Do Opticians Even Make Sure You Can See Properly?

[easysurfer]

When you get a new pair of glasses at a place like Costco, when the glasses are ready do they have you look at an eye chart or something to verify the glasses are working? Or do they just hand you your glasses and say good luck?

Seems like simple questions but the last two places I went to was more the latter. They say glasses are done and just hand off to me.

I don't know if that's just how things are done these days or because I didn't see their eye doctors for the prescriptions but my own eye doctor.

 

[audreyh1]

They don’t have an eye chart at Costco - would be nice. We look around the store as there are lots of distant objects. Thinking about it I don’t remember an eye chart when picking up at an optometrist either.

 

[Kork13]

A check on delivery should not necessary, assuming the doctor who wrote the prescription did a proper assessment. The glasses prescription defines exactly how the lenses should be crafted, and unless you've got a rare abnormality calling for something more specialized, there's a >99% likelihood that an accurate prescription & properly crafted lens will work well without a second check.

For those few who may have their new glasses not work properly (perhaps an improperly-scribed prescription, production error, or again, something abnormal with your eyes), you just need to bring them back & only THEN get everything checked again. It's probably rare enough that it would be a waste of time to check every single set of glasses upon delivery.

 

[easysurfer]

A check on delivery should not necessary, assuming the doctor who wrote the prescription did a proper assessment. The glasses prescription defines exactly how the lenses should be crafted, and unless you've got a rare abnormality calling for something more specialized, there's a >99% likelihood that an accurate prescription & properly crafted lens will work well without a second check.

For those few who may have their new glasses not work properly (perhaps an improperly-scribed prescription, production error, or again, something abnormal with your eyes), you just need to bring them back & only THEN get everything checked again. It's probably rare enough that it would be a waste of time to check every single set of glasses upon delivery.

Maybe I fall in the 1%

I had a new prescription about a year ago from an ophthalmologist. I went to a glasses chain store nearby to get prescription filled. When picked up, I put on and could tell the lenses didn't match up. Left lens was perfect, right was noticeably off. I tried for a week in case just took time for my eyes to get used to. That' didn't work. So they had another pair made. This time, the lens that was perfect is less perfect and the one that was off was less off, so more balanced. But still not crisp vision.

So, I decided to try another place but glasses were off too.

Now, I'm kind of back to where I started with not having a good new pair.

Maybe I should have tried again and again at the first place even if it took 10 times. But that approach seems crazy and a time waster.

My old optometrist (retired now) would always have me to a visual check upon pick up to verify I can actually see out of them. So this, here you go good luck approach is new to me.

 

[target2019]

Seeing properly? There are probably some practical guidelines about that. Maybe take a reading chart with you?

I got a pair of variables from a glasses store. The tech took a lot of time to fit the prescription to my needs. In the end I couldn't see with those glasses, due to some complications after surgery. But at the time I didn't know that. I wasted $220 or so, and so did Medicare.

My instinct at the time was that I should go with Zenni, and I regret over-riding that feeling at the time. I would have wasted a much smaller amount.

If things aren't good, be sure to get re-work before time's up, or you'll eat the cost of the glasses.

The standard answer is probably something like, "Oh, give it time and your eyes will accomodate to this prescription." That usually happens.

 

[braumeister]

Another possibility is that the prescription is right but the optometrist didn't measure the pupillary distance correctly. Two different things that have to work together.

 

[Midpack]

A check on delivery should not necessary, assuming the doctor who wrote the prescription did a proper assessment. The glasses prescription defines exactly how the lenses should be crafted, and unless you've got a rare abnormality calling for something more specialized, there's a >99% likelihood that an accurate prescription & properly crafted lens will work well without a second check.

For those few who may have their new glasses not work properly (perhaps an improperly-scribed prescription, production error, or again, something abnormal with your eyes), you just need to bring them back & only THEN get everything checked again. It's probably rare enough that it would be a waste of time to check every single set of glasses upon delivery.

I’d like to believe this is true, but I wasn’t able to find stats.

I’ve purchased five pairs of prescription glasses. All of them took time to adapt to, and I’ve been led to believe that’s not atypical.

While it’s clear the OP is an exception, that doesn’t mean it should be necessary to check glasses again on delivery all the time. The eye exam methodology and lens grinding quality control should be highly reliable.

