Almost blinded myself

[Freebird]

Well, this was a touch week. As most of you know, I lost 100% of the vision in my right eye about 10 years ago due to cancer. Well, I have pretty much adjusted to living with one eye. Then last Sunday, I was mowing the yard. As I was mowing along the tree line down the side of the yard, I reached out to move some branches out of my way. I moved most but there was one branch, about 1/2' diameter than I missed and it went directly into my good eye before I could stop. Much pain and I couldn't see anything at all. I shut the mower down and sat there for a few minutes. Finally got where I could see good enough to go into the house and wash out the eye. It was hurting, sort of throbbing but I could see fairly well so went back out and finished my moving.

 

It hurt all night and by about noon on Monday, I had a yellow excretion coming from the yet. I was installing a stairlift so finished it and them went to the emergency room Monday night and the doc said that the cornea was badly scratched and was infected. She gave me some antibiotic eye drops and made an appointment for me with the eye doctor the next morning.

 

So I've been to the doctor every three days all week. I've been busy too having installed two custom curved stairlifts and 3 straight one this week. Last time I was at the doctor was Friday morning and then had another install later than day and another on Saturday. Seeing has been a bit of an issue because the eye doctor not only kept me on the drops but also gave me an ointment to put in the eye 4 times a day. It is a thick ointment and make my vision very blurry for a while every time I put it in. It seems to have done it's job though. The pain and redness are finally pretty much gone. I have what should be my last appointment tomorrow morning and hopefully things are back to normal.

 

I've got to start being more careful and start wearing some goggles or something when mowing and other such chores. I can't afford to lose that last eye.

[RDawson]

Careful boss. I catch a lot of flack from guys at work about how I work up high, use power tools without guards, and generally ignore safety rules with the exception of safety glasses. I’m a wimp when it comes to my eyes, take care of it.

[WIZ]

Glad it appears to be healing and back to normal.

 

Ron

[jeromeb]

I'm Pulling for your complete recovery.

[cowpuc]

Well, this was a touch week. As most of you know, I lost 100% of the vision in my right eye about 10 years ago due to cancer. Well, I have pretty much adjusted to living with one eye. Then last Sunday, I was mowing the yard. As I was mowing along the tree line down the side of the yard, I reached out to move some branches out of my way. I moved most but there was one branch, about 1/2' diameter than I missed and it went directly into my good eye before I could stop. Much pain and I couldn't see anything at all. I shut the mower down and sat there for a few minutes. Finally got where I could see good enough to go into the house and wash out the eye. It was hurting, sort of throbbing but I could see fairly well so went back out and finished my moving.

 

It hurt all night and by about noon on Monday, I had a yellow excretion coming from the yet. I was installing a stairlift so finished it and them went to the emergency room Monday night and the doc said that the cornea was badly scratched and was infected. She gave me some antibiotic eye drops and made an appointment for me with the eye doctor the next morning.

 

So I've been to the doctor every three days all week. I've been busy too having installed two custom curved stairlifts and 3 straight one this week. Last time I was at the doctor was Friday morning and then had another install later than day and another on Saturday. Seeing has been a bit of an issue because the eye doctor not only kept me on the drops but also gave me an ointment to put in the eye 4 times a day. It is a thick ointment and make my vision very blurry for a while every time I put it in. It seems to have done it's job though. The pain and redness are finally pretty much gone. I have what should be my last appointment tomorrow morning and hopefully things are back to normal.

 

I've got to start being more careful and start wearing some goggles or something when mowing and other such chores. I can't afford to lose that last eye.

 

God is good my friend,, you done been blessed again as THAT was a close call that He brought you thru.. I think your last sentence pretty much says it all. On the other hand though, bad things really do happen to good people, sometimes no matter how hard they try to protect themselves. Glad you made it out ok you lop eared grass mowin, living life large varmint.. You are in my thoughts and Prayers Up for a full heal, again!!

Think of you every time I listen to Waylon,, you always remind me of him. Dedicating this song of his to you Don, beware the mountain!!

[cecdoo]

Pretty scary read there Don, I am like you, dont wear safety glasses near as often as I should, but you have an added incentive. Glad to hear its healing up and getting better. On a side note aint it amazing the things you need to do when you are self employed and make commitments? Many who work for someone else would be on disability for 6months over that one. Not meant to start ruckus, just an observation from someone who was also self employed.

