Going for regular eye tests

[Cal66]

I went to the opticians today, as I hadn't been for a long time. I had a headache for 2 weeks before Christmas, since then I have started to have some difficulty seeing with my left eye. I have previously had a blood clot in it before, so I was worried about it. I needn't have been so scared though, to my relief it wasn't another blood clot, I had been suffering from eye strain and only needed my lens in my reading glasses changed and also i need glasses for driving or to see anything in the distance. I feel so relieved, but now I have to find the money to buy them and to find about a £1000 for a deposit for my new motability car. It's true what they say about expense everything comes together, however at least I'm not going blind again like last time that was so scary. I am going to make sure that I go more often to the opticians now.

[Wendy39]

Hello. Phew what a relief! Yes, when first on hydroxy my optician wanted 6 monthly appointments and luckily they sometimes send out flyers in the post with Free Eye Test Vouchers, which I tried to use, if the dates on them fitted. I'm now yearly tests and they always text me a reminder. I am always eager to get them checked out as I get a lot of headaches and at one point got a very blood shot eye for no apparent reason and got that checked out too. Just a burst blood vessel. I did need new glasses last time I went and got the buy one get one free offer. I never get designer glasses but it still cost £122. Like you said though, small mercies. I hope you get your car sorted too. Best wishes.

[Cal66 in reply to Wendy39]

Hi Wendy

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I too am on Hydroxychloroquine. I know that I should go regularly to the opticians, but I don't get into town that much because I have to rely on my mum or sister to come with me as they need to lift my wheelchair out of my car and to push it around the town. I am unable to go out by myself even though I have had bilateral knee replacements and so I need to rely on when is suitable for them to come with me and you might guess there is always something that crops up like hospital appointments. I have now put the date in my calendar on my phone to remind me on make an appointment, as this scare was a bit of an awakening and so if anyone reading this try to attend regular eye tests.

[Hidden in reply to Cal66]

Hi Cal66. I can relate to the relief but also to the money it costs to get anywhere these days. I went to the optician last week - a new one who has a knowledge of autoimmunity because his wife has MCTD.

He said my eyesight is really good for someone with my problems but my eyes have no tears at all. Then he explained that, because I have a stigmatism and am very long sighted (live in my glasses), my old glasses (two sets of varifocals - one transition - both about four years old) are getting too shabby and not doing my eyes any favours. So I went to see his colleague after to discuss new glasses. She was doing a buy one set of lenses get the second free deal -but because I need varifocals and dark glasses the whole lot came to £700?! My hubby nearly passed out with horror when I had to put her on phone to him because I was far from home without my credit card. We are in the middle of a house move so I did feel really guilty. And yes I'm afraid I do go for designer frames because I live in my glasses so they are a large part of my appearance. But they are at the cheaper end of designer. I tried to back track when she gave me the total but we went through it all and at the end of the day the it's the varifocal part that was making it so expensive and I have no choice about this as my Sjogrens affects my balance and I'm an artist and writer so need my eyes to be okay.

I'm still reeling with this huge cost over a week later -sacrificing stair carpet for new home in favour of durable floor paint and giving up on the idea of a sofa in favour of old armchairs and cheap foot rest stools. I'm going to have to treat these glasses like the Crown Jewels and hope that the investment means I don't need any more for a decade!

I had a haemorrhage in my right eye a few years ago too so know what a worry that can be - great news that your problems are correctable with glasses! X