From Underwear to Eyesight

In the summer of 2020, significant health changes came about as a result of lockdown, and I know many of you can relate. An active person by nature forced into a sedentary situation was less than ideal. In addition to some developments that can be remedied simply by returning to normal exercise and daily activities, like leg swelling, depression, and so on . . . I discovered there was one development that was in a word, alarming. I developed an allergy to my underwear. All of it.

At first, my normal reaction was to simply buy something different. When that didn't work, I started to look for more natural options. That didn't work either. I can't pretend it wasn't somewhat freeing to go for long periods without the bindings and trappings of ancillary clothing deemed necessary only by a civilized society, but giving the girls complete autonomy just isn't a part of my fashion sense, so it was not a long term solution. But my anti-itch underwear journey isn't what this is about, it was just the beginning.

Rest easy, through trial and error these articles of clothing along with many others made out of, or sewn together with, some type of plastic, nylon or acrylic thread was abandoned for articles that I can wear for between 12-24 hours at a time without significant incidence.

This account, however, is about my eyesight and how replacement lenses for those with cataracts are made acrylic, and as you might have guessed I didn't think of that either, until now, now that I can't see. My vision is severely blurred unless an object is 4 inches from my face - much like my computer is now. I've been blurred for 2 months relying on ride-share, my husband to do all the driving and shopping, and to walk in front of me everywhere we go. It's not only disorienting and depressing, but leaves me a very short list of things I can accomplish in a day. 7 doctors, all with a tragic lack of curiosity, have no answers nor much interest in finding the cause and effect or any solution.

I have yet to meet another individual with a plastic allergy, but I suspect there are others out there forced to go Commando with few options and lots of cortisone cream. We need to have conversations about the pink plastic elephant in the room. Plastic isn't just an environmental problem; it's affecting our health in ways we're only beginning to understand including reproduction, wildlife, and marine life. It's time to raise awareness and seek realistic alternatives.