I went to the eye doctor tonight.
It has me pretty upset.
Every time I go, I have my eyes dilated, like a good little diabetic.
Then I sit there, without my contacts, blind for 10 minutes while the drops work.
I went into the room, and the doctor came in. He made the required small talk. I hate this part of the appointment. My doctor is a relative of sorts. His daughter just married my cousin. We talked about the wedding. Then I had to hear, once again, how the college he went to is better than the college I go to. (They are arch rivals.) Then he starts the exam. He pulls out the little light, and starts looking. This time, he lingers longer on each eye longer than usual. So long, that my dilated eyes tear excessively, and I long to close them. He makes annoying worried noises that sent my panic level through the roof. Finally, he shuts the little light off, and leans back. "Well, your eyes look good Jennifer." (Oh really? I think. What about the noises?) "I can see some evidence of diabetes in your eyes. (WHAAAATTT!!!) Don't worry though. All it does is confirms the fact that you are diabetic."
I don't want my eyes telling anyone that I am diabetic!
I am 19 years old. I want normal eyes. I want to have great vision for another 60 years! OK, so I already have crappy vision, but a pair of glasses/contacts fix that. I don't want to have to worry about blood vessels showing I'm diabetic! I know I'm probably over reacting, but I really want to have good vision. I don't want to be one of those people that others look at and say, "oh, she's blind. She has diabetes you know."
So, the next part, is all the tests he wants to do all the time. Just last year, I had a visual field test done. Now, he wants another one. It seems a little much to me. Does anyone know what test are recommended? I looked on the ADA website, but I can't seem to find it.
Other than the "evidence of diabetes" everything else was fine, including my retinal photograph. I guess that's good. I just wish I had completely normal eyes.
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The rantings of a type one college student.
5 comments:
Hi Jen,
It is better to test too much than too little. Since your eye doctor is a relative, he is probably just being extra careful. Mendosa's diabetic site has a section on "diabetic eyes" with lots of info. Don't get all psyched out, but get yourself informed! I have pasted in the link to Mendosa's article on eyes. hhttp://www.mendosa.com/sight.htm
This article has numerous helpful links.
I am glad you had so much fun in Colorado. You did a great job with handling the d!
Hi Jen!
I'm sorry to hear about your troubling eye appointment. As Chrissie said, don't get down on yourself, just arm yourself with info and take it one day at a time. Better safe than sorry, don't they say? :)
I've had contact since I was 10, and each year it seemed like my eyes were getting worse and worse. They seem to have stalled for the past few years, but I'm alwasy waiting for them to weaken or for complications to appear. I think that's one of the hardest parts about diabetes - the unknown future complications. There's always that possibility out there, isn't there? I hate that about diabetes. I, too, worry way more than I should, but just remember how far they've come with treatments for diabetes and diabetic complications. Try to be hopeful and optimisitc - I'll try to take my own advice and do the same! haha
Laura
hey
i wouldn't worry about that comment. my eye doctor said the same thing. she said my eyes were fine but you could just tell that they belonged to a diabetic.
it'll be fine.
Dear Jen,
I've never posted on your site before, but -- virtual hugs to you. Eye exams always get me on edge, especially when the doctor lingers and makes those "ammm, hmmm" noises.
Hey Jen,
I know the first ANOUNCEMENT of anything related with the eye sends all kinds of Panic to the membrains.. I have been there and have been to several other places that you do not even have to worry about you vision should not change (no promises) but when that was first said to me I freaked out and I did not have to go to any kind of specialist til 10 years later and that is just me every person is different.. My eye doc tells me all the time that if sugars are in good control that is all you can do and this does help with any kind of progression in the eye. what I have just said my not help i know when you in the freak out mode for me anyway I hear nothing that someone is saying but please try to put in you head your doing the best you can do for today and that is what matters.. God I know those word were not fun and I feel your worry so much .. I just hope my words can help you realize that this is just a little bump in the road of diabetes and you're gonna be fine . hugs to you
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