Out of focus

I underwent orbital decompression surgery on Monday, and it's been quite a journey. My face resembled a rough night at a fight club, especially around my eyes. This past week has been all about rest, ice packs, and pain medications, but finally, I can see out of both eyes. Although I'm still on various medications, including in-eye and whole-body antibiotics, I'm hopeful about my recovery.

I developed strabismus, a post-surgery complication. Strabismus is a condition where the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object. This misalignment can result in double vision.

The doctors say it might resolve on its own, or I might need further surgery. Surgery to correct strabismus involves adjusting the muscles around the eye to align the eyes properly. This may include strengthening or weakening specific eye muscles to achieve proper alignment. I'll better understand what I need at my post-surgery appointment on Monday.

Interestingly, amidst my recovery, I hadn't thought about participating in [Frank's Photo Challenge]. But today, with a patch over my left eye, I stumbled upon a response to the challenge while browsing the WordPress Reader. The theme was "Focus," which struck me as humorous given my current situation.

I've had cataract surgery on my left eye in the past, and I chose a lens for distance vision. Subsequent laser surgery on my right eye allowed me to focus on nearby objects. My brain cleverly combines both images to give me stereoscopic vision, enabling me to do various tasks easily.

Now, with post-surgery strabismus, I can't focus on objects ahead of me unless I cover one eye. It's not ideal, but Bhavna gave me an eye patch to alternate between eyes. However, this means I lose my stereoscopic vision and depth perception.

Nonetheless, I was determined to participate in the challenge. Covering one eye long enough to type took some energy, but I submitted two images. Both were taken with my Fujifilm X-T2 using manual focus 35mm film lenses, one with the help of the focus-peaking feature and the other by relying on my eyesight. I suspect one of the images is sharper than the other due to my vision limitations.

I used Luis Costa's monochrome film simulation recipe, discovered via Ritchie Roesch's post. It brought back memories of my college days when I used to shoot monochrome 35mm films. Though I can't recall if it's precisely like Tri-X, I genuinely like how it looks.

Here's one of the images I captured.

Chive Flower
14 September, 2019 · Chive Flower · FujiFilm X-T2 · Asahi Pentax SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

Participating in this challenge has been a bright spot during my recovery, reminding me of my passion for photography despite the obstacles.

Author: Khürt Williams

A human who works in information security and enjoys photography, Formula 1 and craft ale. #nobridge

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