Ok, so where do I begin.
My son who is 3 and half has been seeing a pediatric
eye specialist in Saskatoon for several years now( not at Vista Eye Care). He had a perinatal stroke and as a result we see a lot of different specialists in Saskatoon for various reasons. The trip to the paediatric specialist is by far the WORST appointment for my son, and for myself. The waiting room is small, uncomfortable, dirty, and unwelcoming for children with sensory issues. Almost every time we had gone there it has been a wait time of 3 to 5 hours from start to finish. By the end, my son is so miserable it takes him several weeks to recover from the trauma of the appointment. After all, holding him down, shouting to get his attention, prying his eyes open, I definitely don't blame him for being traumatized there. That being said, the last time we visited the specialist the Doctor had told me that because he was so fussy and crying that she couldn't get a good look in his eyes. However she had insisted that his prescription had changed and faxed the updated prescription to Vista Eye Care. I didn't understand how she could know if the prescription had changed if she hadn't been able to even see in his eyes, so I called Vista for some advice. First i talked to one of the ladies at the front. I told her my little story about my son, about my concerns, how upset I was with the other Doctor. She was understanding, professional, and told me that she was going to talk to Dr. Finch and she would get her to call me asap as soon as she gets into the office the next day. And so, the next day she called me and addressed some of my concerns over the phone but insisted my son comes in for an exam. She explained over the phone how she would be willing to accommodate my son in anyway he needs to make him more comfortable so the exam would go smoothly. A few days later we arrived to our appointment and were promptly put into the exam room to meet with Dr. Finch. When she walked in she immediately acknowledged my son and began interacting with him. He took to her right away and he was even okay to sit in the "big chair" by himself without anyone having to hold him down( this is a first for him. My husband usually has to hold him down while the specialist abruptly crams multiple cameras and exams in his face without warning or ease). She was quickly able to get several pictures of his eyes ( also a first) without much fuss. With the aid of some music and distractions she was able to complete her exam, taking breaks when he needed them, trying a new tactic if "the usual" wasn't working for him. Basically she was willing to accommodate him in anyway he needed and as a result was able to determine that his new prescription was not only inaccurate, but his previous one was as well. So she adjusted his script and we picked some frames and were on our way.
And aside of everything the office is supper clean and the washrooms even have a change table! Not something that is offered at the pediatric specialist.
Everyone in the office was very understanding and helpful, they were more than happy and willing to help by even sitting on the floor with him and watch music videos to get him to settle when he started really having a hard time being there. I can't say enough kind words towards Dr. Finch and the front desk girls. The whole appointment took about 1 hour and 45 min and my son recovered before we even got home. I'm so grateful to have this team of professionals on my side. There kindness, patience, and understanding really goes a long long way when treating patients with autism or other intellectual delays.
Thank you guys so much. Knowing that he will be getting an accurate prescription going into Pre-K this September has lifted a HUGE weight off my shoulders. Thankyou thankyou thankyou.