Scratch my itch...please

**edKENdance** · 07-19-2003, 04:41 PM

I was neutralizing lenses for our Gift of sight program today and came across a st28 -2.00 sph with a 6.00 add. The other lense was of same power but only a 2.00 add. I suspect the other lens might have been a balance but the question is about the 6.00 add. The two opticians that were working have more then 25 years experience and they have never seen a 6 add before.
I'm a noob but I thought going above a 4.00 add didn't exist.
The lens seemed to be relatively new and of higher index material. It was a 4 base and oddly, it was polished which you would only know if you took the lenses out of the frame.
How high do adds go and what is the nature of this kind of rx. My head has been reeling.

**sarahr** · 07-19-2003, 06:30 PM

Hello,
low vision clinics regularly give high adds. Obviously a high add in bifs would need some base in prism if given binocularly which could mean expensive prism controlled lenses, but a 6 dioptre add with prism in readers would not be unusual in LVA work.

(I'm sure I've seen a conversation on Optiboard about an even higher add which someone was trying to source a lens for? I may be going mad, can't find it now..)

A few Optometrists seem to stop at 3 or 3.50 add and then pass the patient on to the Low Vision worker, but where a high add will suffice it's a shame for the patient to have to face the psychological trauma of 'LOW VISION' when really a 4.50 add will give them N6 with a little discussion on working distances/lighting etc.

Just my two pence worth:)

**optispares** · 07-20-2003, 07:31 AM

aire o lite produce semi-finished lenses with adds to 10.00 and i think even higher.

have sourced all sorts of odd lenses from them

**lpdeen** · 07-20-2003, 08:22 PM

Well, it's been a couple of years since I've worked in a lab but I thought you could get up to a 20.00 add in a RD22 from Aerolite.

**Jubilee** · 07-20-2003, 08:36 PM

WE have some old excel lenses I believe in our misc pile that have 5 and a few 6 base adds... I have seen up to 8.0 listed in our lens product guide

hmm..recycling..so what about a contest?

I have my three boxes sorted ready to clean and neutralize...

Cassandra