The eyes have it...
Feb. 15th, 2022 10:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisToday was my appointment at the optometrist. And it was great. I went to get glasses so I can read the computer, pill bottles and the Tivo program descriptions on the TV.
The technician was way less irritating that the ones in the ophthalmologist's office. He was fun and nice and explained everything including what each test was for and how long it would take and what I could expect. He had a fancy camera that he could use instead of dilating my eyes. $52 bucks compared to dilation covered by insurance. I picked camera. Which turned out to be a genius move.
The doctor was a very young and pretty woman named Annie Yu. She was very efficient and likable from the get go. She tested my vision (1 or 2, 3 or 4, etc.) with various corrections. And said that neither glasses nor contacts will help the near vision issue. She said that the lens in my left eye (the near vision eye) had a layer on it that could be lasered off that will probably help a bunch. The ophthalmologist mentioned this over the last couple of visits but he said 'you have some layering we can remove if you want'. I had no clue what he was talking about. Dr. Yu showed me on an eyeball model and told me that the process is really simple and takes 10 minutes and only has to be done once - it lasts forever.
She gave me a prescription for glasses for far vision (the TV) but said if it were here, she wouldn't bother getting glasses. "It's really not enough of a correction to make a difference." ( Of course, I came home and spent $12 for glasses/shipping at Zenni. If she's right, I'm out $12 but I will know for sure.)
She also told me that my eyes are really dry and I should you eye moistening (no medicine) eye drops at least 4 times a day or more. No one had EVER told me that before.
Remember that $52 camera deal? Well I got to the the pictures! She showed me where maybe maybe, but probably not, there is a little glaucoma. She also said that genetic glaucoma was really siblings and parents and no farther (my grandfather had it). So I should take that off the worried table.
Macular degeneration was another thing entirely. The ophthalmologist has told me for the past couple of years that I had very very early signs and nothing really to worry about. Taking Areds2 vitamins would be smart and here's a chart you can keep on your fridge. Dr. Yu showed me exactly what the deal was. In my left eye there are clear signs. She said to not miss taking the AReds2 vitamins and to look at the chart on my fridge with one eye and then the other every two weeks!
She made sure I had all my questions answered and sent me on my way. I was so very impressed. And so glad I went.
I called the ophthalmologist's office to get a laser appointment. And I'm getting it done tomorrow at noon!!
The technician was way less irritating that the ones in the ophthalmologist's office. He was fun and nice and explained everything including what each test was for and how long it would take and what I could expect. He had a fancy camera that he could use instead of dilating my eyes. $52 bucks compared to dilation covered by insurance. I picked camera. Which turned out to be a genius move.
The doctor was a very young and pretty woman named Annie Yu. She was very efficient and likable from the get go. She tested my vision (1 or 2, 3 or 4, etc.) with various corrections. And said that neither glasses nor contacts will help the near vision issue. She said that the lens in my left eye (the near vision eye) had a layer on it that could be lasered off that will probably help a bunch. The ophthalmologist mentioned this over the last couple of visits but he said 'you have some layering we can remove if you want'. I had no clue what he was talking about. Dr. Yu showed me on an eyeball model and told me that the process is really simple and takes 10 minutes and only has to be done once - it lasts forever.
She gave me a prescription for glasses for far vision (the TV) but said if it were here, she wouldn't bother getting glasses. "It's really not enough of a correction to make a difference." ( Of course, I came home and spent $12 for glasses/shipping at Zenni. If she's right, I'm out $12 but I will know for sure.)
She also told me that my eyes are really dry and I should you eye moistening (no medicine) eye drops at least 4 times a day or more. No one had EVER told me that before.
Remember that $52 camera deal? Well I got to the the pictures! She showed me where maybe maybe, but probably not, there is a little glaucoma. She also said that genetic glaucoma was really siblings and parents and no farther (my grandfather had it). So I should take that off the worried table.
Macular degeneration was another thing entirely. The ophthalmologist has told me for the past couple of years that I had very very early signs and nothing really to worry about. Taking Areds2 vitamins would be smart and here's a chart you can keep on your fridge. Dr. Yu showed me exactly what the deal was. In my left eye there are clear signs. She said to not miss taking the AReds2 vitamins and to look at the chart on my fridge with one eye and then the other every two weeks!
She made sure I had all my questions answered and sent me on my way. I was so very impressed. And so glad I went.
I called the ophthalmologist's office to get a laser appointment. And I'm getting it done tomorrow at noon!!
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 07:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 07:14 pm (UTC)https://www.macular.org/amsler-chart
You look at that center dot and then at the lines around it. You are looking for any blurring or waviness in the lines. She said that I might see some waviness in my left eye now (I didn't — whew) but seeing changes in those lines "are a more accurate indicator than any doctor visit could be"!
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 07:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 07:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 08:06 pm (UTC)Yuck, nobody wants news like that about macular degeneration:(. If it helps, my mother was diagnosed with early signs at least five years ago and it hasn't progressed at all, so it's not necessarily the problem I used to think it was.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-15 08:20 pm (UTC)mobily
Date: 2022-02-15 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 12:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 01:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 01:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 03:45 am (UTC)I bought glasses there, but it will be the last time. The glasses, glass lenses and frames, came to $704. My insurance covered $150. They were steering me towards two different glasses, driving glasses and computer glasses. 30% off the second pair! That came to over $1000. Good lord.
I opted to continue with my progressive lenses that have worked for me for so long. I do have a pay flex account and loaded it up this year for this purchase, but it isn't sustainable. I've looked at Zenni, but need to dig into that more.
I do like glass lenses. I didn't like being gently guided to plastic lenses back in the day, with all the extra coatings to protect against scratches and other bullshit. I dug in my heels. I may need to reconsider, damnit.
I do like the shop. I get excellent customer service, they have awesome frames and I've seen that eye doctor for over 10 years.
Sigh.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 03:50 am (UTC)$700 is a lotta moola. So sorry.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 03:15 pm (UTC)I had my annual exam last week; the optometrist said she was tweaking the prescription a little bit, but seemed agreeable to my observation that, given that I hadn't noticed any change to speak of, I probably wasn't going to spend the money for a new pair.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-17 01:50 am (UTC)My insurance has been choking on eyesore coverage. Three year ago I paid 400 out of pocket and gulped.
Nightsky was pleased with Fred Meyer eye shop. Maybe I'll check that out.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-02-16 11:11 am (UTC)FWIW: Because my last glasses were more than $2,000 (yay New Zealand prices, always awesome!) I decided to get some backup glasses from Zenni. I don't normally wear progressives, but I got some of those, plus single prescription and single prescription sunglasses. Something broke on the $2,000 pair and while I was waiting for the part to arrive from Germany, I wore the Zenni progressives for several weeks. They did the job, but I did notice a difference between them and my normal Zeiss lenses, and my eyes were more comfortable when I got my Zeisses back. I wouldn't like to wear the Zennis every day. Having said that, I have a difficult prescription with a high degree of myopia plus astigmatism. If your vision problems are mild, Zennis may well be good enough.
(no subject)