The Clinc

So I go to the hospital every few months for check-ups on my eye. About 3 years ago I was transferred from the children’s clinic to the the adult clinic in the Heath. You don’t really realise how little ‘young people’ have eye conditions until you step in that clinic.

Every visit I make I’m without fail the youngest person there, it’s an odd feeling. I feel like I can’t be too loud cause I feel like I might say something to annoy one of the ‘older’ patients waiting, or when it’s super busy you’re paranoid about looking to see if anyone needs a seat – cause I was always brought up to give my seat to my elders – but at the same time, I’m visually impaired! I can’t see if there’s someone who needs that seat more than I do. I suppose it would be better if the waiting room was more cheery, it’s dull and drab, the seats are uncomfortable and there’s nothing to really entertain you, except for pamphlets on sight loss. Like I said, cheery!

Although, my favourite part of that clinic has to be the terribly made sign about no food or drink in the clinic. I only came across it by accident when I was standing right by it. A pale greenish wall, a small silver plaque, with small black (not bold) writing. It’s an eye clinic, I think that some better contrast and bigger, bolder writing would’ve been obvious, apparently not.

It just makes you think how oblivious people can still be about visual impairment, I mean, the staff there are around people who have visual impairments everyday, you’d think they’d pick up a few tips on how they can make their clinic accessible. Though with the time it takes to get seen by a doctor there, I’m not surprised they haven’t figured out a few simple changes. They’ve got some catching up to do.

Hannah Matthews, 22