About 3 years ago I developed a condition in my right eye that made straight lines appear crooked and curvy. It was diagnosed as an epiretinal membrane, which is a wrinkle at the back of the eye on the retina. Two specialists advised that I should live with it for as long as tolerable, as their opinion was that it was risky, with a chance of losing sight in that eye, I would have to lay face down for 2 weeks for the sulfur hexafloride (SF6) gas that they they use to fill the eye after the surgery to settle and my local eye doctor said that insurance wouldn't pay for it.
It got to be rather bothersome, even to the extent that it was difficult for me to do dual sporting off road at my normal pace, as I couldn't see the ruts, etc very clearly. Trying to read the newspaper or even read labels on the shelves when shopping became frustrating.
Fortunately, my best buddy and riding partner knew an eye surgeon who had done some minor vision correction for him several years ago. My friend asked this surgeon for his advice as to who he would go to if he had the same condition as I did. He quickly recommended a retina specialist at St Louis University hospital, who he said was one of the best in the US. He even texted this specialist and asked him to take care of me.
I saw this specialist on a Wednesday, he said that he could correct that condition, and he doesn't use SF6, so I wouldn't have to lay face down after the surgery. The following Monday he did the retina repair and also did cataract surgery in that eye. I returned the next day to remove the eye patch and all has been well with that eye since then.
Now it it time to address the cataract in the other eye. I will have my testing done next week and have the surgery shortly after that. I still have to wear glasses, as I have astigmatism. My glasses have progressive correction, so I can see both close and far, plus Transition for self darkening in sunlight, so I don't mind wearing them.
Two notes, with Medicare plus my supplemental insurance, the $32,000 procedure didn't cost me anything. On the down side, I thought we had twisty roads here in IL, but it turns out that was just my view with my wrinkled retina. Turns out they are all straight!