Tax papers, Lasik, and cataracts

I have 95% of the important documents for tax time. All I have to do is figure out how much I have spent in medical bills, find out how much my first property tax payment, and how much I paid for automobile registration. Then send it to my tax accountant.

Up until this year, I have put off getting my tax papers ready because of a genuine fear of handling important papers (fear of screwing something up). This year, though, my reason for putting it off is different: it is my slowly worsening vision due to cataracts.

This year I am looking up into the monitor and frequently setting the font to a very very large size. If only all small print situations could be so easily solved, though: Envelopes and important papers frequently have small print, and even regular size print is hard for me to read now. I use a magnifying glass to help me out there, but it is cumbersome.

I have reading glasses that help somewhat, and sometimes if I squint the right way, I can see the words. Also, my eyes get watery and that causes blurred vision in addition to the blur caused by cataracts.

Yes, I know that I can get cataract surgery, and I might get it sometime this year, but there is a problem with that: I had Lasik surgery about 15 years ago and that has caused problems with my cornea. My vision from the surgery has been great  until last year and now, this year, so I do not regret having Lasik, but you might want to be warned that said surgery can cause irregularities in your cornea, making cataract surgery problematic. (Lasik doctors don't tell you this.)

If I get the surgery I am risking having my vision not much better than now, and having to wear thick glasses. This is what my ophthalmologist says.

In the mean time, I have to get those tax papers looked at, put in order, and mailed to my tax man. Wish me luck. I need all I can get.

    -Lorna