Community Eyecare, Inc

I would like to respond to the patient’s concernsI believe she feels like her complaint hasn’t been heardI’d like her to know that this isn’t the caseI do understand her concernsI’d like to address the patient’s first concern which is that I didn’t understand her diagnosis and her
issuesIt is not relevant whether or not an optician has heard of or understands every possible eye disease as opticians are legally bound to follow the prescription signed by the doctorThe optician is responsible for choosing the best lens for the patient and for the accuracy of the measurements regarding that patient’s glassesI feel I did choose the best lens; a digital Varilux lens which the patient declinedIn the patient’s first letter she states that I encouraged her to choose the better lensI didI believed those lenses offer better optics and as she said she has vision issues I felt that those lenses would be a better choiceI do not get a commission for selling one lens over another and I was not trying to “up-sell” her a lens she didn’t need Further along in her first statement, the patient herself reports that “Dr*** informed me the blurry vision had to do with the inexpensive lenses, and that the bifocal was ground much narrower.” Her own doctor cited and acknowledged there is a difference between lenses(Dr*** does not work for us or with usHe has his own practice; there is no connection between his office and Community Eyecare.) The “narrower” channel in a progressive lens is common to traditionally ground lensesNewer lenses such as Varilux lenses are digital lenses and have a wider channelThe patient’s previous glasses were Varilux which she got somewhere else a few years agoI would assume she was used to the wider channel and the superior visual clarity of a digital lens over a traditionally ground lens, another reason why I recommended she get the better lensShe insisted on getting the inexpensive lens and she said that there wasn’t any difference between lenses. She was fully informed on the issueI was honest and up-front about the differenceAnd yes, I did ask her if she knew how to use progressive lensesA good optician will always ask since it is a different type of lens and sometimes takes a little getting used toLearning to use it correctly assures you are in the right part of the lens for your different visual needs such as distance, intermediate, and readingAs I stated before, the patient is wanting to hold her reading material very far away from herI told her that she would need to hold it in a bit closerShe said she always held it out that farI asked if she had told her doctor so he could adjust the prescription to accommodate her preference and she said she had notI explained that most prescriptions with reading power added were at a standard reading distanceShe was reading out much further than standard reading distanceShe may find that if she brings her reading material closer it will become clearerThe patient also wondered how I knew what ***, our corporate manager, had said to herI knew because I was standing in ***’s office at the time of the phone callI did in fact hear everything *** saidI had walked back to tell *** the patient wanted to talk to her and then I stayed in case *** needed to ask me anythingSo I was there and did listen to ***’s side of the conversationI do believe the patient is truly perplexed with this issue and I wish there was some solutionBut the fact is, the lenses are 100% correct as confirmed by her own doctor’s officeWhen he adjusted the prescription we remade them at our expenseThe laboratory billed us for her lenses; we did not rebill herAnd the lab will not issue a refund on lenses custom made to a patient’s legitimate prescription; they cannot take them back and use them againThis patient has a medical eye condition which is causing her difficultiesHer doctor gave her the best prescription he could, but due to her medical eye condition she is not capable of 20/vision with glassesI would recommend the patient get a second opinion concerning the prescription as there is nothing else we or any other optician can do and we cannot change the doctor’s signed prescriptionI would like her to understand that her issue is with her medical eye condition not the lensesJust as a pharmacy can only dispense the drug the doctor prescribed, we also must make lenses according to the prescriptionHer glasses are correct and accurate per that prescriptionSincerely, *** ***
*** *** Community Eyecare Appleton Road Menasha, WI

I would like to respond to the patient’s concernsI believe she feels like her complaint hasn’t been heardI’d like her to know that this isn’t the caseI do understand her concernsI’d like to address the patient’s first concern which is that I didn’t understand her diagnosis and her issuesIt
