Eye Doctor Adventure

I made the appointment for a day when Riley was out of school. I told her it was a check up for her eyes. I explained that Mom and Dad had done research and were bringing her to a very good eye doctor. She was tentative, but excited. She wore her Minnie Mouse witch ears and was thrilled to see they had some pumpkin decorations. It turned out the receptionists son had attended Roo's school years before. Small world.

Mike and I had been wondering how technological advances may have changed eye exams. When we arrived they had Roo sit on stool and put an eye patch over one eye. I told them not to worry Roo was a great pirate and she knew all about wearing eye patch, Arrr! Then she had to look into a large metal box. She was instructed to look at the red balloon. When she climbed down she reported it getting blurry and clear again while it moved. Then we waited a bit before we were taken back for the exam.

Riley climbed into the giant chair and I told her she was on a throne. He looked in her eyes with the otoscope and had her focus on different things. Playing Finding Nemp on the wall and looking at her eyes with different tools. They had an eye chart with symbols and boy howdy, did Miss Roo have trouble seeing that chart. It was clear that one eyes was significantly weaker and distance made a huge difference.

He tried different lenses into that cool teal apparatus (that matched her outfit) in the picture. After that came the least fun part, the eye drops. She confirmed that there would be a treasure box if she was good and then she begrudgingly received her eye drops. She didn't like it at all, but I thought she was a real trooper. If you take your kiddo for an eye exam bring their sun glasses in with you for the post eye drops wait.

She did need glasses after all. Not short term like I had them, but for the long haul. She'd also need to wear an eye patch three hours a day to strengthen her weak eye. Sigh...

While her eyes dilated we looked at frames. They had a bunch of cute ones with different colors, flowers, jewels and fun stuff like that. Unfortunately, none of our favorites were the right size. Roo's biggest concern was that they be purple. As luck would have it they had a pair of purple frames in her size. They even had multicolored stripes on the sides. They wouldn't have been my first choice, but they were cute and we talked them up. Riley was happy and a little confused that we couldn't take them home right away.

The doctor took another look in her eyes. He explained the eye patch again assuring me that three hours a day was all that was needed. He said that I could buy the bandage kind (like I wore are a kid) at any drug store, but now there were cute felt ones that slip on over the glasses. God Bless Etsy. It was comforting to know for sure what the issues are, but it's a little sad. My poor pumpkin. On the bright side I'm glad we know early and she's going to be adorable in glasses. Roo picked out that silly green fish from the treasure box and we were on our way.