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Thread: Most Batsh*t Crazy Thing You've Heard a Patient Say?

  1. #1
    Rising Star Chad Sobodash's Avatar
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    Most Batsh*t Crazy Thing You've Heard a Patient Say?

    A woman just walked into my store and called me a charlatan to my face. She then said that she didn't believe in doctors telling her what's best for her son's eyes. She likened the writing of an eyeglass prescription to finding a shoe size. Then, she claimed that she buys glasses online for her son, and whenever he's having trouble with his vision, she INCREASES THE NUMBERS ON THE PRESCRIPTION.

    It ended with me saying that she was going to destroy her son's vision, her saying something unintelligible about vaccinations, and then walking out of my store.

    So what's your best story?
    Sincerely,
    Chad Sobodash ABO-AC

  2. #2
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    Nothing nearly as bad but had a patient complain about her son's Anti-reflective coating having a few scratches on it even though I said it would be scratch resistant(as opposed to proof). I offered to remake the lenses since they were well under warranty still.

    Only thing was she herself told me a couple weeks prior that this particular pair of glasses had been taken away from him because he threw them multiple times as well as twistin' 'em up.

  3. #3
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    It's been a while since this has happened, but it has occurred at least 2 or 3 times over the years:
    You take someone's old frame to reglaze with a new prescription. They return a few days later to pick up the glasses and abracadabra - all of a sudden this is not their old frame - no way no how is this the frame they left us - and they should know of course because they have worn these everyday for 5 years.
    Where do you even begin....

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter ak47's Avatar
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    Ok, so it wasn't "said" by a patient...but i had a patient try to punch me when dispensing a +3 diopter grooved poly because the patient insisted that since he paid for the "thinner lenses" they should be as thin as..............................walk around store..................................wait for it...the silhouette demo lenses !!

  5. #5
    OptiWizard
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chad Sobodash View Post
    A woman just walked into my store and called me a charlatan to my face. She then said that she didn't believe in doctors telling her what's best for her son's eyes. She likened the writing of an eyeglass prescription to finding a shoe size. Then, she claimed that she buys glasses online for her son, and whenever he's having trouble with his vision, she INCREASES THE NUMBERS ON THE PRESCRIPTION.

    It ended with me saying that she was going to destroy her son's vision, her saying something unintelligible about vaccinations, and then walking out of my store.

    So what's your best story?
    Sounds like Phil Hellmuth's White Magic.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter SharonB's Avatar
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    The coffee lady

    Quote Originally Posted by optimensch View Post
    It's been a while since this has happened, but it has occurred at least 2 or 3 times over the years:
    You take someone's old frame to reglaze with a new prescription. They return a few days later to pick up the glasses and abracadabra - all of a sudden this is not their old frame - no way no how is this the frame they left us - and they should know of course because they have worn these everyday for 5 years.
    Where do you even begin....
    A lady came in with a mangled frame, and wanted them adjusted. I took them back to the lab and spent about 15 minutes running them through the ultrasonic (they were filthy) , replacing the nose pads, and aligning the frame. All at no charge. When I brought the nice, clean, shiny frame back out for final adjustment she insisted they were not hers, because hers had brown nose pads. A "discussion" ensued, and she took the glasses and walked out. About 10 minutes later she walked back in with a container of hot coffee, and threw it at me. I am still baffled after all these years. I guess she was one of the 20% group (my supervising doctor at the time always maintained that 20% of the public is crazy).
    Lost and confused in an optical wonderland!

  7. #7
    OptiBoard Moron newguyaroundhere's Avatar
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    Lady comes in, wearing her eyeglasses on top of her head. Complains that when she wears her glasses that they fall off of her face. So I politely adjust them to fit her face, where they should belong. She tries them on, and says they feel great on her face but now they are too tight on her head when puts them there

  8. #8
    OptiBoard Moron newguyaroundhere's Avatar
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    Story 2: had a young lady come in wanting an adjustment on her glasses. She then explains to me that her lenses are scratched and wants to have them replaced under her warranty. I inspect her glasses and didn't see even anything remotely looking like a scratch, they were fine. After explaining to her that her glasses were fine, she tells me she can see the scratches when she holds a magnifying glass up to them.

