Back to the Eye Doctor and the Dentist

Back to contacts and no cavities!

**Due to this post being a bit short, I also added my trip to the dentist.**

So as a follow up to the previous trip to the eye doctor.

I finally had time after work to go visit the eye doctor for my follow up and to find out whether or not I could finally wear my contacts again.

I took pictures this time around!

This particular eye doctor doesn't use the UV light slipper boxes and just has them in a separate shelf. 

I was able to be seen fairly quickly again and by the son of the main older man doctor. They had me bring my contacts this time so he could make sure they were a proper fit for my eyes and to see how well I could see with them on versus my glasses, etc. 

The doctor did his usual 'don't mind me I'm a doctor' eye drops in my eyes, and checked to see if my dry eye had been fixed by the eye drops.

Thankfully, compared to the previous visit, it had improved A LOT, and he said I would be allowed to wear my contacts again! 

Then instructed me to put on my contacts but since he put those 'trust me I'm a doctor drops' I needed to cry those out. One of the nurses put these wild drops that made me see orange to cry out the doctor drops, it was really a wild experience. Then to, wait a bit, had them checked to see if I need to increase the strength, then finally checked by the doctor again.

While waiting, I asked to take pictures of the fascinating machinery that may be old compared to America but I thought were badass.

 I was then seen by the doctor and he told me so long as I continued using the remaining drops in the morning, after taking out my contacts, and before sleeping I should be ok. 

I suspected I had a cavity, so I made an appointment to go to the dentist.

I had made the appointment on the day of the pretty strong earthquake that actually shook up Kanto region..paranoid me about then seeing the dentist. But finally the day came, and after holding off of Snickers for that few weeks and doing my best to keep up with brushing three times a day.*

I was introduced to this dentist by a friend of mine, who is actually more like a mom to me due to her age. And she told me about it since one of the head nurses there was a friend of hers and I had asked her to come with me since I am such a scardy kat about going to any doctor.

Thankfully the head nurse I knew Was there so I wasn't as scared to be there by myself. Also it was my third time to be seen (once with my 'mom', second time to get a cavity filled). The previous time I went and got the cavity filled was the first time for my mouth to be filled with any kind of silver or metal or anything, so I made sure as soon as I truly suspected the cavity I got seen. 

Snickers caramel loves to get stuck in my teeth...

ANYWAY, I was seen shortly after arriving and told to sit and wait in the chair until they were ready for me. I always enjoy the dentist, because there is a TV that they turn on while I wait for a while.

I took that picture while I was waiting when I first arrived. I was then seen by the head nurse I know, was taken to get an x-ray, and then told to wait again after she checked my teeth and told another nurse a bunch of numbers while picking at my teeth.

I then watched my favorite channel 4 talking about the MERS virus that's wreaking havoc in South Korea. Made me very paranoid and slightly itchy.

What I really love about the dentist is that they put this funny towel over your face for what I assume are two reasons; no weird staring at the doctor, and you don't get your face all wet with your saliva.

I had my teeth cleaned after determining I didn't actually have a cavity. The doctor told me he could put a medicine to clog the middle of my teeth and help prevent any possible cavities!

I don't know if the face towel gives the doctor permission to squish my face...but he squashed my face under his arm while applying the medicine and trying to keep something in place while a nurse shot a weird light gun in that direction.

I left without having to come back again and a very decent bill. 

Both lovely visits to two doctors I don't really enjoy visiting!

Thanks for reading!

Quick Trip to the Eye Doctor

My eyes are all kinds of fkkd.

 

So for whatever reason my eyes don't want to be made up anymore. Every time I wear makeup these days, I get a stye in my waterline. It's literally just a little bubble, but it's itchy as hell and bothersome as fuh.

Thankfully, Ryosuke tells me that I am pretty without makeup and probably prefers that I can't wear it anyway. He says my eyes look alien huge and it's weird. I don't mind either way, because it's easier to not have to take off mascara all the time.

