A view of yet another Israeli first.

I love going to the eye doctor. Is that weird?

I just love the clicking sound the lenses make when your face is in that huge thing and you have to say which was clearer, one? Or two? One? Or two? This one? Or this one?

Today I went to pick out new glasses and get my eyes checked since it’s been a while and my parnasa involves staring at a computer screen for 8+ hours straight.

First of all, Israel is really into buy-one-get-one-free deals when it comes to glasses (actually, when it comes to anything). So here I am, trying to pick out not one, but two pairs of glasses. And if you know me, I’m real picky about glasses; one out of two times, I screw up and get stuck with a pair I hate (Well, since I’m getting two here, I guess the numbers are in my favor).

Secondly – damn was I disappointed when the doctor didn’t use the big face-seeing thing and instead put this third-world glasses-device on my face to check my vision! No clicking sound. Just… awkward glasses-device.
Finally: We had been wondering if I’ll look at rows of aleph-bet or numbers or pictures or what, since we were pretty sure it wouldn’t be giant E’s. My husband guessed it would be numbers, since there are so many immigrants here. Numbers are universal and the first thing you learn in Hebrew is numbers. Clever guess, and he was right.

“Shesh. Shalosh. Neera li… tesha?”

It’s really something else having to keep up with all the instructions in Hebrew. I assumed based on what I know of years of eye-doctoring and I just hope I don’t get stuck with glasses made for someone far sighted or legally blind (though I’m close enough).

“Shmone. Shtayim o mashahu. Arba. Mashahu.”

I did that a lot – “Mashahu.” That’s not a number, folks. That’s crappy vision, in any language.


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  1. amechad Avatar

    Buy one get one free? WHERE DID YOU GO?

    I went to Opticana (Meuchedit discount) and got totally ripped off (well, or everywhere in Israel, I got ripped off) plus the examiner refused to update my contact prescription. It was a very traumatic experience – read about it http://www.israelity.com/?p=3419

  2. eliesheva Avatar

    That’s where I went… It was expensive, but I guess I accepted that. It was buy a frame + lenses and get the other frame for free and the lenses for 99 shekels… There were a lot of different options for the deal but that’s what I got. I had a really nice sales lady. Were we there the same night, then?

  3. עם אחד Avatar

    Hmm, I went on Tuesday to the one on King George.

    This is interesting — when I pick up I may be Israeli now and try to negotiate me your deal (Of course I think I will be unsuccessful) :-) Thanks!

  4. eliesheva Avatar

    It was in Malcha… Good luck!

  5. amechad Avatar

    Boo — Adif customers already get a discount.

    Random ?: You know how much contacts cost in Israel?

  6. eliesheva Avatar

    No clue, I’m still wearing from the States because I rarely wear them.

  7. britishyosef Avatar

    Even as a kid, I have *always* loved going to the optician… and given that my glasses broke this morning, I’m due for another visit. Can you recommend an optician?

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