A few months ago, while hanging out with friends, we started discussion how close we are to having 20/20 vision.  A wearer of glasses for 20 years(!), my eyesight is very poor and to add insult to injury, at my appointment last year, my eye doctor told me that instead of seeing me every two years like every other Canadian [er...except for others like me], he would like to see me annually.  Woe.  I told my friends this and instead of sympathizing with this most horrid fate, they laughed. 

I saw the humour in my excessive drama, and decided to include my eye problems in a fake personals ad because what is more appealing than reading Legally blind, obese woman seeks similar male for long walks out of traffic…or something equally romantic?  This led to much giggling amongst us.

I called today to book my yearly eye appointment, and told the receptionist that the eye doctor had informed me that I would need to see him again this year, even though I saw him last year.  I wanted her to tell me that it was unnecessary.  Instead she said “Yes, because of your eye condition.  Oh, and you should have been charged $80 for the appointment but I guess the eye doctor wanted to be nice to you.”

My heart gave a dull thump.  Eye condition?  I have an eye condition?!??  Why wasn’t I told this during my last visit?  I expressed this to her and she offfered to check my file while I waited.  While I waited for her to return to the phone, I wondered how bad it was that my eye doctor decided to waive the cost of the appointment.

She returned and yes, I have an eye condition.  You may have heard of it:  high myopia.  Oh yeah!  That’s why I have to wear glasses which, before the advent of super thin lenses, were as thick as my finger!  And that’s why I can’t read anything unless it’s a foot or less away from my face!  It’s all so clear [har har] now!  I’m myopic!

I didn’t appreciate the scare:  myopia I can deal with and have dealt with for 20 years.  Even the “high” in front of it doesn’t faze me:  I figured that part out already.  It’s all the other possible problems that cause my heart to seize and my breathing to become shallow. 

And now I’ve discovered that not only will I have to pay for my eye appointments, I’ll have to pay twice as often as the average Canadian!  Clearly I wasn’t consulted when this policy was changed and I wouldn’t mind it if someone interpellated the premier of health or whoever is in charge of this and find out when it was decided that eye health wasn’t as important as regular doctor’s checkups.  Hmmph!

Besides this,  I’m still looking forward to this appointment because I’m going to request a prescription and change my glasses.

Currently, my glasses look like this:

They are navy blue, with two silvery studlike things at the corners, and they are light blue on the inside.  They have served me very well for over 4 years  but it’s time for a change.  My journey with glasses had been somewhat turbulent:  I went from “Oh my gosh, I wear glasses, I’m a nerd.  I need contacts or I will be a social pariah” and other “I’m so ick in glasses” comments to “Oh my gosh!  I love my glases!  I have contacts but I love my glasses so I’ll wear them!  Happily!”.  I love eyebrows that form a striking contrast [due to colour] against the face and my faint black brows against my brown face just doesn’t do it.  I’m hoping that new lunettes that better work with the arch of my brows will make said brows stand out more.  Once I have my prescription in hand I will start the search.

Filed under: Health, WurdyGurdy by jummy