seeking optomerist advice

[jow104]

I am dissatisfied with a prescritpion on my eyetest in the UK, but thought it might be more appropriate to question the situation here on this forum and not in the UK.

My problem is that I could not read a book with my right eye (OK left) so visited the optician and he changed just the right eye lens.(frameless bifocal glasses).
However I still cannot read a book with my right eye with new lens.
At fitting time the optician stated this was the best he could do and right eye lens could not be matched to the left eye.
The only way they could be made to match was to reduce the effectiveness of the left eye to get an equal vision.

Doesnt sound correct advice to me.

(BTW right eye has reasonable vision at distance even without glasses on.)

PM me if you do not wish an open discussion.

[Gingermick]

I have difficulty reading with both eyes and glasses made me tired so I wear a leather eye patch at work and squint a lot when I dont have one handy whilst reading.

[Rossluck]

Sorry, but it sounds like he knows what he's doing to me. It's not rocket science, and it's all they do. Not much help I know. Maybe you could ask your GP for a referral to an ophthalmologist to discuss laser surgery instead.

[Sturdee]

John,

I have worn glasses most of my life, since I was about 10 years old and for a while now I have bifocals as my reading vison is different from normal vision.

My vison without glasses through my left eye is different from that of my right eye, not much but it is different.

My glasses prescription corrects all this so that when wearing my glasses I have correct vision both for reading as well as distance.

IMHO it should be possible for getting a correct prescription and if your optometrist (a doctor specialising in eye care and vision) can not do this at least get a second opinion.

What I can't understand is that your are dealing with your optician, here you get your eyes checked and prescription for your lenses from an optometrist, with account direct billed to Medicare, and the glasses made from the prescription by the optician.

Hope this helps.

Peter.

[Chesand]

John,
IIMHO it should be possible for getting a correct prescription and if your optometrist (a doctor specialising in eye care and vision) can not do this at least get a second opinion.
Peter.

An optometrist in Aust is not a Doctor although they are trained in testing of eyes and diagnosis of many eye complaints. They are now allowed to prescribe a limited range of eye drops previously only available through a doctor.

You may need to be referred to an eye specialist (a doctor) who should be able to detect and correct any problem

[jow104]

Peter, here in the UK the optician and optomerist are usually in the same practice.

I think someone at the practice has slipped up because he made no charge for the new lens after I pushed him into the corner complaining that my sight was no better for reading than wearing my other old spare of glasses (woodworking glasses I call them:; )

Hence I posted knowing that there is a forum member here who is an optomerist.

[Chesand]

Peter, here in the UK the optician and optomerist are usually in the same practice.


That is often the case here too - the optometrist tests the eyes and the optician makes the glasses to the prescription of the optometrist or eye specialist.

Eye specialists usually have their rooms elsewhere

[chrisb691]

Hi Jow,

I am using multi-focal lenses, with greatly differing prescriptions for each eye. On the each of the last 3 occaisions of renewing my glasses (2 different places), I have had to go back because I wasn't happy with my vision. In each case, a more senior optometrist re-tested me and adjusted the prescription for one eye. From what I understand, in each case they changed the focal length of the lenses. It seems that the less experienced testers didn't take into account that focal length tends to reduce as you get older.

In my opinion there should be no issue with correcting you vision, just because your eyes are different. You may need to go muli focal, but it should be manageable.

If your'e not happy, and they still say they cannot do anything, get your money back and go elsewhere.

[Chesand]

I too wear multi-focal lens and on one occasion had to return them as the optician did not get the 'invisible line' in the correct spot. The 'invisible line' is where the different strengths meet in the lens. Also as we age and the lens strength changes, the peripheral vision will reduce and you have to adjust by turning your head a little more.

[zelk]

I am dissatisfied with a prescritpion on my eyetest in the UK, but thought it might be more appropriate to question the situation here on this forum and not in the UK.

