The Strabismus Institute
Part 3 - Another Test
By the time Friday rolled around, I had been wearing the 32/32 BO glasses full time for almost 3 days. It was something of a shock when I woke up Wednesday morning, I usually woke up seeing double until I put on my glasses, but that morning it seemed like the images were much farther apart than I was used to. I thought I would try my 20/20 BO glasses just to see if I really needed 12 more diopters of prism in each eye. I put them on and they were almost useless. Apparently, my eyes had already become used to the additional prism. I took off the 20/20s, and put on the 32/32s. Instantly, I could feel my eyes relax as the two images became one. Maybe they knew what they were doing at The Strabismus Institute.
Curiously, on Thursday, I started occasionally seeing double with the 32/32 glasses when looking at distant objects. I was having no trouble reading with them if I wore the clip ons, but after reading for a while, I would see double when I looked up. Hmm, could it be that 32/32 was not enough and I really needed even more prism. Well, tomorrow, I would find out.
Dr. Simpson (Jim) had insisted that I not drive with my new glasses, yet. I asked my neighbor, Betty Williams, to drive me to the Institute. We were a few minutes early as I walked up to the receptionist.
“Good morning, Mr. Charles, you are a few minutes early. Dr. Simpson asked me to let him know as soon as you arrived.”
Amazing! After just the brief meeting at my first appointment, she remembered my name. Considering my appointment at the Institute a few days earlier, I was not all that surprised. What an efficient, friendly operation.
As I turned to find seats for Betty and myself, a smiling Dr. Simpson strode up to us.
“Good Morning, Jack”, and held out his hand for me to shake. “Who is this lovely lady with you?”
“Jim, this is my next door neighbor, Betty Williams. Betty, this is Jim Simpson the doctor I told you about.”
“Good Morning, Dr. Simpson, it is a pleasure to meet you. Jack has been telling me about you and the Strabismus Institute.”
“Jim, please, Ms. Williams. Thank you for driving Jack here this morning. I did not want him driving with his new glasses until we do some more tests.”
“Please call me Betty, Doctor er, Jim. Jack and I have been neighbors for years and we try to help each other when we can. Jack has driven me to several tests where they did not want me to drive myself home. I sure don t mind helping him today. He said it would probably take all morning.”
“Yes, unfortunately, but we have a very nice library and lounge with lots of books and movies. The break room with refreshments is right next to it. Here comes Natalie, my nurse, she will show you the way to the library and look in on you, after we get Jack started on his next test.”
Jim and I went back to the exam room I had used on Tuesday and I took the familiar seat.
“We have the machine all set up with your present prescription and the movie you selected for this test is loaded. You know the drill now, so let s get started.”
The machine seemed to start where we left off on Tuesday and proceed to run through its programmed cycles. I noticed that this test seemed easier and more comfortable than the first one. Maybe, that was because I was now an old hand at this test or I was just paying more attention to the movie. Almost before I realized it, the movie was over and Jim had the report he needed.
“Well Jack, how was the test this time?”
“Much easier and more comfortable than the first one. I think, at the end, the machine had given me a little more prism, but it was really hard to tell.”
“I think you are in for a surprise. I thought on Tuesday that you might need a little more than 32/32 for full correction. This time, you maxed out at 47/47 BO and the program now suggests that 39/39 BO would be better. You watched the last 20 minutes of the movie with that prescription. If you are ready to try that prescription in a trial frame, I have it ready.”
“Little surprise! More like a shock! I need to wear nearly 80 diopters of prism in my glasses? That is hard to get my mind around. I have to admit that I was not having any problems with the prism toward the end of the movie. I actually forgot that I was being tested or that I was wearing prism.”
As Jim had instructed on Tuesday, I sat back, with my eyes closed and opened them when the trial frame was in place. I could not tell that there was any difference in my vision or the way my eyes felt with the 39/39 trial lenses, than they had with the machine or the 32/32 glasses.
“Well?”
“I can t tell that there is any difference?”
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