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…