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Thread: OK, enough is enough.

  1. #1
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    OK, enough is enough.

    I'm a little peeved. There is a certain members-only optical in my community that supposedly COSTs COnsumers less. They have an optical. Or so they say.

    I get phone calls from the optical occasionally, sadly, when one of my patients gives in to the siren song of a four-gallon bucket of Smucker's Grape Jelly and $149 Essilor Ovation lenses.

    These phone calls go like this:

    "Um, we have Nana Mercer here with a prescription from your office. She wants computer glasses. Can you fax us a computer glasses prescription?"

    "Uh, we can't fill your prescription as written. It has this weird +0.37 on it. Can you rewrite it with some diopter value that inputs into our computers?"


    I have vacillated between being a nice professional-courtesy guy (as if you would consider this organization remotely professional), and being totally put off by solving "4-Tires-For-$299 Optical's" problems. Don't they have real opticians? Don't they have access to the same surfacing equipment?

    (It's not like anyone is going to care if they're +0.25 or +0.50. That's tolerance.)

    BUT I'M NOT TOLERANT OF MAKE-BELIEVE opticals.

    What is the story, here?

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I don't have any first hand knowledge about themy but thought they only hired licensed skilled opticians. Sad state of opticianry, just an order taker, no brain required. And I can't find a job....figures.

  3. #3
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    I had a call from a similar place requesting information about a patients rx. The Rx had prism ou...can't remember the amount. (something like 3 diopters base out ou ish) The "optician" actually said "what's prism?" Not, what is their prism or I can't read the amount or direction of prism ect... It was "what's prism?" To that I replied, "You shouldn't be working there if you don't know what prism is." The patient was a small child. When they had come in for the exam they told us that the lenses had fallen out of their glasses and they went to this place to have the lenses put back in. He had not worn the glasses since and was complaining about them... Turned out that when they put the lenses in they had switched the lenses so the patient was wearing in base RX instead of out base RX. We explained that they put the lenses in backwards. After that, they still went back for new glasses! This story still burns me up when I think about it. We did call and leave a message for the parent that they were welcome to bring the glasses into our office and we would inspect them at n/c to be sure the lenses were made correctly. They never did come in. Poor kid.

    Long story short... I feel your pain.

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    I don't have any first hand knowledge about themy but thought they only hired licensed skilled opticians. Sad state of opticianry, just an order taker, no brain required. And I can't find a job....figures.
    No license in the great state of PA...any idiot off the street can be an "optician" Grrrrrrrrr

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Well, the story here is that Nana Mercer made the mistake of coming into your office for her refraction and she probably wont do that again. Next time she will probably get her eye exam at the big box store while they balance her tires.

    I understand your desire to keep those darn Rx's in house but . . .

  6. #6
    Doh! braheem24's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post
    Well, the story here is that Nana Mercer made the mistake of coming into your office for her refraction and she probably wont do that again. Next time she will probably get her eye exam at the big box store while they balance her tires.

    I understand your desire to keep those darn Rx's in house but . . .

    If DRK has truly lost Nana then why not ask to speak to the patient and explain to Nana that her Rx is perfectly written and I suggest you go to an optical that does not "round off" and give you "off the shelf" lenses.

    It's either customized or it's not.

  7. #7
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post
    Well, the story here is that Nana Mercer made the mistake of coming into your office for her refraction and she probably wont do that again. Next time she will probably get her eye exam at the big box store while they balance her tires.

    I understand your desire to keep those darn Rx's in house but . . .
    Just can't stop living in the '60's, can you Senator Baker?

  8. #8
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by braheem24 View Post
    If DRK has truly lost Nana then why not ask to speak to the patient and explain to Nana that her Rx is perfectly written and I suggest you go to an optical that does not "round off" and give you "off the shelf" lenses.

    It's either customized or it's not.
    I think Dick's caught in a time warp.

    I'd probably be correct in assuming that this optical outfit ironically offers digital lenses!
    Last edited by drk; 06-24-2016 at 03:18 PM.

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Consumers need a professional and up to date guide how to navigate fragmented care, replete with all the potential advantages and pitfalls

    B

  10. #10
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Bingo!

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Unfortunately, most patients (consumers) want the path of least resistance....and least cost. Sure, we can try to cater to the minority, and we do, but there's a whole nother world out there.... You gotta be in it to win it.

  12. #12
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Blue Jumper ...any idiot off the street can be an "optician" Grrrrrrrrr .......................

