Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

One month of not seeing correctly and counting

One month of not seeing correctly and counting. Need advice. Here's a rundown:

May: bought new lenses and rimless frames - first time with rimless, from an Optician from an Eye Glass Store. The Optometrist #1 in a back room there prescribed me.

Early Sept.: migraine, then a week later headaches while using computer and reading (on a MAC computer 8 hrs a day at work M-F).

Go back to Optometrist #1 from May, she says I need reading glasses. Reading glasses don't work, Optometrist doesn't return phone calls. So I go to a new Optometrist #2 - completely different Optometrist office, not an eye glass store. He says my prescription is wrong. Really like him, think he is great and know what he's doing.

I have to argue with Optician at Eye Glass Store to replace lenses for free. She does. Still had problems on computer and glare for night driving - new Optometrist #2 recommends anti-glare coating, which Optician initially told me not to get because it doesn't work well with transition lenses.

Get Crizal Alize (top of the line) anti-glare coating - Optician tries to sell for 40% more than 2 other places; I have to argue to match price.

Have to wait 4 days for new lenses. Get back this Tuesday and still having problems on computer. Take to Technician in Optometrist #2's office and she says there is a high luster polish on the rimless lenses that are causing the weird glare I'm still experiencing.

So now I feel this Optician where I bought my glasses is completely incompetent. I've had two other Opticians tell me the frames are not right for my face and one told me my prescription (-3.50, -3.25 with astigmatism) is really too big for rimless.

I just want a refund from the Optician for my frames and lenses, I now have about $700 invested in these glasses that still don't work for me.

I believe the Optician is breaking 'Business and Professional Code sections 654 and 655' shown here: http://www.mbc.ca.gov/allied/rdo_program_questions.html

"Can an RDO, SLD or CLD be affiliated with a doctor or optometrist?

No, according to Business and Professions Code sections 654 and 655, a doctor or optometrist cannot have any membership, proprietary interest, co-ownership, landlord-tenant relationship or any profit-sharing arrangement, directly or indirectly, in any form with an RDO, SLD or CLD."


I interpret this as saying the Optician is breaking the law/code by having Optometrist #1 in her office, no matter what their business relationship is. I think Optometrist #1 is paying rent due to a comment I heard while I was there. I also found out that the Optician's Store "Registered Dispensing License' has been 'Delinquent' since 2008, however the Optician's 'Registered Spectacle Lens Dispenser' license is current.

Last night I looked at frames in Optometrist #2's office, but they are really expensive, like $400 - $650. Two I liked were brands Landon and Lyle, for $480, except I can't find any info on those brands. This is about $250 over my budget for frames, but they really don't have too many decent frames in my price range. However I really trust this doctor and the technician there selling glasses seems to really know her stuff and how to fit me with the correct frames. This office will replace lenses for free if they don't work, and I think will exchange frames too if I don't like them. So that is important to me.


Questions:

1) Based on the code and delinquent license (i.e. am I interpreting correctly?), and what I would call her incompetence at this point, do you think I have enough to threaten the Optician who sold me my glasses to give me a refund?  Because I know she won't want to, but I no longer want to deal with her.

2) Have you heard of the brands Landon or Lyle? Do they make good glasses?

3) Due to the fact that I really like Optometrist #2 and his technician, should I definitely buy frames from him so I can basically make it a one-stop shopping deal, so that if I have any problems, he'll basically take care of me - as opposed to taking his prescription elsewhere for less expensive frames, but possibly get into the same nightmare as I'm in with my current Optician?
6 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Again, thanks, if I can avoid buying an extra pair of glasses the better.

I went to a couple more different Opticians and they said they've come across patients who are either allergic to polycarbonate lenses or just can't see properly out of polycarbonate lenses.  One of them said the lenses in my semi-rimless frames from before May 2011, in which I wore for 4 years with no problems, are a hard resin standard plastic lense.

The lenses in the "bad" glasses are poly.

Have you heard of that?

I've already ordered new frames and lenses from my new doctor, I get them tomorrow.  But they too suggested poly lenses (before I found out about the problems with them).  

So if this new pair does not work, then possibly it's the poly lenses, so my questions is, what would you suggest switching to:
high index, trivex, or standard plastic (which worked fine before)?

Will standard plastic lenses, transition with anti-reflection, be ok in a semi-rimless frame?
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
CVS is, in my opinion, more a marketing tool to get people in optometrists offices to buy computer glasses than a distinct entity.

Anyone that experiences tearing, burning, watering, blurring, eye strain, headaches, double vision, difficulty focusing, gets sleepy, gets a headache while using a computer is said to have CVS   and an attempt usually made to see "computer glasses" or have "vision therapy"

JCH MD
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you again.  Re: the RX, according to my new doctor which I trust, my prescription has changed.  Before May I was -4.00 in both eyes.  Now I'm -3.50 and -3.25 and the -4.00 which I still have don't work correctly either, too strong and hurt my eyes.  So I think the prescription I have now is right.  But I think you are correct, it's the different variables of rimless that are bothering me, which is why the Optician should have never suggested rimless (again I've had others tell me they would never put me in rimless - of course this was AFTER this Optician sold me $325 frames because she wanted to make a buck).

In addition to the problems with rimless, I think I may also have CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome):

http://www.mdsupport.org/library/cvs.html
http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/faqs.htm

In the 2nd article it says: ""see an optometrist or optholmologist who specializes in computer vision case.  During a computer vision exam, your eye doctor will perform tests to detect any vision problems that might contribute to CVS."

Do you know what special tests an O.D. would perform to check for CVS?
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
In some people virtually everything can cause problems.  Thus if rimless frames (and I have several) bother everyone they would not be commercially available.

Think of glasses as having over a dozen variables and the RX is just one.  Think also that at home you likely have a closet full of shoes that are all or about the same size; yet each shoe has a different 'feel' to it.  Most of us have a pair or two we rarely wear because they're not comfortable even though the same size as more comfortable pairs.

The best deal you may be able to cut is "duplicate old comfortable RX in new frames using same lens material, coatings, base curve, pupillary distance, etc.

JCH MD
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your comment.

I'm only 33, and I've had many tell me I am too young for bifocals, including Optometrist #1.  And when I wore the reading glasses she prescribed me, they did not work.  

In 13 years I've been wearing glasses, I've never had issues like this.  Is it unrealistic to not want to get headaches from wearing glasses?

Also, is it true that a high luster polish on rimless frames can cause a glare that another type of polish may not cause?
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
We do not offer legal advice or make ethical judgments.

Given everything you've been through there is a strong possibility the problem is not with the glasses but with your adjustment to them or unrealistic expectations.

If you are near or post 40 you may be at the point where you need bifocals.

JCH MD
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Eye Care Community

Top General Health Answerers
177275 tn?1511755244
Kansas City, MO
Avatar universal
Grand Prairie, TX
Avatar universal
San Diego, CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
In this unique and fascinating report from Missouri Medicine, world-renowned expert Dr. Raymond Moody examines what really happens when we almost die.
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
When it comes to your health, timing is everything
We’ve got a crash course on metabolism basics.
Learn what you can do to avoid ski injury and other common winter sports injury.