Question about new sclerals.

[Dolphin]

I have just received my new scleral lenses and to be honest I am a bit disappointed with them. When I had them put in at the hospital, the prescription on them was poor and I could not see a thing with them in. However, instead of getting the prescription better I was told to go to the opticians and have glasses done to correct them.

I would not normally have a problem with this as I already wear glasses over my original lenses but to be honest I can't afford to have another pair done as I have recently paid a fortune for the ones I have. Another problem is that until I wear the new sclerals I do not know if they are suitable for my eyes and because I am unable to see out of them, I can't really wear them therefore, I don’t really want to pay for new glasses until I am sure they are right for me.

I suppose what I really want to know is if it would be acceptable to phone the hospital and ask if they could make the prescription better instead of me getting new glasses? I am not really sure why this could not have been done in the first place but at the time I did not feel confident enough to say anything as I already feel like I am a problem because I have been so difficult to fit with lenses.

Kind Regards,

Dolphin

[Drew Radcliffe]

Hi Dolphin,

Of course you can phone the hospital. I often phone when I have a lens issue and ask my optometrist to phone me back, we then have a chat and jointly choose what is the best course of action should be.

As for glasess, I really sympathise I struggle to pay for my lenses soloutions and seeing stuff. And I've just had to buy glasses to go infront of them too. As this pair is a bit experimental I asked the opticians to fit a new pair of lenses into an old frame it cost me £42.00. for basic lenses without all the expensive coatings etc. I don't know if even this kind of figure is still a bit steep for you but when you balance the cost of waiting for another hospital appointment vs getting a pair of specs in an hour and being able to see and keep the momentum of learning to see with lenses going it may be worth trying if you can.

There are other funding options you can also look at if you ask your high street opticians for advice they can explain about how to get help with paying for glasses if you haven't already done so.

Take care

Drew

[rosemary johnson]

Hi dolphin,
Sorry to hear of your disappointing experience.
Yes, you should defintely insist that the hospital correct your lenses if you can't see anything worthwhile out of them!!!!
You are entitled to new lenses for the same fee (ie. don't have to pay again) within a year, if you need to be refitted.
Don't let anyone tell you to run away and trot off to spec savers!
You might also insist they check the records against your l enses correctly - I've had a lens that arrived back (at the hospital) from the lab that had been made wrong, that is, the lab made it with the wrong power on so it was never going to get me seeing properly.
As regards getting used tot he lenses - you could maybe try wearing one at a time, so you can still see out of the other eye while you're trying out one lens.
NOt when you are driving or operating power tools or hot chip pans, obviously.
Rosemary

[Dolphin]

Thanks for all the advice!

I will phone the hospital and let them know I would like to have the power on them corrected. Its a bit of a pain as I live miles away and I'm not sure if i can send them back by post. I think next time I will try and be a bit more assertive and say something at the time.

It's funny really I'm due to qualify as a nurse in 5 month, and have no trouble talking to Doctors when dealing with my patients', so you would think I would be able to speak up when it concerns me. it's amazing how things change when the shoe is on the other foot and you become the patient. I know it shouldn't but for some reason for me it does.

Kind Regards,

Dolphin

[Andrew MacLean]

Dolphin

Let us know how you get on.

All the best

Andrew

[david_grist]

Hi Dolphin

Just wanted to add my bit while I was online. I fully agree with everyone elon this post. As to getting used to sc;eral lenses Rosemarys idea worked well with me, get used to one lens at a time, feels a bit wierd to begin with and wearing time may be short as it was in my case, it took me about 3 weeks before I was wearing both lenses all day.

Good luck...