Seg Heights & Nonexistent Frames

[agod2some]

This may be a stupid question, mainly because I've been dispensing eyewear for almost 15 years, but I've never before run into this situation.

Is it possible at all to get an accurate seg height for a PAL without having the frame present? I have a patient that wants a particular safety frame (to be provided by their employer), of which I have no physical example to use in measuring the seg height. I don't want to BS a PAL seg height for obvious reasons.

Man, I wish the guy wanted a flat-top...

Thanks in advance!

[Robert Martellaro]

No. Guesstimate only. Same for segmented multifocals. Could his employer do this in stages...supplying the frame first and then the lenses? After all, the frame may be inappropriate for some reason, and this gives you a chance to provide some professional input.

[agod2some]

Thanks, Robert. I was afraid of that.

I don't think the "stages" scenario will work. It would be ideal for me, but complicated for the employer.

Thank you again.

[Wes]

The employer needs to come up with a better system.

[optilady1]

I've worked with safety frame companies who wouldn't send a frame for a patient to try on. If the patient was adamant that they had to have one we didn't have in stock, I would do my best to get the b measurement and based on the photo, find a frame in my stock with a bridge that was mounted around the same spot as the one we didn't have . Then I would make a million disclaimers, explain that there was a very good chance that the height wouldn't be correct and if the patient was ok with it, I would take the height from that frame, and then document it all. That's about the best you could do.

[Java99]

I would do what Optilady did. Or do what the onliners do, set it at 2/3 of B.

[optilady1]

Or you can just put 20. Aren't all segs on progressives 20?

[pseudonym]

Or you can just put 20. Aren't all segs on progressives 20?

Hey, ours are 17. May take a little adjustment, but yeah. 17.

[agod2some]

20 it is!

*licks tip of pencil*

Two...zero...There. 20.

[Uncle Fester]

Optiladys' answer is what I do in this situation.

But come to think about it maybe I'll invest in an Ouija board and have the patient verify that my educated guess is within tolerance. Now if there's a problem I can blame the patient!

[chip anderson]

The industrial contractors we do safety work for furnish a frame supply and we are to use frames for measurement from this assortment only. Patient's frame is supplied from lens contractor's stock. Do you have some other sort of arrangement with your cortractor?

Chip

[Optician1960]

If the vendor does not offer a trial frame set, is it worth while for you to invest in a couple of the frame yourself for sample/measurements?

[IaninIOM]

From this side of the "pond" I cannot see the scenario you mention occuring.

If I was faced with a refusal to supply a frame for fitting measurements, I would write to the worker's company asking me if they wanted me to guesstimate the measurements and if they did would they please send a signed oreder stating that and point out to them that if the worker suffered an accident at work due to poorly fitting frames and lenses then their company insurance will probably be null and void and that they will be getting a visit from the Health and Safety Executive.

Similarly I would write to the safety eyewear manufacturer pointing out that a pair of ill-made PALs , because they had not allowed me to do dispense them properly, could cause an industrial accident and that I had informed them of this fact and therefore the lawyers will be after them if an accident happens.


I bet the frame will be with you by return.


Incidently why oh why do you talk about seg heights with a PAL, progression height YES, but seg height?? It has taken me ages to work out what you guys are talking about

[FVCCHRIS]

Tell the lab you want the fitting cross 2mm above the centerline. It will work.

And yes, a new system would be better.