During my senior year of high school in November 2017 I began having bad headaches. I had all kinds of tests with MD’s and even a mental health professional who grilled me about problems in my life and there were no mental issues and the other tests showed no reason for my headaches. I had an eye exam before school started and had 20/20 vision in both eyes. I did wear glasses from 1st thru 5th grade which I outgrew so let me explain how this happened. Small for my age then I was young I was Hyperopic or far-sighted and wore glasses for that almost all the time. At my eye exam before 5th grade my Optometrist had my Mom and myself sit down and we were told I was on the verge of outgrowing Hyperopia which kids sometimes do. I was told to only wear glasses for things I had trouble seeing. A teacher actually requested a note from the Optometrist that my Mom had to get. By the end of 5th grade I seldom wore my glasses as I wasn’t having problems seeing anything. At my eye exam before 6th grade I had completely outgrown the Hyperopia. I was happy I no longer needed glasses but was cautioned that could change in the future. I said I will enjoy my freedom from glasses for now. As for the headaches I actually hoped I had gone Myopic but that didn’t seem to be the case by what the MD found out. Nothing seemed to prevent the headaches including medication to prevent them which I quit taking due to side effects. Two times the headaches were so bad my Mom begged me to stay home from school but being lucky enough with good health I was going for 12 years perfect attendance. In early December my parents took a planned business trip for a week and a half trusting 18 year old me to be home by myself as I’m an only child. On Friday when my parents were out of town I almost got a ride home from school instead of driving my car due to a really bad headache but I managed to drive after waiting about an hour and my head easing. I laid down when I got home and didn’t get up until 10pm. I went and got something to eat and came back home. I got to checking Facebook and saw in a town about 30 minutes away an Optometrist group was offering eye exams and glasses for $69. I had the money and thought what have I got to lose? I called the next morning and got an appointment later that day. I went to the Optometrist and explained to her about the headaches. The Optometrist said I may know the cause. I knew I had read all of the 20/20 line with both eyes and apparently some of the 20/15 line with my right eye because they wrote down R 20/15 -2. The Optometrist explained I had developed mild Astigmatism and even mild could cause headaches if you do a lot of reading or screen time. Because I was taking some courses for college credits with hopes of graduating in 3 years I did do a lot of reading and screen time. I was prescribed glasses for the first time since 5th grade or about age 12. I was told to wear the glasses as needed with the Optometrist noting they would not distort my distance vision or cause it to become Myopic. I got the text while at school the next Friday and picked up my glasses the same day. I had another headache and a strange thing happened when I put my new glasses on. With glasses the headache eased to the point of almost going away. I got something to eat and drove home wearing my glasses and by them time I got home the headache was gone. My Dad who was due back that Saturday sent me a text saying him and my Mom would not be back until Monday. Both parents worked for the same company and they were traveling on business. In the text my Dad asked me if I needed anything and I thought about saying glasses or sending a picture of me in them but I just said no I’m fine. I wore my glasses full time all weekend spending a lot of time on the computer doing homework and didn’t get one headache so maybe the Optometrist had cured my problem. On Monday I went to school wearing glasses and was asked if contacts hadn’t come in or when did you start wearing glasses? Some of my classmates knowing about the headaches asked if the glasses was because of them and I said yes. Imagine my parents now home from their trip when I walked in the house wearing glasses. I explained in desperation I decided to try an eye exam and what the Optometrist told me. My parents were happy my headaches seemed to be gone. Funny thing is when the headaches started the first thing I suggested an eye exam but both my Mom and Dad said you just had one in August. When we checked with my regular Optometrist we found out that the optical tech was supposed to tell me and my Mom who was with me about Astigmatism and if I had headaches they could give me a prescription for glasses. The tech that day suddenly had to leave as her Son who I knew from school was hurt in a pickup basketball game. Thankfully the injuries didn’t turn out to be as bad as first thought. My Mom and Dad both said sorry we didn’t get you an eye exam like your wanted or called your Optometrist and got a prescription. I graduated high school and today I am in college which luckily my parents had the money to pay for ahead of time. I choose a college in a town where my Aunt and Uncle live and so far I am on course to graduate in 3 years with no debt. I’m still wearing my glasses almost all the time only taking them off when playing pickup sports or swimming. I’m still not getting headaches.
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