to it” I thought.
The next day, putting my fear on the side, I gave it a try.
I got it done in five minutes! Hooray!
My first time experience in my sixties. I had never guessed how wonderful it feels when you succeed in something new.
What a refreshing morning!!