You know those things you don’t really want to do, so you put them off, and put them off… but eventually they catch up to you and you just have to grit your teeth and do it? Visiting the optometrist (or doctor, or dentist) is generally one of those things on my not-super-fun list, but last week my long overdue visit to the eye doc finally caught up to me. I dragged myself to the appointment early one morning… and then remembered why it’s not so bad after all: Dr. Faulkner is pretty darned amazing.
To be fair, Dr. Faulkner is my high school BFF’s dad, and between trips to Mexico, soccer games, and cross-country running races, I’ve probably spent more time with him than the average girl and her optometrist. Perhaps sharing those experiences colors my perspective a bit, but I doubt it.
I’ve always been completely confident in his eye care; this is the man who fixed my dry eyes with miniscule plugs in my tear ducts – it sounds totally weird, but it worked! He also cured me of a mysterious eye condition friends called “eye death,” which would periodically strike me down at inopportune times like vacations, finals, or when I needed to drive somewhere. To top off his seemingly miraculous cures, his staff is helpful and friendly, and he always has cool frames and sunglasses available for browsing. If that were all he offered, I’d still return year after year.
But Dr. Faulkner’s amazingness comes not from his expertise as an eye doctor, great staff, or cool inventory, but from his unflagging interest in the people he sees. He remembers jobs, past coaches, and teachers whose names I’ve even forgotten – chatting with him is so much fun that you barely notice the array of tests he’s running. A former Anchorage assemblyman, he is well-versed in issues that impact our city, and even though he’s split his time between Anchorage and Bend, OR for more than ten years, he’s still deeply invested in the success of our community.
When I leave Dr. Faulkner’s office, I feel like I’ve spent an hour engaged in great conversation with an old friend. Someone who can turn a basic eye appointment into an hour of fun is truly amazing.
Thank you Dr. Faulkner!
I completely agree with you. It’s why I look forward to my appointment. For me it’s a conversation about what’s happening (often politically) in our fair city. And he’s a good eye doc too.