Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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LCD screens during eye exams? (self.Blind)
submitted by BeardedJerry
Admittedly I don't visit any kind of doctor as often as I should. But during my last eye exam I experienced for the first time an LCD TV screen being used in place. Of a standard eye chart.
I am legally blind (20/400 acuity and sensitive to light). You would think that my regular opthalmologist would be aware of this and how a bright TV screen in a dark room might obscure the results of an examination. But nope. They dilated my pupils and put me in a room with a big open window during pre-exam and then they made me sit in another brightly lit room for an hour waiting for the real exam where they put me in a very dark room with a bright LCD screen in place of a normal chart.
Is this really what passes with doctors these days? I actually felt like I'd spent 2 to 3 hours getting bullied.
A few extra details just because
While in the brightly lit room waiting I noticed an elderly women who was blind with an obviously bad back. When she sat down in this small crowded room, her cane fell on the floor. There were multiple staff members standing around the room just chatting. Nobody helped this lady get her cane.
One more thing., While I was being examined a med school student was present in the room. My doctor looked at my eyes with the flashlight scope thing (I'm not a scientist. Don't judge me) and then asked the student to have a look. But as she got up she flipped off the light. The student then unable to see, bumped my eye with the tool and told the doctor she couldnt see anything. My doctor actually blamed this student for her mistake saying that the student turned off the light. My sister was in the room with me and later confirmed everything I've complained about here. She has normal eyesight.
After all of that a tiny adjustment was made to my prescription in one eye which honestly seemed to be a guess by my doctor not based on any of the tests. And I did bring up my concerns about the LCD and mentioned the pre-exam room. She ignored me completely. I got an "uh huh"
The point in this was to illustrate my lack of faith in our doctors and to ask if I should be as bothered by all of this as I am?
Have you had similar experiences?
I am legally blind (20/400 acuity and sensitive to light). You would think that my regular opthalmologist would be aware of this and how a bright TV screen in a dark room might obscure the results of an examination. But nope. They dilated my pupils and put me in a room with a big open window during pre-exam and then they made me sit in another brightly lit room for an hour waiting for the real exam where they put me in a very dark room with a bright LCD screen in place of a normal chart.
Is this really what passes with doctors these days? I actually felt like I'd spent 2 to 3 hours getting bullied.
A few extra details just because
While in the brightly lit room waiting I noticed an elderly women who was blind with an obviously bad back. When she sat down in this small crowded room, her cane fell on the floor. There were multiple staff members standing around the room just chatting. Nobody helped this lady get her cane.
One more thing., While I was being examined a med school student was present in the room. My doctor looked at my eyes with the flashlight scope thing (I'm not a scientist. Don't judge me) and then asked the student to have a look. But as she got up she flipped off the light. The student then unable to see, bumped my eye with the tool and told the doctor she couldnt see anything. My doctor actually blamed this student for her mistake saying that the student turned off the light. My sister was in the room with me and later confirmed everything I've complained about here. She has normal eyesight.
After all of that a tiny adjustment was made to my prescription in one eye which honestly seemed to be a guess by my doctor not based on any of the tests. And I did bring up my concerns about the LCD and mentioned the pre-exam room. She ignored me completely. I got an "uh huh"
The point in this was to illustrate my lack of faith in our doctors and to ask if I should be as bothered by all of this as I am?
Have you had similar experiences?
AlwaysLilly 3 points 5y ago
I agree I would look for another doctor. I am a year out from my last standard eye exam, but I have never heard of the LCD screen chart.
I haven’t had the other experiences, but having atypical vision, my standard optometrist office is really great about knowing what is outside of their realm. I usually give the hardball questions to my retina specialist as they’re most qualified to answer my questions.
I haven’t had the other experiences, but having atypical vision, my standard optometrist office is really great about knowing what is outside of their realm. I usually give the hardball questions to my retina specialist as they’re most qualified to answer my questions.
blindjo 2 points 5y ago
yes, i've seen those before! They actually work a bit better for me because i'm so used to the standard charts that i have them somewhat memorized haha.
Personally, i can't stand when they Have to use mirrorsbin a small room to try to mimic distance. That's when i get wonky readings.
The rest of your treatment sounds pretty awful OP. Have you tried visiting other offices?
Personally, i can't stand when they Have to use mirrorsbin a small room to try to mimic distance. That's when i get wonky readings.
The rest of your treatment sounds pretty awful OP. Have you tried visiting other offices?
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
I'm still waiting for a referral from my doctor. Unfortunately specialists here won't accept new patients without a rwferral.
For me I can barely stand to look at the LCD. Maybe if she had adjusted the backlight or if my pupils weren't dilated I might not have gone snoeblind. But it even created a glare on the prescription testing machine.
For me I can barely stand to look at the LCD. Maybe if she had adjusted the backlight or if my pupils weren't dilated I might not have gone snoeblind. But it even created a glare on the prescription testing machine.
[deleted] 1 points 5y ago
[deleted]
awesomesaucesaywhat 1 points 5y ago
I would be so pissed. My doctor knows that I'm super light sensitive and always makes sure to use the eye chart that is a physical board with me, rather than the screen. He also keeps the lights low when I'm in the room.
Have you talked to the doctor? Can you switch? This sounds super unprofessional, especially the thing with the student.
I'm sorry you went through this.
Have you talked to the doctor? Can you switch? This sounds super unprofessional, especially the thing with the student.
I'm sorry you went through this.
BeardedJerry [OP] 3 points 5y ago
I mentioned the lighting issue and commented that the TV we only work but she just sort of shrugged it off.
I'm actually waiting on a referral from my GP for a new eye doctor. That's both because of that visit and because to my knowledge she has either retired or will be retiring soon.
Thanks for your response. I wish I had a doctor like yours. He sounds great.
I'm actually waiting on a referral from my GP for a new eye doctor. That's both because of that visit and because to my knowledge she has either retired or will be retiring soon.
Thanks for your response. I wish I had a doctor like yours. He sounds great.
awesomesaucesaywhat 2 points 5y ago
Is yours specifically a low vision doctor? I have had many shit eye doctors, but finding a low vision doc has made a huge difference.
RockPaperAwesome 1 points 5y ago
I second this. I work in the field and tou should find someone who works with low vision on a normal basis. It is not a very profitable specality so it can be hard to find. A low vision work-up and prescreening should not be the same as a normal vision one. Good luck. I don't think you are in the US (use of GP) but if you are lighthouse has so.e good resources.
BeardedJerry [OP] 1 points 5y ago
You're right, I am Canadian. But I'm no good with medical terms so I'd probably get it weird regardless.
I'm not really sure if she's a low vision specialist or not. I feel like my.... GP/physician/family doctor would refer me to the correct sort but it's already been demonstrated to me that I can't place too much faith in them. On that note I don't know how long it normally takes for a referral but I've been waiting for almost 2 months so I'm assuming that my doc just isn't very punctual.
I'm not really sure if she's a low vision specialist or not. I feel like my.... GP/physician/family doctor would refer me to the correct sort but it's already been demonstrated to me that I can't place too much faith in them. On that note I don't know how long it normally takes for a referral but I've been waiting for almost 2 months so I'm assuming that my doc just isn't very punctual.
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