Anyone else struggle with closing...

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

GlowInTheDark

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Messages
510
Reaction score
595
One of your eyes?! There's gotta be dozens of us, I can wink with my right eye, but not my left. I can sort of, but I still end up closing my right eye as well in addition to making a face like I just shoved a handful of sour Warheads in my mouth.

Just started eye exams and...yea...I don't want to have to tell every patient, "I'm not trying to kiss you, I just have a crap eye."

Anyone got some tips on how to train my winker?

😉 <---I can't do this.
 
Could be a weak orbicularis oculi and/or a defective left CN VII. I would seek help ASAP.
 
Use your left eye to examine the patient's left eye, and your right eye to examine the patient's right eye. Works every time.
 
Burghstudent doesn't understand your problem. You can't use your left eye on the patient's left eye because you can't have only that eye open due to a winking inability. I had this same issue and just dealt with the awkwardness of using my right on both patient eyes in real life and for OSCE's just didn't actually look through the lens with my left eye because it was closed.

Thankfully I'm going into a specialty that doesn't do funduscopic exams.

All that being said, I think you can just kind of work-out your eyelid muscles by trying to wink a lot. It eventually improves.
 
Burghstudent doesn't understand your problem. You can't use your left eye on the patient's left eye because you can't have only that eye open due to a winking inability. I had this same issue and just dealt with the awkwardness of using my right on both patient eyes in real life and for OSCE's just didn't actually look through the lens with my left eye because it was closed.

Thankfully I'm going into a specialty that doesn't do funduscopic exams.

All that being said, I think you can just kind of work-out your eyelid muscles by trying to wink a lot. It eventually improves.
Same issue here, sort of, with a little bit more baggage than that. I was the fool that got the panoptic. (Since, you know, we NEED (urggggh) an opthalmoscope). It works because of its design adding a good 2-3 inches between you and the patient's face.
 
I have the same problem too OP!

As for our doctoring sessions, we are still required to do it from both sides. What I do is keep both eyes open and try to focus on my left eye, its hard to explain but it worked for me. That session was one of the hardest sessions for me lol
 
Burghstudent doesn't understand your problem. You can't use your left eye on the patient's left eye because you can't have only that eye open due to a winking inability. I had this same issue and just dealt with the awkwardness of using my right on both patient eyes in real life and for OSCE's just didn't actually look through the lens with my left eye because it was closed.

Thankfully I'm going into a specialty that doesn't do funduscopic exams.

All that being said, I think you can just kind of work-out your eyelid muscles by trying to wink a lot. It eventually improves.
Why wouldn't they just use their hand to cover their eye. That's how our school taught us.
 
never skip orbicularis oculi day.

I kept ripping out my eyelashes.

I'm working my winker. In the meantime, I place my hand on their head as a gauge of my distance and while doing with my bad eye I use my pinky to hold the other all the way shut.

I feel like I discovered my own personal wheel or something.
 
Just wear an eye patch on that eye so the patient knows you can't use it. That way they know you're not trying to kiss them, you just can't use the gimp eye.
 
Same issue here, sort of, with a little bit more baggage than that. I was the fool that got the panoptic. (Since, you know, we NEED (urggggh) an opthalmoscope). It works because of its design adding a good 2-3 inches between you and the patient's face.

But you can't use the panoptic on CS!
 
Top