Websites for optical professionals?

[Fezz]

I am seeing a disturbing trend on the Optiboard. It seems that more and more of the threads and posts are being made by non optical people. I am reluctant to post or start a new thread due to the way the information gets twisted and used. I can appreciate that people want advice, knowledge etc, but why on this forum? Are there any other websites that would be more appropriate for the eyecare professional?


Fezz
:cheers:

[chm2023]

Doesn't VCA have a consumer section on their site?

[Joe Stella]

***

[hcjilson]

I am seeing a disturbing trend on the Optiboard. It seems that more and more of the threads and posts are being made by non optical people. I am reluctant to post or start a new thread due to the way the information gets twisted and used. I can appreciate that people want advice, knowledge etc, but why on this forum? Are there any other websites that would be more appropriate for the eyecare professional?


Fezz
:cheers:

I'm not exactly sure what you meant when you said information gets twisted and used, but if you go to this site and click on "Links" you will get just about every site in Optics.
http://www.nfos.org/

If you think information is being twisted,overcome your reluctance and post corrections. If you don't want to do that, report the post to the forum moderator.

regards from hj

[Chris Ryser]

I would tend to think that eyecare professionals might be interested in what the rest of us think, just so they can more effectively tailor their service.

I am glad you brought this up. The Optiboard is one of the good means of communication between optical professionals, some of them are better and some of them still need a little education. Everybody should never stopp learning and if they say they know it all, they stopped at some point and become the loosers.

Commincation with non professionals on a forum like this one seems to shake up some of them, probably they might not have the right answer and are afraid to give a wrong one.

I am all for it do have non professionals ask questions and the right one will pop up for sure at some point. It makes the place lively and some of us learn some new things along the way. It's good for the Optiboard.

[Steve Machol]

Joe's post is right on. We are not going to start banning people just because they are not eyecare professionals. We should look at this as an opportunty to interact with consumers who have the energy and initiative to educate themselves on their eyecare choices.

[Fezz]

Steve-First, let me say that I appreciate the work that you do for Optiboard.

I did not call for a ban on non-professionals. I do not agree with you on the point that "we should look at this as an opportunity to interract with consumers who have the energy and initiative to educate themselves on their eyecare choices". I, as I am sure alot of fellow Optiboarders, do that all day. I would like to be able to interact with like minded optical professionals on the daily trials that we all face in this ever changing optical landscape. I would like to be a bit more free to express opinions about frame lines, progressive brands, insurance, etc. , without comments or questions or remarks from non-optical posters. I simply asked if there were any websites that would be more appropriate for the optical professional, and explaining my reason for asking.


Fezz

:cheers:

[Jedi]

I am seeing a disturbing trend on the Optiboard. It seems that more and more of the threads and posts are being made by non optical people. I am reluctant to post or start a new thread due to the way the information gets twisted and used. I can appreciate that people want advice, knowledge etc, but why on this forum? Are there any other websites that would be more appropriate for the eyecare professional?


Fezz
:cheers:

I think the disturbing trend on Optiboard are the amount of anti-consumer posts. There will always be the Dyip's and the Bates Method advocates posting among the regular consumers, but the bad apples tend to weed themselves out. I enjoy the reading the dialog from non-professional and many of the questions they have can be put into practice at my office.

Steve has done a great job building this board to where it is, and I hope it only increases in popularity with both professionals and consumers.

[Steve Machol]

Well, I disagree. OptiBoard has run fine since 1995 without excluding anyone and I don't see any reason to start now.

However I do see merit in having a private forum on OptiBoard for eyecare professions. However this presents some logistical problems. For instance, how do we define who is and is not an eyecare professional? Do Frame Reps count? What about Chemists who happen to work at a lens manufacturer?

Also who will be in charge of verifying that someone is a qualified professional? And how exactly would such verification occur? Plus there is no way to ensure that people who do qualify won't allow their 'non-professional' friends access to the private forum through their accounts.

It's one thing to say this is an idea worth considering. It's quite another to actually make it happen.

[drk]

Fezz:

You don't have to worry about "letting it all hang out" here on the Optiboard. This forum does just about everything you want this forum to do, already. Just stay away from cost/pricing stuff.

[Fezz]

DRK-Thanks! You seem to be the only voice of reason so far! ;^)

Fezz
:cheers:

[Spexvet]

I agree with drk. I don't have a problem expressing my opinion here about anything, and professionals and consumers are welcome to accept it or dismiss it as they choose.
I would like to see a seperate forum for "Consumer Questions" or something like that. It gives the consumer some indication of the best place to go to get their answers, maybe find previous questions like theirs, and we know what will be posted in that forum, if we choose to enter. They can still browse all the other forums, but that will be their special area.

[Fezz]

Spexvet-Brilliant!!

But, as Steve has mentioned, how to do that?

Fezz
:cheers:

[Steve Machol]

Actually that's easier to manage than creating a hidden private forum for eyecare professionals. The question is, do we really have enough consumers posting to justify creating a special forum for them, and is this really something we want to encourage more of?

