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Thread: Crazziest thing you've ever seen or heard a Practicioner do.......

  1. #1
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    Redhot Jumper Crazziest thing you've ever seen or heard a Practicioner do.......

    I worked for a doctor for one day, my first task when I started there was to take all the frames out of the Lion's Club box and clean up the frames and put them on the board for $99.:drop:

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    Uh oh, I feel a senseless profession bashing opportunity. Let's use good taste on a public forum.
    Last edited by fjpod; 09-14-2008 at 09:56 AM. Reason: edited so as to not be inflammatory.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fjpod View Post
    Uh oh, I feel a senseless profession bashing opportunity. Quick, somebody notify **** and *****.
    Hold on a sec...did you not start something similar on 'can someone explain why....'? :finger:

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    I worked part-time for a doctor doing work-ups and as the optician. After he looked at the chart after my first work-up, he came storming out of the exam room screaming at me, "There is no black ink used in this office!" Aside from not liking blue ink, I was always taught that black ink is supposed to be used for medical records. But at the insistence of the doctor, I began writing in blue ink. The doctor's response: "I don't like that shade of blue!" I quit.

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    crazy is as crazy does

    dweinstein -I'm with you, I always insisted on BLACK ink (that's what I was taught in school) because different shades of blue makes the chart look like you added something later on (big time no-no)

    I thought everyone knew that you cannot reuse eye-wear here in the states, that's why donated glasses go on mission trips outside the US. That's an incredible story, doesn't sound professional at all.

    Craziest thing I've ever done (from my previous staff's point of view) was to insist that they followed instructions and pre-test every patient exactly the same way...I guess they didn't realize I knew enough to catch them "fake" answers...like a guy with a prosthesis getting 10/10 on a stereo test.

    Craziest thing (from an optician's standpoint) was for me to blow a fuse when the optician let an older woman walk out the door because she didn't have enough money to buy a PAL/poly/transitions (she had always worn ST28/cr39/light tint) (actually I blew a fuse because she was not offered st28/cr39 because it would "blow her average dollar sale" and they were having a contest that week)

    Craziest thing I've ever done (from my district managers standpoint) is to insist that my patients were taken care of in a professional manner while I had a sublease at a LensCrafters. They decided not to renew my 12 year old contract for it . (I guess that makes me Crazy like a fox! :cheers:)

    Honestly, I'm not sure any "profession" has the market cornered on crazy, probably more of an individual or regional thing. Hope everyone has a sane and profitable week!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Double View Post

    Craziest thing (from an optician's standpoint) was for me to blow a fuse when the optician let an older woman walk out the door because she didn't have enough money to buy a PAL/poly/transitions (she had always worn ST28/cr39/light tint) (actually I blew a fuse because she was not offered st28/cr39 because it would "blow her average dollar sale" and they were having a contest that week)
    I have to ask who came up with the contest? It seems like it was a bad idea.

  7. #7
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    I worked for one employer who used to micro-manage the office. The problem was that she was never at work (spent her time partying). So on one hand, she demanded that you provide to her the world, but on the other, when you did anything you go in trouble for it.

    One day, she went out for lunch with a friend. So she left around 11am and returned around 3pm. During that time, I had a patient come in with a price quote from a competitor. I knew we could match it, but I needed permission. I knew I was not allowed to call her, so I waited until she came back at 3pm. She stopped back and was talking to her friend in the store. Finally, before she left for dinner with her friend, I asked her for permission. She told me that she would worry about it later in the week.

    Later that week, I got wrung out for talking to her when she had a "very important meeting." At that point, I started looking for a new job.

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    Independent Problem Optiholic edKENdance's Avatar
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    I saw my boss "wow" someone with a polarized lens display. The glasses that he used to demonstrate the effects of the filter weren't polarized. I'm still shaking my head about it.

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    ABO-AC, NCLE-AC, LDO-NV bob_f_aboc's Avatar
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    Angry

    In my LC lab manager days, I had the OD next door actually come into the store. (She rarely left the exam room during the day. Techs brought patients in and took them out.) She proceeded to rip into me with the patient standing next to her. We had filled one of her Rx's for this patient as a ~+3ish OU in a PAL. Patient couldn't see. Sent her back to Dr for a re-check. Doc "didn't have time for an exam," so the patient came back 10 minutes later with a signed auto-refractor tape that read ~-3ish OU. I remade the glasses again -- dead on to Rx. This time the doc came back with the patient and a print-out from the auto lensometer they used. She made a scene in front of her patient, my GM, my RM, and about 3 other patients, telling me that if I didn't know how to make a lens then I should just go flip burgers. Once the rant had subsided, we found out that she was upset because there was 2^ BD prism OU and that was why her patient couldn't see out of the glasses we made. "I didn't prescribe any prism for her lenses and you will make them without prism."

    3 people tried for half an hour to explain PAL geometry to her and she wouldn't have any of it. From that point on, she wrote on every Rx "Flat Top Bifocal Only, Prescription Not Warranted For Progressive Lenses."

