Refusing to give me my contact lens prescription

bundly

You pay for the eye test and you are entitled to the prescription!

moonrakerz

bundly wrote: »

You pay for the eye test and you are entitled to the prescription!

Yes - but did the OP pay for the test ? I have been trying contact lenses from Specsavers, have had a test, three appointments and two different sets of lenses. Cost so far - zilch !
Is it really being fair if after all that,I demand the prescription and buy them on-line from someone else ?

bundly

I have just checked and she is NOT obliged to hand over the prescription except for spectacle lenses not for contact lenses.

In other words, she is correct.

(I just checked with an optician)

maninthestreet

Get disposable contact lenses - then you can just go on-line and order as many as you want.

wishiwasarichgirl

The actual regulations (I'm an optometrist) are not as straight forward as an eye test prescription for spectacles, which must be handed over atr the test.

Yes, you should be given a copy of your contact lens specifications when fitting is complete... but in most cases fitting will not be regarded as "complete" until after you have succesfully worn the prescribed lenses for a period of time (decided by the prescribing optician, but not usually any longer than 3 months)

If you are new to lenses or this is a different type of lens than you have previously worn then the optom would be failing in her duty of care if she did not reqiure you to wear the lenses for a period of time and then return for an aftercare appointment to make sure the lenses are suitable for your eyes, as potential problems will not become apparant straight away. It is perfectly reasoable for you to have to pay for these lenses (although some plaes will do free trials)

After your fitting is complete you can then purchase whereever you like, but remember that you will not get any aftercare with your lenses if purchaed online, so will have to pay for any further check-ups you need (and if you are new to lenses these can be quite regular, depending on the type of lens and how you get on with them.)

wishiwasarichgirl

Tozer wrote: »

In that case the OP should make a subject access request, pay £10, and wait for up to 40 days....

as they are medical records the charge can be up to £50.

and even if you had a copy of the initial fitting, this is not classed as a prescription (or specification) for contact lenses and so could not be legally used to purchase lenses.
Contact lenses are a medical device, it's like buying prescription drugs on line, the regulations are there to protect the patient, they are not made up by greedy opticians who want to fleece you

vlad_the_impaler

Just a quick point. What happens when all you guys buying your prescriptions online have collectively pushed the High St and independant opticians out of business? Where will you go to get your eyes tested then; Asda? Good luck with that.

When will we learn that like buses, if you don't use your local businesses and allow them to make enough to survive, you lose them. Then where are you?

Enfieldian

vlad_the_impaler wrote: »

Just a quick point. What happens when all you guys buying your prescriptions online have collectively pushed the High St and independant opticians out of business? Where will you go to get your eyes tested then; Asda? Good luck with that.

When will we learn that like buses, if you don't use your local businesses and allow them to make enough to survive, you lose them. Then where are you?

So what?

Why should we pay more for something just because it keeps a small business in operation?

Britain is no longer a nation of shopkeepers!

biggurs

eyetest is different to contact lens fitting. By law the optometrist HAS to give a copy of the SIGHT TEST prescription once the eye test is complete.
When you have a CONTACT LENS fitting, the optometrist or contact lens fitter that done the fitting HAS to give you a copy of the contact lens specifications once they are satisfied the lenses are suitable for you.... which would normally take upto a month or even longer.
Once you are fitted with a pair of contact lenses, you have to go back after about a week for a check up (which should be free) and if everything is ok then you have to have another check-up again after about 2-3 weeks. Once the optometrist or contact lens fitter is satisfied that the lenses are suitable and have not or will not cause any problems with your eyes, then and only then would they have to give out a copy of the contact lens specification.
At the end of the day, they are highly trained health care professionals and are governed by the General Optical Council.
If they gave you a contact lens specification the same day they fitted you with lenses which are NOT suitable (which if this is the case then it can take a few days/weeks before any problems arise) and you go buy the lenses from somewhere else and you end up losing your sight or some other complications due to ill fitting lenses.... you will be the first to say "sue the optician"
They are only following the procedure and guidlines set out in the Opticians Act.

I'm sure thay would rather see you just the once and be done with it, but they HAVE to see you a further couple of times (at no charge) in order to complete the contact lens fitting so what a waste of chair time for them!!!!

lal1234

ok - thanks for all the comments.

I have paid for my fitting - therefore (as per Opticians Act 1989) my fitting is complete and therefore I am entitled to a copy of my specification. The visits I've made are not at "no charge" - they are included in the cost of fitting (2 visits, one of about 20 mins and one of 10 mins for £36)

I've had lenses from them before - wore the same type for over 5 years, so am not new to lenses.

I'm not expecting to be given a specification on the day of testing - but I am expecting to be given it when fitting is complete?

Anyway - I've drafted this - what do you think?

I recently attended the practice in xxx for an eye test and then had an appointment (Monday xxx) with xxxfor contact lens fitting.

At the follow up appointment, on Monday xxx, I requested a copy of my contact lens specification. Mrsxxxxrefused my request, stating that she was unhappy to provide a specification for another dispenser to dispense my contact lenses as it was her view that she would maintain responsibility for after care and that she could not be sure of the care being offered by another dispenser. She also expressed concern that lenses might not be dispensed as per her specification.

She stated that if I bought a supply of lenses through your practice, and she was happy with how they performed, at some point in the future she would be able to give me a copy of my specification. She further stated that if she was to give me a specification on that day (i.e. the 16th March) it would have a very short expiry date, and would not allow me to purchase lenses from an alternative provider. In addition she pointed out that if I did not purchase lenses from the practice I would be required to pay £36 for the consultation, which would otherwise be offset against the cost of lenses. I therefore agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to purchase one months supply of lenses.

On Wednesday 17th March I attended the practice to pick up my lenses as ordered. I was surprised to be told that in addition to the £40 for one months supply I also still had to pay £36 for the contact lens fitting, as this was not paid for when the fitting was completed on the 16th. Although unhappy about this, I paid for this as requested. I was told that I would be recalled in 6 months for a contact lens check, and that after this period I might be able to get a copy of my contact lens specification.

As the practice has requested and received payment for the fitting of my contact lenses I can assume that your duties regarding the fitting of my lenses is now complete (as per S 26 (5) Opticians Act 1989). As fitting is now complete, can you please forward to me a copy of my contact lens specification as per your obligations contained within Section 26 of the above Act. I will expect the expiry date of this specification to be no less than 6 months from today’s date, coinciding with the anticipated date of my check-up.

If you do not supply me with a copy of my specification as requested above within 2 weeks of today’s date, I will make a formal complaint to the General Optical Council as it is my view that you will have clearly breached your obligations under the 1989 Act as outlined above. Further, requiring me to purchase lenses from yourself in order to obtain a contact lens specification is, in my view, a breach of section 4 of the above Act which states,
“A person shall not be required as a condition of having his sight tested—
(a) to undertake to purchase from a specified person any optical appliance the testing of his sight may show he requires to wear or use..”

I look forward to hearing from you.