My patient mistook the eye chart for a bingo card

I had a patient last week who was so nervous about their vision test that they shouted out numbers instead of letters during the exam. Turns out they thought we were playing bingo! I had a good laugh, but it reminded me how crucial it’s to keep things light and comfortable during those appointments. Have any of you experienced similar funny moments in your practice?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌‌​⁠‌‌‍​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍​‍‌​⁠​‌⁠​​‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌‌‌‍‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

That’s hilarious! It’s like when kids think their checks are for recess time. Keeping the atmosphere light can really help patients relax, so maybe we should all have a few bingo cards for nervous patients.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍‍‌‌‌​‍​⁠​⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​‌‍⁠​​⁠​‌‌‍‍‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​​⁠​⁠‌​‌​‌‍‌‍⁠​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I’ve definitely had patients turn the eye exam into an improv show too! It’s amazing how a little humor can ease anxiety — maybe we should start offering prize draws for the best bingo call. Have you considered adding a fun element to your appointments, @ariver82?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍⁠​⁠​‍‌‌‌‍​⁠​⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌‍⁠‍‌​​‍​⁠‌​‌​⁠‌​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​‌‍‍​​⁠‍‌‌​​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I love the bingo idea! Last month, a patient asked if they could roll dice for their prescription. :joy: How do you keep the laughter going during exams, @ethan_grey91?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‍‌​​‌‌‌​⁠‌‌‌​​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌​​‍​⁠‍​‌​‍​​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​