nursing home patients

[Mizikal]

I had a lady bring in a pair of glasses her mother had been wearing because she knew they were not hers. I knew right away they were not because they did not have a/r coasting but double checked the script something like a +3.50 and a +3.00 add. Her Rx was a +1.50 with a +2.50 add. The people at the nursing home insisted they were her glasses. Some poor lady is wearing glasses that are not nearly strong enough and this lady has glasses that are to strong.

Does anyone have any ideas to help them keep peoples glasses from getting mixed up? I suggested tape or fingernail polish but she said the polish would not last and her mother would pick the tape off. SO any ideas would be helpful.

[clumsy lab guy]

Hey Mike , This happend all the time at my last gig , have you tryed engraving the temple . Works Great.

[chip anderson]

Only works great if the temple is wide enough to engrave and see the engraving on. Most today are no-go. But some in nursing homes are old enough or patient's insist on big 40 years ago styles so you can still do it on them.

[optical24/7]

Ah, if only I still had my Hermes engraver. There are still labs that engrave temples. ( I think 3 Rivers still does). A trick to use when a temple is too narrow to engrave is to engrave the temple cover ( the wider part near the end.) Engrave on the non-contact outer side, then take a white grease pencil and fill in the engraving, wiping the excess off. All you need are the initials of the patient and instructions to nursing home staff on where to look for the engraving.


On a side note. Please consider "adopting" a nursing home yourself. It's some of the most appreciated and gratifying work you'll ever do as an optician. ( I once, long ago, got a 1st hand account of the trenches in WW I...THE big one.)

[For-Life]

This is a common problem. Engraving works, but Chip is correct that the temple has to be wide enough. Many here will put tape over the temple with the name on it.

[uncut]

I have seen UV pens used....but I prefer engraving, whether by machine or freehand. I have even engraved on lens edges, if no space was available on the temples, nasal, eyerim, or templetips. In extreme cases, initials were drill(screw) mounted right on the lens, especially with some chronic disappearing eyewear.

[Mizikal]

If my lab is unable to do this could a trust a jeweler to do it?

[Chris Ryser]

Easiest way is to engrave nosepads. You might have to clean them to see the intials after a while.

[uncut]

If my lab is unable to do this could a trust a jeweler to do it?

In certain circumstances, yes.

BTW, Chris's idea of nosepad engraving is OK too, if the pad strength isn't compromised. I wouldn't attempt it with silicon ones! Unfortunately, each time you change the nosepads, re-engraving would have to be done.

[obxeyeguy]

I just did one of these last week, in an alzheimers unit. I opted for the nail polish, and coated the temple tips and the inside of the spring towards the hinge. Put her name in the case with a note to the specific color we used. The daughter is going to keep an eye on them, and re-apply as needed.

This temple was much too thin to engrave with anything that could be seen.

[WFruit]

If my lab is unable to do this could a trust a jeweler to do it?

Why not learn to do it yourself? A nice additional service you can offer. Also good for kids, especially at boarding schools.

(Yes, I know you work for a chain store, but you may not be there forever, and even still, the more skills you have, the better you are.)

[eyeguy21]

Type out the patients name or initials and print it out in the smallest type size on your computer. Then just cut it out and clear shrink wrap it to the temple. We've been doing this for years and it works great. Minimally noticeable and if you ever wanted to replace it or take it off entirely you can just clip it off.

[optilady1]

Type out the patients name or initials and print it out in the smallest type size on your computer. Then just cut it out and clear shrink wrap it to the temple. We've been doing this for years and it works great. Minimally noticeable and if you ever wanted to replace it or take it off entirely you can just clip it off.

That's a good idea, and seems to be the most doable.

[CME4SPECS]

etch the initials on the end of the temple tips

[Plausible]

The only alternative missing from this thread is a "code" of dots etched into the temples kind of like braille. Seriously find a lab with a laser engraver and you could have the patients name engraved on the bottom or side or top (which ever you prefer) of the lens kind of like the progressive marks are done now. This way the name can be seen if looked at closely but not so obvious from afar.