My problem is that I could not read a book with my right eye (OK left) so visited the optician and he changed just the right eye lens.(frameless bifocal glasses).
However I still cannot read a book with my right eye with new lens.
At fitting time the optician stated this was the best he could do and right eye lens could not be matched to the left eye.
The only way they could be made to match was to reduce the effectiveness of the left eye to get an equal vision.

Doesnt sound correct advice to me.

(BTW right eye has reasonable vision at distance even without glasses on.)

PM me if you do not wish an open discussion.

Did you ask why the near vision of the right eye was poorer than the left?

Keep in mind, based on how old you are, if you were given the correct prescription, this does not necessarily mean that the vision will be the same in both eyes, particularly, if there is some underlying pathology in the weaker eye. Note that if there is pathology, then, with the best spectacle correction in place, both distance and near vision will be affected in that eye. .

If you can't get a suitable answer, then get another opinion. It sounds odd that the vision in the better eye is reduced to match the other.

Zelk

[Lignin]

You need to visit an ophthalmologist, a highly trained medico who specialises in the eye and its function.
You will need a referral from your GP, and, if you've been a good boy and "paid your stamp", will have nothing to pay IF you join an NHS waiting list.You might be dead before you get your free appointment unless things have improved since I left.
There may be a reason ,other than a mistake,for your eye to be more wonky than it was, but I can't think of one off hand.:o:o

Just reread your post.If your long sight is good, it should only be neccessary to shorten the focal length to match that of your left eye, but a good medico will be much more accurate than a few woodworkers who wear glasses.
Don't bugger about with your sight>I've lost siught in one eye, and it makes an incredible difference to what you can do!!!

[echnidna]

:2tsup:

[Gingermick]

You need to visit an ophthalmologist, ....
You will need a referral from your GP, !!!
Or your optometrist

[Sturdee]

but a good medico will be much more accurate than a few woodworkers who wear glasses.


Maybe you didn't mean to but I find your post rather offensive to me, as I'm one of those woodworkers that wear glasses and offered my experience and suggestions.

The inference I read is that we are not accurate and suggest that John buggerize around with his eyesight when the total opposite is the fact.

All of us suggested that the deal John got wasn't good enough and he take it further and at least get a second opinion. That isn't suggesting buggerizing around. That is good and accurate advice and is the same as what you said.

Peter.

[mat]

John

When your eyes were tested by the optometrist and a suitable new lens prescribed he/she should have shown you what the effect of that lens would be with their various machines. That is, you should have seen the effect that lens would have on your vision for reading.
Now if the lens that has been installed does not give that same effect then the dispensing is at fault. That is, the wrong lens, or the wrong positioning.
The problem may well be at the optician end rather than the actual prescription end.

Most opticians have machines that will provide the prescription by assessing the glasses. You could go to another optician and ask if the glasses match the prescription, they may not.

[The Bleeder]

You need to visit an ophthalmologist, a highly trained medico who specialises in the eye and its function.


Lignin is right. Get in to see an opthalmologist as he can tell you what is exactly wrong and if there is a procedure to fix it. The optometrist will test your eyes and look for the more common causes of what is happening.

If you are meant to do eye exercises this is meant to help stablize (to some degree) the degeneration of vision. This only goes so far. (old age degeneration is not in this group). Obviously you and I are in this boat.

I get stronger prescription for my right eye every year and if I try and use last years prescription I can't read unless I really strain the eyes.

I did 2 years of optometry then found computers.

Kick up a stink until you get a satisfactory answer.

Hope you can get it fixed.

[Lignin]

Peter,
Although I think you've misinterpreted what I meant, I apologise for any slight, real or imagined.I too wear glasses, but it doesn't make me an ophthalmologist any more than my collection of tools makes me a cabinet maker, much as I wish they did!!

