The Eyes have it!

Or maybe, more appropriately, the Eyes don't have it. And IT is the ability to see clearly if you come from our family. This past weekend, we packed up the gang and headed to the eye doctor to get everyone's visions tested. Well, not Bryan's, but the rest of us. And man was that an adventure. This would be Johnny's first real eye exam. A check up for Timmy to see if his eyes have changed and if he'd need new glasses. We'd need a new pair for Tom for sure, as his mysteriously disappeared after small group at church one night. And a new prescription for me.

I went first and can I just say I HATE that puff of air test. I would like to meet the person who can actually contain their reflex to jump when that's done! Then they did the color test. They're lucky they make those numbers so huge because I don't really understand how they expect people with prescription glasses to see clearly without their glasses!?!? Next comes the 3D test which I swore I failed as I had to guess for most of it! Then went Johnny, who seemed to do even worse that I did at the 3D test but I figured, what the heck do I know! Then they shipped us back out to the waiting room and Tom and Timmy went in. All the while we're playing the keep the 2 year old amused game, which is of course a personal favorite of mine! (note the sarcasm)

After what seemed like an eternity, we began the exams. I went first again. The standard, which is better game that I'm always convinced I'm going to get wrong. Then he brought Johnny in. Within minutes he was clearly having issues. The cool thing was that they don't play the which is better game with kids. The Dr pops on a movie and uses his 'tools' to look into their eyes. From that he's able to verify the prescription the machine picked up while you looked at the red barn. After just a minute or two, he stopped and let me know he wanted to do some drops. These drops would do something to the focus control and allow him to see all the correction Johnny really needed. It turns out my poor little man has likely had HORRIBLE vision since he was born and now is not only in need of some good glasses but will need to have his one eye, lazy eye, patched for two hours a night, four nights a week. Luckily for us Johnny is THRILLED at the idea of getting glasses. He feels like he is somehow more a part of the family as another one bites the visual dust and now 4 out of 5 of our family member wear eyeglasses.

Our appointment continued and Timmy and Tom were checked. Timmy's eyes hadn't changed much but this new Dr disagreed with the Dr we saw last time and told us Timmy really SHOULD be wearing his glasses all the time! So we kept his glasses and decided to just make sure he wore them regularly now. Tom ordered new glasses, no line bifocals for my old guy. And Johnny picked out some super cute dark blue frames which he asks constantly when they'll arrive. For mom, one written prescription so I can order a pair of glasses online.

Now we'll have to take Johnny back in 3 months to check if the patching has helped at all. If it hasn't he might be in need of more in depth eye retraining which we'll be referred to someone for. I'm starting to feel a little better and am not totally beating myself up for this. But that day, I wanted to cry, right there in that office because I simply felt so guilty! Now I'm trying to focus on the positive and am excited to see what change this may bring for him. But I'm also motivated to 1, make sure Bryan gets in when we take Johnny back and 2, to spread the word about getting your kids eyes examined.

Did you now that it is recommended you get your kids eyes checked at SIX MONTHS and again at THREE YEARS?? I'd never heard of such thing. I didn't see how it'd even be possible to test kids eyes until they knew their letters and would be cooperative. And I've also learned that any school or health department screenings are pretty much useless. Johnny passed one less than two year ago "with flying colors."

Check out the AOA for more info here.