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  1. #1
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    Questions

    Hello I'm new to this forum. Forgive me if my format is incorrect.

    I am currently the office manager for a group of Optometrists and I have a few questions that I thought this would be the prefect place to ask.

    First off does anyone know the legality of not having an optician in an optical. My doctors have informed me that everyone in the building is practicing under the constraints of their liscense and that we do not have to have an optician. While a few other people have told me that we must have an optician to dispense.

    Secondly, I have no clue how to recommend a lens for a patient with an extremely high sphere like a -16. I currently have two that we put in polycarb, but the center thickness in 1.5 and the edge thickness is about half to 3/4 an inch on a small frame. The patient's current lenses are much thinner, but the doctor wanted polycarb because the other eye is blind. Any suggestions?

    Thirdly, does anyone have any experience with Marmore for used edgers in Miami? I am trying to update our office and get a new edger and this company seems to have the best prices, but I'm worried about the quality.

    I think that about covers the major questions that have been bothering me as of late. I'm trying to bring my office into the modern era, but it seems to be a real struggle. Almost every optician I've meet seems to genuinely offer help to me and you all also seem to be perfectionists which is I guess necessary for this profession.
    thank you

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    You have a mess on your hands.

    I suggest that you contact a fellow Optiboarder, OpticLabRat. He is a very well respected member on here. His company, Vision Systems, Inc. is top notch.

    Contact:
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  3. #3
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tulane View Post
    Hello I'm new to this forum. Forgive me if my format is incorrect.

    I am currently the office manager for a group of Optometrists and I have a few questions that I thought this would be the prefect place to ask.

    First off does anyone know the legality of not having an optician in an optical. My doctors have informed me that everyone in the building is practicing under the constraints of their liscense and that we do not have to have an optician. While a few other people have told me that we must have an optician to dispense.

    Secondly, I have no clue how to recommend a lens for a patient with an extremely high sphere like a -16. I currently have two that we put in polycarb, but the center thickness in 1.5 and the edge thickness is about half to 3/4 an inch on a small frame. The patient's current lenses are much thinner, but the doctor wanted polycarb because the other eye is blind. Any suggestions?

    Thirdly, does anyone have any experience with Marmore for used edgers in Miami? I am trying to update our office and get a new edger and this company seems to have the best prices, but I'm worried about the quality.

    I think that about covers the major questions that have been bothering me as of late. I'm trying to bring my office into the modern era, but it seems to be a real struggle. Almost every optician I've meet seems to genuinely offer help to me and you all also seem to be perfectionists which is I guess necessary for this profession.
    thank you
    What experience do you have? An optician would know the answer to these questions.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gemstone View Post
    What experience do you have? An optician would know the answer to these questions.
    I have no expreience! I'm not an optician, I'm not an opthalmic tech. That's why I'm asking you wonderful people. The only opticains I normally interact with are sales reps who cannot answer my questions.

    thanks

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    I feel the office is needing a well qualified Optician...PRONTO. If you could get a knowledgeable Optician in, your job of managing would be much easier. Why worry about edgers, high minus lenses and such? Get the correct *tool* for the job, then yours will become much easier! Good luck!


    PS. Welcome to Optiboard!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tulane View Post
    I have no expreience! I'm not an optician, I'm not an opthalmic tech. That's why I'm asking you wonderful people. The only opticains I normally interact with are sales reps who cannot answer my questions.

    thanks
    Oh my God. No optical experience. Are you interacting with the patients?Does anyone there have an optical background? You can learn on the job for sure but without a mentoring optician or very experienced dispenser you are in for a heap o trouble. The sales reps cannot answer your questions because they are no doubt not opticians either. Your lab is a good source of information. Find someone who knows what they are talking about and make them your "go to guy". And of course this forum is invaluable. Don't be surprised if the retail end of this practice goes quickly down the tubes. It probably won't be your fault.

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    I can't believe no one reported this post.....

    The poster is not an eyecare professional.He or She is an office manager, and not qualified to ask, much less understand the plethora of answers here. They are just wasting your time which was evident when you saw what the occupation was , versus the statement that the poster was an office manager.
    Thread closed!
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    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    After further thought and ......

    After some further thought and some input from a member I have reopened this thread. Bear in mind Tulane represents a multi doc practice with enough resources to have a practice manager but not enough to hire an optician.They expect office personel to reccomend lenses to their patients. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??

    How can optometry wonder why opticians get a little upset at this sort of thing?
    Last edited by hcjilson; 03-19-2008 at 06:31 PM. Reason: ADDITION
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    Just An Optician jediron1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tulane View Post
    Hello I'm new to this forum. Forgive me if my format is incorrect.

    I am currently the office manager for a group of Optometrists and I have a few questions that I thought this would be the prefect place to ask.

    First off does anyone know the legality of not having an optician in an optical. My doctors have informed me that everyone in the building is practicing under the constraints of their liscense and that we do not have to have an optician. While a few other people have told me that we must have an optician to dispense.