[Pheonix]

Yeah, us old bguggers dont know what we are talking about.NOT:(

[fxst]

I am thinking that some people here are too stressed out when they see offence in Ligs post.I too now use glasses for reading and wood/metal work and saw no offense only a point that while we wear glasses for varing amounts of time it does not nor will it make us opticians thats why we have to pay to get our glasses replace or retuned.
Maybe its the country living or just that my view that life is to short to be offended or slighted so easily.
No doubt this will be seen as offensive by some and not by others but as we cant be face to face we cant type our inflections of speech or see faces to tell the difference.
JLWI
Pete

[Rossluck]

Peter,
Although I think you've misinterpreted what I meant, I apologise for any slight, real or imagined.I too wear glasses, but it doesn't make me an ophthalmologist any more than my collection of tools makes me a cabinet maker, much as I wish they did!!

I think your point is well made, and it has the same intention as my post (above). From my understanding these problems are caused by a gradual decrease in the flexibility of the cornea (that functions in conjunction with the lens to focus light for the retina). This loss of flexibility can be and often is uneven. This also means that you can have a quick deterioration of flexibility in one eye and a slow deterioration in the other, and then visa versa for a while. This is an ageing problem along with other losses of flexibility (anyone out there feel like lying under your car's dash to install a new stereo these day?:wink:).

The laser alternative restores focus by re-adjusting the cornea. My sister had it done and it's been great, but ... I dunno ..... Either way, if you don't trust the opticians or optometrists, then it's best to seek a referral to an ophthalmologist to discuss the options. They're busy people though ....

[Sturdee]

Peter,
Although I think you've misinterpreted what I meant, I apologise for any slight, real or imagined.I too wear glasses, but it doesn't make me an ophthalmologist any more than my collection of tools makes me a cabinet maker, much as I wish they did!!

No worries as I must have misinterpreted your post. In any case we all agree that John should not accept what has happened and seek a second opinion, whether an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.


Peter.

[Optimark]

I have some interesting eye problems, which required an Ophthalmologist to diagnose. My sister in-law in Germany is married to an Ophthalmologist; we visit Germany very regularly and in fact only returned a month and a half ago.
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Whilst there this year and staying at their place, my sister in-laws husband told of the second quite serious preventable eye disorder he had unfortunately diagnosed.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
The patient had gone blind in one eye, solely due to that affected eye not being used. There was a very interesting dinner discussion about this problem and the cause. It appears that the patient had been using the high street store bought reading glasses which only cost a few Euros, for quite some years. These have been extremely satisfactory, but there appeared to be a problem for long sight, so the visit to the Ophthalmologist.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
As the wearer was using a pair of lenses that were identical in their dioptre power, eventually the eye with the best correction was the one the brain used for virtually all seeing when these optics were used. As the eye not being used was used less and less, the body virtually stopped using it altogether. This resulted in virtual blindness in the weaker eye.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
This was the second case my sister in-laws husband had diagnosed in the last year or so, an effect he believes is due to people not understanding some of the finer points of using or losing, a function or body part.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
Whilst he isn’t of the opinion that the supermarket bought reading optics should be banned, he believes that their usage should be limited to reading of a menu in a restaurant or scanning documents at a legal meeting and such. Not for outright reading of novels, newspapers and other intense reading exercises.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
He has to compulsorily retire next year, so he doesn’t have a boat to push regarding seeing an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. He did stress that after a certain age, which was mid fifties, one should see an Ophthalmologist at least once for a general check, rather than an Optometrist.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
The general gist of his talk/discussion, was that once there was some kind of funny business with your eyes, see an Ophthalmologist pronto. Knowing what I know about my own eye problems, and having been to different Optometrists and finally to an Ophthalmologist for a correct diagnosis, about a problem that was deceptively simple to mis-diagnose, I would also suggest you see an Ophthalmologist

Mick.

