I hate eye doctors

I hate going to the eye doctor. But now that I have soft contacts, I have to go at least once a year. With the hard contacts I used to have, I would go as long as I could, until I just couldn't see anymore, or I lost or broke one. I could go YEARS without seeing the eye doctor.

I'm not afraid of the eye doctor , like in that episode of Friends when Rachel is afraid of the eye doctor. I just hate going. I have terrible eyesight. I've been going since I was a little kid. And it's just a hassle.

I'm down to my last pair of contacts. They are in my eyeballs right now, which totally freaks me out. If I rip one or lose one (or BOTH), then I'm blind until I can get more contacts. And it would be several days before new contacts would come in. I have glasses, but I can't see out of them well enough to use them at work or for anything productive.

I've been able to put off going to the eye doctor for a few weeks because I've just been so busy that I haven't had time to go. But this week is quieter, so I called today to make an appointment so that I could ease the anxiety I'm feeling about the potential I have for messing up my last good pair of contacts without any backups. Turns out, he could see me this afternoon, which worked out great because I wouldn't have time to dread going.

I have to sneak up on it because I just hate having to go. The less time I have to think about going to the appointment, the better off I am. I hate taking the time off from work. I hate getting there and having to take out my contacts and stare at the blurry spot at the other end of the room. I can NEVER see anything on it. I hate the puff of air test. I hate having my eyes dialted. And then I hate having to leave and wait for another few days before I have my contacts in hand.

Not to mention, I HATE having to spend that much money just on the gift of sight. There are THOUSANDS of other things I would prefer to spend my money on, rather than my eyeballs. Those of you who can see without help, you don't know how good you have it.

So, today I leave at 3:30 and head down to the eye doctor. I'm psyched up for it. I'll get there, I'll get it out of the way, and by next week I'll have a new stash of contacts. It will be all taken care of and I won't have to worry about it again until next year.

I get there and no one is at the front desk. I HATE having to wait. She finally shows up and I have to fill out paperwork again. Whatever.

While I'm filling that out, the receptionist casually happens to mention that while I am eligible today for new frames or contacts, I'm actually NOT eligible for another exam until March 1.

Huh? Today is February 20. So.... that's definitely not March 1. My last exam was January 13. This would be MORE than a year since my last visit, so why would I NOT be eligible for another exam today, if I AM eligible to order new contacts??? Why would I order more contacts if I'm not sure I would even be able to see out of them?

And why did she wait to tell me this very critical piece of information until I'm there in the office for the appointment? Like, maybe it would have been good to mention this while we had that whole conversation on the phone earlier today when we verified my insurance information?? Or perhaps it would have been helpful to call me back before I got to the office to let me know that I'm not allowed to be there yet for another week?

Suddenly I was very frustrated. I'd left work for this, and now I would need to make ANOTHER appointment next week, which meant I would need to leave work AGAIN. Today's attempt at an appointment was a total waste of my time.

Plus, I still have to go another week without ripping or losing my contacts. Which isn't truly a big deal because I don't usually do that, but now that I CAN'T do it, this increases the potential that I WILL do it thousands-fold.

Plus, I'm still stressed about it the exam and I will have the appointment looming over my head for the next week.

Lame.

No one come near my eyeballs for at least another week or more. I can't risk hazard to my contacts.

C.T.