While everyone else has a phobia about Doctors and Dentists, I’ve always been very scared about visiting the optician. My Great Grandma was virtually blind due to Glaucoma, and I still remember the day we took her to the optician and they said she would have to go to the Hospital and be registered as partially sighted.
Due to the Glaucoma, I’ve had to pluck up my courage and go for regular eye tests. I would go to big multiple opticians and have a test there and then on the day as I couldn’t face booking an appointment and waiting. It’s got worse as I get older and I really wanted my friend to come with me. She persuaded me to try the local optician she’s been seeing since she was at school. This type of little practice always seemed very clinical and scary to me, and more like the type of place Great Grandma went to. My mate would only accompany me if I went there though, so after much nagging I gave it a go.
I’d expected a less professional set up to the big chains, but the practice was very welcoming even though it was still clinical. They knew my friend by name when she walked in and even asked how her little boy is. They had some stunning equipment, including a brand new machine that takes a 3D scan of the retina. The girl doing the screening casually said they were excited to have this new machine that the multiple opticians don’t have. I was so fascinated by the pictures that I forgot to be worried!
The Optician was lovely and took twice as long to do the test as any I’ve ever had before. He patiently explained what he was doing and all of my results, and I even learnt stuff about Glaucoma that – despite my extensive research – I hadn’t found before! He gave me my prescription without me even asking for it. I practically had to wrestle it out of the hands of my previous Optician! He told me to go back any time if I was worried, and gave me his e-mail address for any queries. I ordered some lovely specs from them, and I’ll then get spare pairs from the online optician.
Having tried an Independent Optician I don’t think I’ll ever trust my sight to the multiples again, due to the care and interest they showed in me. They listened to my fears and were really patient.