Not the post I thought I’d be writing today

I had a post drafted for today, one detailing my excitement over cataract surgery that would be happening and how my restored eyesight would be an answer to my preteen prayer so long ago. 

But alas, it was not to be. 

On the final pre-op test, my doctor discovered that I have a condition called keratoconus, which is essentially a severe steepening of the cornea. It’s apparently this, more than anything, causing my extremely bad eyesight, which has been worsening. And even if I had my (at this point) small cataracts removed, I’d still need a high prescription of glasses and contacts to see. 

To say I was devastated was an understatement. I’ve been imagining life without contacts or glasses for two solid months, not to mention the fact that since my 20s all my ophthalmologists (that would be all 2 of them in that span!), have assured me my vision would be completely corrected with cataract (lens replacement) surgery. 

I cried. 

A lot. 

But I also knew that God was in control. The one small hope my doctor held out to me was a specialist in Dallas who fits contacts for such extreme cases. Fortunately, he had an opening just three days after my disastrous pre-op appointment. 

I went into that appointment with very little hope. I mean, what could a new type of contact really do? 

Apparently, it can do amazing things!

I learned several things in that appointment. 

• Scleral lenses are made to compensate for the irregular cornea shape, rendering my clearer vision than with regular contacts
• They also help with severe dry eyes (which I have!)
• Keratoconus will not lead to blindness (which I’ve always feared!)
• These contacts are deemed medically necessary and in spite of there expensive price tag, our insurance covered them 100% (which was crucial since we are still waiting for insurance to decide if they will pay for the enormous damage to our home!)

Those might not seem like life-changing things to you, but they are to me! He put scleral samples in my eyes and they immediately felt comfortable. Then he did the eye exam with them in. (They weren’t my right prescription at this point because each contact is made to the specifications of the individual eye.) When he did the whole “better one or two” thing, I could see more crisply than I had since I could remember! Not only that, I was also able to clearly read the 20/20 line!

Y’all. I haven’t seen 20/20 even with contacts in years! 

He told me these contacts with give me a better quality of life—and even allow me to see to drive at night again. 

It was such a turn-around from the appointment days earlier where I’d sobbed in the exam room. 

God had a plan all along. It wasn’t the plan I envisioned (ha!)—I will still wear contacts and glasses for the rest of my life—but I will see far better than I’ve seen in years, so I can deal with the contacts. 

I’m so, so grateful my ophthalmologist sent me to this specialist. I’m so, so grateful the Lord had a plan to improve my very imperfect vision. It’s a healing through medical innovation, but a healing nonetheless. For I had begun to fear that my days driving and working on my computer were numbered. 

How has God shown you clear evidence of His faithfulness lately?