Written prism notation

[Uilleann]

I had one throw me for a bit of a loop the other day. Had an outside Rx come in from an ophthalmologist practice out of state, with the prism notation written as:



Now it's been a few years since I worked in an MD's practice on a daily basis, and I *think* I can recall that they occasionally used that strange dotted "t" symbol. What I don't remember is what precisely it was used to describe. I worked a lot more with medication Rx's then as well, and it's entirely possible my brain is just making a mish-mash now of old half-remembered symbology.

The patient just came in for a quote and to look at frame styles, so we haven't filled anything yet. In the mean time, I thought I'd see what light I could find here to shed on how this Rx was written.

Thanks guys for putting up with my ignorance on this one! :hammer::shiner::cheers:

Bri~

[Now I See]

I've never seen that on a spectacle RX, but I found a link that indicates that it may be the doc's way of saying 1D BU and 1D BD...here's the link:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/arch.../t-378103.html (you'll have to scroll down through a little ways)

Probably best to check with the doc, to be sure, though

[Uilleann]

Pt. had to leave before I had a chance to call Doc, but that was my next course of action. I thought they might be trying to say 1 diopter each eye, but wasn't sure. Now in reading that Rx link you posted, I do seem to recall that symbol was used for Rx medication and no on specs. Strange. Maybe a very confused or overworked tech wrote the script? Who knows? LOL Anyway, thanks again Heather - you're one of the good ones! :D

[uncut]

the dot above a straight line simply means patient has Right hyperphoria. Amount below line is prism value.

[drk]

In medical Rx writing, that "i" symbol represents "one", as in "i gt OU qam", etc.

Methinks it's misapplication of the symbology into optics. It's incorrect.

[Uilleann]

That's where my thinking was too - thanks for the clarification and confirmation. :)