Eyes, windows to the world

I have a bad eyesight since I was a young girl. My windows to the world are fogged windows so I wear glasses since I was 10, followed by contactlenses when I was 18, and back to glasses again in my late forties.

Ten years ago my eyesight had become such a problem that a visit to an eyedoctor was required and it showed that I had severe cornea damage on both eyes. My windows were not only fogged but cracked as well. The cause is still unknown but I’m wearing very special contactlenses ever since. These skleralenses transfer my foggy, cracked windows into cristalclear and clean windows and my vision fully depends on them. The only other option is a cornea transplant. After years of trouble I finally had a clear and sharp view thanks to my artificial windows. They literally opened a new world to me.

There was also cataract slumbering in my right eye at that time but it never caused any problems. Until February 2018. My eyesight became blurry and adjusting the lenses didn’t solve the problem, surgery was needed. And that was the second event why I am where I am now, almost on my way to Scotland again.

After cataract surgery the patient is not allowed to bend down, lift heavy or do anything that can cause pressure on the eye. So, since I have a fysically tough job, I knew I had to stay at home for 2 weeks. At least that was the normal procedure, little did I know I would be at home much longer afterwards. I decided to go out for a walk after surgery every day, as soon as I was allowed to, in order to stay fit until I could return back to work and thus prevent living those weeks on the couch. In January I started with walks on Sunday and 2 days after surgery I went out for a walk every day.

And that is how it all started. Stepping out of my front door, ‘armed’ with sunglasses because it was bright and sunny that month, and I simply started walking. Not knowing that I would become really addicted to walking, let alone long distance walking!

There was one condition I gave myself though: take pictures on your walk!

But that’s another blog….