    Quote Originally Posted by mervinek View Post

    No license in the great state of PA...any idiot off the street can be an "optician" Grrrrrrrrr

    There are many more States and Canadian provinces that have no license requirements. The corporations are working hard and spending big money to open market restrictions anywhere they can with any means allowed.

  13. #13
    OptiBoard Professional Dustin.B's Avatar
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    As a reluctant member of a "big box" chain, I would like to point out that the ordering systems in place here will not accept an RX unless it is in .25D increments. The employee as it were was trying to do their best by contacting you for your input on the matter. Its a sad state and to be honest the training and education are here but, they are not enforced, in part because of high employee turn around rates in the retail optical chain and in part because a LARGE chunk of our patients just don't care... I see this attitude a lot amongst my client base (active duty military).
    ~Dustin B. AboC

    "Laugh, or you will go crazy."

  14. #14
    Ophthalmic Optician
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dustin.B View Post
    a LARGE chunk of our patients just don't care...
    That goes with out saying. If they really cared, would they be shopping at the club? I went there with my brother once, as we were in Florida and he had to run out to get a truckload of groceries for the kids. The shoppers appeared to be the same as you see in the "people of WalMart" pieces, but the stretch pants they wore appeared to be of a designer variety.
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  15. #15
    Master OptiBoarder
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    That's what I was saying a little earlier.... Most consumers are willing to accept mediocrity for lower price or convenience. If we only cater to those that want the best, we have a small market. To be truly successful in business, you must try to cater to the broadest market you can.

    I know....Ritz-Carlton and Godiva Chocolates are successful...

  16. #16
    Master OptiBoarder
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    How I learned to relax and love the bomb:

    True Success is best left to Emmerson. For business, making a living you're happy with is success enough.

    There's a good living in good specs. Big box gets by on big volume. The ocean is plenty big and we're simply not in competition.

    "Most customers" can do what they want...because where they decide to go does my best advertising for me. Just as they have already graciously created and matured the market demand for us: the eyeglass shopper recovering from big-box/internet hangover. (There's no way I could spend money to market myself so well.)

    Quote Originally Posted by drk View Post
    I'd probably be correct in assuming that this optical outfit ironically offers digital lenses!
    LOL delicious irony.

    I'd love for all of Dr K's patients to have the good sense to let him make their lenses. (Until then, I love the fact you write Rx's in 8ths--don't change 'em for nobody! I'd really appreciate a doc who gave my vision such customized care.) The price difference for the convenience of one-stop shopping and continuity of care comes into perspective pretty quickly for those who lose the gamble. Good luck, Nana!

    [In defense of some big-box opticians, there are those who know how to contact their lab and request an 8th despite their data entry software. There are labs who have the wherewithal to pull it off.]
    Last edited by Hayde; 06-27-2016 at 10:03 AM. Reason: grammar!

  17. #17
    looking up the answers smallworld's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Consumers need a professional and up to date guide how to navigate fragmented care, replete with all the potential advantages and pitfalls

    B
    Good thing Essilor bought AllAboutVision.com ! Now consumers can educate themselves while being gently directed to the doctors and insurance companies that best meet their needs, or so the article on Vision Monday said...
    What is reality but a concept unique to each of us? Can anything be classed as real when our perceptions differ greatly on so many things? Just because we see something a particular way does not make it so.

  18. #18
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    Awesome.... just awesome.

  19. #19
    OptiBoard Professional Jamelina's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    I don't have any first hand knowledge about themy but thought they only hired licensed skilled opticians. Sad state of opticianry, just an order taker, no brain required. And I can't find a job....figures.
    I worked there for a short period of time. I know this isn't true for all locations as it most likely depends on the state requirements, but I never worked with a licensed optician when I was there. It was a bit frustrating on occasion working with people who they happened to transfer into the department with zero experience. I've even witnessed employees literally guessing measurements because they forgot to take them. Yikes!

  20. #20
    Rising Star
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    I was at continuing ed a few months back, and the class was about prism. I was sitting with an old friend who is an optician at the new "membership store" that recently opened up near my office. She told me that they also cannot order slab off. I told her that I will be happy to fill those rx's as well as anything else that is "tricky"

  21. #21
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Back in my grad school days I worked at the "L" store in the mall in AZ. I remember a patient coming in with a slab off and the Lab manager brought the specs back to us to show us the "defect" in the lens. I had to give him a lessson about slab offs...and this was the manager. Face palm.

  22. #22
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I love the club! $1.50 for a Hebrew National Sausage dog with a 32 oz drink.

    I've never seen a better deal anywhere.......

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