I work in the optical industry but can't reveal what company i work for or what position I am in, everything else is a go.
[AMA] I Work in The Optical/Optometry Industry, Ask Me Anything!
closed Comments
- 1
- 2
i've never seen an optometrist working in the ICU. Why is this?
Is the font size of your retail store name larger than a regular store such as kmart. If not why?because of politics, optometry historically is not a medical profession but thanks to adoption by universities and good pioneering work and research has become accepted as a health field.
optoemtrists do work alot iwth hospitals and ophthals in collaborative care which is really good. but theres still ways to go regarding this.
Contact lenses.
(1) Is there any material risk for me to just order different lenses of different strength or base curve without consultation? Assuming I'm an existing contact lens wearer.
I decided to just try a higher base curve by chance by swapping to another brand and realised I enjoyed them better. I did not need an optom to tell me that, but I did go in for them to just say it's fine.
(2) is there any material difference in the oxygenation of contact lenses or is it just a marketing tool? Should I just get the cheapest available?
first and foremost - absolutely do not go for the cheapest available. that crap is historic and is choking your eyes from oxygen.
different base curve - no you're asking for a bad time.
different strength - probably shouldnt but lets say for example, you were given lens of brand A in -2.50 by one optometrist and brand B in -2.25 and say you found -2.25 is not as clear as -2.50, it wouldnt hurt to wear brand B in the -2.50 if you have spares lying around. but because you're buying contact lenses inbulk, just spend that time for the consultation to make sure you're getting the right stuff.Thanks for the reply.
Can you explain why changing the base curve is asking for a bad time? I asked my optom and they said it was fine to explore a different BC (went from 4.4 to 4.8) and gave me a sample to try - i find it's fine and continue to use them.
RE: cheapest pair - let's compare Oasys vs Biofinities, is there a material difference in Biofinity in oxygentation to warrant upgrading to these more costly pair? It appears that most commerical brands are perfectly fine.
i can't say i agree with his philosopy
its like a shoe size 8 v.s. 10
okay if you're a 9 then 8 or 10 can work, but if you're an 11 - how can i say "oh just give 8 a go and if you like it you can wear it" thats sloppy. there are calculations onto the curve and you should assess the lense's fit and give the patient the best.
which oasys - there are many different oasys lenses. biofinity is a monthy, oasys comes in a daily and a fortnightly. changing modality is nota a light decision to make.
Glass or Plastic lens?
I use reading glasses and I've noticed in recent years I can't buy them with glass lenses any more, it's all plastic. I am also a photographer and afaik nobody makes plastic lenses for photo lenses, probably for the lack of clarity.
In my experience glass is superior to plastic as a lens - photo or reading, but where to get them these days?
plastic, shatter resistance. glass is dangerous and has been phased out by most
yes glass is the most optically superior substance. it can also be made into very thin lenses however safety comes first. we'd rather you have -1% worse optics then fall over and go blind in both eyes.
if you really insist (against my heavy heavy heavy recommendation), dont go to corporate practices to ask, they phased them out you ahve to go to smaller providers.
Was eye damage due to broken lens glass really that prevalent to justify the widespread adoption of plastic?
Forget Plastic or Glass. Go Trivex.
Can get them overseas
Any links?
Go on holiday to europe
The optical clarity you are referring to is how much chromatic abberation there is in a material, measured/expressed as ABBE value. Higher is better.
The difference at low prescriptions is negligible. Spherical abberations and maybe even just a slightly incorrect prescription are more likely causes of blur.
I'm surprised you're having trouble finding glass if you're set on it. Most shops will have an account with a lab that can do glass. Bear in mind that even with glass, there's more than one type (with differing refractive index and ABBE value).
Why are lenses and frames so damn expensive here?
Basic frame + lenses here cost upward of $150I went overseas recently to Iran and mine cost $15, even got the lenses that turn dark in the sun, korean. A few other Middle Eastern countries I went to were significantly cheaper than Australia.
How else will they be able to drive flashy cars & send their kids to private school?
Why is everything so expensive in Australia? Meds are cheapest in Asia, food cheaper in Africa, games are cheaper in America, why pay no taxes in Antarctica…. Why is my pay so much higher in Australia?
I can't answer your question directly, but these are my hypothetical I could think of to answer your question.
This country is a banana ‘republic’ founded by convicts.
