You know you will have trouble

[Mizikal]

I had a patient come in today and buy a pair of sunglasses. He had been wearing a pair of brown polarized lenses for ten years.I recommended the same thing but he wanted to go with a cheaper lens so we went with a plastic lens with a brown 3 tint. I told him the difference and told him I did not think he would be happy. I even offered to go outside so he could see the difference and he told me he didn't want to hear about polarized lenses any more. I would normally not be to overly concerned as I know he will hate them in the first 60 days and return them under warranty and pay the difference and get the polarized. I don't like remaking lenses especially when it the customers fault I have to remake them.The real problem is his RX is going to be expired in less then 30 days. I just know how that will go.He will get his money back and never come back or he will pay for an exam.

What do you do when you are working with a patient and you know it is going to end badly. I know this guy will come in the week after his rx expires and he will think it is my fault.I did the only thing I could do and write what I told him in the order notes. What would you have done?

[uncut]

I had a patient come in today and buy a pair of sunglasses. He had been wearing a pair of brown polarized lenses for ten years.I recommended the same thing but he wanted to go with a cheaper lens so we went with a plastic lens with a brown 3 tint. I told him the difference and told him I did not think he would be happy. I even offered to go outside so he could see the difference and he told me he didn't want to hear about polarized lenses any more. I would normally not be to overly concerned as I know he will hate them in the first 60 days and return them under warranty and pay the difference and get the polarized. I don't like remaking lenses especially when it the customers fault I have to remake them.The real problem is his RX is going to be expired in less then 30 days. I just know how that will go.He will get his money back and never come back or he will pay for an exam.

What do you do when you are working with a patient and you know it is going to end badly. I know this guy will come in the week after his rx expires and he will think it is my fault.I did the only thing I could do and write what I told him in the order notes. What would you have done?

After explaining the advantages and disadvantages of products to your customer......the decision of purchase is in the mind of the consumer. You have done your part, professionally.
The consequences of the decision will only be felt by the consumer, tempered by the usual list of retail rules, legislative rules, and professional guidelines........which usually result in the scenario you have envisioned.

[chip anderson]

Oh my gosh. You know the chemical nature of dem sunglass can change de minite the expiration date occurrs. It could cause systematic changes in the patient. He must have a total re-evaulation of his needs, his condition must have changed after this length of time.
Do not by any means ignore the damn expiration date. The entire economy of the Optometric Assn. could collapse if it had to wait another minite to re-examine the patient. Don't you realize the statistical odds of a patient getting uncontrolled glauchoma, macular degenratin, retinal leakage, and all sorts of stuff it he isn't re-examined and re-prescribed for withing 78 hours of the glasses Rx?


Chip

[cocoisland58]

I don't like remaking lenses especially when it the customers fault I have to remake them.The real problem is his RX is going to be expired in less then 30 days. I just know how that will go.He will get his money back and never come back or he will pay for an exam.

In this case you explained the difference he will experience going from polorized to CR39 and tint so if you are right and he comes back for a re-do you remake them into a polorized lens and he pays for the upgrade. Other than a little inconvenience you aren't out much money and the patient has learned a lesson. I wouldn't worry too much about that Rx expiring as you are doing a re-do on a lens purchased before the expiration date. So you don't say "I told you so" you just make your customer happy and be done with it.