What Would You Say?

[fly]

HAD A PATIENT COME IN A WEEK AGO WITH AN OUTSIDE RX. APROXIMATELY A -1.25 OU WITH A 2.75 ADD. PT WEARING CR-39 VARILUX WITH AR. PUT PATIENT INTO POLY WITH AR INTO HER EXISTING FRAME. SHE INITIALLY COMPLAINED THAT THINGS FELT FUNNY. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF TALKING WITH HER SHE SAID IT WAS FEELING BETTER. I CONTRIBUTED THE FUNNY FEELING TO THE ASPHERIC DESIGN,AND FLATTER BC..
PT CAME BACK IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND SAID THEY WERE NOW MAKING HER SICK TO HER STOMACH. THE DOCTOR HAPPENED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON SHE TALKED TO AND HE TOLD HER QUICKLY THAT POLYCARBONATE IS NOT A GOOD MATERIAL AND IT CAUSES DISTORTION, HALO'S, AND SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS.
HE QUICKLY SAID WE WILL PUT YOU IN CR-39. RE DID JOB IN CR-39 WITH AR. HAPPILY THIS HELPED THE PT. HOWEVER, THIS IS WHERE IT GOT WEIRD. I RECEIVED A TONGUE LASHING FOR SELLING POLY TO HER BECAUSE OUR DR. AND AN OPTHAMOLOGIST TOLD HER THAT IT WAS NOT A GOOD MATERIAL. I EXPLAINED THE BENEFITS OF POLY, TOLD HER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MORE THAN LIKELY FORM THE BC, AND DESIGN INSTEAD OF THE MATERIAL. I TOLD HER THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN IN A VERY SMALL % OF PEOPLE. I LET HER KNOW IT WAS NO CHARGE AND I WANTED HER TO BE HAPPY FIRST. SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD NOT RETURN BECAUSE THE DOCTORS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING.
IS THERE ANY HELP I CAN GET IN MY BEHALF TO EXPLAIN TO THIS DOCTOR (WHO WEARS POLY) THAT I AM NOT A SCHISTER?

[chip anderson]

I know it's a scary though, but the Doctor just might be (and in my opinion is) right.
Have had some people react this way with CR-39 as compared to glass.

Chip

Some day we and our omnicent government will realize that newer or even safer isn't alwalys better.

Chip

[hcjilson]

In a career that officially began in 1959, to take what a patient says the doctor said, and divide it by 4. Take the result and divide that by 2. Then take 2 % of that amount and believe 10% of it. In other words, don't believe what the patient says.

If the doctor had a gripe with what you sold his patient, he rightfully should contact you with his concern, rather than say anything to his patient. At least thats the way its done around here. I would contact the doctor and state your case, and if in fact, he did say something to the patient, I would ask that he handle future situations professionally by first contacting you directly with his concerns. There may be an uncomfortable moment or 2 but in the long run you are telling him that you are a professional too, and will be treated as such in the future.

PS. Trivex is always a superior choice over poly! Fact of the matter is that most docs are unaware of this material and would prescribe it over poly every time. If you make PR calls on your referring doc's, this would be a perfect opportunity to bring them a sample and some literature.
Just a thought

[Judy Canty]

My first questions to you would be why does the Doc wear poly and does he know he's wearing it? This is a situation where it might be prudent to prepare some information about the various materials (pros and cons) and then schedule some time with him to discuss your findings. Then, and I'm assuming that the doc writes your paycheck, ask for a clearer definition of your scope of practice within his practice. As the Optician, you should be able to make the best recommendation on lenses and frames, including materials and treatments.

I've been dispensing poly successfully for years.

PS. All caps are very hard to read.

[karen]

My first question is, is this doctor an older person who has been practicing for some time? If so he may well remember when poly first came out and what a disaster it was. I myself was just starting out when it was introduced and due to one too many problems (some of which had to do with my lack of knowledge when fitting it) stayed as far away from it as I could for many years. Poly has definitely come a long way. I am one of those people that gets chromatic abberation from poly so I still don't really care for it but my Varilux rep gave me a pair of single vision airwear to try and as poly goes it seems pretty good. I would ask the Dr why he feels that way -especially if he is wearing it!! I would also find out if there is anything else he feels that way about so you don't get put in that position again. Did you choose poly for thickness issues?
I agree that Trivex is a great material-it is my favorite, I can wear that very successfully with no distortion at all but unfortunately, you can't get a Comfort in that material :( Pete, are you guys maybe working on that????

[Darris Chambless]

Here's what you do....

Nothing! The patient had a problem, you fixed it, you're done. If the doctor thinks your a scheister then think the same thing about him for his hypocricy.

The fact of the matter is that both the OD and MD told the patient what they thought she wanted to hear so that they didn't have to deal with her (called passing the buck) They are correct about the material not being the best optically, but it isn't life threatening and many people wear it without problems, I'm one of them, so your patient was speaking out of ignorance thus making her tongue lashing irrelevent.

So as I said, do nothing. You're done. Enjoy the rest of your patients that make your day bright and happy :)

Darris C.

[fly]

Thank You all for your insight.

[Texas Ranger]

fly, Darris is right, we do a lot of poly, and there isn't enough info to determine another problem that can happen, if say the pt was wearing a cr-39 Vx Comfort, and the new lens was a poly panamic, the base curve like dropped from a 550 to a 400, and that would more likely cause the problem that the material, so in future know that you can specify base curves on your orders, know whats available on what lens designs, and don't make such dramatic changes...we do a high percentage of poly panamics, and never had a material problem; base curve issues, yes, but most are predicable, and preventable...

[harry888]

I'm an OD that fills a lot of outside Rx's.

A +275 add screams remake, nobody holds things at 14 inches anymore unless they have Macular degeneration.

The problem was not the poly. This patient will not be happy with the CR-39 but will not say anthing after this big stink.

Harry