Doctor’s Appointment
“Is he dying?” Lando asked the doctor.
The doctor looked up from the paperwork in front of him, then glanced at Oscar, who was sitting on the examination bed with an expression that suggested he’d rather be anywhere else. A small smile tugged at the doctor’s lips.
Oscar sighed. “Please ignore him. Just pretend he’s not here. I usually do that.”
Lando rolled his eyes, earning a quiet laugh from the doctor before he returned his attention to Oscar’s file.
“Well, let’s have a look, shall we?”
Oscar had already undergone a few preliminary tests before being brought into the consultation room. The nurse had checked his blood pressure and temperature, taken a blood sample, and asked him a series of questions about his symptoms. Now the doctor was going through the results while Oscar sat patiently, occasionally rubbing his temple.
“Your blood pressure is normal,” the doctor explained, scrolling through the results on his computer. “And your blood test doesn’t show anything particularly concerning. Your haemoglobin is within the normal range, your blood glucose is fine, and there’s no obvious sign of infection or significant electrolyte disturbance.”
Lando leaned forward slightly. “So he’s fine?”
“I didn’t say that,” the doctor replied, smiling.
Oscar gave Lando a pointed look. “Can you stop trying to diagnose me?”
“I’m just making sure.”
“You’re making it worse.”
The doctor continued with the examination, checking Oscar’s pupils and eye movements, asking him to follow a light with his eyes before testing his visual acuity. He also asked about the frequency of his headaches, how long he’d been experiencing blurred vision, and how many hours he usually spent in front of a computer.
“Most of my day,” Oscar admitted.
“Do you take regular breaks?”
Oscar hesitated.
The doctor raised an eyebrow.
“Sometimes.”
Lando snorted. “That’s a lie.”
“Thank you, Lando,” Oscar muttered.
“You’re welcome.”
The doctor made a few more notes before turning towards them. “Your symptoms could be related to a combination of factors. You’re clearly quite fatigued, and spending long hours in front of a screen without adequate breaks can contribute to eye strain and headaches. You should also make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating regularly, and staying hydrated.”
Oscar nodded, looking considerably less concerned now that the doctor hadn’t found anything alarming in his blood results.
“For the blurry eyes,” the doctor continued, glancing at the results of the visual assessment, “I think you would benefit from corrective lenses.”
“IS HE GOING BLIND?” Lando suddenly interrupted.
The doctor burst out laughing.
Oscar closed his eyes. “For God’s sake.”
“No, no,” the doctor reassured them, still smiling. “He’s not going blind. His examination suggests that he has myopia, or short-sightedness. Objects further away appear blurry because light isn’t focusing correctly on the retina. You’ll need a proper refraction test at an optician to determine the exact prescription, but I’d recommend getting a pair of glasses.”
He looked back at Oscar, seemingly amused by something.
“Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed it sooner, especially considering the kind of work you do.”
Oscar shrugged. “I don’t know. It never really seemed to be a problem before.”
“Has it gradually gotten worse?”
“Probably. I just thought everyone saw things a little blurry sometimes.”
Lando slowly turned towards him.
“Sorry, what?”
Oscar looked at him. “What?”
“You’ve been walking around unable to see properly this entire time?”
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“I can see.”
“Apparently not.”
“Oh, so he’s…” Lando paused, looking towards the doctor for confirmation. “Like, legally blind?”
Oscar stared at him.
“Shut up.”
The doctor laughed again, shaking his head as he began writing something on a prescription sheet. “No, he’s not legally blind. But he does need glasses. And I’d suggest not putting it off any longer.”
“Thank you,” Oscar said, accepting the paper.
The doctor went through the recommendations with them, explaining that Oscar should have his prescription properly measured and avoid prolonged screen use without breaks. He also prescribed some medication to help manage the headaches and recommended vitamin supplementation, along with making a few adjustments to his daily routine. If the headaches persisted or worsened, or if Oscar developed sudden vision loss, double vision, severe eye pain, or other new neurological symptoms, he would need further assessment promptly.
Lando listened carefully, occasionally nodding along. Oscar, meanwhile, was reading through the prescription, looking slightly offended by the prospect of having to wear glasses.
“Here you go,” the doctor said, handing Oscar the paperwork. “These are your medications and the recommendation for getting your glasses made. Make sure you follow up with an optician for the proper prescription.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“Take care of yourself. And you,” he added, glancing at Lando, “make sure he listens.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make sure he does.”
Oscar gave him a look. “You don’t have to sound so pleased about it.”
The doctor smiled as he stood up. “You two are a really funny couple, by the way.”
Silence.
Lando blinked.
Oscar looked up from the prescription.
“Uh,” Lando started.
“We’re not…” Oscar began at the exact same time.
“WE’RE NOT A COUPLE,” they both said, almost in unison.
The doctor laughed, clearly enjoying their reaction. “Alright, alright. My mistake.”
Oscar looked down at the paperwork again, suddenly very interested in the instructions printed at the bottom. Lando, for once, couldn’t seem to find anything clever to say.
A nurse came in shortly afterwards to escort them out of the consultation room, leaving the two of them to gather their belongings and follow her towards the exit.
They walked through the corridor in relative silence, the doctor’s comment still hanging rather awkwardly between them. Lando kept his hands in his pockets, while Oscar busied himself with folding the prescription sheet and putting it away.
It wasn’t until they reached the cashier that Lando finally cleared his throat.
“So…”
Oscar glanced at him.
“You’re gonna look like a nerd now.”
Oscar stopped walking for half a second.
“Excuse me?”
“Glasses, mate. Very academic. Very intelligent. Probably start correcting my grammar next.”
“I already do that.”
“Right. Well, now you’ll look the part.”
Oscar shook his head, moving towards the cashier. “I will punch you.”
Lando grinned, following closely behind him.
“Love you too, nerd.”
“Don’t push it.”
And just like that, things were back to normal.
