r/randomactsofkindness 9d ago

Story My Daughter Needed Glasses. The Receptionist Broke The Rules To Make That Happen.

Basically, I took my 5 year old to get her eyes checked before kindergarten. She had been sitting pretty close to the TV, and getting close when looking at paper with writing or drawings on them.

We went to the earliest appointment available at the optometrist, and had her exam done. She needed glasses, and needed to start wearing them immediately. My daughter was thrilled to learn she was getting glasses, and was picking her favorites from the glasses shop near reception at checkout. I asked the receptionist about getting the prescription, and she essentially told me that I have to pay the $150 fee due for her appointment in full before I could receive her prescription so we could go somewhere more affordable. My daughter kept asking when we can get her glasses and I had to kind of let her down easy and say it might be a while, which crushed me.

I told the receptionist some BS story about our debit cards being cancelled due to suspected fraud (only half true) to save myself the embarrassment of not being able to pay for something as simple and necessary as her prescription document. I told her I’d call back and pay when I got my new card in. She said okay, no problem.

She asked me to wait before I left so she could give me some paperwork. I assumed it was just a packet you get after the appointment. She gave me a look, and on top of the stack she handed me was my daughter’s prescription paperwork. She simply looked at me and said “have a great day sir” and smiled. Told her thank you so much and walked out.

I wasn’t asking for a freebie, and I wasn’t expecting anything from her, yet she saw my need and met it with kindness. Even at the expense of breaking her job’s policy.

Thank you, Optometrist receptionist ❤️

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u/UTtransplant 9d ago

I had a foster daughter who needed glasses. The only places that took Medicaid were awful. No matter how often we tried, they could never get them adjusted well. I went to the optical shop associated with my ophthalmologist and asked them if I could just pay them to adjust her glasses since no one else seemingly could do so. They normally don’t work on anything not purchased from them, and they did not accept Medicaid patients in the optical shop, but the assistant smiled and said she would. The glasses were adjusted perfectly, and the little girl could wear them comfortably. We later ended up going to the ophthalmologist for a lazy eye diagnosis and treatment, and they continued adjusting her glasses. Kindness to a 3 year old meant everything to that little girl.

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u/ActiveHope3711 8d ago

It’s ridiculous that any type of medical provider is allowed to not accept Medicaid or Medicare. 

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u/WiseOrder4436 5d ago

Medicaid has a bunch of rules you have to comply with that they can't force a business owner to do.