Any opticians about? Odd experience

[SoftPillow]

I had a strange encounter with an optician and wondered if anyone could offer any insight.

I buy my contact lenses online, have done for years.

I went to a new optician as my lenses were clearly the wrong prescription and I needed a new one. But it was just quite odd.

He was hugely negative about my brand of lenses which seem well regarded. But point blank refused to recommend me another better option unless he personally fitted them (see long process below)

He said that he couldn't 'sign off' a prescription for my lenses as I bought them online.

He said I was asking him to do something unethical in asking for a prescription or new lenses recommendation and that the only way it could work was if:

• he fitted me new lenses which would happen to be in stock and perfect for me.
• I would then order 5 days worth
• I would then rebook an appointment
• he would then confirm that they were correct

He went on and on about the dangers of buying lenses online and said that I had an infection scar that was 2mm away from causing me to lose my sight. News to me, I don't remember an eye infection. 'I'm not trying to scare you' he said. It felt like he was.

Is this normal, was it unethical to ask for a lenses prescription and buy them elsewhere?

5 years of online buying without any check up?

Plenty of check ups and tests, but always buying the lenses online based on new prescription.

I'm not sure I understand. Did you ask him to carry out an eye test?

No it is not unethical to get a contact lens prescription and then buy them online instead of through the optician. But there are dodgy online sellers of contact lenses, so it depends on where you we’re buying them from? If he was negative about the brand that you think is “well regarded” then you may be mistaken and have been wearing dodgy lenses for years.

But it is unethical to give you a contact lens prescription without doing a proper contact lens fitting and trial period. The process described to you is absolutely correct and to protect your sight. He wasn’t being odd at all. You can’t just go to an optician, get examined and walk away with a contact lens prescription the same day. They’re not like glasses.

Have you had contact lens checks, not just eye checks? Most opticians will only do contact lens checks on ones they have prescribed.

If you can’t afford the optician’s prices, I’d suggest alternating between optician buying and online so you get the service.

I think the optician is being prudent and ethical, not unethical. His advice is in the best interests of your eye health.

What you've described is completely normal and what I would expect of a decent optician! Not all brands work for each individual so he can't recommend something without knowing how they fit in your eyes and he can't know that until you've trialled them for a week!

Nothing unethical or weird about that. He's doing his job properly.

You’re bonkers to buy lenses online. He probably thought the same. May sound dramatic but sight is precious. Lenses should be fitted correctly not just be the correct prescription.

Sounds completely right to me.

All lenses fit differently, even if they are the same size.
He’s not going to sign off something and say it’s all fine if he’s not actually fitted them and seen them on your eyes.

He was doing his job properly.

If you need to change to a new brand then the process he described is correct.

However the odd bit is him being so adamant you need a different brand when you’ve been fine (I presume) with the one you have, and detecting a scar you knew nothing about.

The brand that you are using now, did you go through the fitting process with an optician when you first started using it?

Completely normal.

You need to have lenses fitted and trialled, and it’s the optician’s responsibility to do that properly.

He’s bonkers, I pay for an annual contact lens check from specsavers and buy my lenses online from Vision Direct.
I have done for more than 10 years and have never had any problems.

When I needed to change brands, I had to have a pair fitted at the opticians but they gave me a pair and I went back to check the fit a few days later. Did he not check the fit of your current lenses? That would tell him whether they are the right option but if he hates the brand then he is going to claim they don’t work.

Ok, so seems I was in the wrong. Fair enough

Absolutely proper lenses tests, and current brand recommended previously by another optician, but I don't remember such a long process, perhaps my memory isn't what it should be. I think they had the right amount in stock, I don't remember having to go back again. Perhaps they were the negligent ones not him.

Brand is focus dailies Aqua comfort plus, I'm quite happy with them and I believe my online provider to be decent. Previously small independent optician sent me there years ago. I don't buy them online for cost reasons, it's just convenient to get them buy post next day delivery.

There is no problem buying lenses online as long as that brand of lenses has been properly fitted and trialled with an optician.

As you can’t remember whether this happened with your current brand (ie not sure if you went back after a few days’ wear) , I think in your shoes I would go see another optician and see what they say about the current brand on you. Just in case this optician is right and the current brand is causing you issues.

If you were wearing aqua comfort plus that is a fairly decent lens but I would probably recommend trying something better if you were coming in for an appointment with me. As a professional it is important to tell patients about newer lenses that use newer technology to provide better ocular health that are available so you can make an informed decision. Silicone based lenses tend to perform much better than what you have, oxygen performance and materials tend to equate to linger more comfortable wear that copes better with air conditioning, computers, cars with blowers on.
What i font like is companies like daysoft or hubble that say, oh, you wear this lens so have this one instead even though the fitting is different and the material is.
I had a patient whose mum had bought her some days off and she came in for a check 3 tears after we had previously seen her because her mum had sorted her lenses.
The vessels from the white of her eye had grown into the clear cornea due to the fact her eye wasn't getting enough oxygen. It was almost to her pupil margin and she would have seen them like hairs across her vision if we hadn't seen her when we did and sorted her out.
As long as you are buying what we have fitted you with and come in for regular check so we can make sure your eyes are healthy I don't mind if people buy them on line.
At the end of the day if we sign you off without some sort trial the general optical council could prosecute us. Although no UK based supplier is meant to supply lenses without a valid prescription they often have a non UK address to get out of a legal loophole so they can't be prosecuted by the GOC.

Contact lenses, even with seemingly the same measurements fit very differently in the eye between brands. So unless we assess the initial fit and see how your eye reacts and them look at them after you've been wearing them for a period of time, we may as well be flinging bits of cling film at you.

Contact lenses are medical devices and poorly fitting lenses or ones that aren't being used correctly can cause all sorts of infections, allergies and inflammatory conditions.

You need to be having check ups at least once a year and more regularly if you're a new wearer.

I had the same experience just last week!! I thought he was being really strange about the fact I ordered my lenses online and have been doing so for the last 15 years without issue. He became really "off" after I told him that and said he had to write it in my notes that he has told me that he can't advise me about contact lens issues since I didn't purchase them through the store

I get regular eye checks done, no issues at all, my vision has been stable since my late teens. Buying the same exact brand (acuvue dailies) online saves me a lot of money and I won't apologize for it.

I've bought online for years. Same brand, I get my checks with optician but don't buy through them. I also buy glasses online too. My current pair were £20