This is also a reflection of how prescription glasses are produced today. Most people aren’t willing to pay full service retail for prescription glasses anymore, same phenomenon that’s led to big box stores, Amazon and the like. They provide better value, and don’t sacrifice quality enough to dissuade customers. My first pair of prescription glasses came from an old school optometrist - the price of the exam and glasses was absolutely ridiculous, compared to the four sets thereafter. More than double what they should have cost.

 

[target2019]

I think someone's experience today can diverge quite a bit from the past.

I used to see a well-known ophthalmologist. He was an optician too. He did the refraction, the glasses were made, and there were no problems. He always had me come back so he had real evidence that things were working.

Today, I see an ophthalmologist, but a tech does the refraction. That tech has training, and a cool set of tools, but...

Then I head off to the glasses store. What qualifications does that person have? That may vary from state to state, I just don't know.

When you're refracted the PD is done by a machine. It's printed out on a receipt. You do not get that, however, if the glasses store is attached, they have your folder, and the auto-measurement for PD.

The optician or tech at that point measures your PD using manual methods. Is it right? Only one way to find out...

So, you have ophthalmalogist, optometrist, optician, and additional jobs like ophthalmic tech, and so on.

Machines and people may not be perfect.

 

[COcheesehead]

I have had two instances in the five years where 1) the prescription was wrong and 2) they were made wrong. I have no problem returning eye glasses that do not work.

 

[easysurfer]

I think someone's experience today can diverge quite a bit from the past.

I used to see a well-known ophthalmologist. He was an optician too. He did the refraction, the glasses were made, and there were no problems. He always had me come back so he had real evidence that things were working.

Today, I see an ophthalmologist, but a tech does the refraction. That tech has training, and a cool set of tools, but...

Then I head off to the glasses store. What qualifications does that person have? That may vary from state to state, I just don't know.

When you're refracted the PD is done by a machine. It's printed out on a receipt. You do not get that, however, if the glasses store is attached, they have your folder, and the auto-measurement for PD.

The optician or tech at that point measures your PD using manual methods. Is it right? Only one way to find out...

So, you have ophthalmologist, optometrist, optician, and additional jobs like ophthalmic tech, and so on.

Machines and people may not be perfect.

Nothing beats real evidence that things are working. I'm talking about a simple look at a chart and making sure the glasses fit properly on the face.

A disconnect I'm feeling on my attempt to get working glasses is because the eye exam and prescription was done at one place and the order fill at another, the optician has a fall back answer when things aren't working to say they didn't do the exam. They assume what they are doing is right and the mistake is not by them.

I think maybe of having the glasses place do the exam too so they use that "excuse". But then, then that's one place may come up with one measurement when another place comes up with another which can just add confusion. Plus extra time and cost of getting examed twice.

 

[Aerides]

When you get a new pair of glasses at a place like Costco, when the glasses are ready do they have you look at an eye chart or something to verify the glasses are working? Or do they just hand you your glasses and say good luck?

No, even if you see the on-site Optometrist. Two separate transactions:

1 - you see the Doc, you get a scrip. You can take it to the costco eyewear counter or anywhere you like.

2 - you pick up your glasses. This is now a retail transaction. There is no Dr saying "is that good?" - much like if you are picking up a pack of contacts. It is up to you to confirm, or not. The good thing about Costco is you can gauge near and far just walking around the store.

And being Costco, a week/month/year later you decide this is not working for you, you take them back no questions asked and get them redone or refunded.

 

[target2019]

Here's a site with downloadable charts. There is some explanation of how the charts are used. You have to be careful printing out, so that you don't make a chart bigger or smaller than intended.

https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-test/free-eye-chart/

 

[thod]

I have used Target and lately Walmart to get the glasses made. They do have you look around, read stuff, look in the distance, etc to see if things are right. They do care about the fit, etc.

Can they make a mistake? Yes. Can the optometrist make a mistake? Yes.

I have had both. In both cases, the mistakes/adjustments were made and a new pair of lenses were created. No additional cost to me, just means I had to live with my old glasses a little longer.

I have strabismus. It means the RX/Lenses requires special prism in both lenses. It can be tricky to get right. The Dr and the glasses stores have always worked with me on it.

 

[Jerry1]

I don’t think it would help if they did do something in the store unless it was just a complete screw up of the prescription. I need to take my glasses home and use them in my real world conditions to make sure they’re good. Usually, the fit is the only thing that needs adjusting but I did get one set of glasses that I needed to return. I wear progressive lenses and in that one case, the space where I could actually read something in my hand was so small they were useless. Since then I have them move the gradient up so that I have more reading room and they’ve been good since.

