Doctor, my eyes
Well, it seems that it's the hip thing to do recently. Several of the people whose journals I read have recently taken trips to the eye doctor. Since it had been over 2.5 years since my last eye exam, and I needed to get the benefits of paying for my vision insurance, which ends in September, I visited the doctors who my previous eye doctor sold her practice to when she moved out of the area.
I had the normal eye exam, discussed with the doctor my mom's glaucoma and brother and mother's detached retinas. Mentioned my own dry eyes. So after the regular exam, I underwent the field of vision test.
I hate the latest rage in eyeglass frames: the little rectangular lenses. These boxy things do NOT look good on my face. But their optometrist pulled out her catalog, and they ordered a set of frames similar to what I have now - ovalish lenses that blend in nicely with the shape of the eye area of my face. I was shocked that they would order the frames without any commitment from me to buy them. In the mean time, I did check out one other place in town that accepts my vision insurance. They didn't have any frames I liked either. Yesterday, I got a call that my frames were in, so I left work early and went to try them on. They are a little bit rounder than what I have now, but almost identical, otherwise. I thought frames was where opticians made their money, but not so with this pair. Even though the retail value of the frames alone was about $280, with my insurance and a 20% discount, I only had to pay about $70 for the frames. Hooray! The lenses, however, were quite costly. The Anti-glare/anti-uv coating ran a pretty $70, progressive bifocals ran up another hefty amount. The total retail price of the whole thing was something like $625, I had to pay $263.
Now, once these new glasses come in, I will send off my current frames to have a set of "computer glasses" made with just my near vision prescription. These lenses shouldn't be as bad, since I only need an anti-glare coating on them. I've noticed that, sitting in front of a computer screen for over 10 hours a day, I get more eyestrain trying to stay in the sweet spot of my progressives for the right focus on the screen. People at work won't even realize I have new glasses.
I had the normal eye exam, discussed with the doctor my mom's glaucoma and brother and mother's detached retinas. Mentioned my own dry eyes. So after the regular exam, I underwent the field of vision test.
I hate the latest rage in eyeglass frames: the little rectangular lenses. These boxy things do NOT look good on my face. But their optometrist pulled out her catalog, and they ordered a set of frames similar to what I have now - ovalish lenses that blend in nicely with the shape of the eye area of my face. I was shocked that they would order the frames without any commitment from me to buy them. In the mean time, I did check out one other place in town that accepts my vision insurance. They didn't have any frames I liked either. Yesterday, I got a call that my frames were in, so I left work early and went to try them on. They are a little bit rounder than what I have now, but almost identical, otherwise. I thought frames was where opticians made their money, but not so with this pair. Even though the retail value of the frames alone was about $280, with my insurance and a 20% discount, I only had to pay about $70 for the frames. Hooray! The lenses, however, were quite costly. The Anti-glare/anti-uv coating ran a pretty $70, progressive bifocals ran up another hefty amount. The total retail price of the whole thing was something like $625, I had to pay $263.
Now, once these new glasses come in, I will send off my current frames to have a set of "computer glasses" made with just my near vision prescription. These lenses shouldn't be as bad, since I only need an anti-glare coating on them. I've noticed that, sitting in front of a computer screen for over 10 hours a day, I get more eyestrain trying to stay in the sweet spot of my progressives for the right focus on the screen. People at work won't even realize I have new glasses.