Eye Dr Problem

[Deleted]

What do you do when a doctor won't do what you want?

I know that sounds bad, but my new eye doctor is a jerk and won't listen. I went to the eye Dr. on Tuesday and an eye exam for contacts is pretty expensive. He won't prescribe the brand of contacts I am currently using, because technology has came a long way and they are no longer the "best", that the industry offers.

I told him that I was aware of that and had tried different brands, but within a couple of days the other brands cloud up on me and make my eyes sticky. I don't know why, but I have been through this with my old eye Dr. We went through several brands and eventually gave up and went back to what works. He looked at me like I was a crazy person and said he was the Dr and knew what was best. Literally that is what he said.

Long story short, I tried what he gave me and just like before my vision stinks after 2 days (these are 2 week lenses). I am dreading calling him.... I don't have time to go to the eye Dr. several times. Is there anyway to force a Dr to give you a particular brand? At this point I don't want to spend money on another eye exam with my old Dr.

[Deleted]

Ask them for a copy of your prescription and go online and order the contacts you want.

[Deleted]

Tell them you need your script and order from elsewhere.

[shanendoah]

Because you are not getting the prescription while you are in the office, you may have to fill out a medical records release form (contact prescriptions include some pretty detailed information about your eyes). But I agree with Shooby- get your Rx and order your contacts yourself.
Then next time you need a new exam, find a new eye doctor. However, I would highly recommend you get your records from your old doctor and have them sent over. That way, when you talk about your previous trials and tribulations with fidning contacts that work, teh new doctor can see in the chart that you've already been through this.

[kgb18]

As others have said, get the prescription. Legally they have to give it to you. And then find a new eye doctor.

My eye doctor tried to give me the latest. He gave me a sample pair to try. I hated them too. I wanted what I had been using. I stopped in and said I liked my old contacts better. He said, "If that's what you're most comfortable with, that's what we'll order you." End of story.

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2012 12:51:38 GMT -5 kgb18 said:

As others have said, get the prescription. Legally they have to give it to you. And then find a new eye doctor.

Thanks, that is what I was wondering. If I push it, they have to give me my prescription. I will go back to my old eye Dr. next time, I was just trying to save myself a 30 minute drive.

[Bluerobin]

Once you get the prescription and order the correct contacts, call him a request reimbursement for the amount you spent on the wrong ones.

[Driftr]

Then file a report with your insurance provider on this dickhead who's probably getting kickbacks from the 'new' lens salesperson.

[kgb18]

Yeah. You have to wonder why he's pushing those particular contacts so much. It's very odd.

[thyme4change]

Can you change doctors? I punish doctors that don't listen by taking my dollars (and my insurance dollars) to another provider who gives better service.

[movingforward]

Oct 19, 2012 13:11:36 GMT -5 Driftr said:

Then file a report with your insurance provider on this dickhead who's probably getting kickbacks from the 'new' lens salesperson.

[Deleted]

Fire your doctor!

[bean29]

I thought when your Dr. Gives you your prescription for your contacts it is for a specific brand?

When I ordered my contacts on line I had to fax them a copy of the prescription.

[movingforward]

You should be able to find a number to your state optometric association online or you can even call The American Optometric Association and find out how you can file a complaint.

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2012 14:29:36 GMT -5 bean29 said:

I thought when your Dr. Gives you your prescription for your contacts it is for a specific brand?

When I ordered my contacts on line I had to fax them a copy of the prescription.

Nope. My eye doctor tried to pull the same thing and change me to more expensive contact lenses. I asked him why I should change brands when the one I have had is the most comfortable I have ever used and works perfectly for me. He tried to huff and puff, but in the end, I ordered the lenses I wanted online with no fuss from his office (they had to verifty the prescription).

[Bob Ross]

Oct 19, 2012 12:41:11 GMT -5 @pooks1976 said:

What do you do when a doctor won't do what you want?

I usually insist that my prostate is really sore and then put on some romantic music.

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2012 13:35:46 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Can you change doctors? I punish doctors that don't listen by taking my dollars (and my insurance dollars) to another provider who gives better service.

Yeah, anyone who takes the "I'm the doctor so I'm right" attitude with me is gone. A doc is like a financial advisor or a car mechanic- they have more education than you in a particular area so their opinion is important but then you have to make decisions with your own brain because in the end you're the one affected.

