I would not take this three point earlier in the season, but that is getting on, so...
I let him approach to 25 yards, quietly clicked the lowest illumination on the crossbow's scope on, and slowly shoulder the bow.
Crosshairs settling on target, and WTF??
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Suddenly a "Dark Cloud" descends between my eye and the crosshairs.
Can't seem to even make those out, let alone the deer?
Drop the bow slightly, shake my head and try again.
Now the entire center focus in my shooting eye appears to be distorted by this "cloud" and I am getting weird flashes of light off to the right (nothing there?).
NOT taking the shot!
Drove home afterwards, and the cloud seemed to come and go on an irregular basis...
Vision blurred in the shooting eye more often than not. Took it Damn Slow!
As I wandered along, I painfully recalled a retinal separation in my left eye just a few short years ago.
The situation I was now facing had all the hallmarks of just that! Exception being this is my Shooting Eye! YIKES!!
Decided to see what happened overnight...
Worse this morning. Now little grainy floaters everywhere (right eye only) and one bigger swirling mass.
Enough. Emergency call to the Eye Sawbones - NEED to see you NOW!!!
Upon the explanation, he agreed, saying get here NOW!
Two hours of testing while I literally sweated bullets.
The dilation drops & various tests had me blinder than I had gone in with, and I had visions of the end of hunting for me...
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Finally he came back, and informed me "Good News - you had a near miss, but the retina has not torn nor separated."
The wave of relief was one of the largest I have ever known!
Turns out the jelly like liquid inside your eye gets a little thicker as we age, and will occasionally adhere to the retina. When it releases, it can indeed tear the retina (as happened with my left eye years ago) or simply break free (causing the light flashes). The "Floaters" as the Doc termed them are a combination of a very small amount of blood, and other membranes that floated free when the retina was released.
He suggests I "should be back to normal" within a week or so. CRAP!
How am I going to hunt like this?? Blacktail still ongoing, late season archery on the mainland, and January elk in Alberta!!
I am HOPING he is right! A little better this evening, the "cloud" is dissipating, but vision still blurred some...
Told me to stay away from the computer for a spell, so I'll only be around infrequently it seems...
Anyone out there have any influence with The Goddess, now would be a great time to put in a word for me if you don't mind...
Man-O-Man this growing older chit SUCKS Royally!!
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
Rattled!
Nog