So, Luke and Keira were subjected to yet another eye exam. This time we were back at the original office to see an opthomologist. This was the office that prescribed glasses for Luke that he did not need, in addition to "patching". Because of the situation, the exams were free. The opthomologist's diagnoses matched those of our second opinion optometrist; no glasses for Luke and his left eye the stronger eye, and Keira does display an intermittent eye turn. Still, the opthomologist would not admit that anything was done incorrectly. She tried to tell me that a child's vision can fluctuate from day to day, and the doctors have to make judgement calls. What it sounded like to me was that it's all a crap-shoot; maybe you get the right diagnosis and maybe you don't. She tried to tell me that Luke wearing the patch and the glasses would not have hurt his eyes. Well, o-o-o-k-a-y-y-y, but what about the fact that every time my baby did what he was supposed to, his vision was impaired. Not to mention the stress it put on him. And, what if I hadn't felt the need to get a second opinion for Keira? Luke would still be trying to wear those stupid glasses. Finally, there is the money that we spent on the glasses. The decision was that there was nothing they could do since we didn't buy the glasses from their over-priced dispensary. I know now that this decision had been made before we even came in. This didn't surprise me, and it was not the main reason for returning.
What's the lesson here? Doctors are not infallible. Trust your instincts, especially when it comes to your kids. Insist on your kids seeing an eye doctor who specializes in treating children. And NEVER go to a California Eye Specialist office!
