Everyone knows that Jorge Luis Borges was blind.  A smaller number of people, though, also know that by the time he went blind, he had mastered the world of literature and philosophy, which are relevant to his fiction.  But almost no one knows why he went blind, except for the experts.

Searching the internet for an answer to this question reveals nothing but deep reflections on the subject of lost time.  I had to look at his most solid biographical treatise, by Edwin Williamson.

So this is what happened.  From early childhood, Borges suffered from terrible myopia and by age 29 developed cataracts.  Treatment was unknown, as it would be another 40 years before Dr. Benjamin‘s birth, and it appeared to be a family curse; his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all died blind.

Borges received the first of eight eye operations in March of 1928, and went completely blind 25 years later, but this did not affect his penchant for walking around the dangerous outskirts of Buenos Aires.  One time, Borges took his friends Ulysses Petit de Murat and Sixto Rondalla Rios through the worst parts of Lower Belgrano, which is retold in the story Ragnarok.  At the time, it was an area of semi-abandoned farms and stables, where it was good practice travel with at least a knife, if not a gun.

Near-sighted Borges walked with a cane, which attracted a group of shady characters.  They began to hurl insults at his friends, who wisely made the decision to run while Borges stayed.  And then, to the horror of his friends, Borges started to mock the thugs’ masculinity, striking a most painful chord.

“What are you little girls blabbing about?” he shouted to them.  “Speak up, ladies!”  Enraged, they rushed toward Borges, but his friends grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the nearest railway station.  The arriving train cut off their pursuers, so they had time to disappear into a safer part of Belgrano.

By this time, the Borges’s vision had deteriorated dramatically, but he could still function.  One eye could see nothing, but he could read and write with the help of his other eye, although he had to hold the page very close to his face.  And there was another incident, already well-known, where Borges smashed his head on a window frame, and then wrote “South” while hovering between life and death in the hospital.  All was not lost.

During another incident, however, Borges was walking with friend and fellow author Bioy Casares (whose giant 1664-page biography of Borges was never translated into English), as well as Silvina Ocampo, along the Mar del Plata.  He fell hard, and found that after he got up could no longer see out of his good eye, either.

Those who read this blog have no illusions: it was retinal detachment.  Bioy and Silvino took Borges to the doctor, who advised him to go to Buenos Aires immediately for an operation.

The results of the surgery were discomforting, if not disastrous.  A few weeks out of the clinic, Borges was able to see a little, but could not read or write.  His vision had been dealt a fatal blow, and within a few years the world had been reduced to ghostly glimpses of objects, and out of all the colors in the universe only a dull yellow remained.

A world of grief and pain: Flowers bloom; Even then…

You often dream about this or that…  I even dreamed that I once brought Borges into a cutting-edge ophthalmology center.

LASIK, CATARACT, GLAUCOMA: Take advantage of the latest technology and one of the best teams in LA

Всем, кто хоть что-то знает об этом мире, известно, что Хорхе Луис Борхес был слеп. Меньшему числу граждан известно, что зрение он потерял к моменту, когда успел освоить всю мировую литературу, включая философию, которую относил к фантастике. И почти никому неизвестно, по какой причине наступила слепота. Никому, кроме борхесоведов. 

Рысканье по интернету в поисках ответа на этот вопрос не дает ничего, кроме глубоких рефлексий на предмет утраченного времени. Пришлось заглянуть в самый солидный биографический эпос (я о тяжести тома) Эдвина Уильямсона. Этого автора упрекают в излишнем психоаналитизме или как минимум психологизаторстве (извечная беда биографов; так, верный, но беспардонный и потому отвергнутый сподвижник и полубиограф Борхеса Ди Джованни изрядную часть своих печально скандальных мемуаров посвятил проблемам мочеиспускания мастера), но в детальности Уильямсону не откажешь. 

Вот что открылось. С раннего детства Борхес страдал чудовищной миопией (почти оксюморон), а к 29 годам добавилась и катаракта. Лечить ее тогда толком не умели, до рождения д-ра Бенджамина еще было лет сорок, и катаракта к тому же являлась семейным проклятьем: отец, дед и прадед писателя умерли ослепшими. 

Первую из восьми глазных операций Борхесу сделали в марте 1928. Полностью ослепнет он лишь через 25 лет. Слабое зрение не сказывалось на пристрастии Борхеса к прогулкам по опасным окраинам Буэнос-Айреса. Вот лишь один из эпизодов. Борхес увлек двоих друзей, Улиса Петита де Мурата (с таким звучным именем сложно было не стать другом писателя) и Сиксто Рондаля Риоса в худшую часть Бельграно, что в Бахо, которое мы помним по рассказу «Рагнарёк». В ту пору это был район полузаброшенных ферм и конюшен, в котором хорошим тоном считалось ходить если не с пистолетом, то уж как минимум с ножом. 

