I’m tired today. I just got back from getting my first eye test in over twenty years, and it took a lot out of me both emotionally and physically. I know getting an eye test and visiting the optometrist isn’t a big deal for most people, but it’s a really big deal for me based on past trauma that I had as a child. And, I’m very happy to say that I got through the appointment with the optometrist operating in Cheltenham and it was actually a good experience!
In fact, if I was a regular person without past trauma, I would probably have said that this was the best possible experience anyone in the world has ever had at the optometrist. I can’t imagine anyone would have had a better experience than I just did. The optometrist was incredibly professional and highly skilled. I could tell from the moment that I walked into the eye test room that I was in good hands.
Despite the experience being really good, I am still exhausted. I had to really work up to attending the appointment which used all my emotional ‘coins’ for the day, or as my therapist says, the emotional energy/capacity that I’m able to share with the people around me. I have a smaller capacity (or the number of coins) than most people which makes dealing with these sorts of things much more difficult.
Because I had such a good experience with the optometrist, I have decided to book my children in for a kids eye test with the same optometrist. I really trust her now and based on my experience with her, I have no doubt that she will look after them when they’re in the optometrist chair. They won’t be traumatised like I was all of those years ago.
Also in case you’re wondering, the results of my eye test confirmed what my doctor had suspected.