The Eyes Have It

Far-sightedness, near-sightedness, astigmatism, and maybe even glaucoma. What a fun trip to the eye doctor! Lol :)

Our annual eye doctor appointment sessions used to hit in December, blech! Too much going on! So, last year, I got them repositioned in January. This year, we were sick in January, so I'm sliding them down the calendar :) This week is Buck's inventory week, which means he works every.single.day. Yesterday was his "half-day," so we decided to shop about the time he needed to leave, a little extra motivation to get out on time (like he needs it :) I had texted him before we left asking if he thought the eye doctor would take walk-ins. He texted that he highly doubted it (in fact, the practice has become so busy, they rotate three doctors through! Last year, it was just two). Anyway, God's-timing, we walked in during the only open slot of the day and found out there'd been a block of cancellations with just one employee appointment in between! Perfect!

So, the kids had their preliminary eye checks done (with the machines), while I filled out a fat stack of paperwork. Theirs are pretty quick, so they were able to squeeze me in too . . . score! It was kind of funny though, because I was totally unprepared i.e. I wore my contacts and didn't bring my glasses. Visiting with the eye doctor about Gabby was like talking to a pale pink blob wearing a blue sweater :) (I could see for the other three).

Graysen was the most entertaining (imagine that!). He'd been in the chair, maybe five minutes before he had the (until now, pretty serious) doctor laughing. When handed the circle on a stick intended to block one eye, so he could focus on the chart with the other eye . . . G had no problem putting it over his left eye as asked. The eye dr. said there are adults who struggle with that (yeah, I would be one of them, gotta make the L with my left hand :)

After checking the right eye, he told G, "Okay buddy, you can relax." G instantly melted in the chair, black testing plank still over his right eye . . . like a pirate, just chillin'.

"You are the entertainer in your family, aren't you?" asked the doctor. G says, "That's what everyone tells me." Seriously, the kid doesn't even have to think about his one-liners :)

Anyway, both boys were thrilled to discover they qualified for a prescription. Both are far-sighted, so they can use some help with near-sighted things. The doctor said kids' eyes are super good at focusing, so they would both be okay without glasses, but glasses would certainly take the strain of their eye muscles. I figure we'll keep them in the classroom and maybe G won't have to stick his nose into the illustrations of the books I read aloud daily to see what's in the pictures :) We ordered four pairs of glasses and had five eye appointments and paid $2.98 out of pocket . . .  I mean, free is free, right? Our insurance is so amazing!

The girls have long thought B looks especially cool in glasses, so he's stoked to "require" a pair of his own. We let them choose pretty much whatever they wanted, and their heads are big enough for men's sized glasses, so look forward to those pictures in a week or two :) G has told me about a dozen times, "Mom, today was so fun! And I am so excited to get my glasses!" Hey, at least they're enthusiastic!

Gabbers and I are both in need of some follow-up. Turns out the Doc has a private practice right next door to our dentist, which is very conveniently located not over state lines :) We'll go in two weeks from now and each do a 1.5 hour test. Mine is to make sure the advanced "cupping" of my optic nerve is not an indication of active glaucoma. He's hoping that it's just the way my eyes are formed, though my eye pressure is .5 to one point above normal, which is another concern, though he said the blowing air in your eye machine (that he admits everyone hates) often has a false positive. This upcoming appointment will be an opportunity to take pictures and establish a baseline, so any future changes can be compared and monitored.

For Gabby, he noticed a line of reflection on her optic nerve and some bulging and sloping that he wants to investigate with some peripheral vision testing and pictures too. He's got better equipment for the more medical side of optometry at his practice, so that'll be our little mommy-daughter bonding afternoon :)

So that's five eye appointments, a potential bonus dentist appointment next week, and the dog keeps throwing up his partially digested food, so tomorrow we vet. Good stuff! Sheesh :)