This week was my annual eye exam. The optometrist I have been seeing for over 30 years retired, so this visit was with a new doctor that included new tests.
Getting checked in, I was asked to sign a paper so they could take pictures of the back of my eyes. It didn't sound unusual, so I put my pen in my mouth and signed away. As I waited to get called back, I heard the same document given to other patients. Therefore, I figured it was picture day at the eye doctor's.
When I was called back, I had the usual tests with a puff of air blown in my face and reading letters of various sizes. Testing lenses was a challenge as the new doc had trouble getting the contraption low enough to reach me. At previous appointments, I never paid attention how the equipment got low enough. However, some neck stretching got the test done. Everything looked good, but he wanted to do some eye drops for one last test. I figured it was the picture I signed for, so let him do the test.
At the end, he said my eyes would be sensitive to light for a while, but wouldn't affect my vision. I wasn't told my eyes had been dilated, but figured it out from what I heard from my parent's exams. Leaving the building, I wore flimsy sun glasses they provided. My caregiver and I parked a short distance from the office as we had planned to run some errands after the appointment.
Along with everything being bright, the world seemed fuzzy, even with my glasses. It was time for lunch, so we stopped at a restaurant I've never visited before. I could read the large category headlines and bold text, but that was it. I guessed at an omelet and had to verify what I thought it said was in it.
After lunch, we went to a nearby meat market to get some hamburger. The aisles would normally have been a small challenge, but they were tight with the world being a blur. I nearly ran over another customer twice as I tried to navigate corners. I was thankful when we got back in the van and I no longer had to drive myself.
It took about three hours for my eyes to return to normal, just in time for a rare evening outing. Mom said she has been told you can't drive after getting your eyes dilated. From my experience, I understand why. Living the quad life results in unique situations, but I will be more prepared for future eye exams.