Eyesight is a lot worse than I would want...

[fighting_the_tide]

Basic background first - When I was 3 I had squint corrective surgery on my eyes - and I also have a "lazy eye" - my left eye tends to not move towards the bridge of the nose when I go cross eyed.

I have worn glasses since 22/11/88 (the fun part is - that's all double numbers), and I wasn't even 4 until just under a month later.

I am now 28 (almost 29) - and I have finally realised that I have been squinting a hell of a lot in order to be able to read when online (I've been online a lot in the last 2.5 years - in and around working or being signed off for depression/claiming benefits - since my last eye test in April 2011).

Squinting however is one of those traits that makes the eyes worse because it's straining the eye muscles focus. So I have been making my sight worse in order to be able to focus properly on reading even the simplest of letters (example being the letters on the TV show countdown - UK channel 4 - often preceding deal or no deal lol). But it wasn't until I realised this last night that my eyesight was buggered. I can not physically read what I am typing without squinting to make out the letters - yet I am able to touch type and know what the words are meant to be spelt like and can generally realise when I've typed a mistake.

There's a possibility that I could have developed cataracts further from an "early signs" conversation with the ophthalmologist on my last sight test - but I know my eyes are getting weaker. It could be linked to family history (from my mums side more with what I know) - and diabetes itself can be linked with eye issues - never mind diabetes being a symptom of Haemochromatosis which is the condition I have.

But this is just a general health issue that I'm finding a major struggle with at the moment - purely because I didn't realise it was as bad as it is.

[Pip]

Having eye problems isn't fun.  With my family history I have eye check ups every two years but over the past couple of years I have noticed my distance sight is getting worse, have worn glasses for reading for a few years which is slowly getting worse.  On both sides of my family there is a history of diabetes and my mum had cataracts years ago.  She hated it as she loved reading ~ it got worse over about two years ~ and was virtually blind for a few months before having both her eyes operated on.  It was worth it though as her sight was much better, even better than when she was a child, afterwards. 

[fighting_the_tide]

I think there'd be possible question marks over me having a diabetic check now. I'll be consulting with my GP in 10 days time just to see if there's anything that he'd recommend as a next step to watch out for.

[Pip]

Hope all goes well with that.  My husband was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 in 2011 and it's taken two years to get it stable.  At it's worst (that we know off) his blood sugar level was 30 and he was sent straight to hospital where he stayed overnight.  He was on two tablets, one was reduce over 6 weeks and the other (Metformin) was increased over 6 weeks.  His blood sugar levels came right down then went too low so the Metformin was stopped for about two months in 2012 but then had to go back on it.  Bow my husband's blood sugar levels are fin and the Diabetes well controlled.  It was a compliment from the doctor when he asked us how we were keeping it check so my husband told him I was insisting he ate at regular times, insisted he improved, his diet and stopped eating so much chocolate.  At one time he wouldn't think twice about eating five Mars bars in one go, now they are a treat.     

[fighting_the_tide]

Due to a rota shift - I'm gonna have to spin round and reschedule the damn appointment... Yet I'd mentioned it when I had my sight test (31st oct) - I'd popped in and spoken to the manager on the shift that night that "Monday 11th November" was the day I needed off....

What did they then do? They gave me 4th off but not the 11th... so I'm a touch annoyed.

Not exactly feeling good right now but ya know - work is 95% of what my life consists of right now, so it's better than nothing.