[zelk]

I have some interesting eye problems, which required an Ophthalmologist to diagnose. My sister in-law in Germany is married to an Ophthalmologist; we visit Germany very regularly and in fact only returned a month and a half ago.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
Whilst there this year and staying at their place, my sister in-laws husband told of the second quite serious preventable eye disorder he had unfortunately diagnosed.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
The patient had gone blind in one eye, solely due to that affected eye not being used. There was a very interesting dinner discussion about this problem and the cause. It appears that the patient had been using the high street store bought reading glasses which only cost a few Euros, for quite some years. These have been extremely satisfactory, but there appeared to be a problem for long sight, so the visit to the Ophthalmologist.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
As the wearer was using a pair of lenses that were identical in their dioptre power, eventually the eye with the best correction was the one the brain used for virtually all seeing when these optics were used. As the eye not being used was used less and less, the body virtually stopped using it altogether. This resulted in virtual blindness in the weaker eye.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
This was the second case my sister in-laws husband had diagnosed in the last year or so, an effect he believes is due to people not understanding some of the finer points of using or losing, a function or body part.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
Whilst he isn’t of the opinion that the supermarket bought reading optics should be banned, he believes that their usage should be limited to reading of a menu in a restaurant or scanning documents at a legal meeting and such. Not for outright reading of novels, newspapers and other intense reading exercises.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
He has to compulsorily retire next year, so he doesn’t have a boat to push regarding seeing an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. He did stress that after a certain age, which was mid fifties, one should see an Ophthalmologist at least once for a general check, rather than an Optometrist.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
The general gist of his talk/discussion, was that once there was some kind of funny business with your eyes, see an Ophthalmologist pronto. Knowing what I know about my own eye problems, and having been to different Optometrists and finally to an Ophthalmologist for a correct diagnosis, about a problem that was deceptively simple to mis-diagnose, I would also suggest you see an Ophthalmologist

Mick.

Hi Mick,
what were you diagnosed with?

Zelk

[Optimark]

Zelk,

Thygeson's SPK.

I was constantly having vision problems which although minor, were sometimes painful, plus I started to suffer from photophobia, occasionally quite severe.

It was when I visited my third Ophthalmologist that I finally had a correct diagnosis. I fortunately have an Ophthalmologist who has treated one other person with this problem, she recognised it.

My Sister in-laws husband has never seen a case, he was understandably quite interested in looking at my eyes when I visited with a known diagnosis, about 8 years ago.

Mick.

[jow104]

There is certainly some good advice and information in posts above, Thanks to all.

Did an eye test again this morning looked at my monitor and could read all the above posts with my left eye, but struggle to read or not read with my right eye although my lens is only 3 days old.

So its back to my GP and get another referral, (incidently this present situation was a referral) so I will give it a few days for the dust to settle and go back to the GP, he is known as the eye man at our surgery practice.

Regarding the eye test done at the ops. my complaint looking back is that the test lenses fitted only went to the request if sight was better with this lens and I said yes but I think I should have verbally said it could be better.
So perhaps there is a communication problem with this tester.

[zelk]

Zelk,

Thygeson's SPK.

I was constantly having vision problems which although minor, were sometimes painful, plus I started to suffer from photophobia, occasionally quite severe.

It was when I visited my third Ophthalmologist that I finally had a correct diagnosis. I fortunately have an Ophthalmologist who has treated one other person with this problem, she recognised it.

My Sister in-laws husband has never seen a case, he was understandably quite interested in looking at my eyes when I visited with a known diagnosis, about 8 years ago.

Mick.

Yeh, it's sometimes difficult to diagnose. Did you finally have some treatment?

Zelk

[jow104]

Made some progress on the problem.

Went for eyetest with an optician in another town, got the same test prescription, but the new optician found that I had conflictiong lenses, Mine are varifocals, but the last time lenses were fitted earlier this year, a lens type named Liberty was fitted and the original lenses (and the left eye still is) a Comfort type.

Also the glasses are frameless and the new lens is fitted at a different angle plane, the original faces in the later faces out.

So original optician is taking specs. back and corrections are to be made.


Thanks for all replies.