Where to go for truly independent eyesight advice

[Laurel33]

I'm late 40s and starting to need glasses for both near and far sight.
Interested to look into what my options are other than varifocal glasses. The only info I am finding is from sources with a vested interest (providers of contact lenses, eye surgery clinics etc) which obviously aren't going to give an unbiased opinion.

I've spoken to my optician about it, but they pretty much dismiss other options presumably because they want me to buy their glasses.

Does anyone know anywhere you can go for a genuine assessment and discussion of potential options?

Many thanks!

Why wouldn't you buy from the optician?

I don't really understand the issue. You need glasses, go to an optician and get some, end of issue.

Ah - sorry. I don't think I was very clear.

I'm happy to buy glasses from my optician and have done previously.

What I'm looking for is personalised independent advice on other options, such as surgery or varifocal contacts.

Maybe it just doesn't exist and I need to make appointments to see a contacts specialist and an eye clinic separately.

My question was if there is any sort of a one-stop-shop that offers advice without having a vested interest in one particular solution.

When I tried to ask my optician about other options, they just ignored my questions and kept talking about different types of glasses

Maybe because glasses are the cheapest , simplest and most obvious solution? Or maybe, being cynical, because they wanted to sell me glasses?

For me the thing is that I'm really not enjoying wearing glasses and would love to find out what my other options are.

If it turns out that glasses really are the best solution, then that's absolutely fine. I just don't feel like I've got all the info at the moment to make that decision.

I'd go back to your optician and ask the question about whether you are suitable for contact lenses. You could just phone then and express your concerns and needs. They may be able to discuss it on the phone or book you a new appointment to talk it through.

I'm at a Specsavers with a contact lens section which is separate from the routine specs section. Drives me nuts as they don't seem to have any joined up thinking - I had to ask for my contact lenses to have the prescription changed to that of my new prescription despite the appointments both being same day! I know now to insist on it being sorted before I leave the store.

This is partly what I find difficult about eyecare - it's a funny mix of business and health. (And it scares me that more healthcare is going to go this way!).

I've been researching various options for things I need, and so much of the information out there for opticians is about how to make money from the patients, which are most profitable options, etc etc, rather than what is best for the patients as top priority.

e.g., lots of articles about 'how to keep your patients in contact lenses even after age 40' (for example) - all about how to convince them to try varifocal contacts, what sort of reasons they might struggle with them and how to get around that etc, which is of course useful information, but it's the fact that it's very clearly from the perspective of 'if you can keep them wearing lenses for longer, they will be more profitable', and not 'are contact lenses really right for these patients'. I found it really really noticeable when reading all these articles, just how much of it was business focussed and about how to get the most money from patients, how to minimise the number of appointments/chair time needed etc. - again, minimising appointments etc is clearly a good thing generally, but it's the fact everything was about how much money that would save, rather than whether the patient is getting the best service.

So I too found it hard to get advice that I'd really trust. I ended up buying the most expensive varifocals as they said with my prescription I'd find them easiest to get used to, but then had issues, so was changed to a different sort, but no discussion about the price of the new ones, which I think would have been cheaper in the first place. And I feel guilty for going back saying things don't feel right each time, becasue I know that makes me a difficult and less profitable patient.

@PinkFootstool
Many thanks – I'm glad it's not just me that gets frustrated. I'll try again and if not, try different optician...

@Bimbleberries
"This is partly what I find difficult about eyecare - it's a funny mix of business and health. (And it scares me that more healthcare is going to go this way!)"

Exactly! It seems almost impossible to find independent advice and uncomfortable to feel like you're being sold to in a healthcare setting. Agree that it is worrying that this us the direction we may be headed in more widely.

I don't even mind spending the money. I just want to know what the options are so I can choose what's best for me as an individual.

If I find any good solutions, I'll post back.

What did you want the optician to discuss? There are contact lens options which they should mention to you if you asked about alternatives to varifocal spectacle glasses. They are not trained in advising about varifocal lens implant surgery you need to research yourself for this and go to private providers who will carry out this type of surgery. Not all optometrists need to sell you glasses they are just basing it on what they know and are trained to do. Google private surgeons near you who conduct this type of surgery. Multifocal contact lenses are not for everyone either depends on your prescription completely but no harm in trying if you can.

@Opt1234
Many thanks – that's helpful.

Hope I'm not a drip feeding here, but it wasn't the ophthalmologist or optician that I spoke to. It was a woman who worked in the shop/reception area (small High St independent).

I had previously had the eye tests and bought both reading and distance glasses from this opticians. I found I wasn't really getting on with the distance glasses especially so phoned up and asked if I could come in and talk with somebody about what my options are (definitely mentioned wanting to discuss contact lenses when I phoned up).

When I got to the appointment it turned out to be just a chat with the woman working in the shop and she pretty much just wanted to try to help me find glasses that suited in my face shape - which wasn't what I made the appointment for.

Maybe I'm going about all the wrong way, but I'm fairly new to this, and it doesn't feel that easy to navigate!

Ah ok makes sense @Laurel33 because the optometrist would have definitely given you a contact lens option at least! The woman who was on the shop floor is there to yes make sure the glasses fit you etc but that's not what you were after ! Nowadays the lens implant surgery is fantastic if not expensive (not covered on some private health insurances ) and the best thing is you won't then need cataract surgery later on in life! Hope you find a solution good luck!

If you want to find out if you are suitable for corrective vision surgery, then you'll need to have a consultation with a surgeon who does this. If you want to find out about contacts, then go and see a contact lens specialist (your optician probably has one). All are in the game of paying their bills by selling their services though!!

I am a 50 something wearer of varifocals. I saw an eye surgeon last summer re: corrective surgery, but he didn't recommend any technique for me for various reasons. He explained the techniques and why they wouldn't work for me. I was rather heartened that he did this, rather than selling me surgery which may not have been successful.

I now wear varifocal contacts at weekends, and glasses for work.

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