Last week DH was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and the doc prescribed meds to reduce the gastric acid reflux. I asked if there was anything else DH could do in the way of diet or other changes to help. His reply:"The medicine works better than anything else you could do." He will never be my doctor with that attitude. DH is taking the meds- I know they're important- but already I've found other things he can do to help.

But, back to the OP- I like the idea of just ordering what you want on-line, and changing doctors if possible.

[tloonya]

Is it real post from an adult person?

[illinicheme]

I had an eye doctor essentially force me to switch contact styles a few years ago. (Based on my experience, I'm assuming you're having problems with the "much better oxygen-permeability" materials. I forget the actual name of the polymer.) Initially, I was not happy, because by the end of the month, my eyes were getting really irritated. What worked for me was changing contact cleaning solutions. The "Clear Care" peroxide style seems to be much better at removing the sticky protein from these lenses that the "no-rub" stuff I had been using.

Good luck. Don't hesitate to switch doctors if this one is an ass. But you also might try a new cleaning solution.

[seriousthistime]

Going online is a good solution if your brand is sold online. Not all of them are.

Changing solutions is also a good idea. See if that makes a difference.

[Phoenix84]

I know what you mean. I'm in the process of having my contacts drag out for 2 months and over a dozen appointments. I do get a copy of the perscription that worked, but the doctor won't use that because it's more than a year old. So it takes them 5 or 6 times to get it right and the end perscription os the same one I brought them in the first place.

So yeah, I feel your pain. Eye doctors are jerks and they also seem incompetent.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Its already been said, but I'll echo: vote with your dollars.

I had a similar experience with someone who wanted to give me a referral for a plumber. She was pretty pushy about it, implying my own handyman isn't adequate for the job. I knew it was because she was getting paid per referral. More power to you if you've managed to secure deals like that for yourself, but its my money and I have to live with the results so I'll get what I'm comfortable with.

The part that really screams "referral" is that this doctor didn't give you a sample. Doubly so since you told him you'd had issues with other brands.

I agree that if you can't get a reimbursement for the lenses you knew wouldn't work, file a complaint, and write some bad reviews.

[Deleted]

I agree with, both, shooby and oped. Good luck!

[Deleted]

I believe in the KISS system: just Fire your Dr and get a new one;)

[Nazgul Girl]

My daughter has used the optometrists at Walmart to good effect. Maybe you should try there.

[Apple]

Oct 19, 2012 15:28:49 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

Oct 19, 2012 12:41:11 GMT -5 @pooks1976 said:

What do you do when a doctor won't do what you want?

I usually insist that my prostate is really sore and then put on some romantic music.

Omg, I you!

[happyhoix]

Meh. As I get older, the less I trust the American medical system. If I had a doctor who told me he was the doctor and he knew best he would be saying it to my ass as I left his office.

I had an ortho guy who tried to push me into exploratory surgery on my stiff shoulder. "So we can see exactly what's going on." Fortunately the physical therapist I was going to told me not to let the surgeon talk me into shoulder surgery - that what I had was very common and it would work itself out if I kept doing the arm exercises.

Physical therapist was right. Shoulder is perfectly fine now - without having had any surgery.

Medicine is a business. No doubt your eye doctor got some kind of kick back from the company who made the contacts. Make them give you the Rx and then go back to your old doctor next year.

[thyme4change]

Is it real post from an adult person?

No. Proboards has a robo-poster who generates content.

[bean29]

Oct 20, 2012 11:41:43 GMT -5 @illinicheme said:

I had an eye doctor essentially force me to switch contact styles a few years ago. (Based on my experience, I'm assuming you're having problems with the "much better oxygen-permeability" materials. I forget the actual name of the polymer.) Initially, I was not happy, because by the end of the month, my eyes were getting really irritated. What worked for me was changing contact cleaning solutions. The "Clear Care" peroxide style seems to be much better at removing the sticky protein from these lenses that the "no-rub" stuff I had been using.

Good luck. Don't hesitate to switch doctors if this one is an ass. But you also might try a new cleaning solution.

I will second this suggestion (assuming you are not allergic to peroxide). Illinichme made this suggestion to me awhile back when I complained my Dr. insisted the brand prescribed was the best for me. I too changed Dr's and asked about my old prescription but was told by the 2nd Dr. that what I am currently wearing is best for bi-focal contacts. There are warnings about clear care if not used properly, however I am positive this is the first cleaning system I ever used when I was 16 and got contacts, so I went ahead and gave it a try. I am much more comfortable with my contacts now that I am using clear care to clean them.

I wish you luck.