    Secondly, I have no clue how to recommend a lens for a patient with an extremely high sphere like a -16. I currently have two that we put in polycarb, but the center thickness in 1.5 and the edge thickness is about half to 3/4 an inch on a small frame. The patient's current lenses are much thinner, but the doctor wanted polycarb because the other eye is blind. Any suggestions?

    Thirdly, does anyone have any experience with Marmore for used edgers in Miami? I am trying to update our office and get a new edger and this company seems to have the best prices, but I'm worried about the quality.

    I think that about covers the major questions that have been bothering me as of late. I'm trying to bring my office into the modern era, but it seems to be a real struggle. Almost every optician I've meet seems to genuinely offer help to me and you all also seem to be perfectionists which is I guess necessary for this profession.
    thank you

    First question: It depends on your state. In some states as long as the OD OMD are in the establishment at the same time they can have anyone fit glasses. But don't get me started on that.

    Second:If they don't want to hire a qualified optician who knows what he is doing then you've got DOC's who are greedy and are not looking out for their patients. It sounds like your trying to be ethical and honest and because of that I will tell you contact your local lab and ask them for info
    explain to them the situation and most labs will help you out.

    Third: I have no experience with this line. I would check on line, it all depends what you want to do. You can get an edger finisher that would be basically for what is termed a finishing lab. You order the lenses finished and edge them yourself but you would need some one who knew what they doing before that. As I have said before here is just one more example of OD's trying to save a couple bucks because they are too cheap to pay a qualified optician. My recommendation would be to tell the greedy DOC's you need a qualified optician,stop trying to cut corners and do it the right way. Just another example of DOC's not wanting to pay, they would rather try to get by with the receptionist doing the opticians job! UNBELIEVABLE!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by jediron1 View Post
    First question: It depends on your state. In some states as long as the OD OMD are in the establishment at the same time they can have anyone fit glasses. But don't get me started on that.

    Second:If they don't want to hire a qualified optician who knows what he is doing then you've got DOC's who are greedy and are not looking out for their patients. It sounds like your trying to be ethical and honest and because of that I will tell you contact your local lab and ask them for info
    explain to them the situation and most labs will help you out.

    Third: I have no experience with this line. I would check on line, it all depends what you want to do. You can get an edger finisher that would be basically for what is termed a finishing lab. You order the lenses finished and edge them yourself but you would need some one who knew what they doing before that. As I have said before here is just one more example of OD's trying to save a couple bucks because they are too cheap to pay a qualified optician. My recommendation would be to tell the greedy DOC's you need a qualified optician,stop trying to cut corners and do it the right way. Just another example of DOC's not wanting to pay, they would rather try to get by with the receptionist doing the opticians job! UNBELIEVABLE!

    Thank you.
    They had an optician for 20 years who retired and they've never wanted another one, but I agree we need to have one.

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    If you must use Poly, don't use it in powers over about -4.00. Distortion becomes intolerabe beyond this point.
    As to what's available for high powers , Frames Fax puts out a lens catalogue which I am fairly sure you office has. It lists almost all lenses available and powers to which they can be applied.
    Chip.

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    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    If you must use Poly, don't use it in powers over about -4.00. Distortion becomes intolerabe [sic] beyond this point.
    Chip.
    100% wrong. That's a ridiculous statement and we have at least three or four happy customers per day who prove the point.
    Show the math, dude. You know no research backs you up on this latest bizarre statement.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paul E. Carbonate View Post

    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    If you must use Poly, don't use it in powers over about -4.00. Distortion becomes intolerabe beyond this point.
    100% wrong. That's a ridiculous statement and we have at least three or four happy customers per day who prove the point.
    Show the math, dude. You know no research backs you up on this latest bizarre statement.
    YEP, Even if I would personally not prefer Poly because of the low nue, lateral color is not distortion and there is nothing else with Polys n and nue that would cause any unsual distortion over other materials.

    Maybe, only maybe, in some cases Poly lenses are more optimized with regard to "impact protection" and not so much optical quality and have sub-optimum base curves, bad aspherics, cheap coatings and other "inhomogenities" (I seem to remember the guys with the "invisible lens AR coating" claimed their poly is especially optimized for low birefringence, but I still would like to see the impact on everyday vision).

    It´s not the optical properties of the stuff (besides nue, that many people - not me - are pretty unsensitive to) that makes it much worse than other - especially high index - stuff.

    If there is something to it, there must be another explanation.

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    Got better than math have more experience than I wish with unhappy patients from same.

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    Just An Optician jediron1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tulane View Post
    Thank you.
    They had an optician for 20 years who retired and they've never wanted another one, but I agree we need to have one.

