Marie-Anne regularly visits a doctor. For herself or with her family. This time it was the ophthalmologist's turn.
Marie-Anne: 'To the ophthalmologist with the youngest daughter. Been before (of course I would almost say) because the bitch fell, bumped and tripped more often than her and we liked. At the time, she was over 4, 'she was too young to get a clear picture' and 'we had to come back later for a check-up'. After a good friend noticed this summer that my youngest was squinting like that, I thought that an eye check was not a bad idea. Of course I should have done it sooner, but yes, as you know, we often visit a doctor and this was not an option. Mea Culpa!
Accommodation
My daughter (7) is being thoroughly examined. She has to read numbers on a lit board from a distance, and up close. She has to look in a special book. There are lights shining in her eyes. She gets drops in her binoculars and her pupils become the size of saucers. "That's an eight," I hear her say, while I do see a clear five. After almost half an hour of examination, the optometrist says:'Your daughter fluctuates quite a bit. It goes from minus four to plus two. We call that an accommodation disorder.' damn it! So anyway! And now? I ask ten questions and get answers that are not always clear. Puberty is mentioned as a possible cause. Sorry, she's seven I notice. "Well, some are early, that's the answer." You should know:My daughter weighs 23 kilos, plays with dolls, sometimes cries like a baby and in my eyes is light years away from puberty. But who am I?
Second check "I would like to examine her again next week before we draw a definitive conclusion, but there is a good chance that she will have to wear glasses." With that announcement we go home. Tears stream from her brown eyes, because glasses are a big deal when you're seven. "And I'm not taking such a frumpy, childish mom. Such a pink or with a tiger print or something. I just want a chic model," she says, regaining her senses. Anyway:we write two weeks later. Again an extensive eye test in the hospital with the same lady. A number of threes is counted as eight and the sixes are not flawless either. Some numbers are going well. "Well that looks good. She doesn't need glasses!' Hey, now my clog breaks. I ask questions about accommodation and minus four and how that is possible. "It may be that your daughter wants to do it all too well, maybe she is afraid of failure? And well, how old is she again, puberty is approaching too, that can affect the eyes.' I call a friend whose daughter has also been to the eye clinic in question. "Well, we also have to come back for the second time. They were talking about possible performance anxiety." Just shoot me.
Who is Marie-Anne? Marie-Anne, 49, is married and mother of three daughters. She has a serious cartilage problem and is now going through life with a new knee. For the time being she is still happy with it and next year it will be the turn of the other knee. Every other week she blogs about her (patchwork) family, care in the Netherlands, her knee and other things that occupy her.
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