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WellFrog · 56-60, M
Physically speaking, an accident that I was certain was going to result in the loss of my left eye. It took a month and a diligent, patient ophthalmologist just to halt the infection. During that time I was on a variety of drops and ointments dosed as often as hourly (24 times a day over three full days). One of the drops severely burned when applied.
Two times during the first month the pain was so excruciating that I called the doctor in the middle of the night and said I was ready to lose the eye. Somehow he calmed me each time. After the infection was abated I slowly went blind in that eye, but I was assured that was going to happen. After several months a six and a half hour surgery cleared up the matter in my eye and an artificial lens was implanted. Today I feel grateful beyond words that I have good vision in my left eye over 15 years later.
Years of bullying when my family moved out to the county in my youth, almost from day one in small town public school, would be the most intense mental trauma. By high school I began to rise above my tormentors and over the years shed any away they had on me.
Far more brief was the terror of being held at gunpoint in the armed robbery of a pharmacy where I worked in college. The robber herded the staff to the front of the store where his accomplce waited. Once up front we were told to return to the back so they could make their escape. All of this in full view of waiting customers who were vacuously inattentive and complained that they had to wait for their prescriptions when the police arrived to investigate!
Two times during the first month the pain was so excruciating that I called the doctor in the middle of the night and said I was ready to lose the eye. Somehow he calmed me each time. After the infection was abated I slowly went blind in that eye, but I was assured that was going to happen. After several months a six and a half hour surgery cleared up the matter in my eye and an artificial lens was implanted. Today I feel grateful beyond words that I have good vision in my left eye over 15 years later.
Years of bullying when my family moved out to the county in my youth, almost from day one in small town public school, would be the most intense mental trauma. By high school I began to rise above my tormentors and over the years shed any away they had on me.
Far more brief was the terror of being held at gunpoint in the armed robbery of a pharmacy where I worked in college. The robber herded the staff to the front of the store where his accomplce waited. Once up front we were told to return to the back so they could make their escape. All of this in full view of waiting customers who were vacuously inattentive and complained that they had to wait for their prescriptions when the police arrived to investigate!
SubstantialKick · 36-40, M
@WellFrog Yikes, man 
Streamofconsciousness · 31-35, T
@WellFrog I felt my own trauma here with my own left eye that was injured over a year ago. It wasn't a severe injury, but my vision was blurry for 6 weeks, I experienced the most excruciating pain of my life, and to this day I have to put ointment in or risk having recurring corneal abrasions. I'm contemplating getting this procedure that will scrape off the damaged layers and let the eye heal. I'm terrified of the pain that I'd have to endure. That kind of pain was like none I had ever felt before. I screamed when the pain meds wore off after the injury. I know that it wouldn't be as painful as the abrasion because they'd put a corrective lense on it for a few weeks to let it heal, but I just don't know if I can go through with it.
I can't wear contacts anymore without experiencing discomfort and sometimes pain. I'm tired of spending a fortune on this expensive cream that I can't ever forget to use or risk eye discomfort for the rest of the day. It's so much more sensitive than my good eye, and it was, unfortunately, my dominant eye
Reading your experience made me consider going through with the procedure. I really can't imagine living with this minor inconvenience for the rest of my life, and the eye doctor said that it's such a common injury and procedure, as the eye cells don't heal back up perfectly when a crooked foreign object injures it.
I can't wear contacts anymore without experiencing discomfort and sometimes pain. I'm tired of spending a fortune on this expensive cream that I can't ever forget to use or risk eye discomfort for the rest of the day. It's so much more sensitive than my good eye, and it was, unfortunately, my dominant eye
Reading your experience made me consider going through with the procedure. I really can't imagine living with this minor inconvenience for the rest of my life, and the eye doctor said that it's such a common injury and procedure, as the eye cells don't heal back up perfectly when a crooked foreign object injures it.
WellFrog · 56-60, M
@Streamofconsciousness thank you so much for sharing. We tend not to realize how much pain can come from even minor eye injuries. Little wonder given that the eyes are essentially direct outcroppings of the brain itself!
If sharing my experience has emboldened you toward long term comfort then I am the happier that I chose to share my experience.
If sharing my experience has emboldened you toward long term comfort then I am the happier that I chose to share my experience.
greenmountaingal · 80-89, F
@Streamofconsciousness For what it's worth, I have had eye surgery to correct cataracts and it was painless though perhaps a bit scary.
Streamofconsciousness · 31-35, T
@greenmountaingal Yes, my father had to have that procedure, and it wasn’t that bad. It does give me hope. Thank you 