Eye test

Hi all, just for information I had eye test again today after dr requested an new one and my eyes have changed needed new reading glasses and distance glasses,my last eye test was feb where I had new reading glasses but never needed distance before, optician also recommended I use eye spray/drops cause of dry eyes

[SheffieldJane]

It is so expensive isn’t it and the prescription can change really quickly ? I have been holding off but I really can’t see properly.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

It isn't too bad if you get the cheapest lenses - the UK is, like with a lot of things, a home of rip-off merchants! I have always been persuaded to get the thinnest lenses because they are quite thick. My dispensing optician here (all they can do is test and sell specs) gave me the figures for the difference in weight between ordinary and top price thin lenses. It really wasn't worth it. My UK sunspecs cost me over £400 because of the prescription lenses - my Raybans here were about 250 euros, many years later.

[Pixix in reply to PMRpro]

I always ask them for my prescription, which you are entitled to. Then I buy my specs online. I have complex eyesight and very different prescription for each eye, stigmatism etc, very short sighted but need reading part as well...but good online eye sites have labs and very professional trained people working there. The optician only sends your prescription to labs in the same way, I guess it’s the frames that are highly overpriced!? Our opticians specs are definitely way over priced! And they offer no better vision than online purchased!! Thought for today!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pixix]

I had a wonderful optician in Scotland and his small purchasing group did have good value for money frames. Cheaper than SS or VE - and both I and my daughter trusted him for our problem vision. She was ripped off big time by one of the aforementioned Biggies who would not accept responsibility for having cut one lens incorrectly before fitting it in the frame so the lens and the eye weren't properly aligned. It had happened to me with a pair I had got in Germany - but they were very large lenses and he was able to fit them into a much smaller cheap frame. They also flogged her reactolite lenses that took forever to change - apparently they were the originals!

I need new specs - must be getting old, accommodation is finally getting poor!

[Bennijax in reply to SheffieldJane]

Ditto

[jinasc]

Did you tell your Optician you are on long term Pred?

If not you need to get in touch and and ask for Re-actolite Rapide.

I am assuming you wear specs all the time, but even if you only wear sometimes Pred+Sunshine can and does encourage cataracts. If already present, growing as if they had been given a present. If not present then encourages them to come along.

My Optician changed my specs immediately as I had the beginnings of cataracts - 12 years down the line they have not grown at all. BTW I had GCA.

[Maudie19 in reply to jinasc]

Interesting. My cataracts have grown in a year of steroids. Now have a wait of 80 weeks for hospital appointment. Can't wear varifocals anymore.

[jinasc in reply to Maudie19]

What a long wait that is nearly two years. I never, ever thought I would be saying this but have you thought of going of going private?

I nearly fell out with a very close friend who decided to go private as he had a long (over a year) waiting time for an appointment. I not saying you are 72 or over, I have no idea of your age, but I backed down when he said

"at 72 I don't have the time left to not see properly and not read my books, enjoy the tv etc."

Cataracts done and dusted in 1 month. Now at 83 I don't think I would wait either.

If you do decide you can go down this route, start with the Royal College of Opthamologists and read up on it all.

rcophth.ac.uk/standards-pub...

[Maudie19 in reply to jinasc]

I am 78 and more concerned if I can't drive as I live very rurally with no bus route. I can understand your friends point of view. But it really comes down to how much it would cost me.

[jinasc in reply to Maudie19]

I know that feeling, they had long discussion for a couple of months and then decided to bite the bullet as their holiday was cancelled due to Covid. That is why they went to the rcophth to check prices etc.

[Daffodilia]

I use Optrex Intensive Dry eye drops three times a day and at night - helps a lot