Prescription specs online

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#579103 9-Feb-2012 09:13

floydbloke:
Jaxson:
It's a good point to ask for your PD as well when you get your eyes tested. Often they won't put this on the script but you should ask whilst you are in the appointment.

And if they won't tell you just go to the warehouse and buy a ruler for 50c.

Ha, clearly contacts have a ruler pdf you can download and print! It is surprisingly difficult to measure precisely and as has been mentioned, it changes slightly depending on how close you are focusing at the time.

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timmmay

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#579105 9-Feb-2012 09:17

39dollarglasses has remade my damaged glasses overnight and shipped them out. That's pretty good performance IMHO. Fingers crossed they make it to me intact this time!

drajk

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#579123 9-Feb-2012 09:47

freitasm: In geek terms, they are not "open" then? Well, it's your data, you should be able to get it from them anyway - it's part of the Privacy Act - they have to comply with your request to supply any data they hold that is related to you...

And as they are likely considered a Healthcare provider the Health and Disability Commissioner would have jurisdiction. Most healthcare provideres take HDC complaints very seriously.

Who does the Code apply to?
The Code extends to any person or organisation providing, or holding themselves out as providing, a health service to the public or to a section of the public - whether that service is paid for or not.

With regard to disability services, it extends to goods, services, and facilities provided to people with disabilities for their care or support, or to promote their independence, or for related or incidental purposes. Unlike health services, disability services do not have to be provided to the public in order to be covered by this legislation.

The Code therefore covers all registered health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, dentists etc, and in addition brings a level of accountability to all those who might be considered outside the mainstream of medical practice, eg. naturopaths, homeopaths, acupuncturists, and so on. As well as applying to individual providers, the Code also applies to hospitals and other health and disability institutions. It allows the Commissioner to enquire into systems issues across professional boundaries. It does not extend to purchasing decisions or confer entitlement to any particular service.

The Health and Disability Code Right 6 says:

RIGHT 6
Right to be Fully Informed
1) Every consumer has the right to the information that a reasonable consumer, in that consumer's circumstances, would expect to receive, including -
a) An explanation of his or her condition; and
b) An explanation of the options available, including an assessment of the expected risks, side effects, benefits, and costs of each option; and
c) Advice of the estimated time within which the services will be provided; and
d) Notification of any proposed participation in teaching or research, including whether the research requires and has received ethical approval; and
e) Any other information required by legal, professional, ethical, and other relevant standards; and
f) The results of tests; and
g) The results of procedures.

grant_k

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#579181 9-Feb-2012 11:25

drajk:
RIGHT 6
Right to be Fully Informed
1) Every consumer has the right to the information that a reasonable consumer, in that consumer's circumstances, would expect to receive, including -
a) An explanation of his or her condition; and
b) An explanation of the options available, including an assessment of the expected risks, side effects, benefits, and costs of each option; and
c) Advice of the estimated time within which the services will be provided; and
d) Notification of any proposed participation in teaching or research, including whether the research requires and has received ethical approval; and
e) Any other information required by legal, professional, ethical, and other relevant standards; and
f) The results of tests; and
g) The results of procedures.

Well spotted drajk!

My local optician gave me the PD measurement on each of the prescriptions printed out for my wife and myself. In 2008 he charged us an absolute fortune ($1000+) for each of our first set of glasses with Progressive Lenses, Photochromic coating, yada, yada...

Having never heard of online prescription glasses websites at that stage, and remembering this was before Specsavers hit our shores, we just assumed that glasses were always going to be this expensive. Some friends tipped us off to Zenni, and we will never look back.

Our optician said that we should come back for another re-test every 2 years, but what do others find? Is this really necessary?

The other thing we have learned is that Progressive Lenses are not really so useful, unless you must have one set of glasses to do everything. Even then, it is a compromise, where you need to angle your head in the dead-right spot to focus on a particular thing. I have also noticed the optical "fringing" effect with these glasses as others mentioned.

Because Zenni make such affordable glasses, we have found it better to have a set of night-time driving glasses without any photochromic coating, that always stay in the car. Then to have a set of prescription sunglasses for daytime driving, or outside use. And finally, we could order a new set of reading glasses, but don't really have any problem with that, so just use the progressive ones occasionally if I am trying to read the tiny writing on an electronic component, or something similar.

timmmay

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#579186 9-Feb-2012 11:32

Regular eye checks are important to ensure your eye is healthy. Eyes change with age, so your prescription may need to be changed as well.

