Eye clinic what to expect i am terrified!

[Travelcrazy]

I suffer with anxiety especially at appointments and I have been referred to the hospital by my optician. I went because I have an inflamed eye that I think was caused by an allergic reaction on my face. I paid for a scan and the optician said the nerves and muscles are fine but it is inflamed at the back and the pressure is up. She said that they will probably give me some drops.
I am panicking about what they will do at the appointment can anyone please advise and talk me down!
Thanks very much

I have been to Moorfields lots of times after having a blood clot on my retina. London a few years ago, Bedford more recently.

Typically it goes like this:
-arrive, say why you're there and wait in a waiting room

• initial basic eye test and chat about the problem
• peripheral field test (press the button when you see dots)
• put drops in. They always warn me it stings, but I've never found it any worse than going to the swimming pool
• wait in waiting room for 30 minutes for the drops to work
• look at/take pictures of the back of your eye
• final conversation about what found/next steps
• go home

Occasionally add a couple of extra things like a blood test or glaucoma test. I got sent for an MRI once but that was at a follow up.

Do make sure you have someone to help you home - you won't be able to see properly for a few hours. Take your sunglasses even if it's a cloudy day - the drops make your eyes dilated so you can't adapt to bright lights - even indoors might feel too bright. And plan something to listen to after all you won't be able to read and might not be able to watch TV for a while.

Honestly it's weird the first time but actually fine. Nothing hurts or anything like that - at least that's been my experience.

They do an eye test, apply drops to dilate the pupil then an optometrist will examine your eyes via an instrument similar to optician’s. They may request a scan or offer treatment afterwards, or give you another appointment to check again before discharge. Ime it a lot of waiting around between stages and you cannot drive afterwards.

They may well give you eye drops which may make your vision blurry for a while so they usually advise that you don't drive to the appointment. They will look at your eye through a machine, which is called a slit lamp. You place your chin on a 'rest' whilst sitting opposite the consultant.

My son has had this test done loads of time, from the age of 3. There is nothing to worry about.

Nothing to add to the comments above really! My experience was just as PPs have described! Definitely remember you can’t drive afterwards. And I’m sure they warned me the eye drops they put in would cause coloured tears for a day or so!

Thanks for the replies, I was hoping not to have another full eye test with all the peripheral vision tests etc because the optician sent the results of the ones I had done. I was hoping that they would just have a close look and that would be it.
I will just have to try to zone out and get on with it, I hate having anxiety :(

Take your sun glasses with you, as when you leave the eye clinic and if its a bright sunny day etc your pupils won’t react, has any one in your family had glaucoma? Sometimes having high pressure can indicate this.
good luck at your appointment and honestly you will be fine

I have arthritis and occasionally it affects my eyes as iritis.

So an inflamed iris and high pressure.

For me they put drops in to numb the eye and then take the pressure with an instrument that touches your eye. I find that less stressful than the air puffer thing.

They also examine my eyes with a 'slit light'.

I am then given two lots of drops, one to dilate the pupil to let the iris rest and a steroid to reduce inflammation.

They also taught me to pull out my lower eye lid to put the drops in and then blink so it feels gentler than direct in to your eye.

No history of Glaucoma in the family.
Thank you for the replies I do feel a bit calmer now.

I’m a frequent visitor to the eye clinic and the above is my experience too
Be prepared to be called by different people for various tests, scans, and tests
i found I have to really concentrate on the visual field test as you have to press a handheld button when you see a light.
you will see a Dr to discuss the results.
Please don’t worry. They’re all very patient and they will put you at ease.
In my experience they will repeat all tests so they have up to date information.
Good luck