May I, respectfully, ask all you Dr.s to

[chip anderson]

lBack when doctors were trained in communication with us tech types and doctors didn't dispense patients got superior care from independents.
A good indendent could furnish every doctor's office in town with free magazienes for thier patients, maintain a full time board certified orthoptist, fit all types of contacts lenes (soft, rigid and scleral), dispense glasses, often have a true glass grinding optical lab that could do such things as wafer seg bifocals in house, and a host of other services. Now we are lucky if we can keep up with the wholesale bills well enough to stay off of the on hold list.
Now the doctors don't understand vertex, manifest over contacts, stating visual acuity and other anomolies either on the Rx or on the side to the tech (in or out of house.) Never draw a picture of the ulcer they just treated for the CL tech to keep a watch on to prevent future recurrance, if in fact if we learn that it occurred at all, it's because the patient tells us.
Medicine is rapidly becoming almost exclusively training in how to make the most money in the least time with the least effort.

Chip

[Barry Santini]

lBack when doctors were trained in communication with us tech types and doctors didn't dispense patients got superior care from independents.
A good indendent could furnish every doctor's office in town with free magazienes for thier patients, maintain a full time board certified orthoptist, fit all types of contacts lenes (soft, rigid and scleral), dispense glasses, often have a true glass grinding optical lab that could do such things as wafer seg bifocals in house, and a host of other services. Now we are lucky if we can keep up with the wholesale bills well enough to stay off of the on hold list.
Now the doctors don't understand vertex, manifest over contacts, stating visual acuity and other anomolies either on the Rx or on the side to the tech (in or out of house.) Never draw a picture of the ulcer they just treated for the CL tech to keep a watch on to prevent future recurrance, if in fact if we learn that it occurred at all, it's because the patient tells us.
Medicine is rapidly becoming almost exclusively training in how to make the most money in the least time with the least effort.

Chip

You have this soooooo completely right!

Barry
:cheers:

[MrMotts]

Medicine is rapidly becoming almost exclusively training in how to make the most money in the least time with the least effort.

I know that I am new to this board, and Chip is not (way not!) but I very respectfully disagree (sort of)

I obviously can not speak to where he is, but more globally there are things I believe he is not taking into account. First off, a lot (at least in my area) of patients are medicare, and payments are continuing to plummet (along with the dollar mind you...) Like it or not, medicine is a business (and should be). From the general tone of some of the comments here I feel that this does not sit well with a lot of people here.

...free magazienes for thier[sic] patients, maintain a full time board certified orthoptist, fit all types of contacts lenes [sic] (soft, rigid and scleral), dispense glasses, often have a true glass grinding optical lab that could do such things as wafer seg bifocals in house, and a host of other services.

All of the above was in order TO GET MORE PATIENTS and thus make more money...so it is a bit unfair to now use this as an argument against wanting to make money. It is a matter of motivation. You are basically making the argument that money should not be a concern, and doctors should do all this out of the good of their hearts... That is fine and good, but how do you propose they buy these "free magazienes [sic], maintain a full time board certified orthoptist, fit all types of contacts..." etc etc.. without having money? And if we can agree that profit is (and should be) at least part of the equation then a lot of Chip's complaints become easy to understand given the economy, medicare inflation etc etc etc...

While I believe it feels good to take the "money is evil" road, it is simply not practical or realistic. Were medicine to become non related to profit, I truly do not think you would like it. There are implications not being considered.

That being said, I also feel that Chip does have a point:

now the doctors don't understand vertex, manifest over contacts, stating visual acuity and other anomolies[sic] either on the Rx or on the side to the tech (in or out of house.) Never draw a picture of the ulcer they just treated for the CL tech to keep a watch on to prevent future recurrance, if in fact if we learn that it occurred at all, it's because the patient tells us.

Money, is no excuse for poor clinical work. These complaints are quite valid, both from a patient care perspective and ironically from a profit stand point. Doctors need MORE communication and understanding of optics etc given the tighter and tighter margins. Fixing this, as Chip wishes, would both serve the patients, and help retain them. It would also help improve efficiency and thus, make more money.

There is a win win to be found here, but not if we stick to the feel good "money is evil" route... Money, and the desire for it have produced many of the instruments and techniques that define our medical system. They are as good of a thing as they are bad. Like any tool, the desire for profit is good in the right hands, and evil in the wrong ones...but then again so is a chainsaw.

[npdr]

I received a quite nasty note from an optician asking to clarify this Rx:
OU +2.50 Sphere
OU +2.50 Add

What is there to clarify?

[chip anderson]

The expression: OU. I have known "teachers at medical schools" that called this ow's. Possibly O.U. should have periods I don't know. I do know that you had an optician that was too dumb to know what OU means. I suspect that this is why some Rx blanks have a space for the add and then the combined power at the bottom. No excuses, this is just dumb opticianry, and it's just as bad as bad medicine.

