A week or so ago we went on a family outing to Boots Opticians, I know – we know how to live life on the edge. Monsieur Incidental and I are no strangers to myopia and my mum suggested that while we were there we had Big L’s eyes tested. They don’t test their eyes at school these days and seeing as we are both speccy four eyes she thought it would be a good idea – she’s usually right.
Big L was very excited at the prospect of having his eyes tested. He’s 6 and desperate for glasses so he could “Be like Peppa Pig”. In all honesty if the only way he is like Peppa “the squealer” Pig is wearing glasses then I’m happy. I can’t say I have noticed her wearing glasses, I vaguely remember an episode where she wanted them because an equally irritating animal friend of hers had them but that’s about it. As you can tell I don’t watch it too carefully.
I digress. The exciting test day came and we all travelled the mile or so into town. Big L had his test first. They staff were great with him. He had his field of vision checked and they took a photo of his eyeballs. Then the optician saw him. He squirmed in his chair no end (Big L that is, not the optician). They put the chair as high as they could, not quite high enough. A pillow was located. The computer played up a bit so the letters weren’t displaying as they should be but we got there eventually.
Big L read out letters very proudly. He was asked whether the rings were darker on the red or green. Lenses were put in the glasses – “are the letters clearer with lens one….or two?”. The verdict was – he is short sighted. Big L was delighted. My heart sank. Curse our shitty, useless, myopic genes. He went out and picked a pair of glasses with Monsieur Incidental (aka Daddy) while I had my eye test. He popped in to model them for me, to my horror they had the England football badge on the arms (we’re not football fans and he’s half French for pity’s sake) but he liked them and that’s what counts. They cost the princely sum of £10.00, there were free options but he liked them, he’s spoilt, what can I say?
We collected his glasses from Boots this week. They popped them on, made a few adjustments and hey presto! My son has glasses. He wore them all day at school yesterday, even though the optician said he ony needed to wear them for board work, she said if he asks for them he can wear them so I figure let him. He forgot them today. I think the novelty might have worn off already!