Isn’t it funny how you never miss something until it’s gone?

That’s how I felt when I turned 40 and my eyesight began to go.

All of a sudden, words in books were fuzzy and as time moved on, seeing something at a distance — like a street sign — became a challenge.

And for the past couple of years, I have struggled with driving at night.

Obviously, if I popped on my glasses or put my contact lenses in, the dilemma would be resolved. The problem with that, however, is I wasn’t fond of wearing glasses, and because I have dry eyes my contacts often became uncomfortable.

So when my optometrist said I had cataracts I was elated.

That may sound crazy, but I knew when cataracts started developing in my eyes, I would be eligible to have surgery that would be able to correct my vision.

Earlier this month, I had that surgery, and I chose what I have been calling the “Cadillac Plan.”

Insurance covers basic cataract surgery, but if you want a multifocal lens, which is a lens that lets you see at all distances — you must fork out a few bucks. Well, a good bit more than a few. But it was worth it.

I can now sit at my computer and use two screens with no problem and at night when I crawl into bed to read, I don’t have to rely on my 3.5 readers.

It’s nothing short of a miracle without the spit and mud.

There are many out there who still struggle with sight and may not have the means to correct it, whether it’s from cataracts or vision impairments in general.

Therefore, to help out, I am going to donate all my eyeglasses that I don’t need anymore to our local Lions Club.

Lions Club International is known throughout the world for its work to improve the lives of those who are visually impaired, and after reaching out to one of the local members, I learned I can hand over all my unneeded glasses to any Vicksburg member.

To contact a member about donating you can visit e-clubhouse.org/sites/vicksburg.

Seeing is definitely one of those things I took for granted, but now with my new and improved eyesight, my world is clearer.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.”