The Eye Groweth Dim

In 2015 I noticed that my color perception had begun to fade; colors were not as brilliant as before.

- Croft Barker

Upon visiting the eye doctor to get new glasses, I was informed that I had cataracts in both eyes. She added that the cataract in the right eye was worse than the left. This explained not only the color problem but also lack of definition when looking at distant objects for the last couple of years. As a parting shot, the doctor told me I would eventually require surgery on both eyes. Although I wasn’t happy with the diagnosis, I took some comfort in the fact that this problem was treatable.

Up until this time, I wore glasses for distance vision and to correct astigmatism in both eyes. Although I could read without corrective lenses, I needed them to drive and shoot. My prescription for distance vision hadn’t changed for many years, although the astigmatism in my left (shooting) eye did and had to be corrected every five years or so with new prescription lenses. The only fly in the shooting equation was that I had difficulty, as I grew older, focusing on the rear sight, front sight and target simultaneously. Sound familiar? In order to be better informed about my cataracts, I called several friends who had undergone the same surgery. All agreed that the procedure was of short duration, but opinions varied on degree of success. As I could still see well enough to drive and shoot, I decided to let nature take its course as to when surgery would be required.