2023 is (pretty much) kaput

Since March this year, my work on model kits have slowed to a trickle as I’ve been dealing with problems on my right eye.

My problem started way back in early 2020 with a strange jump in my myopia in my right eye. Due to both Covid and procrastination, I only got my eye checked again this year and it turns out that my myopia has worsened. Upon further checking, it was found to have been caused by cataracts which I quickly had both eyes fixed at the end of March. Recovery went smoothly but my power only stabilized after a month. Happily the final prescription had my eyes at their lowest level of myopia since secondary school.

In mid May though, I suddenly experienced a flash, worms and blurriness in my right eye while waiting for food at a Burger King. A check with a specialist found a tear in the retina and it was causing a slow degradation of my vision. The working theory was that the cataracts which caused the high myopia which in turn, caused a thinning of the retina wall and it simply tore. I had to do an emergency Vitrectomy which I at the end of the week. By then I had pretty much lost 95% vision out of my right eye though. hat experience was very disconcerting.

Recovery has been slow due to the nature of the issue and even though it has been three months now the vision out of my right eye isn’t 100% back: I can see again out of it but nothing is in focus at any distance. There’s also pretty bad distortion which is caused by the silicone bubble that was inserted in my eye to help with the recovery. I’m due to take the bubble out next week which involves another short surgery and then another recovery period of a month is needed for the power to settle in my eye.

So in total, my right eye has been pretty much out of action for the last six months. With it not being 100% since my retina surgery back in May I haven’t done much modeling: I’ve done some work here and there but only for about 30 minutes at a go. Precision work like making seatbelts and painting cockpit details in 1/72 scale has been a strain on the eye so I avoid it.

In any case, I have about one more month to go and hopefully my vision problems will be over. I hope to jump back on the saddle immediately after that. Meanwhile I’ll continue to just take it easy with the building.

Be back very soon!