I’ve had what seems like a record series of weird and unsettling events in the last few weeks. Here’s one of them:

I have been wearing contact lenses for 46 years—my first prescription was a gift from my parents for my 16th birthday. In all that time, I have never lost a lens, and have damaged only two or three. In all those years.

And for all those years, I’ve been using the little screw-top reservoirs to store my lenses. The routine is to take one lens out, put it in the well of the case, look carefully to make sure it’s really there in the liquid, then replace the cap. Repeat with the other lens. Forty-six years.

Last time I was at the eye doctor’s, I bought a set of disposable lenses—a four-pack of lenses for each eye. I am extremely careful with my lenses, so one pair lasts much longer than the average. As of a week ago, I was on my second pair, with two more pairs to go, even though it’s been more than a year. The ones I was wearing were getting a little gunky, so I had been thinking about changing to a new pair.

Last Wednesday afternoon, I took my lenses out and placed them carefully into the case. That evening, when I opened the case to put them back in, there was no lens in the right-hand compartment.

What?! I was surprised, to say the least. But I didn’t think much about it, just figured that I had somehow goofed up, once in all the years of being careful. No worries. I changed to a new, squeaky-clean pair as I had been planning to do anyway.

Thursday afternoon, after wearing them all day, I removed the new contacts and placed them carefully in the case for the night. Friday morning, when I went to put them in, there was once again no lens in the right-hand compartment.

After 46 years, losing one lens was understandable; but two lenses on consecutive days? Um, not so much….

I have noticed lately that the acuity in my eyes is decreasing pretty rapidly, and I have a number of new “floaters.” I’d been considering going to the eye doctor, but knowing my love of procrastination, I probably would have waited a few months.

When the second lens disappeared, I didn’t even bother to get upset. I just pitched the remaining one and put in the last set. I’ll go to see the eye doctor right away, even though that one pair would likely last me another several months. But I assume that my Guides think it’s advisable for me to go sooner rather than later, and who am I to argue?