The eyes have it
I continue in my quest to screw as much as possible from the system.
I booked a free home eye test for Herself.
I didn’t know how this was to work as modern eye tests seem to require equipment that would rival the Hadron Collider, but anyway we got a call the other day to say they were on their way the following morning.
I set the alarm as they were to arrive at the ungodly hour of nine thirty, and sure enough, they arrived in a small van and duly parked. Two fine young things got out and started hauling cases, crates and bags out of the van. It looked like they had actually managed to bring the Hadron Collider to the Manor.
They took over the room, setting up boxes and computers and stuff [they even set up a little wifi network of their own which was neat], and started testing Herself. That went fine. She needs new lenses but that was no surprise as she’s as blind as a fucking bat. I blame all the time she spends on Farcebook.
“Are you going to get tested?” Herself asked me.
“Well,” says I, “if the girls don’t mind doing me then I won’t object.” Herself gave me one of her funny looks. The girls sniggered.
They duly ran tests and decided that my lenses were perfect which is somewhat surprising after three or more years.
They started packing up and printing out reports [they even brought their own printer], one of which they gave me. Apparently my sight is perfect but there is a small problem. It seems that the tyre pressure inside the eyeballs should be somewhere between 12 and 22 but both my eyes were between 28 and 34.
So the exercise was to get glasses for Herself, but I’m the one who has to make an appointment to see an eye specialist. Bugger!
There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
They do worry about glaucoma. This is fair enough and it can be treated and controlled. Good luck with your specialist.
Yup. I worry about glaucoma too. Or at least I didn’t until the test.
My 93 year old mother had a ‘free’ home eye test which they then followed up by selling her a pair of specs with all possible bells and whistles attached for £280 odd pounds .
Like all free items there is a sting in the tail. Herself gets the free eye test and free lenses BUT if she needs varifocals [she does] an the frame of her choice [naturally the most expensive] then we have to pay. Mind you – we made savings of around €400, which is better than a kick in the arse?
Sounds like Glaucoma, I have it and my pressures were not as high as yours! Using drops every day is a nuisance and I have six monthly checks and scans to check for nerve damage but it doesn’t seem to affect my sight. I also had cataract ops which made a real difference. The problem is you might have to try several kids of drops to find what works. I was told one would give me long eyelashes, still waiting! Sure you will look good with long eyelashes and make mrs G jealous x
Glaucoma indeed. I don’t have any problem with eye drops but I shudder at the thought of constant eye tests. That means visiting Skobieville at least twice a year [*shudder*]. And I hope I don’t get the long lashes ones – my lashes keep smearing up the tops of my glasses a it is.
its a lot more sophisticated now, usually first picked up with a field vision test at the optician. I hate them as my concentration drifts and I miss the various lights.
As I said, it was very much a “field operation”. Last time I went into the opticians and had the full works but that was about three years ago.
I agree about the concetration. When I am sitting and a pretty young woman is leaning over me and telling me to look left straight down a lovely cleavage, it’s very hard to concentrate…..
Didn’t they used to test for glaucoma by blowing air into your eye? It all sounds very technological, now.
They still do. It’s the one aspect of eye tests I dislike as no sooner do the tests start than I start blinking at a fierce rate. I can’t stop it and usually have to hold my eye open with my fingers. Even then it’s a struggle for them to get a clear shot!
I keep having to put my name and email address in to comment, any idea why now?
Agggh! It’s that damned EU privacy thing. I think there is somewhere I can switch it off, but usually the browser should remember anyway.
My first comment on this post was ok but for the next two I had to put the details in.
Weird. There was a thing about remembering form details but it seems to have disappeared again. I’ll keep looking.
I just recently had an obligatory eye exam courtesy of the Veterans Administration medical center in White River Jct, Vermont. It’s free and all including whatever new specs they grind up for me but the one caveat to the whole thing is having to make a round trip of 4 hours to the appointment and back. Considering the price of gas these days and the fact that I make the trip in a 4 wheel drive vehicle I’m rather glad the rest is free of charge.
The VA also insists I have an eye exam every 6 months due to chronic high blood pressure and type 1 diabetes. Works okay for the Not-Winter months (all 2 of them) but not so well when it’s cold and snowy and I have to drive over a couple of medium size mountains in order to get to my exam. The weather can lead to several postponements so the obligatory 6-month exams are pretty much reduced to annual.
Nearly time to move? That would solve a lot!
Intraocular hypertension is NOT glaucoma. It’s easily treated with eye drops. The condition can cause glaucoma if not fixed. IH is not a notifiable condition in UK for drivers.
Yup. I’m aware of that, having spent a session or two visiting Dr Google. I am fine with any medical procedure so long as it doesn’t involve dentists, fingers up my arse or needles into my eyeballs. Oh wait……. Bugger! Lets hope the drops work?
They will.