[Mudslideslim]

Some very interesting comments. Forum is Latin for public place. Reading the various posts/threads, I find them some interesting, some knowledgeable and ALL allowable. Obviously when out-of-profession users get involved, misunderstandings may take place. The today's consumer is much more informative than ever. Reading into that, also MIS-INFORMED. Personally, I feel compelled to try to direct them appropiately, either in a forum,as this, in my office or sometimes even in a restaurant. That one's a long story.
But that being said, I would suggest to leave as is, allowing anyone to reply, discuss, agree, disagree, refute, argue (with intelligence and integrity). Mr. Marchol has created an excellent vehicle for us professionals, and if non-optical want to have a voice, so be it. As for reps, wholesalers, yes they are part of our buisness and they should be welcomed for comments also.
There is a great wealth of knowledge, experience and caring.....we should all try to spend as much of that wealth WE CAN.
MUD

"Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it." Salvatore Dali

[hcjilson]

Now THERE is the voice of reason. :bbg:

[Spexvet]

Actually that's easier to manage than creating a hidden private forum for eyecare professionals. The question is, do we really have enough consumers posting to justify creating a special forum for them, and is this really something we want to encourage more of?

Interesting thought, Steve... If you build it, they will come. I don't mind consumer questions - sometimes I answer, sometimes not. Depends if it sounds like an internet purchase question. But if you create a special forum for them, it may be perceived as an invitation, and the questions may increase. And you're right - is that desirable?

[hcjilson]

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

The formula has worked for 10 years. Anyone who doesn't like it is welcome to play somewhere else, without predjudice.The door to Optiboard swings in both directions and to those that are unhappy about who posts here, don't let it hit you on the way out !

hj

Some sound advice: don't mess with anyone who has quit smoking during the first 2 weeks of withdrawal, and maybe longer! :bbg:

[Diane]

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

hj

Some sound advice: don't mess with anyone who has quit smoking during the first 2 weeks of withdrawal, and maybe longer! :bbg:

Harry,

Sounds like the voice of experience???

Diane

[ikon44]

I am a member of the Monoptica board here in the UK, it is only open to optical professionals, i think you have to be registered with the general Optical Council to post on it.
It is a much smaller forum and seems to have the same dozen or so people posting, there is a lot of clinical discussion as well as the more general optical matters raised.Optiboard has a much more varied content i find, the threads can
take unexpected paths, which i think makes it more interesting.IMHO we are here to help the public (as well as make a living ) and i think any non optical person can see that most of the people posting on this board care passionately
about their work and want to do their best for their customers, i think the board works just fine as it is.
Although a FAQ section for non optical people looking for help might be useful, eg what Rx information needed, definitions of long sight ,short sight , astigmatism, different contact lens types etc...
I realise that this entails more work for steve, I would certainly be willing to give what help and input that i could, as i am sure many of you would.

:cheers: :cheers:
:cheers:

[Spexvet]

...IMHO we are here to help the public (as well as make a living )...

I thought we were here more to help each other.

[Chris Ryser]

I thought we were here more to help each other.

Each other in this case means, each other that is admitted to this forum. That includes anybody that has an optical related question............or advise to give.

Some questions as well as answers are good and worth it and some are stupid and not worth looking at. I guess this is the real world and just let it be the way it is.

This Optibioard is becoming more and more successful according to web rankings and it would be sad to see it loose its place in the sun because a few want it restricted to their personal desires.

Steve has chosen a format that is working good and I predict that in another year or so, this site will become a powerful tool in the optical trade. It is already now well on the way.................

[LENNY]

I agree with the last coment from Steve!

I take my previos thoughts back.
I think i could give some time to answer some of the consumer questions without to much sarcasm.
Who else would take their time to answer a consumer question!?

[ricko]

I'm sure for the most part, all of you are very knowledgeable and maintain a high degree of expertise in your field of science. I believe the consumer rarely questions your training. I for one, know nothing about what the numbers mean on my Rx, nor do I have a desire to know, I expect you to know, that's what I'm paying you for!
I'm more concerned with your "bedside" manner and how I'm treated in a business aspect. After all, how I'm treated will determine if I will ever come back, and what I will tell my friends. So good business practice is just as important as to whether I can see out of the glasses I purchase. I would ask that you have some patience with the "untrained" consumer and their questions. After all, isn't it their money that keeps you afloat, and if so don't they deserve to have their questions answered too? I think it's just good business.

[Chris Ryser]

I'm more concerned with your "bedside" manner and how I'm treated in a business aspect.

Said Prime Minister Pierre Eliott Trudeau of Canada in 1971, 50 years old, married freshly to Margaret a 19 year old said:

The state has no say in the bedroom of the nation.

This part settled, in a business aspect you will be treated like a citizen with all right.....................you will get some gooofy responses and you will get some responsible rersponses. So its up to you to take the chance.