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Thread: What is a Contact Lens Rx?

  1. #1
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    What is a Contact Lens Rx?

    To my mind, a contact lens Rx is: A spectacle Rx with the words "O.K. for Contact Lenses." the date and the doctor's signature on it. It does not say soft, extended wear, hard, HGP, brand X or fit Y. By putting the words "O.K. for contact lenses on the Rx the precriber is stateing that the cornea is of sufficent health at the time of exam for contact lenses. These, as well as corneal measurments etc, are things that the provider should be competent with and take care of as well as preliminary and extended follow up exclusive of yearly exam an medical problems, and unexplained refractive results. Please state what to you mind a Contact Lens Rx is. Bear in mind that with my definition Linda Carter is out of business. And fitting fees are appropriate, although fees for "contact lens exam" in excess of standard thorough eye exam with refraction are not.



    :cheers:

    Chip

  2. #2
    Bad address email on file NC-OD's Avatar
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    Question

    I think this is deja-Vu all over again. Didn't we cover this topic before?

    In NC, we are prohibited by statue (State Board of Optometry) from simply putting "OK for contact lenses" on a prescription (although I have seen a few OMD's do it). A spectacle rx may or may not be the same. A spec. rx may have cylinder whereas a CL may be the spherical equivalent. We must specify, at minimum, the prescription, the brand of CL, the base curve, the diameter, the expiration date, length of recommended wear and disinfection solution type.

  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder
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    We might do it differently here, or I might not have understood the question, but if I called somewhere asking for a contact lens prescription, and got a sight test prescription with 'OK for contact lenses' written on it, I would not be a happy camper.
    A contact lens prescription has everything NC-OD mentioned. A sight test prescription is issued after a sight test has been carried out, therefore a contact lens prescription can only be issued after a contact lens fitting has been carried out.
    And if the point you are getting at is people are coming into your shop with a full contact lens prescription, and asking to buy the lenses the doc has recommended, thus cheating you out of the opportunity of fitting them yourself, and making you feel like a sales clerk, deal with it :)

  4. #4
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    Well Maria you have correctly sumised that I do feel we are becoming shoe clerks. Yes I do need the ego reward of feeling that a sucessfull contact lens fitting should be the result of something I did, beyond reading the label on a damn bottle. Yes I do think all my fittings should be to my exact specifications and when problems develop of a non medical nature I should have the intelligence and expertise to deal with it. How can I serve your god (science) if I am just a label reader. I do see that the need for my custom services are disappearing but grant me at least a little time to lament it.

    One cannot make a living on fitting transplants and kones alone, there aren't enough of them.

    Chip

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