My Butterfly Mask
I've been having a bit of a problem with my left eye recently. When I am tired, or have been looking at a computer screen for too long (which, let's face it, often happens) my left eye has a strange feeling that it wants to close.
Now my own theory is that my right eye doesn't see as well as my left eye, so the left eye's doing a lot of the work, and gets tired.
This may of course not be the case. I've looked at various Eye Problems sites on t'interclacker and does my problem feature there? No, it does not. I did mention it to the optician when I had my eyes tested recently and he gave me what may best be described as a Blank Stare. I suppose if it continues, I may have to go to the doctor and ask about it. I feel another Blank Stare coming on.
Anyway, when my eye did this recently, I peered at it in the mirror to see if it looked any different. It didn't.
However, I don't often peer at my eyes in the mirror. "Oh look!" I thought. "The butterfly's gone!"
Not surprising, really, since the butterfly dated from nearly twenty-two years ago, when I was pregnant.
Some women, during pregnancy, get a butterfly-shaped mask around their eyes, of darker pigment. I was one of them.
My butterfly was only half a proper butterfly - most of it was around my left eye, and it was much paler round my right eye.
As with most things, people felt they should make helpful comments about it.
"Oooh, did you know you've got brown splodges on your face?"
"Yes, thank you for helping me to feel really good about them." (Actually I never said that, I'm far too restrained. I'm more the run-away-and-weep type.)
The brown pigment's supposed to disappear after pregnancy, and most of mine did. But a little brown patch stuck around under my left eye, for years and years. And now it's gone. Actually it might have gone ten years ago, for all I've noticed.
I reminded Stephen about this butterfly mask this evening and he couldn't remember a thing about it so clearly it was more important to me than it was to him. But just in case you think I'm making it all up, here's a link to some information about it. Don't go telling me that this blog isn't educational.
Now my own theory is that my right eye doesn't see as well as my left eye, so the left eye's doing a lot of the work, and gets tired.
This may of course not be the case. I've looked at various Eye Problems sites on t'interclacker and does my problem feature there? No, it does not. I did mention it to the optician when I had my eyes tested recently and he gave me what may best be described as a Blank Stare. I suppose if it continues, I may have to go to the doctor and ask about it. I feel another Blank Stare coming on.
Anyway, when my eye did this recently, I peered at it in the mirror to see if it looked any different. It didn't.
However, I don't often peer at my eyes in the mirror. "Oh look!" I thought. "The butterfly's gone!"
Not surprising, really, since the butterfly dated from nearly twenty-two years ago, when I was pregnant.
Some women, during pregnancy, get a butterfly-shaped mask around their eyes, of darker pigment. I was one of them.
My butterfly was only half a proper butterfly - most of it was around my left eye, and it was much paler round my right eye.
As with most things, people felt they should make helpful comments about it.
"Oooh, did you know you've got brown splodges on your face?"
"Yes, thank you for helping me to feel really good about them." (Actually I never said that, I'm far too restrained. I'm more the run-away-and-weep type.)
The brown pigment's supposed to disappear after pregnancy, and most of mine did. But a little brown patch stuck around under my left eye, for years and years. And now it's gone. Actually it might have gone ten years ago, for all I've noticed.
I reminded Stephen about this butterfly mask this evening and he couldn't remember a thing about it so clearly it was more important to me than it was to him. But just in case you think I'm making it all up, here's a link to some information about it. Don't go telling me that this blog isn't educational.
posted by Daphne at 11:45 pm
4 Comments:
I absolutely love the title of this blog post.
PS in all the years I've known you (10?) I've never seen/noticed any brown patch under your left eye.
Have you seen how my hair has grey roots when it needs re-dyeing? No? (please say no). I think we all notice things we regard as slight imperfections/oddities in ourselves far more than other people do.
PPS if the eye issue is a feeling rather than something that actually happens I suspect the doctor rather than the optician is the one best qualified to give you a reassuring blank stare.
Don't know if this is relevant or helpful but my left eye tends to flicker when I am tired.
Ruth - - thank you. What grey roots? I think you're right about the doctor, too. Still expecting Blank Stare and half-hearted referral to Eye Dept in about a year's time where they too will give me a Blank Stare. Sighh.
Jennyta - - yes, I do think it's a tiredness thing with me too. Or perhaps being on the computer too long. That's not likely to stop, though!
I have the same with my right eye -- not the butterfly, the eyelid half closing I mean.
It might be the reverse of what you're thinking. My right is my "lazy" eye, so it's my left that has to stay alert!
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