LASIK Quest (Sydney, Australia)

My most powerful memory of the trouble with glasses occurred 20 years ago...

I was visiting the Qantas jet base at Sydney Airport for an Open Day. Thousands of visitors came through the Jet Base to view maintenance hangers, flight simulators and air safety demonstrations.

Then, a sudden downpour came. People scattered for cover as a thick blanket of rain descended from the sky. My brother realised that we'd get drenched trying to return the the car, so he offered to bring the car to the front gate so that I could get in without getting too wet. So, off he went and I stayed undercover for a while.

I made a dash between two buildings. First, however, I removed my glasses and put them in my pocket. Anyone who wears glasses can tell you that they are totally useless in the rain -- water droplets make it worse to look through glasses than having blurry vision without glasses.

As I was dashing between the buildings, I felt the glasses jump out of my pocket. No longer was my priority to avoid the rain -- I had to get my glasses back! So, I stopped and looked at the ground around me, a mixture of cement path and grass patches. Being short-sighted, combined with the heavy rain, I couldn't see the glasses anywhere. Plus, other people were running around me and I didn't want my glasses broken by any people running past.

I had to go on my hands and knees to look for the glasses, but it was a passer-by who kindly pointed them out to me. Needless to say, I was 100% soaked by the time I got to the car, but at least I had my glasses.

Okay, contact lenses would also solve this situation, but the situation is a reminder to me of the legacy that glasses place on my lifestyle. It reminds me of the one football game I played when I was at school -- without my glasses I couldn't tell which way to run!

I live in anticipation...

-- Fabbo

Tags: LASIK Laser Eye Surgery