 

Anyway, as of a couple of months ago, whenever I was driving and it was really sunny--my eyes would hurt really bad and start tearing up and have to shut my eyes while I looked like I was crying. It was really bothersome and interfering with driving, and since I wear contacts I figured it was because I wasn't changing them often enough (the two week pair). So I made sure I put on new ones, and it would only get worse. I gave up on my contacts and just wore my big harry potter glasses for the past month and a half.

 

Last week on Tuesday/Wednesday? I finally decided to see if I could wear my contacts again. But by lunch time, my eye was itchy and sure enough, I saw the beginning of a little bubble in my waterline. I quickly took them out and threw them away since I had brought my glasses, I went the rest of the day in them.

 

I knew that that was the last straw and I needed to go to the eye doctor, so I asked my other teachers where they suggested and it just so happened that there was a location right near my house! It was a new place and the teacher who sits next to me also goes there. Though I was warned that I might wait for two hours but to try anyway since it was so close and revered.

 

I walked in and as most doctors' offices in my town, you take off your shoes and put on the provided slippers. I asked how long it would take and they said about an hour, well that's better than two I figured and started to fill out the usual form for visiting the doctor--'Why are you here' (i.e. what hurts/wrong), 'Do you have an allergies to medication' etc.

 

I only actually waited about twenty minutes though! It was lovely, and I was quickly brought in to get my eyes checked out. For those familiar seeing any sort of eye doctor, you know about the air spat in your eye machine, and look at the air balloon machine. They also had another machine that took pictures of my eyes and I guess since my eyes are closer to my nose than most Japanese, I had to sort of contort my face to take the picture properly.

 

Then they had to figure out how blind I am.

In America, we have to tell the letter down the row.

In Japan, you tell the direction a letter C has it's opening.

Up, Down, Left or Right.

They only show one at a time, and it would get progressively smaller.

I thought it was the coolest thing ever, mostly because instead of this giant machine

 

 

The nice nurse put on these lenseless glasses on me and started putting lenses in that made me see better and better. She then asked me what I could see--the usual questions. I then used my own glasses and put a flap each eye to see how well my glasses helped me see.

 

After this process I waited for a couple of minutes for the doctor to see me (only one of course).

 

 

Upon entering he confirmed my Japanese ability and had my put my face in this machine that would help him see the inside of my eyes. A couple drops of who knows because trust me I'm a doctor and he took a couple pictures.

 

Turns out I have the dry eye.

(Totally aware I used the right now)

It's not too severe, but I can imagine that since I don't blink enough and I probably do have a bit of dry eye--my eyes have progressively deteriorated.

(I concentrate too hard and forget to blink.)

 

So I was prescribed two different eye drops,

 

one  to use for about two weeks

(two bottles..this one I've been using for a week already)

 

and

 

another to use for one day that would be bitter tasting as hell and evidently make me sick to my stomach.

 

Since your eyes, nose and throat are essentially connected--if it tastes bad, you'll know within at least five minutes of putting drops. The scary thing about them was that they were a white color and for me, instantly tasted more bitter than ANY drops I've ever had...not pleasant whatsoever.

 

I will be pleading with the doctor to not make me take those white drops ever again.

 

He told me to come back in a week or two and see about my eyes. If they don't improve, I might have to wear my contacts only on the weekends/sort periods of time and if they do--well, we'll see during the next appointment.

 

I asked to make an appointment but, for some reason, this place doesn't make appointments--just walk-ins. So I have to hope that this week when I go, that it doesn't get so crowded.

 

The lovely thing about Japanese hospitals/doctors offices is that the pharmacy is almost always right next door. So you can be sure to just walk a little bit and pick up your medication!

 

I've been to quite a few pharmacy's and should probably make a post about them, quite interesting I think. But that's for another day!

 

I'll try to take pictures on my next visit!

 

Thanks for reading!