Tuesday, June 19, 2012

eye update

I remember reading somewhere that if something is wrong with your eyes, see a doctor immediately, as it could mean the difference between blindness and sight.

I didn’t follow that advice exactly when I got a floater in my right eye on Saturday.  But yesterday I do go to see my eye doctor.  When I arrive, I interrupt the receptionist who is busy scrutinizing her long green neon fingernails. She ignores me even after I say I am here for a 3:30 appointment. 

I wait 45 minutes before being seen by a technician who checks and dilates my eyes.  I wait another 15 minutes and then the doctor sees me.  He examines my eyes with a bright light and then I have an eye sonogram.

The result:  “You have a floater in your right eye but there is possibly some traction so I want you to see a retina specialist tomorrow.”

I walk home with plastic, wrap-around disposal sunglasses as I can’t find my own.  I look like I’ve just left a 3-D movie and have forgotten to take my glasses off.

This morning I see the retina specialist.  The exact tests I took yesterday are repeated today except a new unpleasant one is added.  A very bright light is shone in my eye at the same time that the doctor pokes around with something that looks like a steel probe.  I’m surprised when the doctor tells me that a good percent of his patients cannot tolerate this test.  I guess I can because a) I have a relatively high tolerance for pain (my son was delivered with no anesthetics); b) I don’t want to take any chances with my eyes; and c) I ‘ve had worse medical tests (a probe in my nostril and snaked down my throat comes to mind).

After all this testing the results are good: no separation from the retina and no tearing.  “Come back in a month and we’ll check it again.” 

“Do I really have to,” I want to ask, but don’t.

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