    We called another doc in the mall to have the patient seen and found out that she had been diagnosed with diabetes 2 days earlier and was just starting insulin. She had been in the mall for around 5 hours with nothing to eat. Her final Rx ended up around -2 and she was very happy with the progressive lenses.

    From what I hear, she just signed another 10 year lease with Lux.

    I love private practice!!!!!!!!!!

  10. #10
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    LC info

    Lenscrafters won't do a 10 year lease, only 3 years at a time. They used to be able to do more (I know of a 5 year lease, but that was >10 years ago), but I understand 3's the limit now.

    They are the ones with the contest I mentioned before, by the way. They have a board in the break room where they list weekly and monthly numbers for total $ sold, Avg $, %AR, # remakes, %2nd pair, %sun, %prem (I think) and their rank in the store for the week and month. I always thought it was funny that the store manager and retail manager had the highest rankings. They just handed off patients who didn't look like they would turn into a good commission. Most of the opticians either didn't know any better, or didn't care. It's a non-licensed state and they go through dozens of them each year, most of them have little or no experience as well.

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by For-Life View Post
    I worked for one employer who used to micro-manage the office. The problem was that she was never at work (spent her time partying). So on one hand, she demanded that you provide to her the world, but on the other, when you did anything you go in trouble for it.

    One day, she went out for lunch with a friend. So she left around 11am and returned around 3pm. During that time, I had a patient come in with a price quote from a competitor. I knew we could match it, but I needed permission. I knew I was not allowed to call her, so I waited until she came back at 3pm. She stopped back and was talking to her friend in the store. Finally, before she left for dinner with her friend, I asked her for permission. She told me that she would worry about it later in the week.

    Later that week, I got wrung out for talking to her when she had a "very important meeting." At that point, I started looking for a new job.

    Wow, I had the exact same boss when I worked for Monfried. Except we knew what she was doing with her "hairdresser" because she gave us details. Ugh!
    DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
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  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter SharonB's Avatar
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    Splints?

    I think the absolute worst thing I have encountered was an experience just 6 months ago. A young mother with a 10 month old baby girl came into our office with an "outside Rx." The original examiner's office did not have any pediatric frames. We filled the Rx, delivered it, and then the fun began. The baby would not keep the glasses on. I gave the mother multiple tips on how to put them on for a few minutes at a time, etc.etc. and to be patient, and not make such a big deal out of the glasses.Then - she went back to the prescriber. He told the mother to buy tongue depressors and surgical tape at a pharmacy, and tape the baby's elbows to the tongue depressors (like splints) so she couldn't bend her arms and get the glasses off.
    :drop:


    Mother & baby are now fine - baby wears glasses, and has been referred to a pediatric eye specialist. It just took some time for the baby to become accustomed to the glasses.

  13. #13
    Optical Clairvoyant OptiBoard Bronze Supporter Andrew Weiss's Avatar
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    The craziest thing I've had to put up with came, not from an OD I worked for, but from another optician . . .

    This fellow had been a member of the Israeli paratroopers (or at least he said he'd been) and involved in the 7-Day War in 1967. After he was decommissioned, he came to the US, settled in NYC and got his optician's license. He opened a low-to-moderate end shop on 23rd Street in Manhattan, had some success and then bought out an old-line Guild shop in the upper 40's near 5th Avenue. He hired me to manage the shop. This was in the mid-1970's, so lenses were about 50/50 glass/CR39, and we had a Kirk heat-tempering unit for the glass.

    One day I was cutting a pair of execs PGX, put them in the temp unit and they cracked when they cooled down. My error on the measurement. All lens orders went through his original shop on 23rd Street, so I called in the redo. About 30 minutes later, my boss shows up. He takes me in back and pulls out a gun, starts telling me about how he'd shot people in the 7-Day War and how he shot someone who dared to steal a frame from his shop on 23rd Street. Then he told me that if I broke another lens, he'd break both my knees.

    You can bet I was a combination of terrified and laughing inside about the Mafia-like act. I started looking for another job the next day, and I got out of there in less than a month, both knees intact and with no bullet-holes.
    Andrew

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    Worst thing I ever saw was a 75ish year old patient. An extremely unethical surgeon did LASIK on him the previous year, followed by cataract surgery 6 months later Poor guy never knew he was ripped off.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Weiss View Post
    He takes me in back and pulls out a gun, starts telling me about how he'd shot people in the 7-Day War and how he shot someone who dared to steal a frame from his shop on 23rd Street. Then he told me that if I broke another lens, he'd break both my knees.

    You can bet I was a combination of terrified and laughing inside about the Mafia-like act. I started looking for another job the next day, and I got out of there in less than a month, both knees intact and with no bullet-holes.

    LOL!!!

    Sounds like you worked for a relative of our dear Borysko's boss!!

    ;):cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::D

  16. #16
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    I had a (very,very) new OD work in one of my offices about 10 years ago. He was a really nice guy, and worked only on Fridays there. Before he'd leave, I'd give him all his fees, and he'd ask, "How'd I do..everything go Ok?"

