I bought some new prescription sunglasses, which arrived last Friday. I had 3 pairs of sunglasses 3 months ago but I broke or  lost all of them in quick succession. I had glibly said to the spectacle shop guy, optometrist?, to use  the same prescription as my current glasses, which I had bought at the same shop a year or so ago. After the initial rush of,  “Hooray I have new glasses,” I gradually had to admit that I could not actually see very much. This was brought into very clear focus when I went birdwatching today.

I peered and squinted with both normal and dark glasses. What’s more both pairs of binoculars, admittedly cheap and old, went on sympathy strike with my glasses and refused to focus. I had to watch birds by sense of smell.

Black Winged Stilt – look at those legs

More legs

I had had an uneasy sense that something was happening to my eyesight over the last few months. Essentially it is better than it has ever been.  I do not need glasses except for long distance stuff. The ones I have are too er strong. Is this the only occasion whereby old age brings physical improvement?

Hot Cattle Egrets

Marsh Sandpiper

Little Ringed Plover worries

Little Egret – notice yellow foot, unfortunately pretty much masked by slime in this photo. If you click on these photos you get a much bigger version.

Black Winged Stilt flees or flies – you choose.

Anyway I go to my specs shop, it is 4:30 on Sunday afternoon.

I wonder what they sell here?

They are delighted to see me and rub me all over with scented oils. They are terribly distressed to hear that I cannot see and immediately test my peepers. Sure enough my eyesight has changed dramatically, from -2.50 gigapeepers to -1.25 gigapeepers.   I had better get some new glasses. I choose frames and then wander off to buy some binoculars. 40 minutes later, my glasses are ready. They say they will replace the lenses in my shades for free. Oh, the ease of living in Japan. Thanks everybody.

Thanks