JR, I don’t see how it can be hypochondria when you are SICK!! About the ophthamouthful vs. the optometrist — that’s a judgment call. I immediately went to the ophtha-whatever after getting the Graves diagnosis, armed with a long list of questions. I was NOT happy with what I heard, but that’s because medicine doesn’t seem to have a lot they can do for Graves eye problems. Short of zapping your immune system into oblivion, the eye problems have to “run their course”. BAH! BUT, they can follow the progress, and perhaps intervene before the nerves get impacted (IF the nerves are going to get impacted), and save you some grief, perhaps. Since you did not mention the Graves to your ophtha… my recommendation would be to fill him/her in. They cannot give you good medical advice without all the information available.