Contact

Injured or not, life goes on and so it was today.

Today's normal life activity was a visit to the optometrist. I have fairly terrible eyesight. This can be verified by any of my friends who I have ridden straight by without recognising because I haven't been able to see them properly. My eyesight is bad enough that I have worn glasses all day everyday for the last 10 years or so, other than when I train. Due to the limitations of glasses I haven't been able to wear them when I train. Typically it isn't a problem, my eyesight isn't great, but it isn't bad enough to be dangerous, I can see cars etc well enough when I ride, but at a distance the details are blurry.  Plus in Summer when there is plenty of daylight I can often wear my prescription sunglasses. It isn't an ideal set up but it is something I have just got used to. To be honest I have forgotten what life without glasses is even like.

Until today that is. Today the optometrist said that I should be able to get contact lenses. Previously I have been told that even with contacts I would have to wear glasses, they just couldn't make them strong enough. However, apparently over the last few years contact lens technology has improved a fair bit and it is now an option. From what I understand contact lenses aren't all honeypots and daisy chains, they can be irritating and they aren't for everyone. But for the convenience of not wearing glasses I am definitely willing to give it a go. To be able to ride and run and see at the same time, even in the dark would be awesome. To be out riding and recognise my friends, sweet. To not have to go everywhere carrying glasses and sunglasses, so handy. To be able to go out and just buy normal sunglasses, perhaps even more than one pair, and to not be limited to frames that can fit prescription lenses, simply sublime. To be able to sight during a swim leg and actually see the buoys, miraculous. In short I am really looking forward to it.

Life with glasses has become so much of the norm that life without them seems entirely foreign. But it is a life that I am really keen to get used to again.