Близорукий Борхес шагал с палочкой, стук которой привлек какую-то группу темных личностей. Для разогрева куманьки начали осыпать друзей оскорблениями. Улис и Рондаль приняли мудрое решение бежать. Как люди решительные, они без промедления приступили к выполнению этого плана, не сразу обнаружив, что Борхес остался на месте. Более того, к ужасу друзей, он начал дразнить поножовщиков, задевая их мужественность, т.е. самую больную струну. 

«Что ты там вякнула, Розита?» – кричал он им. «Не слышу тебя, Пелагия!». Разъяренные компадритос кинулись в сторону Борхеса, но друзья успели его «повязать», просто физически схватив и утащив на ближайшую железную дорогу. Подоспевший товарный поезд отрезал их от преследователей и они успели раствориться в относильно безопасном центре Бельграно. 

Сводя расходящиеся тропки в одну, совершим скачок в 1954-й. Зрение писателя (и поэта) к этому времени ухудшилось кардинально, но это все еще было зрение. Один глаз уже не видел ничего, а при помощи другого он еще мог читать и писать, хотя и при очень плотном приближении страницы к лицу. И тут случился инцидент, отчасти похожий на другой, уже хрестоматийный, когда Борхес разбил голову об оконную раму и, побывав в больнице между жизнью и смертью, написал рассказ «Юг», показавший ему самому, что писательский дар, может быть, не утерян. 

На этот раз он с другом и соавтором Бьоем Касаресом (чью исполинскую 1664-страничную биографию Борхеса никогда не переведут на английский) и писательницей Сильвиной Окампо отправился погулять на побережье Мар дель Плата. Там он упал, крепко ударившись, и когда поднимался, обнаружил, что теперь и «хороший глаз» не видит. 

Читающие этот блог лишены иллюзий: отслойка сетчатки. Сейчас ее научились худо-бедно приваривать, а тогда об этом и мечтать не приходилось. Бьой и Сильвина привели Борхеса к доктору, тот посоветовал срочно везти его в Буэнос-Айрес и немедленно делать операцию. 

Результаты той операции оказались если не плачевными, то малоутешительными. Выйдя через несколько недель из клиники, Борхес еще что-то видел, но уже не мог ни читать, ни писать. С тех пор зрение фатально угасало и через несколько лет картина мира свелась к призрачным намекам на контуры предметов, а из всего многоцветья вселенной остался лишь мутно-желтый. 

Как печален этот мир! Даже когда расцветают вишни. Даже тогда. (Исса, «На смерть сына») 

Часто мечтаешь о том, о сем. Что было бы, если Мандельштам избежал ГУЛАГА, Бродский – сердечного приступа, Терренс Маккена – рака мозга. Как-то раз мне приснилось, что я привожу Борхеса в новейший офтальмологический центр… 

LASIK, CATARACT, GLAUCOMA: Take advantage of the latest technology and one of the best teams in LA 

en_ru

Почему ослеп Борхес?

Even after eight eye surgeries, life began to lose color to Luis Borges. Oh, if a time machine existed and make fantasies come true, it could  transport the Maestro to the Benjamin Eye Istititute

Несмотря на восьмь перенесённых операций по поводу катаракты и ее осложнений, жизнь Луиса Борхеса окончательно потеряла краски. Ох, если бы существовала машина времени, и фантазии бы  имели свойство воплощаться в жизнь, мы бы доставили Маэстро в Benjamin Eye Instityte


Why did Borges go blind?

Staff was very personable and accommodated my needs.  Dr Benjamin was very professional and great bedside manner.  I would highly recommend the office to friend and family

An awesome experience as is the norm for our visits to Dr Benjamin. We have trusted him and his office with our multiple surgeries and care for many years, and plan to continue forward. Thank you Dr Benjamin, and your staff.

Great front desk and tech staff. The doctor was super nice and I’m so pleased I found this eye institute! Everyone was great and happy to finally have taken care of an appointment I had been putting off for a while. Great check-in process also for first time patients.

