New Spectacles

Last week I went for an eye test and contact lens health check, the latter was long overdue…

I set off from the office in plenty of time to travel and find a parking space, expecting to have 10 to 15 minutes to spare.  The best laid plans are often disrupted by unforeseen circumstances and this was one of those occasions.

When I got to the town where my opticians is located, major road surfacing meant that a one way system was in operation.  I joined the long queue onto the one way track around the town.  It wasn’t very clear if you were allowed to turn off into the car parks across the bit of road that was being resurfaced.  When I got to the turning that I normally use I should have been able to turn there but  unfortunately I timed it just wrong!!  That was the bit of the road that was currently being worked on and it was blocked by a large construction vehicle.  This meant I had to go all the way around the one way system again to try and get into the car park from the other side…

Time was ticking on and I was aware that I was now late for my 2 o’clock appointment.  I eventually managed to navigate my way around the one way system to a parking place.  When I arrived at the opticians all the staff were standing around chatting, obviously wondering where I was.  I apologised for being late and was immediately whisked upstairs for my first appointment which was my contact lens health check.  This was shortly followed by my full site test.

My eyes had not changed since my last visit, which was  when I had learned that in addition to my long term short shortsightedness (due to contracting the measles when I was I child) that one of my eyes had also become slightly longsighted.  I changed my contact lenses on my last visit but elected not to change my spectacles because they seemed adequate for my needs at the time.  This time I thought it was time for a change because I thought the spectacles had become a little tired.  When the optician checked my records it seems I purchased those spectacles in 1999!!

The ladies in the opticians helped me choose a suitable pair and I was told they would be ready in seven to ten days.

Five days later I received a phone call saying that they were ready for collection, this was late on Saturday afternoon so I dashed out to make sure I got there before they closed.  Luckily the one way system was flowing freely and I experienced no parking problems.  The ladies in the opticians looked a little stunned when I arrived and said, but we only just put the phone down after calling you…

6 Comments CherryPie on Aug 14th 2013

6 Responses to “New Spectacles”

  1. james higham says:

    Isn’t that interesting? I also got new ones. See better now.

    • CherryPie says:

      My eyesight has been bad for more years than I care to remember. I am grateful for the technology that allows me almost perfect vision :-)

  2. ubermouth says:

    Just before I left the UK I ha my eyes checked to find out I needed glasses for the first time in my life. On top of that I had both short sightedness and long sightedness. I got 4 pairs of glasses- 2 per script,and then forgot to wear them for the most part until a few months ago- for reading and the other for watching tv. I think wearing them has made my vision far worse because now I can’t read anything without my glasses. In fact, I’d not be surprised now if I need glasses to walk around too ! I think glasses must make our eyes lazy or something.

    • CherryPie says:

      I think that our brains get used to seeing things differently when we wear specticles. I was once asked by an optician if I had a problem switching between glasses and contact lenses. Glasses for shortsighteness make everything appear smaller.

      I don’t have a problem switching between the two.

  3. I’m waiting for the contact lenses which give you telescopic vision to come out on the market. I am so definitely getting some of those!

    http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/24/magnifying-contact-lenses