Location: Canada

Background: When I first started wearing glasses the optometrist would just give me a piece of paper that I could take to any shop to get my lenses made. Then they started refusing that paper and insisting I either leave my frames with them for two weeks, or that I buy new frames.

And now it seems like even asking for the script, or the measurements, is ‘against policy’.

I recently went in for an eye exam and some new glasses, and the optician said something I have never been told before.

I had asked if they could give me the prescription for my sunglass lenses since they don’t deal with the brand that I prefer, and he said that I would have to schedule another appointment at a shop that deals with that brand, because the prescription was not enough, and I would also need the measurements he took.

I asked if I could have those measurements and he said it was against policy.

Is he lying to try to get me to buy new frames from his shop? Or is there something to what he is saying?

Confession - When he walked away I took a picture of the measuring app he had used which seems to show all the measurements.

Would this be useful to another shop? I’m just trying to buy lenses without spending a fortune on yet another frame.

It all feels like a scam.

  • TheAlbatross
    21·
    3 months ago

    But I think they similarly hold the PD ransom so you can’t shop around.

    Or at least mine tried to do that, but I asked to see some frames behind them and snuck a peak at the notes and went elsewhere on principle.

    • Vanth@reddthat.comEnglish
      32·
      3 months ago

      PD is annoying, for sure. But the FTC website I linked above covers that too:

      some states require you to include the patient’s pupillary distance in their prescription. If your patient wants to buy glasses online, they will need that measurement. If you take a patient’s pupillary distance measurement, we encourage you to provide it to your patient. It is likely they are entitled to a copy under Federal or State record requirements, which involves a process that may be more time consuming for you and your patient.

      “Oh, you don’t share prescriptions with the patient? I thought that was an FTC regulation. Here, let me pull that up on my phone right quick to clarify. Pretty sure they even have an email contact I can reach out to if needed.”

      Knowledge is half the battle. Have the info to back yourself, then hold your ground. Scummy optometrists rely on people not knowing their consumer rights.

    • grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.world
      4·
      3 months ago

      I had this happen to me during my last annual optometrist visit, they didn’t list the PD (I am in the U.S.). Fortunately you can figure it out yourself on many of the online eyewear retailers, which is what I ended up doing for no extra charge.