Happy 2026! Thoughts and dry eye

Happy 2026! I hope that your year has started off well.

Where I am, we had a record snowstorm on Sunday. Toronto Pearson International Airport got 46 cm of snow. Those closest to Lake Ontario got 60 cm, including my old neighbourhood of the Beaches.

I live in the suburbs. I got a lot of snow. I don't think it was 60 cm. It was a lot.

Last year wasn't the best. I ended up with a stomach ulcer, which required some medication, yogurt, probiotics, and Gravol. The medication made me gag, which explains the Gravol. Since then, I do feel like I gag more when I see something that triggers that feeling.

Weird.

I keep on saying that I have a lot to say. I truly do. I have a lot to post about my mom's recovery from her broken arm and my difficult relationship with my dad.

I will start off with December and work my way backwards in 2025.

I get my eyes examined every two years in December. Earlier in the year, I noticed that my eyes were getting dry wearing contacts. My eyes felt gritty and I'd often take my contact lenses out.

For most of 2025, I wore my glasses instead. My eyeballs felt better. I'd be putting in eye drops whenever I needed them.

My eye doctor said that my eyes were in great shape and that my prescription hadn't changed. She did notice that the pores were clogged under my eyelids by natural oils. It explains my dry eye.

She recommended putting warm compresses over my eyelids to melt the oils. I did that by heating up a mask in the microwave. It felt great over my eyelids, but the heat would die down after ten minutes.

I bought a plug-in eye mask instead for more consistent heat. I use it every day over my eyelids for twenty minutes. It's me time. I like how relaxing the heat is.

I feel that this eye mask procedure has helped. I wore contacts lenses for the first time in months last week. I had them on for three hours. They were comfortable. I didn't feel any grit. 

I haven't tried wearing them to work. Baby steps. I'll probably wear them this Saturday when I run errands for a few hours and see how I feel.

I still use eye drops. I lubricate my eyeballs twice a day. It has been easy. I have eye drops in the washroom. I remember applying them after washing my face in the morning.

Just before bed, I apply eye drops before I fall asleep.

Time to use my eye mask. I'll try writing another post before January is over. I need to ease into writing more regularly again.

Vacation, eyewear, and contact lenses

My vacation has begun. What have I done so far? I have ordered two new pairs of eyeglasses and two boxes of contact lenses.

Riveting stuff, right? I'm off to bed.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Buying items that I need

It's nice when it's payday and I can get items that I have been waiting to buy. I'm either replacing broken items or am about to run out of essentials.

I went ahead and bought two Fitbit Alta chargers. I spent a good $10 on them. I need a backup in case it breaks on me again.

I also ordered two boxes of contact lenses. My usual brand isn't available, so I'm trying a different brand. I'll see how it goes. I'm currently using my last pair.

It's time to go to bed. It has been a long, but good week. Here's to the weekend!

Reflection on my final vacation day

Today is my last vacation day before I go back to work. It has been a well-deserved period of rest.

Naturally, I have reservations about going back to work. I dread dealing with a new employee who isn't the sharpest learner.

On a good note, I managed to reorder contact lenses, so I ensure that I can see for the better part of this year. I have roughly a two-month supply before placing my reorder, so I wasn't exactly cutting it short.

I have enjoyed cooking more while on vacation. I hope to do more of it on weekends. I find it relaxing and fun.

Saving money thanks to my stable eye prescription

It has been two years since I last got my eye exam. Although I have felt that my nearsightedness hasn't changed, I still needed a new prescription.

Ah, the joys of getting older! Two years ago, my optometrist indicated that my nearsightedness was improving, which meant that I would start seeing changes when I read. Sure enough, it has slightly. I read better with my contact lenses out or my glasses off. Otherwise, wearing my contacts with my reading glasses (it's an extremely low prescription) works just fine.

On Wednesday, I had my eye exam. Typically, it costs me $90, with my health insurance helping to cover that cost. Since I had my eye stroke, my eye exam was considered a followup appointment. As a result, the Ontario health care system picked up the tab instead. Sweet!

My prescription hasn't changed. I get to keep my existing pairs of glasses. Yep, I got two pairs two years ago. There was a deal that essentially got me two pairs for the price of one. I love the cost savings!

Today, I ordered a six-month supply of contact lenses that combine correcting my nearsightedness and reading. I am looking forward to them. I tried them in the past and they were helpful, but that was roughly a year ago. My insurance picks up the tab.

It's nice saving some money. I am thankful.

Reminiscing about my eyesight these days

I have been nearsighted since I was sixteen years old. The nice part about my nearsightedness is that it has never been a horrible prescription.

For a few years after getting my first pair of glasses, I could still get away with not wearing my glasses all the time. It wasn't until I got my first pair of contact lenses towards the end of my undergraduate years that I embraced my prescription.

I have been working from home these past couple of days. On Wednesday, I did a quick outing. I hopped in my car and drove off.

It wasn't until I was at the stop sign at the end of my street that I realized that I wasn't wearing my contact lenses. I was letting my eyeballs breathe. I didn't have my glasses with me, either. Yet, my sight was pretty good. I continued to drive to run my errand and was fine.

My right eye has gone through an eye stroke back in March. It's amazing how far I have come. My eyesight these days reminds me of being sixteen years old again. It's neat. I am just glad that I'm not that age!