I detest going to the Optometrist. I know it seems silly, but it wouldn't seem silly if I said I don't like going to the dentist would it? Lots of people have an aversion to the smile doctor but it just doesn't bother me. I guess because I got used to going as a child and I never really had a hard time there. Sure it hurt at times but it was worth it in the end. I am not saying that I love going but I wouldn't categorize it as an aversion.
The Optometrist? Hate going. I have tried to think back as to what could have happened to make me feel this way. Was it because of something that happened as a child? I can't remember anything. I just don't like going. Is it something that he does that I don't like?
Now, I do not like that pressure test where they blow in your eyes. Not at all, but it is not as bad as say, a trip to the gynecologist's office. Still, I hate going to eye doc worse than the lovely visit that involves stirrups, cold metal apparatuses and discussions of hormones.
The dilation of the eyes? Not that bad. Doesn't hurt, and is just mildly aggravating for a few hours. So what else is there?
The eye exam. Maybe getting a little closer. Sitting still with my chin in that little holder while someone gets that close to my eyes, not fun. But I feel like I can tolerate it for a short period and it usually is a fairly short amount of time because this is what the doctor himself does. You know he isn't going to stay in that room for too long.
Ahhh, the questions that follow once they determine you are going to need glasses. I believe that is the root of the problem for me. I detest the "Which one is better? One?" click. "Or two?"
I start off fairly optimistic about the whole thing but by the end I just want to stand up and scream at the nice lady who keeps having to go back to number one so I can see that it is, indeed, THE SAME as number two. Didn't the doctor just use some fancy smancy instrument to determine what my prescription should be? Now you want ME to decide if the instrument was right. Is that really how this works? I have to look at a MILLION slides and pick which one is better to determine what final adjustments you will put on my lenses. Seriously? By the end I feel like just saying TWO to all of them. (Because if you say one, you may get in a hurry and say it before they show you two and you will be busted for sure.) But then I think that it may negatively effect my prescription. So, I honestly look at these infinitesimally different slides to see which "I" like better.
By this point I can't see. I am have been struck blind with aggravation and the pressure on me to make my own diagnosis. I didn't go to school for this. And frankly speaking if we were to do this in my field (medical technologist), we would ALL be in a lot of trouble.
"Mam, we know what your glucose really is, but let's see what you think. Pick a number between one and 300." Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? This may be why the pick one or two test sounds so ludicrous to me. You give me some blood and I give you results, in number form, that are the values of the tests that you ordered for that patient. We run the tests and get results, if no results are gotten, we run more test to get results. That's how my mind works, in exact sciences. It's hard wired that way; they did that to us in Med Tech school. It's not my fault.
Now, let's move on, even though we seem to have found the problem. ;)
Once you are through guessing at the adjustments on your lenses, you get to pick out new frames if you so chose. I always so chose because of the length of time that goes by in between visits. My old glasses are so old they usually have some sort of comment like, "Wow! Hey Jane, remember these? They were so cool." This prompts me to want the absolute coolest frames in the office because I don't want to seem uncool now.
Problem. The coolest frames in the office, often are synonymous with the most overpriced trendy frames we carry. So usually I settle for some equally cool, significantly cheaper, a little less trendy, frames that I like. After all, I can't go too trendy because God only knows how long it will take me to muster the courage to go through this again.
It is T minus four hours until appointment time and I am feeling like complete vision in both eyes may be overrated more and more with every second. I will not cancel this appointment! At least that is what I will be saying to myself.
Wish me luck!
