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Well, I had bright flashes in my right eye so called the opthamologist and went in. He says it's normal and not the detatched retina I'd feared (having heard only that bright flashes are bad). He said shadows would be bad. But, that
my eyes are fine and progressing normally.
When I protested that, questioning because I'd never seen flashes before, he replied that I'd "never been this old before." If I didn't really like him and consider him an excellent doc, I'd have punched him. LOL He says it's normal hardening of the "jelly" which pulls away; described it as what old jello does when you leave it in a bowl in the refrigerator.
But also said injuries can bring it on in younger people sometimes. Ennyways, I guess I feel better, knowing that something awful isn't going on.
But, this getting old stuff is for the birds. Katc

Deja Vu`!

Last week BSM and I spent well over an hour talking to one of his relatives who had been to the eye doc and heard she had to see an eye surgeon for a more complete exam. Total panic - and denial. Milked her last contact prescritption for years (damaging her corena in the process) She says she's too young to have eye problems or to wear glasses. She's pushing 60. I've been in glasses full time since I was 10 - she didn't get the sympathy she was looking for.

That "youth" thing she has going on extends to regular check-ups. She hasn't seen a doctor since she was in college because she's "too young" to need an exam for anything.

The worst part was it took most of that hour phone call to figure out there might be some pre-cancerous changes in her eye which is why she needs to see a surgeon. Her religious beliefs won't allow her to say words like "cancer" because she believes it will give the word power and result in her having cancer.

But she didn't start crying until she said she wouldn't have pretty blue contacts to wear to a wedding in June, she had to go with her own plain brown eyes. Doesn't that sound like the reaction of a teenager?

If you have to age, at least do it gracefully.....and please, don't punch the doc!

Well, graceful, I've never been. My own grandmother said I'd been clumsy all my life.
But I think I'm aging okay. I was just relieved not to have anything wrong with the eye like a detached retina. Losing vision is terrifying. Unlike your hubby's relative, I see doctors faithfully every year for all my human parts (sooner if something strange such as this crops up)
Wore glasses from ages 10-14. Then went to hard contacts.
At that time, my mom worked for an eye doc so saved some on those for a few years. Five years ago had lasik, done by this opthamologist, and have gone regularly for checks since then.
So, although the subject of vision may be deja vu for you, don't think I'm anything like that woman. (And I've never had any plastic surgery, botox nor do I dye my hair. The relative sounds like she'd go for all those.)

Isn't it nice to have it confirmed you're not nuts?

Ah, getting old, the time when everything heads south. Even the expensive "over the shoulder boulder holders" dont work as well as they used to. Next month it is time for my annual eyeball exam, hubby should go in the next day or two. Trying to get him to the doc's is sooo hard, almost takes a crisis or act of Congress!

Yep - I relate to the heading south issue as well. I say "what doesn't droop, sags". It all happens after you reach 50.
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Boris's Human, Pam

Well, I had bright flashes in my right eye

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Glad to hear your fears were eased. Over the past 4 years, my Mom had flashes checked out and my neighbor and uncle had "Floaters" checked out. All three were told about the same thing as you -- normal and common for their age...
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Well, I am trying the getting old gracefully stuff. Don't dye my hair but seem to be blessed as most of it is still dark brown with a few white hairs here and there. I see my Dr much more often than I like and have the yearly stuff done yearly. I have worn glasses since I was in the second grade. I wore contacts for years but my eyes got to dry for them and they were annoying so I went back to glasses and now have bifocals. I gave up sports cars and drive a Jeep....sigh....loved my cars ahhh but I love my jeep too.
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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,(We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts//Fly free Penny 12/12/07
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

Yup, getting old is no fun, and I hate to tell you , it gets worse, not better...sighhhhhhhhhhhhh, the hard part is the brain still thinks your 20...
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PHTessie