Yesterday, I spent the whole day not using any visual correction lenses. I have pretty bad vision without them. My prescription reads -4.75 for both eyes. Spending the day with poor vision helped me realize how much I really depend on my eyes. I could not even see the words "Stop" on the stop sign 10 feet in front of me. I could only distinguish objects by their color, not by their shapes because everything was blurry! Class was hell. I had to look at my classmates' notes in order to follow the lecture. I had to get within 6 inches of my lab to read the instructions. Even though class was bad, the night was shit. Walking in the streets, I had to listen to determine whether cars were moving toward me or stopped. I had no depth perception. I even tried to play soccer with my handicap. I was TERRIBLE! I mistouched the ball. I whiffed it a few times. I often passed it to the opponents because I could not see faces.
Although spending the day without corrective lenses hindered my performance academically and jeopardized my reputation on the soccer field, it was SO worth it. It really got me thinking. How the HELL did I let my vision get this bad? Was it worth it just so I could read in the middle of the night or so I could play video games for hours at a time? Hell no. What would I do if I didn't have corrective lenses? Why am I so dependent on technology to keep me seeing well enough to perform well? People say their cell phones are a "part" of them, but my contacts or glasses are a REAL part of me. I can't do shit without them. I don't even know what to say at the shame I feel for having to depend on technology in order to live. I actually have not thought about this idea since the very first time I got glasses. I have lost sight of the great gift God has given us. I actually CRIED the first day I wore my glasses, but it has become so banal for me that I no longer feel it or care. I actually FEEL the barrier between my eyes and the world. I wish I could see like my brother and could see the world as it's meant to be seen. I used to feel that with glasses, I actually see the world differently than one without glasses does. This whole adventure has reopened my eyes (no pun intended) to why I cried the first day of using lenses. I am sorry to God for letting my eyes get this bad and abusing the gift He gave me. Yet, I will STILL wear lenses because I CANNOT function without them. I cannot function without seeing. I cannot function without technology...
Wow, your comment explains what I was trying to say! I think we would be called robots. I suppose part of what makes us human is the fact that our bodies diminish and weaken sometimes and if we take that away, then we ARE robots. If we use technology to make everything ideal then there is no disruption in the world, no excitement. Like I said in a comment on someone else's post, even though we acknowledge that we have an addiction/dependency on technology, we don't even try to escape it. We continue to use and improve technology. We all talk about how humans are growing into robots, but no one does anything to stop it. We all use computers, iPods, cell phones, watches, etc. and we won't go without them. Thanks for the feedback Tamara and for the interesting thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThat was risky thing to do, especially when you were gone be crossing the streets and everything. Having to bad eyes, in many cases is due to genetics too. In my adventure I talked about a day without technology at all. And I've only found to respect it even more. With technology debate, I think the pros outweighs the con by a great factor. But I do agree with you on how we of becoming "slaves" to technology(I think that was the innuendo).
ReplyDeleteThanks Vat. Yeah life without technology would be tough, but it would be good to not have to depend on it all the time. You may be right that the pros overpower the cons but I think its bad to lose sight of nature and how God created us. We are in a predicament. :/
ReplyDeletewow! I cannot even believe going around without my contacts in. My vision is terrible too and I could not even imagine not wearing my contacts for a day. I would definitely be injured. And walking around at night without them... not a chance, I would get hit by a car. That was a great idea though and really gets me thinking about how much I depend on my glasses and contacts. And how did my eyes become so bad? You have alot of insight. I thought your experience was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy eyes about the same as yours QuocAnh, and I realize everyday how poor my eyesight is. Getting out bed is a chore when you cannot see where you're putting your feet. Once I was driving at night with my glasses on and there was no one on the road so I took off my glasses to see what driving would be like. It's a very strange experience, all the lights are blurry; it's like trusting God to take you where you're supposed to go. Something about being helpless in sight makes you realize all the other things that you are gifted in that would be difficult without sight. It was like what Mr. Stommle was saying a week or so ago in class: what would have happened to us if we were born in a time with no glasses? Would we survive? Are we cheating the system and hindering natural selection (a little morbid, I know) by correcting our vision? There's alot to think about here that expands beyond just simple lack of vision.
ReplyDelete