The virtues of an eye patch

I finally broke down and bought an eye patch tonight. It's black, like a classic pirate patch, because that is apparently the only option available at any major drugstore. You can buy fashion designs online, but I refuse to make such an investment because I hope the patch will be a temporary accessory for me.  Besides, if I get a crafty urge, I could adorn the black one.

In terms of vision, the patch is an amazing help.  It seems ironic that covering one eye would improve one's overall vision, but when your patch eye distorts light and shapes, sometimes it is best to just eliminate the distraction.  For vanity's sake, I prefer to be patchless most of the time, but car travel at night gives me headaches.  I guess it is the stark contrast between the darkness of night and the distorted glare of the street lights and car head lights that gives me trouble, but I know for sure that the moment I put the patch on, my headache eased and my good eye was able to focus.  Of course, it was not as good as having two good eyes because my patched eye provided no peripheral vision, but it was a bit liberating to be able to travel without a constant headache.

When we left the house this evening, our only goal was to take the dogs for a drive, pick up a drive-thru dinner (really healthy, I know), and look at some Christmas lights.  For these activities, wearing an eye patch was not terribly embarrassing.  I caught a few people double taking at stop lights, but it did not bother me too much.  I can tell you, though, I will do everything I can to avoid wearing that patch in an actual social setting.

The elastic strap that holds the patch in place did not agree with my forehead.  When the strap began digging in, which was almost immediately, I fiddled with it.  I tried guiding it up, down, over my ear, behind my ear, etc.  No matter what I did, that strap was going to dig into my forehead.  After a while, I gave up and just let it be.  That was probably the best strategy for our driving (well, my "passengering," if I may use this made up term) activities, but if we had a social event at which to arrive, I probably would have been as embarrassed by the indentations left behind the patch and its strap as I would have been by wearing the patch itself.

The eye patch is not a perfect solution, but it is a reasonable way to cope with the glare that the gas bubble in my eye seems to embellish.  I hope that this glare will subside once the gas bubble shrinks completely.  I will add it to the list of "we'll see" outcomes.