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

[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.