⭐️ My review of LASIK after one year ⭐️I told Dr. Benjamin I would do this a while ago, but I kind of feel like it says a lot I have kept this on my checklist for a year. I feel like a year is a good amount of time to review a procedure like this and give my honest thoughts and recommendation.So, let me tell you about my journey to getting LASIK and how I ended up in the amazing care of Dr. Benjamin. After going to an optometrist for years and him advising against LASIK because of my genetically dry eyes, I finally got a second opinion from an ophthalmologist (Dr. Benjamin). I didn’t know the difference between an optometrist vs. opthalmologist, but once I learned it kind of made sense why my optometrist didn’t want me getting LASIK lol. Because he couldn’t sell me on contact lenses or glasses for the foreseeable future if I got my vision corrected :) I mean, who knows, but I am glad I got a second opinion.I figured being in Los Angeles with some of the best doctors in the world… if anyone is going to touch my big, blue eyeballs, might as well get it done while I’m here. I found this business due to the reviews and they seemed to really know what they were doing and how to talk to clients.Upon meeting Dr. Benjamin he told me that I wasn’t a candidate for LASIK with my dry eyes, but he could put me through treatments for dry eyes and reevaluate after; and that these treatments had a good success rate for most.So, I started doing two treatments every other week for about 2.5 months - IPL laser treatment and Lipiflow. Lipiflow, especially, was a weird painless experience but highly recommend anyone with dry eyes to ask about it regardless of LASIK. I could tell my eyes felt way less dry a couple days after each treatment. There are videos on YouTube that talk about this treatment… Who knew this stuff existed. I’m not gonna lie, it’s an investment to do all these treatments on top of LASIK, but my eyes rarely feel dry anymore so if you’re going to get it done - do it right.Finally, I was approved for LASIK. I ended up waiting until the end of year to make sure I saved up the funds to do it and had some time to heal. I also took advantage of an end of year deal they were offering. $1000 off was a pretty nice forcing function to get me to finally do it after prepping my eyes with the treatments. The procedure itself I couldn’t feel anything even though I was awake the entire time (medicated). Even the scary part when bubbles form on your eyes Dr. Benjamin let me know about in advance so when it happened I just went with the flow. I think the worst part was the recovery the few days after and coming home drugged up lol. I remember day 1 thinking omg what did I do to my eyes. My eyes just hurt and felt weird, but omg I could see 20/15 immediately. And then, day by day it gradually got better. It took a few weeks for my eyes to heal, but after 1 month you couldn’t even tell I had surgery. One eye was a bit more bloodshot than the other.I can see 20/15. It’s been life changing for the past year not having to worry about contacts or glasses. I just got married and was able to walk down the aisle with clear vision. I only wish I had the means to have done this earlier in life. If you’re considering it - do it! And definitely consider Dr. Benjamin to do it right.Lastly, to continue treating my dry eyes, Dr. Benjamin gave me an extra LipiFlow treatment, and also recommended I try punctal plugs (painless plugs inserted into your lids that help your tears last longer). He placed the plugs in my eyes under 5 mins. Wild.I heard from people during the LASIK process they have been nervous to get the procedure so I wrote this to help and because I think highly of this business for changing my life. And, some of the dry eye treatments I would’ve never known about had it not been for them. Again, I wish I would have had been able to do this years ago. It is so, so worth it!Thank you, Dr. Benjamin (and staff!)

Concerned about a reoccurring virus, I text Dr Benjamin’s office first thing in the morning seeking immediate advice and an appointment. In quick time I received both sage advice and a same day appointment. Dr B takes a personal interest in his patients well being and has diligent, competent and attentive staff to support the care and support needed. Can’t speak highly enough.

Been going to Dr B for nearly a decade after trying many other eye doctors in LA.  Beyond solving my chronic dry eye and being the most knowledgeable, he is an all-around great guy and spends time educating. The staff is wonderful as well.

The ophthalmologist that performed my surgery, Dr. Benjamin, was extremely skilled and knowledgeable. He took the time to thoroughly explain the procedure and answer all of my questions. I felt confident in his abilities and knew that I was in good hands.

Dr Benjamin and his team are extremely professional. I had Lasik surgery performed by him and his team and everything to date has gone exactly as described to me. Front office is very friendly and scheduling appointments is easy.

The office staff were kind and considerate. The technician that assisted me explained everything she was doing. The Doctor was very nice and explained everything. He was definitely knowledgeable about my condition.

Dr Benjamin has been the “go to” eye specialist for 3 generations of my family, starting with my father and now grown children. Simply put, he’s an exceptionally capable, trustworthy, and cutting edge doctor with a courteous and professional staff.Without any reservations, I recommend him to anyone seeking an exceptional eye doctor.

The surgeons at Benjamin Eye Institute are true experts in their field - they were able to explain the procedure in detail and answer all of my questions and concerns. The surgery itself was quick and painless, and the recovery was much faster than I had anticipated.

I just completed my first visit and can say that this office deserves every high ranking it gets. The staff are efficient, friendly but highly professional.  The office is modern and sparkling clean. The examination was smooth and thorough. The doctor saw me on time.  He listened closely to the background of my problem, and he clearly communicated his treatment plan and the rationale for it. I absolutely trust him and highly recommend him.

Dr. Benjamin is always personable and thoughtful and very much an expert.  He has been my eye doctor for many years.  Now that I am older I am very grateful that he is still my ophthalmologist. Everyone in the office is very helpful. I, of course, highly recommend Dr. Benjamin.

