My eyeballs are hurting

I've always had problems with my vision. I think they began in the 2nd grade... I was 7. The PTA (which my mom was proudly apart of) administered eye exams in the auditorium of my elementary school. Imagine my poor mother's embarrassment when my turn arrives and I fail. "Why didn't you tell me you had a hard time seeing the board?"

Thus began my journey into the lovely world of glasses and contacts. I wore a variety of styles throughout elementary school. I often look back at old photos and question my taste.

Sadly, I began to notice that year after year my vision got worse. Suddenly that pair of glasses I'd been wearing all those months wasn't doing as much in the ways of improving my sight.

7th grade arrives along with some other changes. Mom says I can start wearing makeup, and those old glasses hit the trash can while I suction a pair of flexible lenses onto my eyeballs. I remember taking courses to ensure I'd properly care for my lenses. "Always wash your hands before handling your contact lens" amongst other rules. I quickly disobeyed these laws.

Rule number 1: NEVER sleep in your contacts. I slept in mine every night. The disposable lenses that should've been tossed after 1 month were glued to my eyes for a solid 2. Without ever being cleaned. Without my eyes ever getting that "breather" they require. Turns out eyes need oxygen too.

Come 8th grade I decided to try a new lens, a lens that was supposed to be great for people with an astigmatism like me. These were the gas permeable lenses that feel like hard plastic. Sorry, but anything that requires a callous to be built in order to provide comfort is not a good idea. Removing these lenses requires a taut lid and a blink. Hence the people screaming in crowds "Nobody move, I lost my contact!" These bad boys lasted less than a year with me.

Back to the old softies I went! The following years would introduce me to my frequent visitors, the eye infections. Remember all that talk of cleaning your hands and lenses and what not? Turns out it's good advice. I've had medicinal drops as well as a neosporin like gel to rub on my lid... I guess you could say my eyes have been less than healthy.

Prior to today, my most recent trip to the optometrist was 2 years and 3 months ago. I ordered a pair of backup glasses, and I got a new prescription for contacts. I haven't had new contacts since. 1 year and 3 months ago I stopped wearing my right lens. It just kept giving me too many problems. So yes, I've been managing with one lens for over a year now. Dont' ask me how.

My new eye doctor attempted to contact my last doctor to find my prescription. They say unfortunately they don't have any of that information because they never sold me any lenses. Surely, this must be a mistake. I know where I got my most recent pair of contacts and it was definitely from their office. Then my eye doctor says "They told me they never sold you any lenses, they just provided you with a 2-week trial."

WHAT

He then asks "Where exactly have you been buying your lenses?" Uh-oh. It's the disappointment and lecture I've received many times before. Do I tell him the truth or do I find a way to lie and get out of it? Truth. Truth is best. So I explain that I haven't purchased any lenses, I've been wearing the same lenses I received from Dr. Bogus and I swear I had no idea they were trials!

His response? "Why. Why on earth would you do that? Don't you know how bad that is for your eyes?"

How the hell does one wear lenses designed to be trashed after 2 weeks for 2 years?

This is why I swear I'll be blind someday. I'm 23, my eyes get worse each visit I make, and it's obvious I don't know how to care for them.

So we go through the "Which is better, 1 or 2?" nonsense, which always frustratees me. Hell half the time they both look the same. He ends my exam by informing me that he's just not comfortable ordering a prescription without allowing my left eye to "rehabilitate." Apparently wearing that old lens was like crack for my eye and now it's in bad shape.

1 week later I get to make a trip back to do it all over again. Luckily he gave me a new "trial" pair to get me by, so no more 1 lensing it for me. I can see!