It had been about 4 years since my last eye exam and I knew I was needing new glasses (you folks who wear glasses know what I am talking about when you can sense you need a new prescription), so a few weeks ago I did a Google or Yahoo search (can't remember which now) on eye doctors and this certain eye doctor and his practice got 5 star reviews from dozens of people. That was good enough for me, so I called to make an appointment but they were booked. Having only 1 car and my husband's hectic work / school schedule, I had to figure out a day when I could get seen.
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Fast forward a week later, I call again, and got an appointment for April 8th. Woohooo...!
As with any medical professional (dentist, physician, eye doctor, etc) I have this anxiety thing going on inside. Outside I seem calm and composed, but inside my blood pressure is rising, the knots in my stomach are forming and I start getting panicky (if that's a word), and I feel like at any moment I will bolt out the door screaming bloody murder.
I don't know why this is, but it happens every time.
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Anyway, right away walking into this new eye doctor place, all of that slowly eased. As the staff and I started talking while I was waiting to see the eye doctor, I felt more relaxed and it seemed as if I knew the staff my whole life. :-) It did help that they actually care about the individual and not just see us as "just another patient" and were very, very kind.
The eye doctor was just as kind. And humorous and I was totally at ease with him. I could tell he actually likes his job. You know you can tell when someone hates their job or is just doing it for the money.
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Yep, still blind as a bat. :) And I have astigmatism and eye strain in my left eye (which is also my lazy eye / bad eye) and pinguecula (which is caused by UV rays and not wearing sunglasses / protection from the sun) in my right eye (it's harmless though).
However he (Doc. C) was a bit concerned because the pressure in my eyes were high (from the air test they do), so he made me get another one done after he was done examining me and it was still high, and then he starts talking about glaucoma (luckily, his specialty is glaucoma) as high eye pressure can be one of the beginning symptoms. And if caught early it can be treated, etc, etc.
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Did you know many (not all) of the over the counter eye drops (Visine, Clear Eyes, etc) are actually bad for your eyes? All they do is mask over the symptoms and actually constrict the blood vessels in your eyes also causing your own blood pressure to go up).
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Doc. C asked if I took a multi-vitamin. "Nope", was my reply. He recommended I take Ocuvite which is a multi-vitamin for your eyes. (Can be found anywhere vitamins are sold). Our eyes don't get the proper nutrition they need. Can't say I feel a difference...but I bought some I-CAPS too and hubby has been taking those and he says he feels a difference. Figures. :) Maybe I will take Ocuvite and I-CAPS interchangeably since they pretty much have the same things in them give or take 1 or 2 things.
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After that, we were done and I went and picked out my new glasses (which should be in sometime this week...yippee...can't wait!!!!) and paid for them and left.
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Not too long after that I get a call from one of the staff people wanting to talk to me, so since I was in the area anyway, I headed back to the place. Well, since Doc. C. was concerned about my high pressure readings he wanted for me to come back 1 day, right when they open in the morning and get some readings done and then in the evening before they close and get more readings done since our eye pressure fluctuates though out the day, plus he wanted to do an ultrasound on my eyes that would measure if I had "thick corneas", hence the reason for the high pressure or the possibility of glaucoma beginning.
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So, we set aside yesterday (12th) for that. My numbers did go down a bit, but not enough in the "normal" range.
The ultra sound was kind of cool. They numb your eyes with these drops and this little stick like instrument, a pachymeter, (not put in the eye, just right above it) measured something...
Well, it gave Doc. C. the numbers he was hoping for and he was happy. No glaucoma! Just "thick corneas". I will always have high pressure readings though, but at least we know why. :)
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I have to go back next month sometime, to get my eyes dilated and Doc. C. wanted me to have a ride home for that, so I've got to wait till hubby is out of school and has some free time.
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Robert got his eyes done last month at the Wal-Mart vision center, so now he's sporting a new set of specs. :) Next year he hopes to get contacts. I am referring him to Doc. C and his staff.
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And with that I say...
Take care of your eyes, they're the only pair you have.
4 comments:
Bridget, try Zinni optical (google it). You can get basic glasses for $8.00, it might cost more because of a thick prescription but extras like tinting and anti-glare are only 5 bucks each. I have had good experiences with them and with two kids in glasses (so far), I can afford to get back up pairs for them.
Bridget...my new glasses cost a fortune too because they have to shave the lenses real thin so I wouldn't be wearing coke bottle glasses. :)
My frames were only $25, but the lenses...wow.
For my eye exam and glasses it was like $430.
Count in the ultrasound I had done yesterday ($124) and it comes out to $554.
Don't ask where we came up with that money, but we did. Thankfully.
I really, really like this eye doctor and his staff though. I hope to continue going to them for years to come.
Yep, knew all that. LOL I have worked for two different ophthalmologists in the past.
What Dr. C didn't tell you is that there are drops that can reverse the dilation. We only used them if patients asked for them, but they are out there.
I'm glad you're back to blogging! You have some very fun and interesting things to write about. I also really like the new Headcovering scripture on your blog. :)
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