I think it also helps to go to the same place so they have some history on what your needs are. Of course they should be able to get that from your current lenses and an exam, but it doesn’t always work that way.

 

[38Chevy454]

There are machines that can take the glasses and measure the prescription values as installed in the glasses. If you think the glasses are not right, ask to have them checked. At least you can verify if it is the glasses or your eyes that seems to be contributing to the problem.

 

[target2019]

Seeing is believing.

The equipment differs from location to location. There are different measurement systems, too. Some equipment auto-calibrates now, but in the past a technican would do that.

If any human judgment is involved, it can lead to interesting circumstances.

 

[audreyh1]

DH was not happy with his glasses last year. He returned to the Costco associated optometrist. They changed the prescription. Costco did not charge for the new replacement glasses.

 

[Midpack]

When I bought 2 pair prescription glasses at Costco last year, one sun and one regular, they had me put them on to fit them to my face. After a couple weeks, the regular pair kept slipping down my nose, so I took them back and they adjusted them no charge.

There's no need to have an eye chart IMO, it's easy enough to just look around the store when you pick them up, and bring them back if you notice something isn't quite right after a few weeks. WADR, just because the OP had an issue with his/her prescription, doesn't mean we should all pay to have an optician evaluate the glasses when we pick them up (it wouldn't be free).

 

[easysurfer]

When I bought 2 pair prescription glasses at Costco last year, one sun and one regular, they had me put them on to fit them to my face. After a couple weeks, the regular pair kept slipping down my nose, so I took them back and they adjusted them no charge.

There's no need to have an eye chart IMO, it's easy enough to just look around the store when you pick them up, and bring them back if you notice something isn't quite right after a few weeks. WADR, just because the OP had an issue with his/her prescription, doesn't mean we should all pay to have an optician evaluate the glasses when we pick them up (it wouldn't be free).

The places I went to didn't even check the fit. Pretty much handed me the glasses an said "Good luck pal."

When I went back to one place to get a fit adjustment, the first thing one place said was "If we break something during adjustment, it's not our fault."

The Costco's by me aren't in the best locations. Plus, wouldn't be surprised if they too might hand me glasses and say "Good luck pal."

I have to rethink my get glasses strategy. To what I don't know yet .

 

[Midpack]

The places I went to didn't even check the fit. Pretty much handed me the glasses an said "Good luck pal."

When I went back to one place to get a fit adjustment, the first thing one place said was "If we break something during adjustment, it's not our fault."

The Costco's by me aren't in the best locations. Plus, wouldn't be surprised if they too might hand me glasses and say "Good luck pal."

I have to rethink my get glasses strategy. To what I don't know yet .

You have every right to expect them to adjust fit for you, they can't be fitted from the production facility. Anyone can be trained to level glasses and adjust temple tips and nose pads.

 

[audreyh1]

Costco fits your glasses. They don’t hand them to you and say good luck pal. They are also happy to readjust the frames later if needed. One even years later replaced the nose pieces and readjusted.

 

[target2019]

The places I went to didn't even check the fit. Pretty much handed me the glasses an said "Good luck pal."

When I went back to one place to get a fit adjustment, the first thing one place said was "If we break something during adjustment, it's not our fault."

The Costco's by me aren't in the best locations. Plus, wouldn't be surprised if they too might hand me glasses and say "Good luck pal."

I have to rethink my get glasses strategy. To what I don't know yet .

Do you have any eye problems that might need an ophthalmalogist?

 

[easysurfer]

Do you have any eye problems that might need an ophthalmalogist?

Seeing one now. Main issues are flashes and floaters to keep an eye one. Also have a beginning cataract. Ophthalmologist is were I got recent prescription from. In fact, that expires in a few days.

I have an appointment in about a month. Think at that time, I'm going to tell them that I didn't have any luck ask them to either renew the prescription or give a new one if my eyes changed.

Regardless, I'm going to need new glasses in the future. I can get by as long as I don't drive in the dark. I don't plan on driving in the dark much until around 6 months.

 

[badatmath]

I have had any number of problems with new eyeglasses at different locations including the eye doctor who did the Rx. It is kind of discouraging.

 

[Bikechuck]

Timely discussion. I just picked up two pair of glasses at Costco last week (sun and transition). They took time to adjust them so they fit properly and they gave me a chart with progressively smaller lines of print to verify that I could read the smallest line.