Being that I chose the visual arts as a career, I have been lucky to have 20/20 vision, especially considering l had risks of being blind from complications when was born. Needless to say I’d have had to find another line of work.

This Spring in the thick of deadline season, however, I’ve been having issues with burning, scratchy, sore (and often bloodshot) eyes, sometimes with a headache thrown in, making it difficult to work.   Being in this field, it’s somewhat expected.  But I was finding that I was having to consistently stop several hours earlier than usual.  With eyedrops not providing much relief, I went in for a check to see what might be going wrong.  (And pretty much expecting serious problems.)

I mentioned the the long hours of painting (12-15+ hr days) I tend to go on with. Oddly enough, the technician in the showroom, a little surprised, asked if I do that voluntary. I replied “I’m an artist, it’s what I do”.

I’m not sure I satisfied the curiosity, but after an exam I was awarded a prescription for reading glasses for the eye strain and apparently all is fine other than hitting the limit of what my eyes want to do. (So now I’m sporting a nice chunky Clark Kent pair of spectacles in the studio.  The cat isn’t sure what to think.)