Fear Mongering

Fear mongering, according to Wikipedia, is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. Yesterday I spent my day off getting the flu shot (my arm still hurts today) and having my yearly eye exam. The "vision center" was an absolute zoo. I suppose I should have expected it, with it being a holiday and all. Finally, my name was called and I sauntered back to the dreaded glaucoma test site. There has to be a better way for testing besides blowing air into each eyeball. I can usually sit still for the first "puff", but my eye has a mind of its own and blinks uncontrollably in anticipation for the second "puff". When it was over I was directed to a row of chairs to wait. I pulled out my book, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and read. Minutes later I was called into the exam room by a man not much older than me. I sat down in the exam chair and he read my file aloud. I said "correct" several times, mentioned that I swim with goggles over my contacts, and then he launched into a speech about contacts and bacterial infections. Apparently baths, showers, pillows, pools, lakes, rivers, and hands can cause serious eye infections. He pulled out a poster of hideous eye infections to illustrate his point. What the heck, dude? He hadn't even assessed my eyes at this point, but I was concerned. Was there something wrong with me eyes? Upon examining my eyes he found no problems (thank GOD!), but I was still shaking. He continued his rant about how people overuse their contacts and then come into the office complaining that they scratched their eye, which he said is impossible to do. I couldn't help it, but I had to interrupt him and point out that my husband did indeed wake up one recent morning with a terrible searing pain in his eye that turned out to be a scratch. He was treated with antibiotic drops and felt better. The "doctor" then backtracked and said it was certainly possible, but not often. I think it's time to find alternative eye care. Fear mongering isn't appreciated, especially when it's unwarranted and directed at me while I'm sitting in an exam chair. So take note, doctors, keep your fears to yourself.