Is orthokeratology something you recommend to clients? How effective is it?
its good stuff.
it dependant on how severe the prescription is and how much astigmatism.
how effective it is depends on a multitude of factors including prescription and your sleep habits.
How does astigmatism come into play with it?
The lenses they use are glass right? If so, can that have a negative effect in terms of neovascularisation in the cornea?
How do you feel about SMILE eye surgery? Is it still considered to be too developmental/in its early stages to be reliable?
not my question to answer. theoretically and from customer feedback it sounds good!
these surgeries we have to wait decades to see how the regression is.
One or two?
you're about the same
im very short sighted and i have never been able to wear glasses because they give me INCREDIBLE migraines where it feels like the back if my head is about to explode. so i wear contacts. but i can only wear one contact and have only worn one at any given time for about 16 years now. im very used to it, its seems normal to me and i dont ever actually ever notice it. each day or every other day i swap which eye i put the contact in. i cant wear 2 contacts because they give me the same horrible feeling that wearing glasses does. i do have my correct prescription but its just like my eyes can never match up no matter what.
my questions are.
have u ever met somone else like this?
ive been to 3 optometrists and they say im a first.is wearing one at a time making my eyes worse somehow?
both eyes are still close (-5.25, -5.5)and if my eyes can never match up with glasses or contacts. would lasik surgery not be right for me and just permanently screw my eyes up?
just as wearing my true prescription glasses would?Do you get migraines during the day or mostly at night?
both the same. only have migraines when wearing 2 contact lenses or glasses. so not for may years now.
Sounds like you have a binocular vision problem, I had one when I was younger did all this vision training stuff. Maybe see an optometrist that looks at that stuff, avoid big corporate chains, they do not cater to more complex eye problems, just because they don't have time and expertise
sounds like you have an eye coordination problem.
go to a behavioural optometrist.
~5 is not that high. Plenty of people with that sort of Rx happily wearing spec/cl.
Wearing one cl only will not make your eyes worse.
Lasik will be no different to wearing contact lenses. Terrible idea.
You probably need some prism or a near add. Find an optom that knows what they are doing.
Why is it that whenever I have an eye test I'm told I'm all good and have 20/20 yet I know I should have glasses for reading and for long distance? Laubman and Pank and Specsavers say I don't need them yet neither are ever around to tell me where my golf ball went.
You can have normal vision and you can have perfect vision. Without glasses, I see 20/20 but with glasses I see 20/10, apparently I have hawk vision. I choose to wear glasses because it allows my good eye to function at 100% rather than 80%. Been doing this for years, my good eye have never worsen.
20/20 is pretty lame tbh.
i can read 20/20 using glasses that are 20 years old. its an outdated standard grandfathered in because "reasons"There are a few reasons, but you may be hyperopic. You can accommodate through it to see clearly but it may cause fatigue, particularly at near. You should ask the optometrist to explain why you need glasses, and for them to show you the difference it will make.
What's the relationship between an optometrist and ophthalmologist? Does an opthalmologist wish he was an optometrist?
some ophthals think we're full of shit, some are very happy to work along side us.
no ophthal want$ to be an optometrist
Because I'm pre-diabetic I get more tests. Is this reflected in how much the optician gets from the government?
Nope, the optometrist get the same amount like 50ish? The one that benefits is the GP that generates the enhanced care plan. I belive they get about 250 for each care plan.
shit all.
Overseas, but be cautious, they won't be as regulated as when purchased in Australia. I learnt the hard way, by getting an eye infection in one of my eyes. Apparently, if contacts are poorly transported bacteria can grow on the lenses. I lost my vision within the day of wearing the contact, the doctors said it could only be fixed with a eye graft. Now I don't dare to go near contacts, but I now have anxiety problems thanks to the ordeal… Because I know if I lose my good eye, I probably lose my job… Its not with it just to save couple dollars. I guess the saving grace is my good eye can see like a hawk…
Wow, thanks! Hope that doesn't happen again! Did you get the eye graft?
Nope, apparently, they need to wait for someone to die in order to transplant a graft, so it's hard to come by, and there a chance it would fail in 10 years. And even if I did, the vision will never recover to what it was before the infection. What I learnt was don't skimp on things related to your health. It's not worth it at all, I can't imagine life being blind.
