Whooo Hoooo Good Appointment!!!!

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Whooo Hoooo Good Appointment!!!!
5
Wed, 03-01-2006 - 12:59am

Mike had his annual eye check up today. Poor lad has his mom's horrible eye sight. Ya know of all my kids who had to get my eyes, why him? Poor kids got enough strikes, but oh well.

We have a well known optomotrist in our area that are very active in the autism field because thier son is autistic (severely, low functioning). It is Dad, Mom and then another vision therapist that are there. Last year after a bad experience with his previous eye doc I started taking Mike there. The first visit went about as bad as it could. Fortunately they were understanding. MOm doc I think didn't really get HFA adn made a joke about using something to look in Mike's big brain because he was so smart (looks in the eye). Well that about FREAKED him out and he was already doing badly then.

Well they got to know him last year and he got to know them. Today was SOOOO different. There were 2 tests he wouldn't do because of anxiety. One was the glacoma test (blow air in your eye) and the other was one that takes pictures of your eye. Mike was good. He instantly said "does it have a bright light that flashes?" "Yes". "Then I am NOT doing it". That is one of his big issues. He HATES flashes and it was great that he communicated it rather than melting down.

So the doc (today we had Dad) didn't make an issue out of those tests at all, He didn't make Mike dialate his eyes or have drops. When he asked Mike a question that appeared to confuse him he re-worded it more concretely. Didn't freak out when Mike kept touching all his equipment and let him go up and down in the chair a ton of times while we talked. Made some great recomendations on which glasses to get (indistructable, lol) and made positive remarks to him when he was doing good. Even gave mom positive kudos for our vitamins. We swapped supplement and therapy notes for a bit.

Only one bad thing came out of it. His eyes have changed a bunch in the past year and not for the better. Poor guy. I think he is at about 20/100 now and last year was about 20/60. I am about 20/250 or 20/300 (20/200 corrected is legally blind. So without my glasses or contacts I would be legally blind. My corrected sight is about 20/50). So he is on his way to my yucky eyes.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Wed, 03-01-2006 - 3:24pm

Dear Renee,

We have Malcolm's first eye doctor appt. this coming week and yup, I'm a little nervous for him. He had a shift in his eyes from one year to next at yearly checkup, so we must go. His ped said he didn't think he would need glasses yet, and I hope not, mostly because I had to have them so young, which I absolutely hated. Like you, I also have TERRIBLE eyes, although I now almost always wear contact lenses. I was just so hoping the ds got dh's 20/20 vision and not my almost legally blind vision. Crossing fingers.

Malcolm is so happy that there won't be any SHOTS. I hope he does well with lights flashing, eyes dilating, etc. We shall see. Crossing fingers some more. Doctor has a good rep, so hopefully....

Anyways, congratulations on the good visit!

yours,

Sara
ilovemalcolm

Avatar for betz67
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-02-2006 - 8:02am

Renee,

sounds like a great visit. Poor kid, eye exams are not fun for the SID kid. And if it's any consolation, I have to actively hold myself together to keep from having a meltdown over some of those tests too! I absolutely hate the air puff one, and the last time I shook for 10 min after it because it startled me so, even though I knew what was coming!

So far so good w/ our kids, Warren & Weston I think inherited their Daddy's great vision. Amelia has slight astigmatism in one eye (but right now only needs her glasses when she's reading or tired). My eyes are horrible due mostly to severe astigmatism (tho the nearsightedness is getting better as I get older).

hope you were able to find indistructable glasses that he likes!

Betsy

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-02-2006 - 9:14am

That SID stuff you talk about is specifically why I was so pleased that the doctor didn't make a big deal out of the tests. Mike just didn't want to with the associate that was doing the tests. He mentioned it to the doctor and the doctor said don't bother, no big deal. He did do 2 of the other tests which were hard enough. One measures the eye and tells you a good idea what perscription you will need. He had to hold really still for that one and that was tough, he kept moving his eyes. The other was a "video game" where they look straight ahead and push a button when you see a light. Might was OK about that but he kept looking around again.

One was the air puff test. But the other was this cool new thing that takes a picture of the inside of your eye and saves it to the internet for any future eye doctor. THe pictures can show early stages of retina detachment, high blood pressure and a plethora of eye problems. But there is a flash and Mike doesn't like flashes either. THe associate though then that he would have to have his eyes dialated and the doctor didn't even go there. He looked in Mike's eyes the best he could without and said it was fine.

Renee

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Registered: 01-19-2005
Thu, 03-02-2006 - 11:56am

Hi Renee,

I am glad it went well. We just had Eric's first eye exam and it went well too. I was a basket case in anticipation, but it was a "good" day for Eric. Also the office is in the same center where he gets ST and OT, so it was a familiar place which made it easier.

The doc and staff specialize in eye care for special needs children and they were great. Eric was fascinated by the chair, gadgets too and the doc was also cool about Eric grabbing them, going up and down in the chair etc. We didn't have to do the air puff thing yet, I was worried about dilation. They said if they could fine, if not, that's fine too. Eric did cooperate, with some tension, but it was ok. He was so interested in the gadgets, plus looking at letters is always fun for him!

I have to hand it to those doctors and what they do to make things easier for our children.

Now I need to check out a dentist with a similar orientation! That also seems like a possible nightmare!

Glad all went well!

Katherine

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Registered: 02-24-2004
Thu, 03-02-2006 - 7:01pm

Renee,

Glad the eye visit went well! My boys don't wear glasses YET!! But, EVERYONE in dh's family wears glasses!!! I'm crossing my fingers that the boys won't need them, but even all of their cousins wear glasses too!

michelle