Of eyes, eye checkups, and eyelashes

[afuna]

When I went to the eye doctor for a quick annual checkup, the last thing I expected was to be told that there may be something wrong with my lashes.

I mean, they're... lashes. They sit pretty around the eye, protect it, get the occasional coating of mascara (well, not my lashes, but lashes in general). There's just nothing about them that could go wrong. Apparently, though, lashes should curl outward while mine are pushed down by my eyelids and just sort of stab downwards halfheartedly. It's not too bad right now, but the worry is that if something does happen (please don't let something happen), my lashes won't just go downward; they'll turn inward and scratch my eyes.

The solution to this problem is to have an operation to get a tingsun (double eyelids). This will take care of the excess skin on my lids and let my eyelashes flutter outward and fulfill their full potential (or something).

A few months ago, my mother broached the topic of my undergoing surgery to get a tingsun. See, according to Asian standards of beauty, there's something wrong with my eyelids (and again, what could go wrong with eyelids? See the first part of paragraph 2, but replace "mascara" with "eyeshadow"). Eyelids "should" have that line/double lid thing: mine don't.

At the time, I replied with a noncommittal "meh". But now that it's no longer a purely cosmetic concern, I'm forced to actually think about it.

--
The good part about the eye checkup is that my left eye has finally stabilized (at -6.50), and while my right eye increased slightly (from -8.00 to -9.00), it's definitely a slower increase than before, so there is hope that the prescription for my eyes may actually be heading towards stability. Once my eyes have been stable for a year (and once I save up enough money, which will take more than a year, heh), I may be able to get laser surgery, which I really, really want. I'm sick of blurriness, of having fuzzy peripheral vision, and of worrying about breaking my glasses when I fall asleep with them on.

Comments

[chocobojules.livejournal.com]

jals had the eyeball scratchy thing happen to her too, so she had to do the ting sun thing :O

[afuna]

Noo T__T I was hoping that the doctor was lying and was just recommending the surgery in order to get money T___T

(Just a quick note: haven't had the scratchy thing happen to me yet; have just been warned that I'm at increased risk.)

[chocobojules.livejournal.com]

don't you want to go from -_- to σ_σ ? :P

but yeah, it's apparently a real threat. :)) you can always just curl your eyelashes to keep them away from your eyes. :p

[afuna]

I hates my eyes. Hatessss them. :)

It sucks (and is mildly hilarious) that the solution to a lot of things is to act more like a girly girl ;P

[chocobojules.livejournal.com]

lol, if it's that painful to curl your eyelashes everytime, you can have an eyelash perm. should last you a couple of months if you don't keep touching it. it will get annoying, by the way. :P

[afuna]

Eyelash perm? O_O

What will get annoying? The eyelash perm? :O_O:

[chocobojules.livejournal.com]

well, curling your eyelashes in general is annoying. I've been doing it for a while and it still kind of pisses me off, because my eyelid is kind of being pulled up. or something.

eyelash perm, yeah. XD I've been meaning to do that to my eyes too :))

[afuna]

Hahha! The things I learn :)

[habeo.livejournal.com]

I was never a fan of going under the knife for any cosmetic reason, and I personally hope you never have to for that reason.

That said, the eyelash problem might be a bit serious? I'm not sure. What did the doctor say? Is eyelash gouging really that dangerous?

And so what if your eyelids don't have that double lid thing?

For the record, I don't think you look "abnormal". O_o

[afuna]

Not gouging O__o That's a really scary term. More of... scratching.

Also O_o I didn't say that I think I look abnormal.

[darklyscarlett.livejournal.com]

I don't have creases either -- everyone in my family has them either naturally, or got them eventually with age, but since I'm such a mutt... I actually like the way I look without them, and I slather on the eye cream these days to avoid getting a crease for as long as possible. Dunno. I like the way not having a crease makes me look. You can also wear the most outrageous eye shadow and liner, and it never looks overdone.

I don't think I've heard of the possibility of your lashes poking you. But then again, I have very curly hair, on my head and lashes.The lashes are short and curl right up. I just can't wear mascara -- it rubs off on the skin of my eyelid -- so I use false eyelashes if I really feel like dressing up.

Hmm, that is a quandary. If it is a medical necessity, I'd do it without thinking. But you will look very different.

On my dad's side, we have a genetic condition that causes a gradual deterioration of the retina. I'm not yet stabilized -- at -5.75/.-4.75 -- but will be getting the laser surgery when that happens. I just live in my contacts, but it's a pain when, say, you want to dive into the waves at the beach.

BTW, are you in China already? Hang in there!

[afuna]

*giggles* I honestly have never paid much attention to the crease thing, though an aunt of mine got surgery to get a crease when she was a teenager.

