Bengaluru couple stunned as 'eye doctor' links myopia to marriage, children

India Today

a day ago

What began as a routine full-body health check-up for a Bengaluru-based man and his wife ended up becoming an unexpectedly uncomfortable experience at a private hospital in the city. The man took to Reddit's 'r/bangalore' community to share his ordeal, and the post has since gone viral.He wrote that the appointment included an eye test, which should have been simple. Instead, it spiralled into an awkward and unnecessary exchange. 'The eye 'doctor' started by asking me where I'm from, same with my wife. Not sure what that had to do with anything,' he said.advertisementThings escalated quickly when the practitioner - later identified as an ophthalmic technician - began warning the man about his cylindrical power of –2.5. 'He told me I couldn't continue in the IT profession because of my screen time and made it sound like my life was at risk. It felt like baseless fear-mongering,' the man said, adding that he spends around 10 hours on screens daily due to his job.
However, the situation became worse when the technician involved the couple's personal life. During the wife's examination, he called the husband back into the room and reportedly remarked, 'Didn't you consult anyone before deciding to marry? Two people with myopia shouldn't get married. Your kids will suffer at an early age. Think and take consultation before conceiving.'Understandably disturbed, the couple questioned the relevance and professionalism of such remarks. 'We weren't there for genetic counselling. We came for a basic health check-up. No doctor should make people feel guilty about getting married or having kids, especially over something as common and manageable as myopia or astigmatism,' the man wrote.He identified the individual as Abhi Hg, a BSc in Ophthalmic Tech with possibly a year's experience. 'The hospital really needs to be more careful about who they allow to consult under their name. This isn't how patients should be treated,' the man said in his post. After the post went viral, the hospital reached out. 'Update: I was going to file a complaint today but apparently this post got viral and they (the hospital) themselves called and apologised. Doesn't look like they'll be taking any other action though. They also requested if I could remove this post,' the man added.Take a look at the post here:'He's probably just the guy that runs the tests and submits them to the actual doctor,' a user said, while another added, 'It's a genuine degree, but they aren't allowed to do all this. Performing optometry and handing over the results is their limit.'A medical professional even weighed in. 'Real ophthalmologist here. Everything that kid told you is wrong. You have probable cause to raise a complaint with his employer,' the user commented.Others pointed out the difference between technicians and licensed doctors. 'The person was an optometrist, not a medical doctor, so no formal complaint is necessary. But he should definitely not be overstepping like this.'advertisementIn the end, the man's post made the internet wonder how important it is to draw the line between professional advice and personal intrusion, especially in spaces meant to prioritise health and comfort.- Ends