Tunnel Vision

I had heard the term “tunnel vision” for most of my life and basically understood what it meant. But in the last few months, that phrase has taken on a whole new meaning.  By definition, it means “defective sight in which objects cannot be properly seen if not close to the center of the field of view”.  

For me, the diagnosis is glaucoma.  

The picture on the previous page shows what a person with advanced glaucoma sees.  For me, since I am in the early stages, the most greatly affected is my right eye…the lower left sector. I am losing my peripheral vision.  

But it is a slow process. 

Ten years ago, drops were prescribed for my eyes, for pressure that was too high.  No mention was made of the word glaucoma.  Faithfully, twice a day, I administered the treatment.  A few years later, a second drop was added for bedtime use.  Allowing for time between the two drops, my bedtime routine took even longer.  Another year, and one drop was changed into a combination of two medicines.  And finally, the word glaucoma was mentioned.  

I researched that word and didn’t like what I read.  

Recently, I was referred to a glaucoma specialist.  My first appointment was two hours of testing, scanning and looking deep within my dilated eyes.  A week later I returned to hear the results of the testing and what the prognosis was.  The next step for me is laser surgery.  It’s called Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, or SLT.  That’s a big word that means they will make pinprick holes in my eyes to drain some of the fluid to reduce the pressure.  

I am scheduled for the first one tomorrow.  

We all know people with tunnel vision…and I’m not talking about glaucoma.  The second definition of tunnel vision is: “the tendency to focus exclusively on a single or limited goal or point of view”.  

We have people in our lives who are like that.  

I’ve known parents who practically destroyed their children’s lives by telling them what they would be when they grew up…a doctor just like dad, or an artist like mom.  The child’s talents and dreams were not taken into consideration.  My life was totally devastated by the teachings of the church I grew up in.  The limited point of view they espoused affected the entirety of my existence.  

Not all tunnel vision is negative.  Teachers need to concentrate on the assignments given.  Pastors need motivation to apply the scriptures correctly.  I’m sure you can think of other examples.  

As a Christ-follower, I pray that my tunnel vision about my beliefs will have a positive influence on others.  

“….I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”  Philippians 3:13 (NLT)

Joy