is not relevant whether or not an optician has heard of or understands every possible eye disease as opticians are legally bound to follow the prescription signed by the doctorThe optician is responsible for choosing the best lens for the patient and for the accuracy of the measurements regarding that patient’s glassesI feel I did choose the best lens; a digital Varilux lens which the patient declinedIn the patient’s first letter she states that I encouraged her to choose the better lensI didI believed those lenses offer better optics and as she said she has vision issues I felt that those lenses would be a better choiceI do not get a commission for selling one lens over another and I was not trying to “up-sell” her a lens she didn’t need Further along in her first statement, the patient herself reports that “Dr*** informed me the blurry vision had to do with the inexpensive lenses, and that the bifocal was ground much narrower.” Her own doctor cited and acknowledged there is a difference between lenses(Dr*** does not work for us or with usHe has his own practice; there is no connection between his office and Community Eyecare.) The “narrower” channel in a progressive lens is common to traditionally ground lensesNewer lenses such as Varilux lenses are digital lenses and have a wider channelThe patient’s previous glasses were Varilux which she got somewhere else a few years agoI would assume she was used to the wider channel and the superior visual clarity of a digital lens over a traditionally ground lens, another reason why I recommended she get the better lensShe insisted on getting the inexpensive lens and she said that there wasn’t any difference between lenses. She was fully informed on the issueI was honest and up-front about the differenceAnd yes, I did ask her if she knew how to use progressive lensesA good optician will always ask since it is a different type of lens and sometimes takes a little getting used toLearning to use it correctly assures you are in the right part of the lens for your different visual needs such as distance, intermediate, and readingAs I stated before, the patient is wanting to hold her reading material very far away from herI told her that she would need to hold it in a bit closerShe said she always held it out that farI asked if she had told her doctor so he could adjust the prescription to accommodate her preference and she said she had notI explained that most prescriptions with reading power added were at a standard reading distanceShe was reading out much further than standard reading distanceShe may find that if she brings her reading material closer it will become clearerThe patient also wondered how I knew what ***, our corporate manager, had said to herI knew because I was standing in ***’s office at the time of the phone callI did in fact hear everything *** saidI had walked back to tell *** the patient wanted to talk to her and then I stayed in case *** needed to ask me anythingSo I was there and did listen to ***’s side of the conversationI do believe the patient is truly perplexed with this issue and I wish there was some solutionBut the fact is, the lenses are 100% correct as confirmed by her own doctor’s officeWhen he adjusted the prescription we remade them at our expenseThe laboratory billed us for her lenses; we did not rebill herAnd the lab will not issue a refund on lenses custom made to a patient’s legitimate prescription; they cannot take them back and use them againThis patient has a medical eye condition which is causing her difficultiesHer doctor gave her the best prescription he could, but due to her medical eye condition she is not capable of 20/vision with glassesI would recommend the patient get a second opinion concerning the prescription as there is nothing else we or any other optician can do and we cannot change the doctor’s signed prescriptionI would like her to understand that her issue is with her medical eye condition not the lensesJust as a pharmacy can only dispense the drug the doctor prescribed, we also must make lenses according to the prescriptionHer glasses are correct and accurate per that prescriptionSincerely, *** ***
*** *** Community Eyecare Appleton Road Menasha, WI

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
*** did not explain any specific differences in the lenses on the firs visit. At the time she had not talked to my previous doctor or Dr*** and did not know what I had in the past. I did not have my previous pair with me at that time either.It was not until after the second fitting, and after I'd ask for a refund did she contact either doctor, and it was not until my final visit with Dr*** did he fully explain the difference in the bifocal.As to the remaking of the prescription at their expense the questions is, if they knew it was the lens choice, then why redo the lenses, regardless of the second prescription, and not explain it to me fully at that time, though they say they didInstead they kept insisting I go back to the doctor.What seems to be the issue here, which they seem to miss, is the lack of a complete explanation of the bifocal difference(s),though *** emphasizes she gave, upon the first visit, which she did not, or at the second visit, (see above).I still insist on a complete refund
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowA full refund will resolve this
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
*** did not explain any specific differences in the lenses on the firs visit. At the time she had not talked to my previous doctor or Dr*** and did not know what I had in the past. I did not have my previous pair with me at that time eitherIt was not until after the second fitting, and after I'd ask for a refund did she contact either doctor, and it was not until my final visit with Dr*** did he fully explain the difference in the bifocalAs to the remaking of the prescription at their expense the questions is, if they knew it was the lens choice, then why redo the lenses, regardless of the second prescription, and not explain it to me fully at that time, though they say they didInstead they kept insisting I go back to the doctorWhat seems to be the issue here, which they seem to miss, is the lack of a complete explanation of the bifocal difference(s),though *** emphasizes she gave, upon the first visit, which she did not, or at the second visit, (see above)I still insist on a complete refund
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.A full refund will resolve this.