One of the things that sets the Benjamin Eye Institute apart from other ophthalmology practices is their team of experienced and highly trained surgeons. The surgeons at the Benjamin Eye Institute have performed thousands of cataract and LASIK surgeries, and have a wealth of experience in these procedures. They are committed to providing the best possible care for their patients and strive to achieve excellent outcomes.

No exaggeration, this was the best visit with any doctor I've ever had. The facility is very nice, the staff is exceptionally thorough, professional, and efficient and Dr Arthur had by far the best bed side manner I've ever encountered. I 100% recommend him and his team

My experience at Benjamin Eye Institute was exceptional.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever encountered such an efficient and professional staff in a doctor’s office.  The front desk was communicative and everyone up to the doctor was beyond detailed in their care.  I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye problems because they have the most advanced equipment and Dr. Benjamin is caring, thorough and knowledgeable.

Dr Benjamin and his staff are excellent! 3/5 members of my family are patients from senior to adult to teen. Great care and professionalism. Highly recommend!

Immediately after  cataract surgery, I can see my husband’s face accross the room for the first time in 40 years! No more glasses since childhood, both distance and close up. If you are thinking, should you spend the big bucks to see everything both near and far?  I can tell you it’s so worth it! Thank you Dr. Benjamin and all the wonderful people in your office! I appreciate your efficiency, attentiveness, professionalism and welcoming space! Please feel free to use me as a reference any time!

I can’t ever express my deep gratitude for Dr . Benjamin and his entire extraordinary team at the Benjamin Eye Institute.I was nervous as eyes are so sensitive,  but his incredibly kind receptionists and nurses make you feel at ease and diminish all fears right away . He offers impeccable medical knowledge and state of the art technology to heal . My son and I have both experienced his phenomenal treatment and have had all our eye issues resolved . I am so thankful and can’t recommend him and the Benjamin Eye Institute highly enough 🙏

Dr.Benjamin is the best of the best.Very personable, knowledgeable and kind.I had a stye and in a bad shape.He  took me right in.His staff polite , kind and very professional.Highly recommended.

My 18-year-old son has been under Dr. Benjamin's care, and we were truly impressed by the level of service we received at Benjamin Eye Institute. From the moment we stepped into the clinic, the staff was incredibly helpful and accommodating.Dr. Benjamin conducted a comprehensive eye exam for my son, and his expertise and professionalism were evident throughout the entire process. He took the time to explain everything clearly, making sure my son understood his eye health and any potential concerns. His patience and attentiveness were truly appreciated.We highly recommend Dr. Benjamin to anyone seeking exceptional eye care. He and his team exceeded our expectations, and we are grateful for the outstanding service we received. Thank you, Dr. Benjamin!

Dr Benjamin and Alba were great. He is very professional, kind and with clear explanations. I had an eyelid quick surgery and I’m just missing the glasses prescription, I left the office and forgot to ask for it. But he and his team were amazing!

I was referred to Dr. Benjamin from both my eye doctor and a very close friend of mine who also had her LASIK performed there. My experience was exceptional. Every single person that you meet in the office is a joy to work with. Whether it was the constant and clear communication, or the fact that they were always listening to feedback and answering my questions and concerns, they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable trusting my vision to them. They were very kind and never once pressured me into anything (including when I had to push my surgery back after I broke my leg).I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye problems because they have the most advanced equipment and Dr. Benjamin is caring, thorough and knowledgeable.

Top notch service and staff! By far the best experience I’ve had at a doctors office in 20 years. I wish every office was as well trained, friendly, and professional as Benjamin Eye Institute. Seriously if you have eye problems you won’t find a better doctor.

More than everything I value professional people. Dr. Arthur Benjamin is one of them. He is taking care of me and my husband for pretty long time. All I can say we are very thankful to the doctor and people who work as a team to make us healthy and happy !

LASIK Eye Surgery- The short is go see Dr. Benjamin!I visited Dr. Benjamin Eye Institute after deciding I wanted to learn more about Lasik eye surgery and what the process would look like. I stare at computer screens for very long periods of time so I was nervous to make this life change but ready to ditch my glasses for good! The entire team from day 1 of my consultation made me feel very comfortable. The office is clean the staff are extremely welcoming, friendly and all took the time to answer any questions I had about the procedure - which was very quick and painless the day of. They also have awesome social content for educational purposes and just to make you laugh!I am about a month post procedure and it has been life changing and a freedom restored. Your eyes are important so make sure you consult with the best.Thank you Dr. Benjamin and team!!!

Dr. Benjamin is an exceptional doctor and eye surgeon. He is innovative, and anticipates a patient’s needs. Above all Dr. Benjamin is kind and caring. My results are outstanding. I can thank him for changing my life. Thank you.

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