In both episodes, a character said Go-Go at least twice which is a reference to the Wham song Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.
Francine's pair of movie star glasses that's inspired by Dame Edna Everage's signature glasses is green in the TV series. In the books, it is pink.
The book this was adapted from is the second in the series published in 1979 after "Arthur's Nose" that was published three years prior. Many of the characters present in this TV adaptation did not exist in the franchise yet until later books. Sue Ellen debuted in "Arthur's Valentine" several months later in 1980 during the Valentine's Day season, Muffy debuted in "The True Francine" in 1981, the Brain debuted in "Arthur Goes to Camp" in 1982, Binky Barnes debuted in "Arthur's April Fool" in 1983, and Prunella debuted in "Arthur's Teacher Trouble" in 1986.
Arthur's optometrist Dr. Iris is named after the iris - the colored part of a person's eye. In the book this episode was adapted from, she was a brown vixen sans hair. In this TV adaption, she is a dark gray cat with blonde hair.
Fern is introduced into the franchise in the book it's adapted from as one of the background characters, but wasn't named until her second appearance in "Arthur's Valentine".