 

Craig

[CaseyJ955]

Well, this was a touch week. As most of you know, I lost 100% of the vision in my right eye about 10 years ago due to cancer. Well, I have pretty much adjusted to living with one eye. Then last Sunday, I was mowing the yard. As I was mowing along the tree line down the side of the yard, I reached out to move some branches out of my way. I moved most but there was one branch, about 1/2' diameter than I missed and it went directly into my good eye before I could stop. Much pain and I couldn't see anything at all. I shut the mower down and sat there for a few minutes. Finally got where I could see good enough to go into the house and wash out the eye. It was hurting, sort of throbbing but I could see fairly well so went back out and finished my moving.

 

It hurt all night and by about noon on Monday, I had a yellow excretion coming from the yet. I was installing a stairlift so finished it and them went to the emergency room Monday night and the doc said that the cornea was badly scratched and was infected. She gave me some antibiotic eye drops and made an appointment for me with the eye doctor the next morning.

 

So I've been to the doctor every three days all week. I've been busy too having installed two custom curved stairlifts and 3 straight one this week. Last time I was at the doctor was Friday morning and then had another install later than day and another on Saturday. Seeing has been a bit of an issue because the eye doctor not only kept me on the drops but also gave me an ointment to put in the eye 4 times a day. It is a thick ointment and make my vision very blurry for a while every time I put it in. It seems to have done it's job though. The pain and redness are finally pretty much gone. I have what should be my last appointment tomorrow morning and hopefully things are back to normal.

 

I've got to start being more careful and start wearing some goggles or something when mowing and other such chores. I can't afford to lose that last eye.

 

I'm reminded of a movie called Scent of a Woman in which one of our fav actors portrays a blind man. In this movie there is a scene where he sightlessly flogs an exotic car through industrial discreet streets navigating strictly on the panicked yellings of his passenger. It was years ago but it flashed back to me instantly.

 

Unless your wife is game for that sort of arrangement on the bike then your lucky to have kept your spare eye for a rainy day. Luckily the eye is one of our parts for which we are granted a bilateral spare. Glad your alright!

[Sylvester]

I have said for sixty years that I would be blind if it wasn't for wearing glasses all those years. I get the safety lenses for my prescription and always get dark and clear sets of glasses. You will get used to wearing them if you always keep them on.

So happy you are getting well.

 

[Marcarl]

Scared the poop out me when I read your post,,,I'll go along with Puc on this one,,, not often I do that, but he's right spot on.

I also seem to avoid all that protection stuff, until a couple of years ago I was cleaning on my wire wheel and felt something hit my forehead. When I got in the house later Marca asked me what was sticking out of my forehead, I checked and it was a strand from the wheel. Always have glasses on now when I work with spinning agents,,, if only I could remember the other things,, like gloves with carb cleaner, masks with paint spray,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Glad it worked out ok for yah, you have been blessed again!!!

[videoarizona]

Guys....take care of those eyes.....they don't make seeing eye motorcycles....

 

[RDawson]

Pretty scary read there Don, I am like you, dont wear safety glasses near as often as I should, but you have an added incentive. Glad to hear its healing up and getting better. On a side note aint it amazing the things you need to do when you are self employed and make commitments? Many who work for someone else would be on disability for 6months over that one. Not meant to start ruckus, just an observation from someone who was also self employed.

 

Craig

 

Had a dr once asked me what was special about self employed people that made them heal faster. I’d cut the end off a finger and was back on the construction site two days later, he didn’t tell me not to work after surgery so I did. I think that’s pretty normal for those with commitments and the need to work to eat.

[XV1100SE]

Hope this was only a severe scare....be more careful in the future Don....which I'm sure your wife has told you already.

[MonsterBiker]

Not to beat a dead horse....but I am going to beat it anyway. Prescription safety glasses are worth their weight in gold. Especially in your case.

[Venturous Randy]

I think it has been about nine years since I lost all useable vision in my right eye. Mine was due from having a massive vitreous hemorrhage after picking my bike up after a tip over. That turned into a detached retina and then many blood vessel problems due to being type 2 diabetic for 30 years. It has been a challenge at times, but I just have to make the best of it.

