Roughly what percentage of glasses wearers with prescribed prism would you say are aware of this correction?
Please only comment if you have something to add, otherwise please use the poll :)
Thank you all for your help!
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Roughly what percentage of glasses wearers with prescribed prism would you say are aware of this correction?
Please only comment if you have something to add, otherwise please use the poll :)
Thank you all for your help!
I've never NOT talked to the customer about prism if I see it on their prescription. Trying to set the expectation that when they get the glasses there is going to be a definite adjustment period. So I would hope the number isn't large :unsure:
Most all adults are complaining about vision so Doc's when they find or try prism mention it and then I get into the weeds about it.
You should ask and know why they need it. If the patient doesn't know call the prescriber to find out.
And yes- managing expectations is not done at your peril.
UB40 has a song. 1 in 10. Granted, it’s original meaning was about unemployment and poverty. A class of people marginalized.Quote:
Originally Posted by NAICITPO
However, being a cynical person, this could also apply to today’s state of opticianary, where the 1 is a fully qualified optician.
Creative edit to their lyrics.
“I am the one in ten, a number on a list
A statistic, a reminder of a big optics that doesn't care”
Caring about your patients makes you the one in ten.
I notice that a lot of patients who come in wearing prism are aware they have it; many are not, but I also attribute this to the Solo cup at the waterfall issue---- patients get so much information at their yearly visits and may not retain it all! I know that the doctors I work with do endeavor to be sure it is clear the patient has prism, it's rarely prescribed unless the patient has it in their habitual. It seems that some doctors prescribe it for a LOT of patients; we are often bringing people out of prism or lessening it when it's not needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by jonah
I'm curious why you're wanting to know?
I would hope that the prescribing doctor addresses it with their patient during the exam/refraction, as usually prism is prescribed as a result of an eye and/or neurological condition. And as opticians, we bring up prism to alert the patient that their lenses will be thicker, depending on the amount of prescribed prism. I always try to make people aware of whether their glasses script changed or not and if there is a big change, like going from no prism to having prism, there will be an adjustment period. Now, whether they absorb and retain that information is a different story. I have patients who act like they aren't aware that they have ARMD and glaucoma, despite telling me they take AREDs and glaucoma drops, so anything's possible.
So appreciative of all the responses here and to the poll.
The results thus far are in line with what I thought; that the majority feel that most wearers are indeed aware of the prism.
I find prism to be more meaningful to the patient than the dreaded disease called "astigmatism" which I think most are also aware of.
@MissMolly
This came up in discussion amongst my colleagues and one of them felt it would be under 25% with awareness, so I'm glad to be right! :)
This also says good things about our collective profession.
Not sure what is going on this week... but there has been a lot of weird prism stuff in my office. Usually I don't see a ton of prism, but this week it has been every day. Yesterday I had a patient who had 2 base out OU in Distance only. She has a pair of progressives that she got at another office. She was examined there and was having problems reading. (They had 2 base out OU). Distance was great. So she comes here and our OD said no prism in the near. So she wants to keep her progressives with the prism in them and knows she can't see up close with them but get a second pair without prism and will be able to read with them but not see distance. So she is going to have 2 pairs of glasses that is only clear in one area. It makes no sense to me. So kinda like 2 expensive SV glasses. She's going to be using them as SV but wants them both to be progressives. Rx was almost plano with +2.50 add. That was a first for me.
After I explain things to them and they still insist on a course of action like this, I add them to my "just give me your money" file. I'll make you whatever you want, just give me your money first.Quote:
Originally Posted by mervinek
Yep... I kept verifying... You want to keep this pair that you can see well out of the distance but can't read with and you want a new pair that you can read with but can't see far away. Half of each pair will be incorrect. Are you sure you want this? You don't want DVO and NVO? Nope. She doesn't want to have to switch glasses. Ummmm "You still have to." "But only if I want it to be clear!" I totally gave up. She gave me money and I placed the order. I will NOT remake the lenses because the distance isn't clear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kwill212
.... I actually agree with the patient.
She'll most likely tolerate 2 diopters of missing or unwanted prism (for a while), and get much more versatility from the progressives than she would from sv pairs.