Do you have any thoughts on Ortho-K? My optometrist at Specsavers passed me on to a private optometrist who does it, but told me she would recommend just sticking to regular contacts. I ignored her advice and went with the Ortho-K and they've been absolutely fantastic (except they're so uncomfortable!).
yeah, ortho-k is bloody fantastic. they're probably helping you keep your myopia progression at bay
Good to hear, yeah my new optometrist told me they're amazing for stopping the worsening of your prescription
Are Essilor lenses worth it?
single vision no
multifocal - subjective.
How many fingers am I holding up ?
1
Is computer blue light a real thing and do so called computer glasses that claim to block blue light do anything?
I would also like to know as well ! Curious to know what your 2 cents are on this OP
i dont have it on my glasses. i dont want to have it.
i use nightshift or flux on a reduced setting.
best sleep is done by turning off screens 30 mins before bed
i found a kindle paperwhite to be quite handy!
i dont have it on my glasses. i dont want to have it.
i use nightshift or flux on a reduced setting.
best sleep is done by turning off screens 30 mins before bed
i found a kindle paperwhite to be quite handy!
in other words its rubbish? thanks for confirmation
Absolutely not.
If you're getting tired eyes you will probably benefit from a near add (brings your focus closer so your eyes don't have to work as hard).
I probably just use screens too much
Why do places like OPSM and specsavers overprice prescriptions?
Eg $700, then I go through clearly and pay $140 for the same thing- staff salaries
- shop rent
- marketing
- franchising costs
- better QC
- licencing of brands
- training and support costs
all these things have to be paid for then someone has to profit too.
Hello, Hope this is within the context of your AMA.
I'm 50, no eye issues other than age. I read books using OTC 2.5 glasses. Recent eye exam says I am spherical. I'd like to sharpen up my vision for Xbox gaming at a distance of about 2m from the 40" TV. At the moment I game without glasses on.
Can I just explain this to an Optometrist and then they can devise a solution?Similarly, for laptops, to get perfect vision I need to bring the laptop closer to me than I desire. Can I get a pair of readers with a focal length(??) of about 45cm?
Thanks for reading…
yes - if you spend ALOT of time at that distance, we can make you a dedicated pair
everyone knows distance glasses and reading glasses
at 50 you can also get a pair of intermediate glasses.
i've made glasses for pilots who have to see clusters at arms length as well as front of the plane.
I'm still in high school and i want to become an optometrist, is it better for me to go to Melbourne University and do 7 years with undergrad and then postgrad or if I try to get into deakin optometry which is only 3.5 years. Melbourne has a better name but Deakin is shorter so I dont know which to choose.
i'd go deakin. how good of an optom depends on you and your own personal study. if you want to take up a specialty, all the info is on the internet for you to take that on. independant learning and CPD events will guide you - you have to put i your own effort to be a better clinician
never seen the AMA organise cop so many neg votes
i've seen cases where the dispenser gives the PD and the person goes online to buy the glasses.
the person screws up the entry of the prescription or the lab online messes up the lenses due to poor QC. the lab online blatantly denies wrong doing and says the optometrist presciption is wrong. it goes back and forth and back and forth.
incorrect lens positioning/prescription can give your eyes fatigue too, so some people think they're unnecessarily tired but its their eyes thats the problem and brush it off as being lazy/unmotivated.
Which brand of lenses is regarded by the industry as best for a single vision prescription? E.g. Hoya, Essilor, Nikon?
I have purchased glasses from independent optometrists and OPSM, etc. and have noticed differences in the quality of the lenses but don’t know which brand to ask for. I am happy to pay a premium for the best.
well @ single vision standard 1.5 index. they're all pretty equal
its a different ball game when you talk about high levels of astigmatism and higher indexes and prescriptions. then each company seems to use slight variation on
My personal favourite is Essilor with their Crizal coating, i have it also with photochromatic. The coating gives off a nice yellow hued reflection which is really subdued rather then some of the more obnoxious blue and green offerings.
then after all the labouring about lens quality, if your dispenser is trash then no point. tool is only good as the person using it.
The bigger difference for low Rx SV is the type/quality of coating.
The "premium" brands all have fantastic coatings available (tougher, more smudge resistant, easier to clean) and they all have their "basic" ones too.For higher prescriptions, there's also what are called double aspheric and digitally surfaced SV lenses.
These cost (us and you) an arm and a leg. I think it depends on how picky you are with your vision, but personally I can't go back to "standard" SV lenses. It helps that I get them for free.
Glasses have been so boring. Haven't seen any innovative invention for how many years?
Only recently there are manual adjustable glasses?
When will we have auto focus glasses?all the innovation is in contact lenses, they've come a long way. oxygen flux in them are like 10-15x more then early contact lenses. in the last 5 years, the average oxygen demand in prescribed lenses has doubled.
there's also multifocal soft contact lenses which have weird optics - tricks your brain into being able to see clear (for old people) both near and far.
no need to autofocus if theres a compact invisible solution thats safe for eye health.
Thoughts on Bailey Nelson? They seem like they're trying to be a a step above Specsavers, but without the high price tag (and flashy setup) of smaller Optometrists.
they're changing their business operations to be more similar to specsavers in terms of franchising and partnerships. they're also stepping up their care level
they have nice frames but less variety catered more to the under 45's crowd. their dispensing education and quality im not sure about - when i went to get my glasses there, they didn't seem to know heaps. their store has 1-2 people on at the front whereas an opsm or specsavers has 4-5.
all options considered, their pricing would be pretty similar to specsavers. OPSM is more expensive, but thats because luxxotica holds all those desireable brands. i think BN is trying to fill in that segment in between specsavers.
How common is myopia among young people in Australia? Is it really caused by lack of exposure to bright light?
Studies in various Asian countries have shown outdoor daylight time reduces the incidence/magnitude of myopia.
It's one of many factors (not all of which are known)
Soft Monthly Contact Lenses:
Will wearing the lenses (everyday) for over a month (say 6 weeks) damage your eyes or have any other negative impact on your eyes?
The brand I use is Biofinity and I use Oxysept Hydrogen peroxide contact lens solution.
am i getting ripped off by paying $250 for blue light blocking reading glasses from my optom
there was a discussion earlier about blue light in this thread here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/6571990/redir
but yes you are. still get the anti-reflective though.
Is there much difference in quality (frames/lenses) from BigW vs Specsavers vs OPSM etc?
OPSM > Specsavers > Big W
though higher end Big W Frames can be good
Any opinions on Zeiss progressive lenses ? Was looking at the progressive individual 2 lens.
Currently using the single vision individual lenses and its been great. Was quoted a price 2 years ago for the individual 2 north of $2k… Which is fine, but there are no reviews except for the company blurbs online about the lens. My myopia is pretty high at 1000 R and 750 L with a small amount of astigEdit - Price was for the new 1.74 refractive index, previously only 1.67 available, but at my power any little bit helps keep the thickness down
to be honest have you considered progressive multifocal soft contact lens. i'm short sighted too and when i hit the age where i need a progressive ill go MFSCL. if you're spending 2k on spectacles it may be worth considering especially in your 40's to 50's where lens changes can occur every 1-2 years.
Hmm haven't considered this, will look into this but I presume its not disposable ? I could have a cheaper pair of of progressive glasses for home/weekend and the contacts for workdays
Are computer glasses / lens any necessary for those who work with computers?
https://www.zeiss.com.au/vision-care/better-vision/work-life…
Or is it just marketing?
marketing
Hi Op
I am considering getting Lasik surgery done on both eyes.
Typically, is there anything I should I be concerned about with this type of operation?dry eyes
As in temporary dry eyes after the operation or permanently?
Hi OP,
How do you choose an Optometrist for the first time?
You would think that one with a large range to choose from would be desireable, but presumably the most important thing is the quality of their instruments (and how new they are)?don't go corporate.
So by that do you mean only small independent places?
Don't a lot of them have much older instruments?nope.
independant places which are well furnished have even better equipment then corporates - especially if they pride themselves on disease management and contact lenses.
they charge for their services though
Why are prescriptions still based on a manual test relying heavily on the response of the patient? Why isn’t there a machine that can scan our eyes and spit out the prescription?
You'd be surprised at how much of vision is perception :)
because there are factors in giving a prescription thats subjective.
giving you the sharpest vision can give you headaches, making it too strong can be useless.
and also your eyes work together, the machine can only give you one eye at a time.
the human neural network and how binocular vision is too complicated for a machine to work out.
also when you're young vision tends to fluctuate.
I am 18 years old and have high myopia (-5.50 in both eyes). I wanted to try orthokeratology and just wanted to know a good place in Sydney for it that also offer a good price?
boneham optometrist is the best - might not be cheap but look at the credentials on the bloke
- 1
- 2
like super rare. its like a mini-stroke that does it.