I try to wear some eye protection most of the time even though it is not necessarily safety glasses. I always wear sunglasses when in the Miata until it gets darker and I am not good then about wearing any eye protection when riding in the car with the top down. I have been lucky in having as good of vision in my good eye as I do and I also try not to get in a situation where I am straining myself.

Don, I hope you get through this okay and yes, it is a teachable moment...........for all of us.

Randy

[Patch]

I'm reminded of a movie called Scent of a Woman !

 

And I am reminded of a couple years back when Casey sent over a couple of Russian nurses to help me convalesce, OH brother it took like 2 weeks to nail the roof back down and patch the siding! Hmm Hmm count your lucky stars Dad you aint having to strain your leftover eye!

 

Anyways you do know the only way to make a mower look cool is to wear a set of these

[skydoc_17]

Hey Don,

Thank heavens you are OK! Because I have worked in a Machine Shop all of my adult life, Safety Glasses have been mandatory for me! Whenever I do ANYTHING outside of the house my Safety Glasses are my "Go To" Glasses. It has become second nature to me. My wife on the other hand is a much different story. Over the weekend she was working in the garden, and flicked dirt in her eyes accidentally. The safety glasses I gave her were in her apron pocket...as usual. She felt pretty foolish washing her eyes out in the kitchen sink for over an hour. Be careful with your eyes everyone, you only have two! Oops! Sorry Don, ONE! Glad you're OK!

Earl and Jean.

[BlueSky]

So sorry this happened to you Don and I'm happy you appear to be recovering fully. Thank You for sharing this with us. It's a good lesson for all of us. I haven't been putting safety glasses over my regular glasses when I edge the lawn with my weedwhacker. I will in the future! Thanks again for the lesson!

[bpate4home]

Glad it's getting better. I've had similar stuff happen, even had a stone or something bounce of a tree and hit me in the head. A little different take on safety though I don't follow it like I should. A young man of 9 yrs old asked if he could mow my lawn a few years ago. I finally let him do it after talking with his parents and while we were on vacation. He did a great job so has now been doing it for 3 years now. 2 years ago I heard a story that one of the 'professionals' in the area had lost vision in one of his eyes because of debris so I gave him a pair of saftey glasses while talking to him and his parents. I told him it is his decision but I wanted to make sure he knew the risks. He wears them 95% of the time now when he is doing the lawn. A Lot smater than I.

[CaseyJ955]

And I am reminded of a couple years back when Casey sent over a couple of Russian nurses to help me convalesce, OH brother it took like 2 weeks to nail the roof back down and patch the siding! Hmm Hmm count your lucky stars Dad you aint having to strain your leftover eye!

 

Anyways you do know the only way to make a mower look cool is to wear a set of these

 

Long as I get my money...

 

PS, we really need a pimp smiley haha.

[Condor]

WOW!! Close call. My son-in-law also lost an eye and do you think all the *****ing and moaning about wearing protective glasses makes any difference?? And he's a commercial building painter!! Next time you decide to do some yard work you might try wearing one of those retired helmets we all seem to have out in the garage...or in the closet.. Glad it worked out...

[N3FOL]

Hello Don. Glad to know that your eye is doing better with medication. Safety glasses will definitely help one way or another. It is much easier to wear for longer periods than goggles, IMO. I wear glasses all the time and every time I use the weed wacker, tiny rocks fly all over the place and I can hear them hit my lens...and I say to myself [Thank God for the lens or it could have really hurt so bad].

When it comes to riding, I am so glad I have the windshield + my full face visor + eyeglasses in front of my eyes.

[djh3]

Wow Scary to say the least. I work in a college and teach automotive. It is a constant battle the first semester to get these folks to wear eye protection. I never was a safety glasses person either. Just lucky eye guess. Welding and cutting building race cars, I have got crap in my eyes and it hurt. But nothin like yours. If you wear eye glasses they make some ez to put on side shields that can give you some protection there. Thats what I use now that I have to wear prescription glasses If you interested PM me and I'll shoot you the info. Take care .

[grubsie]

Can't believe I just saw this today. I have been visiting here everyday.

 

Anyway. Didn't enjoy reading this post Don. Scary to say the least. Your poor wife must be crazy also.

 

Sure hope things heal quickly for you.