    Just from my experience a good optician is worth his weight in gold ( unless he or she weights 400 ) ha ha. But all kidding aside I would gather my facts and confront the DOC's and tell them the office will run much smoother,profit wise (that should get their attention) and he or she should be able to do the finishing work unless your office is so busy you might need two. If your grossing over a mill you need two opticians. One could be dispensing while the
    other runs the finisher and vise versa. Just my take

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    agreed, you have to give them a plan that will show them that they are going to make more money, or at least stop the seive from running as your patient load decreases because of lack of expertise. It is disheartening that they don't want an optician after having one for 20 years. They must have seen less benefit, either financially, or in need of controlling their business. Sometimes we opticians that are worth our weight in gold need to show the OD'S we work for the neccesity of having us, as opposed to not.
    So, if you can show them with numbers especially, that you have been losing money since the optician left, added with the fact that you rightly so, are uncomfortable with acting as an optician with virtually no experience, they hopefully will come around and understand the error of their ways. It won't be easy, especially if they are skin flints, and if the former optician was actually making what they were worth.

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    Master OptiBoarder ziggy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tulane View Post

    First off does anyone know the legality of not having an optician in an optical. My doctors have informed me that everyone in the building is practicing under the constraints of their liscense and that we do not have to have an optician. While a few other people have told me that we must have an optician to dispense.
    Check with the state board of Opticianry, I'm assuming your in FL, and the laws there can be stiff. It has been my experience that in a liscensed state, as long as the doc is on site, his/her people are working under his/her liscense. But as soon as they leave, out to lunch, golf, fishing, home, ect, no dispensing can be done. good luck and welcome.
    Paul:cheers:

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    I'm glad we're all friends now and the contest is over!

    I called the lab I use today and got input from the patient as well about the minus 16 patient. They would prefer the thinness of the high index over the safety of the polycarb. The frame I put him in was fine with no decentration and a 25 B measurement. The patient tried on the poly lenses and had no complaints about chromatic abirations. Thanks for the advice.

    I spoke with several opticians today about the laws in the state of Florida for dispensing, and as long as the practice is owned by an OD anyone can dispense under his liscense. We currently have less than 1 percent remakes so I think it's going to be a hard sell to convince the doctors to hire an optician for rare patients when I can just call our lab for advice. I'll just try and keep our quality control measures as high as possible in the lab, on the sales floor, and in dispensing.
    Last edited by hcjilson; 03-21-2008 at 11:13 AM. Reason: inapprpropriate language

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    The trouble isn't so much problems like you've described so far. Putting a -16 in high index is obvious. Its when you get people coming back with specific problems with their vision where having an Optician is going to make the difference. Your lab isn't going to be able to help you out in cases like that, and your doctors are going to get uppity having to do re-checks on people when all they needed was a simple adjustment. As stated before, most people can learn how to do these adjustments, but you need someone to teach you, and your lab guys aren't going to be the ones to do it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by AdmiralKnight View Post
    The trouble isn't so much problems like you've described so far. Putting a -16 in high index is obvious. Its when you get people coming back with specific problems with their vision where having an Optician is going to make the difference. Your lab isn't going to be able to help you out in cases like that, and your doctors are going to get uppity having to do re-checks on people when all they needed was a simple adjustment. As stated before, most people can learn how to do these adjustments, but you need someone to teach you, and your lab guys aren't going to be the ones to do it.

    I second what the Admiral said. You maybe able to handle certain problems but one day your going to go in and all hel_ will brake loose and you will not know what to do. It's apparent from your posts that you were only looking for an out on your current situation and instead of taking our advise for an optician you have turned this around so you could gather information just to further your own position. I now agree with HC this thread should be closed. I believe Tulane is only taking advantage of our generosity.

    HC PLEASE CLOSE THIS

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    That is allowed under posting guidelines- but this situation is a perfect example of why the uninformed, untrained members shouldn't be posting in these threads. I let this thread skate against my better judgement because the questions asked were valid and also timely. So far all Tulane has managed to do is to show how unprepared he/she is to do an adequate job of practice management and to start a lively discussion on the virtues (or lack thereof) of polycarbonate. It brings to mind a sign I once saw on the wall of the Aspen Ski School. It said"

    Amateur's TEACH Amateur's to BE Amateur's!
    Last edited by hcjilson; 03-21-2008 at 01:52 PM. Reason: spelling again Miss Pomeroy
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    Just An Optician jediron1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hcjilson View Post
    That is allowed under posting guidelines- but this situation is a perfect example of why the uninformed, untrained members shouldn't be posting in these threads. I let this thread skate against my better judgement because the questions asked were valid and also timely. So far all Tulane has managed to do is to show how unprepared he/she is to do an adequate job of practice management and to start a lively discussion on the virtues (or lack thereof) of polycarbonate. It brings to mind a sign I once saw on the wall of the Aspen Ski School. It said"

    Amateur's TEACH Amateur's to BE Amateur's!

    Thanks HC great quote :bbg:

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