unexpected eye exam finding
60y/o man presents for adult well-visit. Me: All right, cover your right eye for me. Can you read the bottom row of letters? Patient: [reads them perfectly] Me: Awesome! Now cover the other eye, and let’s do the same thing. Patient: [covers other eye] I can’t see anything. Me: How about the top row? Patient: Nope. Me: Even the big E? Patient: What E?
Me: [worried but hiding it] All right. Let’s try something else then. [holds up index finger] Cover your right eye and follow my finger with your left eye. Patient: [follows instructions perfectly] Me: Excellent. Now let’s try the other one. Patient: [right eye does not move]
Me: [worrying even more but still trying to hide it] Okay. [picks up ophthalmoscope] I’m going to check your left eye first, okay? Patient: Okay. Me: [performs fundoscopic exam on left eye] All right. Everything looks good here! Let’s try the other one. Patient: Okay. Me: [attempts fundoscopic exam, but light bounces back at me]
Me: I- [working hard to conceal panic] Your right eye is interesting. Patient: Yeah, it’s a glass eye. Me: …what? Patient: [clearly trying not to laugh] It’s a glass eye. Me: Were you planning on telling me at some point? Patient: [bursts into fit of giggles] I wanted to see you freak out first!