    Well, I didn't want to knock him down, him being so new out of school, so I let a lot slide. One day however, he's doing an I&R on a 12 year old girl, and he comes out of the exam room with his thumb in his mouth!! He then goes back in and continues with the training. About 5 minutes later, the girl and her mother go flying out of the exam room, grab their coats, and out the door they go.

    Turns out, he had cut his finger on the CL vial, and rather than putting a
    bandage on it, just kept sucking the blood off of it. To make matters worse, he kept handling the girl's lenses, and trying to coach her on the insertion, all while alternately sucking on his thumb. Finally, he said to the mother, "This is more difficult than I thought. Since you wear contacts, you're probably better at this than I am. Why don't you take the contacts home and show her what she needs to do."

    The mother called me to tell me the whole story, and when I asked him about it, he agreed that it was just as she had said. I was mortified, and needless to say, when he asked how everything went, I told him it really didn't go that good and that he should find a job somewhere else where he could practice on someone else's patients.

    Nice guy, bad doctor...
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  17. #17
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Ages ago I worked with an elderly OD. He would bring his wifes handicapped tag so he could park in the handicap spots. I had an RX brought to me that seemed "off", like a 6 diopter difference from OD to OS, so I took it back to his office to ask him about it. He screamed "You NEVER question MY prescriptions....EVER!!!!"
    We ended up getting along quite well after that, but he scared the bejeezus outta me.

    We had one really cool OD that would fill in for him and would bring us his home brewed beer. Yummy.

    My first optical manager smoked the same cigs that I did. I grabbed his pack by mistake one day and found a joint in it. That was awkward.

    Good times.:cheers:

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    My first optical manager smoked the same cigs that I did. I grabbed his pack by mistake one day and found a joint in it. That was awkward.
    Good times.:cheers:
    Yes, compared to cigs, they can be awkward. It takes time to learn how to properly hold them!:D(of course, that's only what I've heard.;))
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  19. #19
    One of the worst people here
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Weiss View Post
    The craziest thing I've had to put up with came, not from an OD I worked for, but from another optician . . .

    This fellow had been a member of the Israeli paratroopers (or at least he said he'd been) and involved in the 7-Day War in 1967. After he was decommissioned, he came to the US, settled in NYC and got his optician's license. He opened a low-to-moderate end shop on 23rd Street in Manhattan, had some success and then bought out an old-line Guild shop in the upper 40's near 5th Avenue. He hired me to manage the shop. This was in the mid-1970's, so lenses were about 50/50 glass/CR39, and we had a Kirk heat-tempering unit for the glass.

    One day I was cutting a pair of execs PGX, put them in the temp unit and they cracked when they cooled down. My error on the measurement. All lens orders went through his original shop on 23rd Street, so I called in the redo. About 30 minutes later, my boss shows up. He takes me in back and pulls out a gun, starts telling me about how he'd shot people in the 7-Day War and how he shot someone who dared to steal a frame from his shop on 23rd Street. Then he told me that if I broke another lens, he'd break both my knees.

    You can bet I was a combination of terrified and laughing inside about the Mafia-like act. I started looking for another job the next day, and I got out of there in less than a month, both knees intact and with no bullet-holes.
    what the...

    You win.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    Ages ago I worked with an elderly OD. He would bring his wifes handicapped tag so he could park in the handicap spots. I had an RX brought to me that seemed "off", like a 6 diopter difference from OD to OS, so I took it back to his office to ask him about it. He screamed "You NEVER question MY prescriptions....EVER!!!!"
    We ended up getting along quite well after that, but he scared the bejeezus outta me.

    We had one really cool OD that would fill in for him and would bring us his home brewed beer. Yummy.

    My first optical manager smoked the same cigs that I did. I grabbed his pack by mistake one day and found a joint in it. That was awkward.

    Good times.:cheers:

    <my best Soup Nazi impersonation>

    No glaucoma for him!!

    :bbg:
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  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by peregrinerose View Post
    Worst thing I ever saw was a 75ish year old patient. An extremely unethical surgeon did LASIK on him the previous year, followed by cataract surgery 6 months later Poor guy never knew he was ripped off.

    Not knowing the Dr. involved sometimes you do both but typically the will implant the lens then measure the remaining Rx can be corrected with lasik.

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    Quote Originally Posted by barryh66 View Post
    Not knowing the Dr. involved sometimes you do both but typically the will implant the lens then measure the remaining Rx can be corrected with lasik.
    The doctor involved has at best questionable ethics, the doc is pretty up there in years, since retired. He also had a bad hand tremor, so his surgical results were scary at best. He did lasik then cataract surgery purely to rip off the patient and get the fees for both.

  23. #23
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    Yes, compared to cigs, they can be awkward. It takes time to learn how to properly hold them!:D(of course, that's only what I've heard.;))

    Just to clarify.......I didn't smoke it by mistake or anything. :D
    And I have "heard" the same thing. Hee Hee. You crack me up.

    :cheers:

  24. #24
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DragonLensmanWV View Post
    <my best Soup Nazi impersonation>

    No glaucoma for him!!

    :bbg:
    And just picture him pointing his wrinkled little finger in my face when he says it. Even better.:D

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