annual eye exam

[redbird]

I had my annual eye exam today. I go to an ophthalmologist because we're monitoring my corneas, and because I have a history of optic neuritis.

So, the corneas are slightly thicker than last year, but for now we will just continue to monitor them. The left optic nerve is pale, but the same paleness that it's been as long as I've been seeing this doctor. (The optic neuritis was in 1999.)

Dr. Lazzara gave me a printout of my eyeglass prescription, including a prescription for computer-distance glasses, and the information I'd need to order glasses online. He volunteered that, and when I said yes, wrote a note on the bottom of the prescription stating the pupillary distance.

Getting to the eye doctor was annoying: I missed a bus connection, clearly wasn't going to be at the eye doctor's on time, so went upstairs and called a Lyft, paying for priority/faster service, which I didn't get. The driver parked about half a block away from the pickup location that Lyft had suggested, and didn't bother to call or text to let me know where he was, so I had to call him. And then it seemed like he was seeking out every side street in Cambridge or Arlington, with a short stretch of highway in between. So I was still late, but not late enough to be a problem--but I could have been about as late for a lot less money. *sigh*

The eye doctor is still taking masking seriously. The online check-in says that patients have to bring their own face masks, but I noticed a box of surgical masks next to the entrance. One of my pill alarms went off while I was in the waiting room, waiting for my eyes to dilate before being examined by the doctor. I grabbed my bag, told the receptionist I was stepping outside for a minute to take a pill, and then put my mask back on and went back to my seat in the waiting room.

Comments

[mrissa]

The eye doctor is one of my prime examples of "why did we NOT mask for this before omg." Like, seriously: why did we think it was a good idea to be two inches from each other's faces just breathing? this person is not my lover or my very small child, there is literally no need for me to breathe their exact air. I knew what kind of vegetable soup my eye doctor had for lunch each year before the pandemic (and it was always the same kind); this is not information that enriched my life.

[redbird]

There are a few bits of the eye exam which masking made more difficult -- they're checking my vision with my glasses on, masked, and the N95 can interfere with the glasses and vice versa.

However, I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be an issue for me if I was wearing a plain surgical mask instead of an N95. Most of the staff and the few other patients I saw were wearing those.

[adrian_turtle]

Another example of "OMG, what were we thinking before the pandemic?" is the custom of blowing across a cake.