Good Timing

Little known fact: I've been trying out contact lenses for the last two weeks. Never used 'em before. I've gotten past the weirdness of poking around in your eye to get them in and out (though I'm not nearly as fast as Hilary, who's got about 15 years' experience on me). I find that I can't get the same level of correction from them as I do with my eyeglasses, so they probably won't ever become and everyday sort of thing.

Still, I've never denied that they would be useful in certain situations. For instance: I swam in high school - all four years. In that time, I never could see the clock or other swimmers properly, because my eyesight is terrible. Hilary and I are training up for a triathlon in a couple months, so we're doing laps once or twice a week. Last weekend at the pool I saw properly while swimming for the first time ever - what a revelation! For those useful situation I'm getting a supply so that I'll have them available.

I had a follow-up visit with the optometrist on Friday, who likes to check to make sure the contacts are seating properly and all that. I used the opportunity to order myself the contacts and a new pair of glasses (I've got excellent vision coverage in my insurance, and want to use it up before we leave). It's a good thing I did: on Saturday afternoon, while cleaning a smudge off my glasses, the nosepiece snapped.



Yup, just like that. And these were the zippy Nitinol frames that can bend and twist like mad, too. Still, superelasticity can't prevent metal fatigue, and I guess this pair had, after five years, just about had it. Metal fatigue, for those unfamiliar, is what allows you to break a paperclip after bending it back and forth a few times.

My new glasses aren't ready yet - the combination of new frames and terrible eyesight mean the lenses will take a few days. My contacts are on order; likewise a few days.

Still, I guess it was good timing all in all. I still have the starter pair of contacts I've been wearing for the last two weeks. They're at the end of the rated life, but they are the only thing keeping me from bumping into walls.

There is also the possibility of wearing half a frame - a sort of monocle with an earpiece. That kinda works, except I can only see out of one eye and appear a bit off-kilter. From the location of the break, taping isn't an option, although it might boost my geek cred. Ocolus Reparo, anyone?