All my life, I have had a crippling eye phobia. Eye injuries, things touching my eyes or anyone else’s, close ups of eyes, the word “eyeballs…” All of these things completely freak me out.
But ever since I have been wearing glasses (since about 2012), I have wished I didn’t.
And at 40-something years old, I got a contact prescription!
(If you think I’m ridiculous enough to take this big step because I want to be glasses-less when I meet Steve Burns at MegaCon, well, you would be correct! 
)
So a couple weeks ago, I went to pick them up and had to show that I could successfully put them in and take them out before I could have them.
An hour later, I left without my contacts; having not even managed to get even one in. 
I went back in a few days later. And after an hour and a half, yikes. I was finally successful!
I felt silly for taking that long but I was also very proud of myself. This was a huge deal for me and I can’t believe I didn’t chicken out. I practically skipped out of there when she handed me the box. 
But, it was not happily-ever-after for me and my contacts.
Two days later, we were going to dinner with a friend from out of town and I decided it was the special night. Hours before dinner, I prepared to put in the contacts. I figured that I would need extra time. And I was right.
I tried several times. At one point, it fell on the floor and I thought it had fallen in the trash can. After rummaging through garbage for a few minutes, I found it on the floor. After cleaning it, I got ready to try again. But, it seemed like it was differently shaped. I worried that it had been ripped or something but surely, that’s not the case. I chalked it up to my inexperience with what contacts actually look like and kept trying until I got it in.
Pretty quickly, something seemed “wrong” but I figured my eye was just adjusting. I then started to try to put my contact in my right eye. While I did, my left eye started to bother me more and more. By the time, I finally got the right contact in, my left eye was watering. I quickly put my make up on and hoped it would all magically work out.
It was then clear that the contacts weren’t working. I couldn’t see any better with them in so I started to go ahead and take them out.
But I couldn’t.
The left contact which was definitely torn moved all around my eye, including under my eyelid which was one of my fears. I got more and more freaked out.
I watched videos, got advice from my sister, hyperventilated and hugged my husband.
Finally, I got it out.
I wasn’t as lucky with my right eye. I could not get the dang thing out!
I tried and tried, until we were out of time.
So I went to dinner with one contact and one pair of glasses. I wouldn’t recommend it.
I Thought I Would Die In This Contact
After dinner, my super supportive husband supported me until I finally got it out after about an hour. He hung out with me in the bathroom with me. He hugged me and talked me down, more than once. He then found a video with a tip that helped immediately. (Yay for youtube!)
After several minutes of dramatic crying, I happily put on my glasses and climbed into bed.
Will I Ever Wear Contact Lenses?
The rest of the time has been a logistical pain in the butt.
They ordered me replacement trials. Then when I called to check if they had arrived, they ordered them again because they weren’t actually ordered the first time. They finally came in the day before my follow-up appointment with the doctor. Since I was basicaly starting at square one (or eye one), I wasn’t ready and had to reschedule for tomorrow.
So I sit here tonight, blogging instead of practicing putting in and taking out my contacts because I don’t want to risk not being able to go to sleep because I have a contact stuck in my eye.
So tomorrow should be interesting!
Anyone want to place bets on whether I will become an official contacts wearer tomorrow or if this will continue to be unnecessarily dramatic?
the6parkers 