to put this here because im worried and want a quick response?? be gentle with me am in abit of a state

[Mscombobulated]

I have just booked an eye test and it turned out i am on yearly recall and this only happens if that is a problem.

When i had the exam the optician said there was no problem, but as expected, i needed glasses. New opticians and quite a few years since last ones done.

Been trying to get back in touch with them (tesco) but the woman said that there was something written on my card but she couldnt understand it - she said IF the optician on duty would decipeher it he would get back to me??

WTF??? I suffer from health anxiety and im about pulling my hair out now.

Please someone tell me that if he had picked up something awful he would have told me at the time?? Very worried, feel sick, not sure if taken my meds(citalopram) or not but feel very anxious indeed. Wish i never made the appt, only did so because i want new glasses because these tesco ones, despite beind designer frames, are shit.

Please don't post anything worrying, will tip me over the edge - i'm literally shaking with fear as it is

Stop worrying about what it could be but is almost certainly not. Easier said than done, I know.

Can you go for a walk, get some fresh air and distraction?

your going to feel such a fool tomorrow when you sit in that chair and he tells you why he is monitoring you.

your eyesight may well be perfect WITH your glasses on - you may be getting 6/6 vision - that is perfect or near as damn it anyway - if you had a tumour you would have other symptoms. the optom will not be able to diagnose diabetes or high blood pressure - if you worried about either of those then see your GP to put your mind at rest. tbh i would see your gp anyway - this level of anxiety over an eyetest is extreme - are you on any anxiety medication? is it just this that your anxious over or does this extreme anxiety pervade other areas of you life?

the spots on your eyes thing - please trust me - you have nothing to worry about, please calm down and try and discuss it calmly tomorrow when you go for your test.

I am on yearly recall - my father had glaucoma.

I have spots on the back of my eyes.....

They are freckles!!!

Seriously!

Me too . Have had photos taken so that optician can check they don't change shape or size.
Previous opticians hadn't mentioned it though but new one said nothing to worry about and totally unconnected to my appalling eyesight.

does 'health anxiety' mean you're a bit of a hypochondriac?

Read the lovely responses from other posters...you are fine.

They just want you back every year so they can sell you more stuff.

If it had been anything serious you would have been sent to the Eye Hospital, not just monitored. My optician spotted something on my retina, phoned the hospital on the spot and I was seen the next morning. They don't hang about if there may be a serious problem with eyes! I'm sure tomorrow's appointment will put your mind at rest.

Honestly, a year is a long time for any serious eye disease. And opticians usually err on the side of extreme caution, as people who go blind suddenly tend to sue.

Seriously, I think you've got nothing to worry about.

RELAX!

Hi OP, I work in an independent optometrists, and please please try not to worry about the spots, It's probably just a nevus, (freckle) on the back of your eye and they are very common.

If you are feeling anxious, ask if they have a fundus machine, so they can take a retinal picture of the back of your eye, they can do this yearly, and it keeps track of any changes on the back of the eye.

The optician probably did not mention it at the time, even when you asked, as there is really nothing to worry about, hope this helps, or at least calms you down a bit.

Thank you everyone - I am on citalopram for anxiety - thought i was doing well, but tbh i have slipped a bit recently and i'm not sure why. I am wanting to stop the meds, been on them for two years, had counselling and whilst that helped with my depression it hasn't stopped the HA. I often feel anxious for no reason too - its very draining. I just seived my flour down the sink (no no my eyes aren't THAT bad - else i really would be worried!) but im distracted and when i get anxoius i do stupid stuff like that

Vicar, i do like your posts i am anxious over, well, um, everything mostly. Seriously - i get upset if i see a magpie, i mean, really really upset

I am 39 years old with a degree and PhD in biochemistry - two lovely children and if anyone in my family needs help or advice, guess who they go to because she is so sensible?? only my poor DP (and mnet!) see me disintegrate into a complete pool of mess over health worries etc

shiney, you are right of course, but if i am honest, i give up, really - i've had counselling, i thought i was ok so i stopped (on the advice of the counsellor) and refused CBT because i was exhausted by it all. You might know me anyway im LEM i just keep deregistering to try and curb my internet use as its not always good for me.

What a wreck

trust me if they are worried they will refer straight away, DD2 was after photo showed white reflects, shes fine and nothing to worry about (turned out we should have been looking at DH instead)

DD1 is recalled every 6 months too. Thye are good and they know eyes better, so please clam down.

thanks dittany, i will take a look at that later - when im, um, less stressed!!! lol

The citalopram helps in general with my psycho behaviour (my DPs pet term for me when i had really lost the plot) im not a psycho anymore!!

I'm not entirely sure it DOES help with the anxiety TBH. Not when its full on like this - trouble with me is i think too much (another one of my DPs armchair diagnoses) and turn things over and over in my mind - what if........... I am a slave to what if

You cant just give up though - giving in to this kind of anxiety is a fast track to ending up in a total and utter panic ever day. You have to fight it, for your sake, your dh's and your kids. I know that sounds a bit heavy handed but seriously its not relaly ok to just give up because then youre allowing yourself to be anxious, youve given yourself permission almost and when youre in the midst of an attack all you think is 'theres nothing I can do to stop this' when there is. There is.

i know waiting, but i am sick of it - really just sick of it, its almost like having to fight it feeds it - i just want it to stop, and i feel too lazy to make it, i just have to become like pavlovs dogs and let it all wash over me - bit sad though, walking around with my ears flat on my head waiting for an electric shock at any moment

Dear MS,
I'm another one with 'eye spots', and another secret panicker, so I sympathise! Mine are quite large, do interfere with my vision, and are probably either virally induced or the result of some rather cavalier laser experiments when I was a young and immortal physics student . Still nothing to worry about, apparently. They will NOT have missed a galloping great tumour in the back of your eye -- and you wouldn't be left for a year to see how it went.

I get my interesting spots checked out every so often to make sure they aren't spreading or hiding something (macular degeneration would be more the worry than Sudden Death). But by all means get them to take a good look with a fundus camera and preferably photograph them for the record. Be warned, you'll need eye drops for this and you will NOT be able to drive till they've worn off -- in other words, go to the ordinary test tomorrow; get them to say WHAT they saw last time; ask for a further appointment; and get it all set up for another time.

Oh yes, and breathe...

thing is, my appt is with a different optician, but original optician is not there anymore anyway - i thought they did photograph my eyes, but they certainly didn't put any drops in - am defo not wanting those. Actually its funny, i freak out about everything but have had to have some pretty full on and painful stuff done in the past and i didn't bat an eyelid about the procedures.

Its bloody tiring being a freak

knew i shouldnt have messed around with the bloody confocal microscope when i was a feckless student too if mine look like mickey mouse i shall know why!

It is possible to do the fundus photography without drops, but the picture may not be great! why are you worried about the drops, if you do need them?

cos they hurt! apparently well at least thats what my mum says and my friend who has them for her iritis

As a fellow anxiety sufferer (not nearly so often these days although not having a good week!) can I just say I know EXACTLY what you mean by fighting it feeds it. I have found that the best means of dealing with the awful worrying thoughts is to have the courage to just let them go. This sounds so easy but is in fact very hard to do, sometimes it seems to be easier than others, but as you know the more you think about it all (if you are like me always analysing) then the worse it gets. I think that fighting it is almost giving it too much attention and further raises adrenalin levels.

Gosh, I am so wise when talking to others, if only I could take on board my own advice!