My eyes are particularly weird, my right eye changes day to day, some days needing a +5.00 contact, other days needing a +5.25. They also drift over time, sometimes getting worse, sometimes getting better.

grant_k

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#579189 9-Feb-2012 11:35

timmmay: Regular eye checks are important to ensure your eye is healthy. Eyes change with age, so your prescription may need to be changed as well.

Cheers Tim, good advice.

BigBadaboom

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#579318 9-Feb-2012 15:52

As well as PD mesurement, I've also at times had a vertical measurement done (ie position of the eye vertically on the frame/lens). Do any of the online sites do that?

Jaxson

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#579330 9-Feb-2012 16:04

Most sites clearly outline how to read your prescription with regards to extracting the data and inserting it into their order forms. I'd suggest taking a look at these FAQ's as they often cover these types of questions.

I wouldn't buy a new set of glasses without updating my eye prescription, (unless you recently had a test, as in within the last year and a half.)

Very similar to getting your blood tests back actually. Traditionally you pay a doctor to order the tests and then pay to go back and discuss them. Really you can just revisit the lab a few days later, show some ID and review the results yourself. Most tests show a 'normal range' and then your result. You can just see if you fit in this range, and most actually flag any really extreme results values anyway.

DjShadow

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#579336 9-Feb-2012 16:16

Clearly Contacts are doing a "First Pair Free" sale today (aka for new customers)
Today only by the looks and limited to 5000

http://www.clearlycontacts.co.nz/glasses/cCouponEligibleGlasses.html

knoydart

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#579340 9-Feb-2012 16:23

Thanks for the links, just orders some sunnies this morning - only $95 with tints ect from Zenni

timmmay

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#579378 9-Feb-2012 17:50

DjShadow: Clearly Contacts are doing a "First Pair Free" sale today (aka for new customers)
Today only by the looks and limited to 5000

http://www.clearlycontacts.co.nz/glasses/cCouponEligibleGlasses.html

This works! I just got some glasses for NZ$26 shipped! Thanks for the tip!

My 39dollarglasses.com glasses arrived today, despite being told the packaging was damaged and they'd gone back to the US, they're fine. I think they're sending me a second pair too.

oxnsox

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#579452 9-Feb-2012 20:40

I always get my script on a card, with the PD, after any test. I tell the optician that I want it on one of their cards so I can keep it in my wallet. (I have needed this info before when loosing specs whilst travelling.)

+1 for Zenni, bought my first pair of graduated lens that way over a year ago, thought it the best way to try them at a price I could write off if they weren't for me. This thread has reminded me I should should get another pair with better than $20 frames....

Kyanar

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#579567 10-Feb-2012 09:24

grant_k:Our optician said that we should come back for another re-test every 2 years, but what do others find?? Is this really necessary?

Apart from the usual "eyesight can change over time" bit, apparently the prescription does expire (according to my optometrist, once every 2 years), and you will need to get it renewed occasionally in order to keep purchasing.

grant_k

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#579636 10-Feb-2012 11:01

Kyanar:
grant_k:Our optician said that we should come back for another re-test every 2 years, but what do others find?? Is this really necessary?

Apart from the usual "eyesight can change over time" bit, apparently the prescription does expire (according to my optometrist, once every 2 years), and you will need to get it renewed occasionally in order to keep purchasing.

Thanks for that Kyanar, but it does depend on where you are purchasing from...

Websites such as Zenni have no such expiry on prescriptions. You can keep using them as long as the glasses produced according to that prescription are doing the job for you.

Forcing people to get another eye test done before they can order further glasses seems like a money making ploy on the part of opticians, but as Timmmay pointed out earlier, there can be benefits in checking for diseases at the same time. I'm still not convinced it's necessary even 2 years though.

bazzer

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#579664 10-Feb-2012 11:49

I'm not sure how I feel about it. A lot can go wrong with your eyes in 2 years, I am sure. I used to wear contacts every day for long hours and once I started ordering online I probably didn't go to the optometrist for nearly 10 years. Not really a good idea, but when I did finally go I found my prescription had barely changed (not enough to warrant different contact lens) and my eye health was perfect.

Could something have gone wrong? Of course, and your eyesight is not something you want to gamble with. On the other hand, there are plenty of people that don't wear glasses that will never get their eyes checked until something goes wrong so what about them?

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