It's not a necessity right now. It's more of a... preventive measure. Some people never have trouble all their lives (I do so hope I am one of them *G*).

So right now, I'm forced to weigh the risk versus the reward. I sort of really don't want to do it, and I'm leaning towards not doing it at all unless there's a convincing/pressing reason to do so right now.

Ah, the beach. I lost so many pairs of glasses there.... That's yet one more reason I don't like the necessity of glasses/contacts.

Not yet in China. I leave day after tomorrow! So excited/nervous!

[prissi.livejournal.com]

eyelashes in your eye are bad, they can cause infections.

as for Asian standards of beauty: lolololololol

I have them (being born with them, o'course), but as you may hear me complain about a lot, for some reason, my eyes are very unbalanced, and the left one doesn't fold correctly. >_> so they're not all they're cracked up to be.

[chasethestars.livejournal.com]

i have friends who have a crease on one eye, but not the other. funny thing is, no one really notices until someone says something.

afuna, would it be possible to just curl your lashes up so they're away from the eyes?

[afuna]

eyelashes in your eye are bad, they can cause infections.
Yes!

as for Asian standards of beauty: lolololololol
Hahhahaa, oh dear, and again I agree!

I did not know about your eyelids! (I didn't really see any imbalance in your pictures *g* *hugs*)

[keilexandra]

Eep! Make sure you get a second opinion on that eyelash thing--I have the same non-double-eyelids (meaning that my eyelashes are pretty sparse and ugly) but I've never been warned that it'll poke into my eyes. Although my mother's also broached the subject of getting surgery to "open up my eyes." But no way am I getting cosmetic surgery. Now...I'm scared.

And I'm pretty sure that a lot of Asians don't have a double eyelid.

Have you tried contacts? My eyes are at -7/-7.5 and not yet stable, though hopefully it's slowing down, but I still got contacts this year and it's been great. (And I'm too young for laser surgery, though I'll probably get it in 5-10 years.)

[afuna]

Eep. From what I was told, it's just an increased risk, but it is by no means a certainty. I am personally not that worried about it happening to me, but will definitely have to keep it in mind in case I get an infection (I HOPE NOT).

Feel like I should emphasize because I think I misrepresented in the entry, but the lack of the double eyelids is not the problem. However, it is one possibel solution :)

I did try contacts, but they were too expensive considering the prescription was going up every year/half year. (I am at the borderline age for surgery, but I hope to be ready in 2-5 years \o/)

[keilexandra]

Oh, how often do you get your eyes checked? I only had them measured every 2 years for glasses, though now that I have contacts I'll have to go in once a year.

[lacey]

Elizabeth Taylor has double eyelashes too. You could be in worse company, if it comes to that :D

[afuna]

I wish! Mwah! <3

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

-6.5 = 650 grade? :o This is a prescription notation I haven't come across before... :o

[ivles.livejournal.com]

yes, IINM, it would be .650 in the printed eye exam sheet.

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[afuna]

Copied what I saw from the doctor's screen XD Am pretty sure there are a couple of other scales, but I'm fuzzy on the details.

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Oooh. So if my grade is 450/500, that'd be, er, -4.5 and -5? :D

[afuna]

Hm. I think so! But I am not sure XD

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Haha, oh well, thanks :D

Waaaa

[yen420.livejournal.com]

Me too!!! I don't have tingsun and my eyelashes do tend to poke my eye from time to time. You mean it's bad? To not have tingsun? I thought it was cool. You know, having another thing different from the locals aside from tsinita eyes. Heh! I better ask my eye doctor too.

Hey, just out of curiosity, who's your doctor?

Re: Waaaa

[afuna]

Hee! It's not that it's bad to not have a tingsun. The way it was explained to me was that if your eyelashes go down instead of out, then you have a higher risk of the eyelashes going *in* (if your eyelids ever swell or you get a sty).

In that case, creating a tingsun will change the angle by which your eyelashes stick out, but the lack of a tingsun isn't the actual problem.

(My doctor is Dr. Kleiner, at the Galileo Eye Institute... place. OR rather, he's not really my doctor, but he was the doctor who gave me my last checkup)

[ivles.livejournal.com]

minus NINE? whoa!

I used to push my glasses closer to my eyes it makes my eyelashes curl to outwardly. Perhaps, if you don't want surgery, you can use eyelashes comb and curler every single day.

It's weird, AFAIK, those without eyelids should have no eyelashes.

[afuna]

Eep. Hahah! Is that high? I don't knooow. Hahhah.

Oooh. I could try (but I'm too lazy to be such a girl, hahahhaha (but it's definitely less expensive. HM))

I do have eyelids, by the way XD Just not the double-eyelids (the ones with the crease XDD)