Optician needed

[theclive]

Help
Over the years, three specialists have told me I need to wear contact lenses to obtain consistent vision. I wear glasses. The last couple of years I have been in pain whenever I focus on anything for a sustained period (driving, reading, etc, etc,). Local opticians will not attempt to even try and fit me with contacts because of the condition. please can someone recommend a specialist optician in the south of England?
Clive.

[GarethB]

Obveous question, but have you asked the speialist?

The hospital I go to has an optician dept as part of the eye unit so they can fit the lenses. Opticians probably do not want to know as they have no experience of the Rose K lenses and the set used to get the best fit is very expensive. When I was fitted the contact lens specialist came with a folder which was full of lenses with slight differences just for KC. Others have sclereal lenses which opticians probably have no experience.

It is probably best trying to get refered to a specialist optician that is part of a hospital eye unit. The at least on the NHS, the lenses will be heavily subsidised, mine were £45 per eye, cheaper than glasses, by the time you iclude solutions, there is very little cost differance between lenses and glasses.

Hope this helps.

Gareth

[Paul Morgan]

Clive...the one I attend is fantastic. It is a private high street practice, but don't think it's anything like a Specsavers or somewhere like that, these guys know what KC is and how to deal with it.

Now it is in Yeovil which is clearly too far for you, but my thinking was that if you gave them a ring, I'm sure they would be able to put you in touch with a similar outfit nearer your home?? They are:

John Hart & Partners
28, Princes St,
Yeovil,
Somerset
BA20 1EQ
Tel: 01935 474333

I hope this helps...

[Nicky]

Hi,
If your optician has told you you have kerataoconus I should go to your GP and ask for a referral.
I used to wear lenses (before I was diagnosed), but hadn't been to an optician for years. I decided to get my lenses checked, and went to an ordinary optician. They told me the lenses had damaged my eyes, took me out of lenses for a year, and even though I couldn't get good vision in glasses, did not refer me or suggest anything. In disgust I went to a contact lens centre, and a young lad diagnosed me straight away. I did actually pay for a specialist to confirm diagnosis, but then took his letter to my GP who managed to get me into the hospital contact lens clinic which is brilliant. I still pay for my lenses but they are alot cheaper than on the High street, and I get checked every 6 months, and every year to see the K specialist.
So my advice is, if you possibly can, get referred asap.
If you still want a private optician, see if the hospital eye dept has an optician/clntact lens centre with a concession. Ours does.

[Paul Morgan]

Nicky...thanks for your concern...but been there done all that years ago and now gone full circle.

I was diagnosed by a high street optician back in about 1994ish. Down yer in Zummerzet, you attend Taunton Hospital who then direct you to specialist approved opticians in the area who they trust and (hooray) fund, who deal with ongoing lens fitting and supply.

That is the nature of the optician who's name I have listed above, so in actual fact my care is the responsibility of the hospital special eye unit, but they delegate that care to trusted and well respected and approved experts on the 'high street'.

It's very convenient in a rural area like this and works well.

I also still see the specialist once a year at the hospital in addition to the optician so all in all if I spent any more time with bloody eye Doctors I wouldn't have time to go to work, get stressed, feed my family and sleep....oh and stand on the terrace at Huish Park every other Saturday afternoon watching my beloved Yeovil Town!!

It's a busy life!!!!