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder AngeHamm's Avatar
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    I had a patient last year utterly refuse to listen to anyone in the office explain why his new progressives were going to be different than his single vision lenses. He grew increasingly agitated and loud, constantly interrupting me as I tried to calm him and explain that if he couldn't adjust after a week or so that we would be able to remake his lenses. He finally went to the front desk, almost literally growling, where he proceeded to sign his credit card receipt and then throw the pen across the room. He stormed out of the office, stood in front of the door, and shouted at the parking lot "Mister optician, I STILL CAN'T SEE!!!!!" before getting in his car and screeching away. If he had stuck around for another 30 seconds, or walked back into the office, I would have called 911.

    We never heard from him again. I assume he either never got used to his glasses or he put them on first thing the next morning (as I had suggested) and had no troubles, resulting in him feeling like the biggest asshat on the planet.
    I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder CCGREEN's Avatar
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    I have never had to do this, came close a few times though. I do everything I can to deescalate the issue, including stepping away and turn it over to someone else.
    But I have always said that I draw the line when it comes to physical assault from a customer/patient. That kind of behavior we do not need in our profession. There is always a extra room in the local county bar room hilton for them. I just don't want them coming back and shooting the place up.
    Which this leads me to another question I have always asked. With all the personality's we have to deal with why do we not ever get any ed hours in physiology so that we may better understand the type people we deal with and how to handle situations?

  11. #11
    OptiBoard Professional Flux3r's Avatar
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    Patient complained of his lenses smelling burned for weeks after having Anti-Reflective applied. Another patient said their transitions lenses turned orange, but refused to come in and have them replaced.

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    Long time client (PhD candidate) brings in Rx from her new OMD. Tells me that she knows it's wrong, because the numbers don't look right. New Doc refracts in + cyl, old OD refracts in - cyl. Made the glasses according to new rx. Client picks them up and says she cannot see anything clearly. Tried to explain transposition as simply as possible. She doesn't believe me. Send her back to the OMD. I called the OMD and asked her do re-check and write in - cyl. Client is triumphant! The OMD was wrong! I carefully cleaned her new glasses and put them on the magic shelf for a week. Client picked up and her vision was perfect. #amindisaterriblethingtowaste

  13. #13
    Master OptiBoarder mdeimler's Avatar
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    Sold a man a woman's frame, reluctantly, because he insisted he wanted that frame. He picks up the glasses and he is thrilled with how they look. Two months later, after a visit to LC where they told him that he was wearing a woman's frame, he came in demanding a refund. I said we could do a "frame exchange" but he refused. He said he would get his money back or else. I said that's not possible at this point. He says "Imma get my money back even if I have to beat it outta you." The owner overheard and he was barred from the practice.

  14. #14
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdeimler View Post
    Sold a man a woman's frame, reluctantly, because he insisted he wanted that frame. He picks up the glasses and he is thrilled with how they look. Two months later, after a visit to LC where they told him that he was wearing a woman's frame, he came in demanding a refund. I said we could do a "frame exchange" but he refused. He said he would get his money back or else. I said that's not possible at this point. He says "Imma get my money back even if I have to beat it outta you." The owner overheard and he was barred from the practice.
    Chances are very good that an LC associate suggested that your patient return those specs and come back to be fitted "properly".

  15. #15
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    sharon
    "doctor at the time always maintained that 20% of the public is crazy"

    I have mentioned this in another post... a few of my pt college girls have actually changed their majors to psych/psycol
    after working here ...and seeing for themselves....there is an overwhelming need for this field!!

  16. #16
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I was once accused of selling a used frame to an elderly woman, and she could prove it. She had picked up her glasses, and had worn them for a few days before she came storming through the front door. Her son had been in the military and she was well aware of the fact that the military issued glasses to the troops. She claimed that I had gotten these frames from Colonel Gary Fade as the temple was marked COL. GRY FADE. It took me quite some time to convince her that she was seeing the color code of the frame....GEEZ!