Regards,
[redacted]

If I am understanding correctly, the patient is upset because she feels I did not appreciate her vision issues since I did not immediately call her doctor and also that there was a lack of explanation of the bifocal differences. Generally opticians do not call the prescribing doctors concerning the prescription unless they don’t understand the prescription.  A good optician can read the prescription and make good lens recommendations for the patient.  I did just that. However, had I talked to her doctor before she ordered and had he explained in detail her vision issues, my recommendation concerning lenses would not have changed.  The better digital lens would still have been the right choice for the patient.  And in the patient’s very first letter she states that I encouraged her to choose the better lenses but said she thought I was trying to “up-sell” her. Yes, digital lenses are more expensive, but they are better. I explained this but she didn’t understand what the cost of the lens has to do with better vision. When she returned because she was having issues I measured and rechecked everything and everything was spot-on. I then contacted the clinic where she said she had gotten her previous glasses. After I found she had had a Varilux “Comfort” lens I again encouraged her, before remaking her lenses, to go with the better lens instead of the Essilor “Adaptar” lens, again explaining it could help her. She declined, she didn’t want to spend the extra up-grade charge for them she said. So the only thing we could do was to remake them exactly the same a second time but with the new prescription from her doctor and at no charge to her.  I also asked her if she told her doctor, before he redid the prescription, that she wanted to hold her reading out farther than normal so he could adjust for that. She didn’t believed that should mattered; it does. Clearly instructions on how a Progressive lens works was justified and was not meant to be insulting. I am confused as to the reason for requesting a refund because 1)       the lenses were made correctly and then were remade at no extra cost to her after her doctor adjusted her prescription. 2)       there was no mistake or error on our part and they were, in fact, verified by her own doctor’s office. 3)       I was honest and up-front about the difference between the lenses from the very onset. She was advised more than once to choose a better lens but declined that advice.   4)       I did encourage her to go back to her doctor and when she finally did she herself writes that he also commented on the difference between lenses and told her she should have a better lens. In fact she says in her previous letter “Dr. [redacted] informed me the blurry vision had to do with the inexpensive lenses”. 5)       she twice declined the better lenses sighting price as the reason, she did not want to pay the digital lens price.   This isn’t like returning an item to the store for a refund. A custom made lens with her prescription and individual measurements cannot be returned to the shelf or used again. We have been billed and we have paid the lab for her lenses. The lab would not refund our money unless they made the lenses wrong. They did not; so I have no reason to ask for a refund which I could then pass on to her. We are responsible for getting the prescription correct and the measurements accurate. We are not responsible for the prescription itself or for the actual vision as we never saw her for an examination and we did not write her prescription. I do not believe the prescription is the problem. Her independent doctor gave her the best prescription he could considering her medical eye condition. Her vision will not be 20/20 no matter the lens; but the digital lens may have helped somewhat. Unfortunately the product she insisted on purchasing, despite her knowing she had vision issues, against recommendations from a professional optician and considering she did not want to spend the extra money for the better digital product, doesn’t meet her expectations. I’m sure she feels disappointed but this truly isn’t a fault with our service. We stand by our service and our products. I do, however, feel we are at an impasse. Sincerely, [redacted]
[redacted] Community Eyecare 1255 Appleton Road Menasha, WI 54952