Chip

[HarryChiling]

The expression: OU. I have known "teachers at medical schools" that called this ow's. Possibly O.U. should have periods I don't know. I do know that you had an optician that was too dumb to know what OU means. I suspect that this is why some Rx blanks have a space for the add and then the combined power at the bottom. No excuses, this is just dumb opticianry, and it's just as bad as bad medicine.

Chip

, I agree even worst, the last guy in the chain doesn't know what he's doing then you might as well say everything just unraveled. No point in even having the best refraction with the best doctor if a chimp is gonna fit the glasses, that's 30-60 minutes with the best doctor and 2-5 years with the worst glasses. :hammer:

[DragonLensmanWV]

I received a quite nasty note from an optician asking to clarify this Rx:
OU +2.50 Sphere
OU +2.50 Add

What is there to clarify?

Sounds like you have some crappy opticians around there.

Quick Poll - How many (and I'll bet it's all of us) know what OD, OS and OU stand for?
(no we're not talking about the team that got beat by WVU last year.:D)

[Jana Lewis]

I received a quite nasty note from an optician asking to clarify this Rx:
OU +2.50 Sphere
OU +2.50 Add

What is there to clarify?

Unfortunatly there are some dumb people that work in this industry.

[HarryChiling]

Sounds like you have some crappy opticians around there.

Quick Poll - How many (and I'll bet it's all of us) know what OD, OS and OU stand for?
(no we're not talking about the team that got beat by WVU last year.:D)

http://onlineopticianry.com/wordpres...=abbreviations

NPDR also put together a list of abbreviations on an ophthalmology site somewhere.

[DragonLensmanWV]

http://onlineopticianry.com/wordpres...=abbreviations

NPDR also put together a list of abbreviations on an ophthalmology site somewhere.

Now, how many know how the left was denoted as sinister?

[HarryChiling]

Now, how many know how the left was denoted as sinister?

It's latin for left handed, but the in christianity being left handed was associated with the devil so the term sinister became synonymous with evil.

[DragonLensmanWV]

It's latin for left handed, but the in christianity being left handed was associated with the devil so the term sinister became synonymous with evil.

This is how my old Latin teacher explained it. During Roman times, there was obviously a fair amount of robbers around. The usual protocol for two riders meeting on horseback was to pass right side-to right side. This was done so the riders could shake hands and since most were right-handed, the possibilities for a sword stroke was lessened since you couldn't get much leverage in the thrust.And since most were right-handed they were considered dexterous. Now, if someone approached and tried to pass on your left, that went against protocol and they could strike you better with a hidden sword thrust across the body, so their intentions were sinister, and left-handed.

[Kattb]

The Dr. I work for said the exact same thing to me!!!


I think they all say it to everyone..lol Kattb

[finefocus]

Now, how many know how the left was denoted as sinister?

And gauche.

[Kattb]

Glad to know we are not the only ones!
The MDs and ODs around our town write the VA on the RX.
My wonderful and great MD who I work for will not.
When asked, the reply, it is policy...
So I am the one who gets to go pull the med chart, see that the patient can only expect to see 20/60 when they want to know why they can't see 20/20.
Why me?:angry: The truth hurts???
Kattb from SB

[HarryChiling]

This is how my old Latin teacher explained it. During Roman times, there was obviously a fair amount of robbers around. The usual protocol for two riders meeting on horseback was to pass right side-to right side. This was done so the riders could shake hands and since most were right-handed, the possibilities for a sword stroke was lessened since you couldn't get much leverage in the thrust.And since most were right-handed they were considered dexterous. Now, if someone approached and tried to pass on your left, that went against protocol and they could strike you better with a hidden sword thrust across the body, so their intentions were sinister, and left-handed.

That's interesting I've never heard the sword thing.

[tmorse]

I received a quite nasty note from an optician asking to clarify this Rx:
OU +2.50 Sphere
OU +2.50 Add What is there to clarify?

He/she was probably wondering why OU wasn't written at the end of the RX:D

[chip anderson]

Actually handshaking with the right hand goes back to a search for concieled rocks.

Chip

[James Peterson]

I have used the BPI, Therapeutic, Diamond Dye # 500 with great success, particularly with Macular (ARM) Patients. I include the Crizal Avance A/R in order to help alleviate unwanted glare
I used to use the Corning CPF Series of Contrast definition lenses, However, BPI, has been equally succesful, and their therapeutic dyes are much less expensive,
James:cheers:

[James Peterson]

Hi,
I just completed this long response, and I think I sent it to the moon.:)
Anyway, I have used BPI Therapeutic Diamond Dye # 500, with great success. I suggest using A/R, Like Crizal Avance.
James:cheers: :cheers: