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Optometrist or Opthamologist?

WinniWoman

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I usually go for an eye exam every 2 years or so, and I have used an ophthalmologist and then I go elsewhere to purchase my eye glasses. I have a high deductible plan so I have to lay out the money for the exam and of course, I have to pay for my eye glasses as they are not covered at all. The ophthalmologist office also sells eye glasses, but I always assumed they might be more expensive there, though I never actually checked. I have bought glasses at Walmart and at other retail eye glass stores. I thought about on-line, but I don't like the idea of getting progressive lenses on-line, not to mention really hard to tell how they look without trying them on in my opinion.

My husband has always just gone to Lenscrafters for his exam and glasses. He had an issue with them last year when they adjusted his glasses as they were a bit loose and then this messed up his vision (progressive lenses) and he ended up at the ophthalmologist office anyway.

My thinking is I would rather have an MD check our eyes, though the MD does not actually perform all the tests when I am there. Usually she comes in at the end of my visit for a quick check.

Does it matter whether or not I use an optometrist or an ophthalmologist for a routine eye exam? From what I recall, I believe it was less expensive for my husband's exam with the optometrist then it was for mine with the ophthalmologist.
 

FLDVCFamily

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We do both...opthamologist annually for all of us for eye health and optomitrist annually to verify prescriptions. Our opthamologist is a great doctor, but he stinks at getting our prescriptions right!
 

rapmarks

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I only see an ophthalmologist, but I saw an optometrist when my only problem was slight vision correction.
 

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I feel that if you do not have a medical condition that requires an ophthalmologists care, like glaucoma for example, then a really good optometrist gets the job done just fine. I ordered progressives on line once and they were unwearable, a complete waste of money. I, as well as the rest of my family, buy our glasses and get our contact lenses at Costco. They have started taking insurance now if you have it , but even without insurance you can get a pair of progressives at a super price, even better than Walmart and like a quarter of the price of those "on site" frame and lens stores in the offices. They have a small but really good selection of frames. Costco has an optometrist on site too, but I have not used him or her so I can speak to that. So, if you have a Costco, Sams, BJs, etc. warehouse membership, you might want to check out their prices especially since you have to pay out of pocket.


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pedro47

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We only use a Ophthalmologists health reason. But we also found the best place to purchase our eyeglasses have been at Costco.
 

AwayWeGo

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[triennial - points]
Cross-Eyed & Near-Sighted, Plus Cataracts.

For a period of years, I periodically went to a skilled optometrist at the mall who did a really good job of testing my sight, near & far, & prescribing just the right bifocal lenses.

After some years, I was not seeing clearly even through spanking-new prescription glasses. It got so bad that I started getting crabby because I had to watch TV standing up. The Chief Of Staff said I should go to her eye doctor, an ophthalmologist whom she regarded highly, & find out what was what.

Sure enough, the M.D. eye doctor noticed that my cross-eyed condition, called strabismus, which had been corrected surgically when I was 10 years old, had come back. My prescription lenses were absolutely correct for near & distant focus. But with my eyeballs not working together correctly to send my brain a clear, unified image, I was not able to see clearly.

The Chief Of Staff's eye doctor referred me to another ophthalmologist who specialized in treating children, plus adults with strabismus. I got an appointment & an examination & a prescription adding 3 degrees of prismatic correction to my otherwise OK lens prescription & I was good to go -- was seeing clearly for the 1st time in years, clearly & in bright 3D.

By me, skilled optometrists are OK for testing vision & prescribing ordinary corrective lenses. For various medical ailments of the eye, however (strabismus, macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, posterior vitreous detachment, & I don't know what-all), maybe it's better to consult an ophthalmologist -- particularly for us sr. citz. (not that there's anything wrong with being old folks).

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​
 

bogey21

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I need glasses in order to renew my Drivers License. Got a prescription last time I visited my Opthamologist and ordered the cheapest I could find online at Zenni Optical. Cost including S&H was $11.90. I'll be interested in seeing how they work out.

The stupid thing is that Texas says you only need one eye to get a License. My eyes are set up one for distance, one for reading. My brain figures out which to use. I asked at the DMV if I could just put a patch over my reading eye and take the exam. Naturally they said "No". They want both eyes corrected to 20/20 or so.

George
 

Passepartout

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Mary Ann, I expect that your (ACA) insurance will cover an exam by an ophthalmologist for medical conditions- glaucoma and the like. Mine throws in the refraction for glasses free. Gratis. Por nada. The 'script then goes in my medical record.

Then I have the person write the 'script for me INCLUDING PUPIL DISTANCE, that they usually don't measure. I order glasses from www.zennioptical.com/ For my lined bifocals (which I prefer over progressives) with 'designer' frames, hardened lenses, coatings, tints, etc. run $35-$50 a pair. Occasionally I've received glasses that somehow I've bungled the 'script & Zenni has either rebuilt them or refunded part of the cost, but even compared to Costco at $300+ for a pair of glasses, you can afford a mess-up on your own nickel from time to time.

The optical shops at Costco, Sears, Shopko, Walmart, etc. will usually do any necessary adjustments, though mine have seldom needed any.

Jim
 

WinniWoman

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I have a high deductible insurance plan. And, right now no serious eye conditions thankfully. My doc does charge for the refraction, however, which really irks me.

I am going to check out that on line site as well, though I really like to see what the frames look like on me. I will also call Sams Club and see if they sell glasses there.

Maybe I should stick with the ophthalmologist for the exam...,,
 

DebBrown

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Nobody likes to pay for eyeglasses! Last year I bought two pair at Costco. I already had the prescription in hand and picked out frames for every day wear and sunglasses. Both frames failed, stretched out and had to be replaced. I thought I would be OK since I'm not all that rough on my glasses but lesson learned. I now have more expensive glasses but no problems with them.

Deb
 

Passepartout

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I have a high deductible insurance plan. And, right now no serious eye conditions thankfully. My doc does charge for the refraction, however, which really irks me.

I am going to check out that on line site as well, though I really like to see what the frames look like on me. I will also call Sams Club and see if they sell glasses there.

Maybe I should stick with the ophthalmologist for the exam...,,

Even high-deductible health plans sold under ACA have preventive care built in, which is what eye-screening is. You

On Zenni, you can upload a photo of your face so you can 'try-on' their frame styles. They have several generic faces (female, round, dark-haired, older, male, African, etc.) you can choose from if you don't have a handy full face picture of yourself.

Jim
 

WinniWoman

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Even high-deductible health plans sold under ACA have preventive care built in, which is what eye-screening is. You

On Zenni, you can upload a photo of your face so you can 'try-on' their frame styles. They have several generic faces (female, round, dark-haired, older, male, African, etc.) you can choose from if you don't have a handy full face picture of yourself.

Jim

But my plan is through my husbands employer and I now I had to pay out in 2014.
 

Patri

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Even high-deductible health plans sold under ACA have preventive care built in, which is what eye-screening is. You

On Zenni, you can upload a photo of your face so you can 'try-on' their frame styles. They have several generic faces (female, round, dark-haired, older, male, African, etc.) you can choose from if you don't have a handy full face picture of yourself.

Jim

I'm guessing for women, especially, this is not good enough. It is amazing how difficult it is to find flattering frames. Skin color, face shape, eye and hair color, all matter. I would love to wear wires, or no frame on the glass, but they look horrible on me. It is a chore and I take my DD along to give good feedback. Insurance covers frames every two years, so I have to like what I buy.
 

puppymommo

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But my plan is through my husbands employer and I now I had to pay out in 2014.

You might want to double check with your insurance. Mine provides lenses every year and frames every 2 years. If you paid out in 2014, you might be due for some coverage. I say "some" because your insurance probably doesn't cover everything. I have very good coverage but it only covers $145 for frames and a frame that price is hard to find. I have a very expensive prescription (very, very nearsighted, some astigmatism and an eye muscle probable similar to Alan's, but much worse. He has 3 diopters of prism and I have 20!).

Since my prescription is so extreme, I go to an opthalmologist who specializes in eye muscle problems. I also hesitate to go to places like Walmart or Costco because of my extreme prescription. I went to Lenscrafters once and the guy looked at my prescription and said, "Wow, I've never seen one like that before." Still, they were able to get mine done in a little over an hour. But they didn't have the type of lenses I wanted (extra thin) in stock. Since it was an emergency, I went with the thicker lenses.
 

bobpark56

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Try Costco?

For optometrists, why not try Costco. After your check-up, you can't beat the in-store price for glasses.

I really prefer optimists, though.
 

AwayWeGo

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I Resemble That Remark.

I really prefer optimists, though.
Me too.

I prefer to have nothing to do with pessimists.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​
 

WinniWoman

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No Costco in our area. Would have to try Sams Club - not sure if we have optical in our Sams Club.
 

PStreet1

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We have an excellent optometrist at our Sam's Club--glasses have consistently been better than from our doctor, so except for when the optometrist told me I was getting cataracts, we get the exam and the glasses at Sam's Club (they have a complete range of frames from very in-expensive frames to designer frames.) Now that I've had cataract surgery, of course, the prescription doesn't change anymore, so I just get new frames every two years.
 

BevL

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Interesting conversation. Here in Canada, I know of no one who routinely goes to an ophthalmologist and they definitely would not be prescribing glasses, so that's a novel concept to me. They're specialists and you'd need to be referred, basically, and would be if you have an eye health problem, as opposed to vision.

Examples, when our optometrist discovered Greg's cataracts, she referred him. When our son had shingles close to his eye, the ER room doc got a consult with an ophthalmologist the following day. That type of thing.

Not sure if the training is different, but our optometrist routinely does the scans and stuff to check our eye health as well as provide a prescription for corrective lenses.

Oh, and an ophthalmologist here would be covered by our provincial medical. An optometrist is not unless you are extremely low income and get subsidized medical care. Our private extended health will pay our optometrist bill every two years, otherwise it's out of our pocket.

As I said, interesting.
 

WinniWoman

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We have an excellent optometrist at our Sam's Club--glasses have consistently been better than from our doctor, so except for when the optometrist told me I was getting cataracts, we get the exam and the glasses at Sam's Club (they have a complete range of frames from very in-expensive frames to designer frames.) Now that I've had cataract surgery, of course, the prescription doesn't change anymore, so I just get new frames every two years.

Good to know. I am definitely going to call Sam's. My ophthalmologist isn't available until the end of February. No biggie, but I was hoping to get everything done sooner.
 

Elli

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Interesting conversation. Here in Canada, I know of no one who routinely goes to an ophthalmologist and they definitely would not be prescribing glasses, so that's a novel concept to me. They're specialists and you'd need to be referred, basically, and would be if you have an eye health problem, as opposed to vision.

Examples, when our optometrist discovered Greg's cataracts, she referred him. When our son had shingles close to his eye, the ER room doc got a consult with an ophthalmologist the following day. That type of thing.

Not sure if the training is different, but our optometrist routinely does the scans and stuff to check our eye health as well as provide a prescription for corrective lenses.

Oh, and an ophthalmologist here would be covered by our provincial medical. An optometrist is not unless you are extremely low income and get subsidized medical care. Our private extended health will pay our optometrist bill every two years, otherwise it's out of our pocket.

As I said, interesting.
Bev, you are right that ophthalmologists don't write prescriptions for glasses, only for eye drops, etc. You have to go to an optometrist for new glasses.
 

JudyH

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I have always seen an ophthalmologist. In 1990, mine discovered a detached retina during a routine yearly checkup. I had no symptoms. Glad I went to him.
 

Blues

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Interesting conversation. Here in Canada, I know of no one who routinely goes to an ophthalmologist and they definitely would not be prescribing glasses, so that's a novel concept to me. They're specialists and you'd need to be referred, basically, and would be if you have an eye health problem, as opposed to vision.

Until this thread, I knew of no one in the states that routinely uses an ophthalmologist, either. It's much more common to use an optometrist for eyeglass prescriptions and routine eye health care.

I have always seen an ophthalmologist. In 1990, mine discovered a detached retina during a routine yearly checkup. I had no symptoms. Glad I went to him.

A good optometrist will see the condition and refer you immediately to an ophthamologist. My optometrist did so for me when I had PVD, which can lead to a detached retina. I was at a retinal specialist's office the same day. But if you're more comfortable with the MD for routine care, and your insurance pays for it, more power to you.
 

Passepartout

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Until this thread, I knew of no one in the states that routinely uses an ophthalmologist, either. It's much more common to use an optometrist for eyeglass prescriptions and routine eye health care.

For many of us, it's a simple math question. Insurance pays for a 'medical' checkup, it does not pay for a refraction by an optometrist. In my personal health history, I've had both lasik & PRK, so I have the ophthalmologist who performed those do the checkup/follow up, and insurance covers it. I know that I'm in the minority here, but that's what it is.
 
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