cataracts and enchantment

[amw]

One of my colleagues recently shared with me his frustrations of trying to get new glasses that didn't give him a headache. After he went back to his eye doc and they retested everything, he made the choice that i didn't and continued with the original glasses as prescribed. He said after persevering for a few days he didn't have a headache any

Comments

[carriea31]

I wonder how bad the cataracts have to get before surgery is an option. My dad had his cataracts removed a few years ago and said it did make a huge difference, but I don't know how they judge when a person's eyes are cataracty enough for the removal. I think I just made a new word there... cataracty.

[amw]

They're probably more reluctant to get to work on "young" people since it's seen as an old person's ailment. I also wonder how much me being a migrant plays into it, perhaps a well-meaning xenophobe might think it'd be easier for me to wait till I go "home"? It's funny because Taiwan (and East Asia in general) has a reputation for drastically over-medicating anyone who gets even a tiny bit sick, but in this case where it's actually affecting my life they're being cautious. Perhaps there are thresholds for cataractiness that must be met before it can be covered under social insurance.

[king_of_apathy]

'Having a body that is not working at its optimum capacity is not a superpower. It's a disability, and it fucking sucks.' - Spot on. It reminds me of the attempt to rebrand disabled as 'differently abled', as though losing some mental or physical capacities automatically gifts you with another different sort, like Professor X in his wheelchair. Well intentioned perhaps, but it's just linguistic trickery that can't alter the reality that there are no positives to your body not working like it should.

Fuck getting old, indeed.

[amw]

The one aspect of this where i am a bit more circumspect about is "disability as a community". Some people who were born with a lifelong disability (like deafness, for example) find that their shared experience creates a community identity that is meaningful and important to them. If we had a magic potion that would fix any and all disability, i think there are a lot of people who wouldn't take it.

The discussion used to be had a bit in the trans community too - if you could wave a magic wand to rid yourself of gender dysphoria, would you do it? Nowadays i think it would be rare for someone to say yes, but 20 years ago there were conflicting opinions. Being trans causes a lot of personal stress, physical discomfort, economic struggle, family challenges, social difficulties etc. It objectively makes your life worse in almost every way... but if it could just be magicked away, would you still be you?

It can get uncomfortably close to eugenics to think about what humanity could look like if we could magic away disability. Personally i

[king_of_apathy]

'If we had a magic potion that would fix any and all disability, i think there are a lot of people who wouldn't take it.'

Interesting. I've been musing over this take and I still can't work out if I agree with it. My most recent LJ friend is a man whose been confined to a wheelchair for his whole life. I haven't asked him as much, as it would be very insensitive, but I've always assumed that if he could take a magic pill to be able to walk he would do so without a second thought.

I guess disability can create a sense of community, but it's in part based on the reality that they have no choice about being disabled. If disability was something that could be opted out off, would it be viewed the same way?

'quite frankly i'd be first in line for the "upgrade" to take my body to 110% or 200% because who wants to get old and feeble and die?' - As will come as no surprise to you, what with my recent obsession with longevity and anti aging, I would 100% do the same! Aging is a disease, and we'd all be better off without it.