I Can See Clearly Now

Before we left Canada for Mexico, the left arm of my eyeglasses broke off. My glasses were the “frameless” type, where the parts (arms, nose pads, bridge) all mount with tiny metal pins inserted into tiny holes drilled into the lenses. After years of putting them on, taking them off, putting them on, taking them off, those tiny metal pins on the left arm decided they have had enough and just sheared right off.

There was no shrieking snap, or other sudden shocking sound that one might associate with metal supports shearing under stress. Not even a little snap. It was all quite silent. Just that when I took off my glasses that last time I was left holding two different pieces, where normally it is all one.
I did manage to Crazy Glue them back together, but that only lasted a little while.

Also shortly before our big move I had my regular Ophthalmologist diabetes eye exam, getting the all-clear that my eyes were still both completely healthy. Since I knew I needed to get some new glasses – and hoping to do it while still in Canada – I asked the doctor for a copy of my current optical prescription. He looked in his chart and said, “You know your last sight test was more than ten years ago?” I hadn’t realised it had been so long.

My Ophthalmologist doesn’t do sight tests himself, so he referred me to another doctor in the same office. Before leaving I checked with reception to book an appointment for a sight test. The earliest appointment they had available was two months away, and we were due to move to Mexico in just two weeks.

Well, I thought, people in Mexico have glasses too – I can just wait and get them there! So, after the Crazy Glue solution crumbled for the last time, I dug out my “emergency backup glasses” (from way more than 10 years ago) and off we went…

Our first little while in Mexico was busy getting settled-in. My EBG were serving me okay for most purposes but, being near-sighted and these being only “single vision”, I had to take them off any time I needed to read something up close.

Early-January while shopping in Costco in Cabo San Lucas, I saw that their Optical Department (El departamento de Óptica en Costco) advertised Free Vision Testing (Examen de la vista Sin Costo). I inquired. Yes, it is free. But being free means it is also very popular. The next available appointment was at the end of February. So I thought no, I’ll wait. I’ll check around and see if there are other opticians around. I’d be willing to pay for testing if it meant I could get in sooner.

By the time of my next shopping trip to Costco I had not yet had time to hunt around for another optician. So I thought I may as well just book it and wait it out. I checked… they had a cancellation Saturday after next. Yes please! I wrote my name into the little slot in their calendar page where they had used White-Out Tape to cover the previous occupier of the timeslot. (very high-tech booking system LOL)

So two Saturdays later, I showed up for my Free Vision Testing. I have to say, I am VERY impressed with El departamento de Óptica en Costco! It wasn’t just a simple vision test – it was a full-on eye exam. Complete with all the latest high-tech gadgetry.

Starting with an Autorefractor (stare in here and look at the little Hot Air Balloon) to establish a baseline on what your optical prescription is likely to be. Followed by the Air-Puff Glaucoma test (non-contact tonometry if you want the technical term). Then on to the photoropter…

If you have ever had a sight test before, you should be familiar with a photoropter even if you didn’t know that’s what it is called. It’s the big complicated-looking thing they make you look through while they change up the lenses to fine-tune your optical prescription requirements. They give you a choice “Which is clearer, A or B?” then they make an adjustment and give you more choices as they narrow it down.
Costco doesn’t have that old contraption. They have the new state-of-the-art computerised version. No more knobs and dials. All very friendly-looking. They control it all through a computer control panel off to the side. Very cool!

Last stop is the Nikon Ultra-Wide Field Retinal Imaging Device. This takes a high-res picture of your retina. Used to look for micro-aneurisms, macular degeneration, and any other retinal abnormalities. And the coolest part of this… it does it without requiring dilation of your pupils! For years my ophthalmologist required my pupils to be dilated to do his exams, which means I can’t drive myself home after an appointment. This new technology is SO much easier on the patient!

So after all that I picked out my frames, ordered high-refractive-index progressive-vision lenses with Transitions auto shading (they turn dark in sunlight). Two weeks later, they were ready for me to pick up. All-in for only 5,098 pesos (CAD$324 / US$256). I’m liking the look of that. 😎