Better Living Through Chemistry

4/13/22

No, not the Dupont way. Not the Timothy Leary way either. Something new.

I had my annual eye exam today. My several years post- cataract surgery, post- stopping amiodarone exam,  checking for the eye flaws of my parents which might be inherited, for any signs of whatever else life throws at one, eye-dilation and puff test annual exam. (Eyeglasses prescription is a whole different exam. And more expensive! I have to pay for those.)

What's been creeping up on me recently, like in just the last  month, is a droopy eyelid. It usually starts to happen in the afternoons, like it's gotten tired. It occurs mostly after reading for a while, when the lids have already been pointing mostly down towards my lap. It happens in the same eye that was affected by the Bell's Palsy a dozen or so years ago, which may or may not be a factor. We had that discussion, but if it's a cause it doesn't matter.

They treatment for this used to be a stitch to hold the lid up a bit higher. It still may be resorted to. But this is better living through chemistry, right?  There is an eyedrop for this now. With luck it may even work, in which case I'll get a prescription, but for now, a free sample in order to test whether it works for me. It comes in a little sealed package with a dropper inside for a single dose per eye, then is discarded. The brand is Upneeq ( up - neek' ) but if you like sounding out chemical names, go for oxymetazoline hydrochloride opthalmic solution, 0.1%. I can put one drop in each eye daily. Or make it last longer and just dose the eye needing it.

Of course there's a hitch. The drops the doc put in my eyes to dilate them mean I get to wait till tomorrow to see if the stuff works. I guess that's why the free tiny samples. You can't tell while in the doc's office. Right now all I see with that eye is the white cloud over it caused by the dilation drops. That's gone from the other eye for some reason but not this one.  A look in the mirror shows my pupils are unequal. I informed Steve of that, noting that if I need an ambulance for any reason in the next few hours, the  people need to know I don't have a brain bleed to treat! Or so I hope. So since I can't actually read what I'm typing, it's bye for a bit, more info tomorrow.

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4/14/22

Drops results: Both eyes are a bit blurry for half an hour or so, but that goes away. Now the right lid - the droopy one - feels like it's got a muscle inside which has tightened up. It's not a cramp, just a pull. Painless but I'm definitely aware. Best part is it's not drooping several hours after use. Since I did the drops in the morning, we'll have to see how long it lasts.

I liked it enough to call my eye doc and ask for a prescription. Long pause.... Maybe I should call my regular pharmacist and see if they even carry it. It's brand new. (Oh, so I'm a guinea pig?) The eye doc does carry it, but try my pharmacist, see if they stock it and what it costs.  Long story short, they never heard of it. I spell it for them, both brand name and chemical one, but they have to Google it to be sure I know what I'm asking for. But even so, no, they don't have it. It's an hour round trip to the eye doc. Incidentally, my Rx insurance only pays at either of two national drugstore chains. The eye doc isn't it.

Let's see what my schedule is like next week. You know, after I can shower again, stuff like that. It's heating up outside again so I can't hide behind a sweatshirt any more while not wearing a bra. And I have to go half that way anyway to see the surgeon for my post-check. Besides by then I'll know for sure how long the drops last to see if it's really worth it out-of-pocket.

Right now it's time to go return an online swimsuit order. It's two pieces ordered separately, one wrong size, other wrong fabric design, absolutely unlike the description/photo in the catalogue I ordered from, even though the numbers on the tag match. Good thing I ordered a second set in a different size because they are perfect. I had to wait to check the size on the top till I'd healed enough to move that arm in and out of tight clothing - very carefully. The old suit went out in the garbage this morning! No second thoughts allowed.