Eye test - while able.

[cris]

Hi all. Especially for those that are new to caring. Susan lost her reading glasses, so I took her to Boots Optician last October. It was a struggle for us all to have / get coherent results from Susan. They were concerned and took photos of the back of the eyes. Still not happy with the results they wrote to our GP who wrote to our hospital eye clinic who saw susan 2 weeks ago and again today to inject a dye in the arm and take further photos of the back of the eye. Thats it in brief but the point I am trying to say is Susan could not read the very top letter of the chart (and that letter is the size of Wales). It is difficult if someone is confussed when they cannot follow instructions. Cover this eye / look ahead / read this line etc.
So I am saying
While someone is able to understand simply instructions it is worth having an eye test.
(we go back in 2 weeks for the results).
cris

 

[connie]

Thanks cris, quite understand what you are trying to say.

I do not bother with Lionel's glasses these days. It all depends on the ability of the brain to decipher the instrucions and impulses.

 

[Jude]

Dear Cris,

Just a thought. Why don't you just reorder the usual glasses that Susan wears now and forget about the rest of it? The problem may not be her eyesight. It may be that she cannot recognise, remember or articulate the shape of the letter she is seeing quite clearly. You could test this by asking her to write her name down on a piece of paper. If she has trouble with doing this, then you will know that it isn't her eyes that are ailing.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[Tender Face]

HI Cris, I'd just like to endorse your advice for a different reason .... which may help people in similar circumstances to mum .....

I recently took mum for a routine eye test and was concerned as she often struggles to write and certainly can't read anything unless very simple and in huge font ....... I rang ahead to advise the optician of her diagnosis since her last test and a lovelier person I couldn't have asked for (think I sang his praises somewhere here at the time) .....

What it proved (apart from the state of her eyesight) was that when given the simplest of instructions by someone who knew what level to use and with letters broken down to individual level she did really well .... where I've seen her distressed in other situations where things have 'all been too much for her'...

She came away without any new glasses but a real 'confidence boost' ...!!!

Not quite the reason for going to the opticians I know!

Love, Karen, x

 

[cris]

Hi Tender. Yes you got the picture. I was just trying to say that sometimes we think "oh they cannot read" when actually they cannot see properly. Get the test for whatever reason while they still understand instructions. Not only that I am concerned for Susan's sight. She already keeps telling people "she does not want to be here". Losing her sight will rob her of her only joy she has left. Her view.
cris

 

[Margarita]

I found that with my mother she had a stage, I thought she could not see , because that what she keep telling me . I thought was it because she could not understand interaction when I took her to the opticians , mum also had all other tests , as she diabetic it can also effect the eyes .

Now year on from then, She still got her old glasses for close up but does not read, but can read from the paper when it has very large print, see faces on CD and read large words on TV she just come out with it , when we are in taxi and see large sigh she read them and say it out aloud .


Just a thought May be Susan scared, she may be getting less signal reaching from the nerves of the brain to the eyes , may be they come go who really knows , but in her view she thinks she going to lose all sight , it may not happen like it did not to my mother , but then I know every one different .

 

[cris]

Hi Maggie. I do not think Susan seems scared ref. her eyes. But I do need to get her suitable glasses so that she can see her television clearly, tv is her "life". A bit strong that but she does enjoy it. She does struggle to read partly confussion and partly words not being clear I think.
thanks for everyones comments.
cris

 

[Nell]

Cris, my husband has been having eye surgery over the last few months and there have been some complications. Obviously he needs new glasses but the surgeon is waiting for his eyes to recover completely before he sends my husband for new glasses. The point is that in the meantime, my husband has been using those cheap magnifying glasses you can buy in most chain stores for a few dollars (pounds in your case!) - and he says they are amazingly helpful!! Altho' they don't fix his real eye problems he can see to read and to watch TV. Just thought Susan might benefit from these if you cannot get a prescription pair to suit her. . . . .

Also, you've confirmed for me that an optician check is a must for my Mum. I've been putting it off (am expecting it to be an ordeal for Mum and for me) but now I realise I must do it soon - before it is too late. Thanks Cris. Nell

 

[cris]

Hi Nell. I had thought of those chemist shop glasses, I keep a pair in the car for emergency if i forget mine. Decided to wait though as next Friday we have the results.
cris