Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Money made your eyesight all blurry...

Today after work, I had my annual eye exam. Being diabetic, I pay a bit more in insurance to get a yearly exam instead of the standard two year exam. Gotta make sure there's no gloucoma in the old eyeballs.


Anyway, before we started the exam, I had to do stuff on these three machines. The first was checking my peripheral vision, the girl said. (and her voice, oh, it was high pitched, and irritating, like a poodle on helium yapping away) it was like a video game, I had to look in and when I saw flashing lines, hit a button. She said I only missed one. I guess that's good.

Then I had to look into something that showed a cartoon of a highway running off into the distance with a hot air balloon above it. All I did was look. It was measuring something, I got no idea what, but apparently I did well on that also.

Then the last one was what I hate: The puff of air. I got in both eyes, but everything was okay with that as well, I guess. Don't know really what that does, but no one got concerned about any of the tests.

Then I was handed off to the doctor. He asked if I had any problems, and I told him I was having trouble with really small print, had to get a good light behind me and hold it close. He said it might be time for bi-focals, and I groaned. He said it affects everyone sometime between 35 and 40 something, so i was right in there. I guess that was to make me feel better. It just reminded me how old I was.

He gave me a card with some writing on it, and I could see it fine. Then he put two lenese over my glasses and asked if that was any better. It was, a little. I had to think about it, though, to make sure it was jsut a little better. He took the lenses away and then brought them back. I was still studying it when he yanked the lenses away and said, "You don't need them yet. When I put the lenses up, you're supposed to see an immediate and marked improvement. If you have to think about it, then you're not ready for bifocals." I cheered. He continued, "But i've made a note so I know to check it every exam from now on." I groaned again.

Other than that, after all the tests, he said my left eye got just a bit more near-sighted, but there was no reason to change my presciption. Basically, everything's pretty much fine now. I cheered again.

Then I went out front and got to chose a new pair of frames. I'm getting the lenses that change with the sun again, and I'm getting some kind of lighter lenses as well. the insurance pays for everything but the light lenses, so my entire bill when I pick up the glasses will be $25. That's it. And this might be the first year, in the 13 years that I've had eye insurance through work, that I've had to pay anything...although I might have had to pay the $25 for the light lenses the last time, I'm not sure.

Yeah, I bitch about my job, but the insurance ROCKS!

So hopefully before too long, you'll see a photo here of Uncle Polt's new glasses...and him in them, presumably.

POLT Listening to "Map Of The Problematique" by Muse

"What did you get me?" "What's six times twenty four?" "Um...a lot?" "I got you a lot of bottle rockets." - A Local Celebrity, Mr. David ParisPeking

7 comments:

john said...

That is some kick ass insurance. I paid $800 for three pairs of glasses (the Mrs. and I both got new frames and a pair of sunglasses for the Mrs.) last year. I'm always happy when I don't have to get new glasses.

Anonymous said...

If I remember correctly the puff of air is measuring your eye pressure.

Michelle M. said...

Oh, the puff of air test is the worst.

Anonymous said...

That puff of air, that to check the fluid pressure in the eye. That's one of the signs of glaucoma.

With diabetes I'd be more concerned about retinal damage.

Virginia Rose Kane said...

Yay about the healthy peepers! Yeah, the puff of air is weird. Be glad it's not the olden days when they'd just jab you in the eye with a chopstick. Not really. It was a knitting needle. Not really. I've obviously been awake too long....

Tam said...

Bull. I'm older than you and I only needed glasses for reading for the first time 18 months ago. So there Mr. Fancy Pants Smartass Dr., not everyone needs bifocals.

I went to eye Dr. last week. Why? Because I left my glasses on a plane in Europe. Doh! I only need them for reading really small print but they do make life a bit easier. My problem is my insurance will only pay for glasses every 2 years. Its not been 2 years yet. I'm going to submit my receipt but I'm not hopeful. Our gov't used to pay for eye exams but now they only pay once every two years so I had to pay $80 but I'll get most of that back with work insurance. Glasses are freaking expensive. I got two pair for $300 or I could have gotten only one pair for $275. Well, lets take a walk on the wild side and get the red ones too.

Oh I have a wonky left eye (basically can't even read the big E) so they give me expando-pupil drops when I go so I look like I'm tweaked out after an appointment and I can't see worth shit.

Anonymous said...

I went for my eye exam too. Everything got worse as usual. My doctor is very fast, it was over in 15 minutes, it is hard to keep up with him.

Onanite