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What’s The Real Deal with your optician and contact lens prescriptions? Do brands matter?
I have a recipe for a cerain brand of contacts – the most expensive. I want to buy some less expensive Acuvue. A friend of mine bought some online – and says he can not brand that wants to have it – it is only the size specs, only questions. Are the people working at the Optician centers try, just make me buy the more expensive, by reasons / excuses about the recipe? A girl who worked there said, if I wanted to go to the brand – I would have to be tested again and pay for another test! What the law says? Who is the authority on the power of contact lens prescriptions and the brands of products – from consumer to choose?
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#2 written by Amy R 2 years ago
Speaking as an optician with dual Board Certifications, there are set Federal as well as State laws that we are to abide by. We are required to have a copy of your current (not expired) contact lens prescription, with the stated measurements, prescription, and contact lens brand. We are not permitted to make substitutions for what your optometrist prescribes. We CAN work with you to contact your doctor to inquire if they can switch you to a different brand of your choice, however most brands do have different base curves, diameters, water and oxygen content~~they will all fit different on each patient and work differently with each patient due to their eye’s reaction. Trust me, not all opticians are out just for your dollar. I’m sure there are some out there that are, but most of us are just doing our jobs and following the rules we have to abide by to keep our certifications.
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#3 written by azawalli 2 years ago
I’ve never had this problem, but then my needs for a contact lens are quite unusual–I need something to replace the lens of one of my eyes (I had a cataract) so I needed a very powerful prescription.
If you walk into an optician’s shop, you’ll notice that they’re not just selling eyeglasses, they’re selling fashion, which doesn’t come cheap. I had to help a girlfriend choose glasses, and I found that dealing with optical shop staff was not so much as dealing with a health care provider as it was dealing with people who wanted to sell you something.
On the other hand, a contact lens is something that you’re sticking in your eye(s) on a regular basis, so it may be true that not all lenses are the same.
Having said that, I have a good optician and if he recommends something for me, I follow his recommendations.
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You can thank the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer Act, you can only get the Brand of Contacts thats writtien on the prescription.. because its a medical device. If you want something different you have to be fitted for them because contacts have different base curves and diameters. there not all the same. Some dr offices. . . .wont charge to re-fit if u have done ur exam within 90 days