A Plank in My Eye

See that tiny little speck?  For me... it was a PLANK that could have had very bad results...

That quarter inch speck is a single needle off of a cedar tree.

Last month I was pruning my collected cedar trees before I placed them on their new bench.  At 56, my eyes have changed to the point that I no longer need glasses for close work like reading and pruning.  I had taken my glasses off and was happily clipping away.  Then POP!  That one stupid needle landed in my eye.  OWWWWW!

I flushed it out immediately.  The pain went away although it still felt very irritated.  I thought, "Well, yeah... it is going to be irritated for a while" and went on about my business.  It stayed 'off' all evening.  After we went to bed, it really started bothering me.  I did the tug at the corner of the eye one uses to remove a contact lens and felt movement onto my lower lashes.  I pinched a hold of it and got up to see what it was.  That's it above~ a green cedar needle!

I went back to bed feeling confident that the problem was over.

However, my eye stayed slightly irritated for the next week.  Just slightly.  Since 1. I have a slight contact allergy to junipers, that would cause prolonged redness and 2. it is ragweed season- my eyes are going to be red for weeks!

That all changed 5 days later when I woke up in pain with a very red and slightly swollen eyelid.  It was time to go in for the big guns.  I was given eye drop antibiotics.  

Then the weird happened...

My eye was somewhat light sensitive and we drove into town for an appointment.  The sunlight was really painful and the strobe effect of sun and tree shadows was terrible.  

Long story made short...

I managed to strain the wee tiny muscles that make your pupil contract.  The strain caused major pain (like cry out with the pain).  Ones pupil contracts in response to light and when you focus on something close.  It also contracts when you THINK about bright light.  Bet you didn't know that one.

For three day I stayed in my basement studio with all lights off and it's tiny windows covered up.  For several days after that, I wore sunglasses in the house.  Then it got better literally overnight.

So please take a word from a much wiser Teri.  

USE EYE PROTECTION!!!!