Specs.

H’okay, so.

My ophthalmology appointment went really well.  The great news is that the hydroxychloroquine has left my eyes with no permanent damage and they’re structurally sound with the exception of astigmatism, which is basically a non-issue as far as I’m concerned, and unrelated to SLE.  I think my mom has it too.  What I did not know is that a less common side-effect of SLE is dry eyes (also minor), so the doctor recommended using artificial tears which should help a little bit with my ocular fatigue.  I got some from the pharmacy, used them, and true to their name found them to be very "Refresh"-ing.

The “meh…whatever” news is that the drug apparently just made my eyesight blurry, which could happen to anyone.  My right eye is 20/30 and my left is 20/40, which is really minor for most people.  The doctor told me that the reason it seems so drastic to me is because my vision has always been better than perfect (20/15 was where I last placed on the visual acuity scale and I believe I placed either 20/12 or 20/10 at some point). 

No big deal.  It’s a very small price to pay for my health, compared to the damage that could be sustained while/after taking hydroxychloroquine for years.  I don’t even think neglecting to get my eyes examined in 2 years had any bearing on my needing glasses so I’m relieved.

Dante helped me pick out some cool frames; they’re this model (called Roxie!) in burgundy:

The optical shop is right in the practice’s office, so it was convenient, the frames and lenses were free (!), and all I had to pay out of pocket was a fairly nominal fee to make the lenses anti-glare which will make a world of difference in night driving.  My glasses should be ready within the week.  I’m glad I prepped myself for this because if I hadn’t, I might not be mildly excited to have spiffy, lovely-colored, nerdy-yet-edgy spectacles.