  17. #17
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    i cant see out of my glasses!!! they are defective
    the woman down the hall cant see out of them either!!!

  18. #18
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    I love these stories. Makes me feel so not alone in the Optical world. Being an optician for almost 20 years I've had some doozies. However, my favorite is when I had only been an in the practice about a year. An older gentleman came in with his wife and started giving me grief over some glasses that had clearly seen their best days. When I explained to him there wasn't anything I could do for him at no charge but I would be more than willing to help him pick out a new pair he preceded to get up in my face and tell me he ought to come across the counter and slap me silly. I was roughly 8 months pregnant at the time. Needless to say my co-workers intervened and nicely escorted the patient from the store. His wife later came back and apologized.

  19. #19
    Independent Problem Optiholic edKENdance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CME4SPECS View Post
    I was once accused of selling a used frame to an elderly woman, and she could prove it. She had picked up her glasses, and had worn them for a few days before she came storming through the front door. Her son had been in the military and she was well aware of the fact that the military issued glasses to the troops. She claimed that I had gotten these frames from Colonel Gary Fade as the temple was marked COL. GRY FADE. It took me quite some time to convince her that she was seeing the color code of the frame....GEEZ!
    THAT is the best story I have ever heard.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder CCGREEN's Avatar
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    Two days ago I had a pt (who is the wife of a local MD of some kind) come in with her Rx in hand that we had given her 3 months ago.
    Said she was with a friend of hers one day and asked to try her friends glasses. Decided she could see good out of them. They whip out written Rx's and start comparing numbers. Of course the add power is different. She was adamant that I was going to change the add power for her. The Dr had to of made a mistake because she could see good out of her friends glasses. Took a while but I assured her to have the Rx filled and if she still thought the numbers needed to be changed we would address it with her after she had used them 8 hrs a day for two weeks. (I need more time in the saddle of my Harley Davidson which provides therapy for PTSD acquired from dealing with such people)

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Judy Canty View Post
    Long time client (PhD candidate) brings in Rx from her new OMD. Tells me that she knows it's wrong, because the numbers don't look right. New Doc refracts in + cyl, old OD refracts in - cyl. Made the glasses according to new rx. Client picks them up and says she cannot see anything clearly. Tried to explain transposition as simply as possible. She doesn't believe me. Send her back to the OMD. I called the OMD and asked her do re-check and write in - cyl. Client is triumphant! The OMD was wrong! I carefully cleaned her new glasses and put them on the magic shelf for a week. Client picked up and her vision was perfect. #amindisaterriblethingtowaste
    I have dealt with something similar to this a few times. Funny how a "professional" telling a patient something fixes everything, while the glasses stay the same.
    Check us out on Facebook or our site Advanced Eyecare of Arizona.

  22. #22
    OptiBoard Professional
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    "This lens is defective! It's not scratched, it's defective!" The customer then grabs an optical screwdriver and puts a deep gouge on his lens. "Now THAT is a scratch!"

  23. #23
    Master OptiBoarder CCGREEN's Avatar
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    Sometimes its eaiser to keep your sanaity and just tell them what they want to hear. Then just go ahead and do what you know you need to do.
    Like the "magic shelf" set them there until you feel they are "ripe".

  24. #24
    Master OptiBoarder CCGREEN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Quantrill View Post
    "This lens is defective! It's not scratched, it's defective!" The customer then grabs an optical screwdriver and puts a deep gouge on his lens. "Now THAT is a scratch!"
    Envelope Onvelope Potato Patato America Amerrka Scratch Gouge
    What the heck. Let them think/call it what ever makes them feel good. Then hand them a warm fuzzy and a cookie and tell them everything will be OK.

  25. #25
    One eye sees, the other feels OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdeimler View Post
    Sold a man a woman's frame, reluctantly, because he insisted he wanted that frame. He picks up the glasses and he is thrilled with how they look. Two months later, after a visit to LC where they told him that he was wearing a woman's frame, he came in demanding a refund.


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glasses
    Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman

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