Eye Dr delima?

[Kimberle]

Hi,

It's getting to be "that time" when I need to pay a visit to an eye dr. I haven't been to one in a good 10 years. I think I may need a slightly stronger prescription. (I wear gas permiable contacts w/ glasses as a back-up). Last time I went it was a good $600 for both.

I have a great eye dr, *but* he is expensive and I've since moved so he's around 45 minutes away.

I also have just received eye dr insurance on my health plan. *However*, it's limited to chains like Lens Crafters. I have no experience with any of them. Though, I do have friends who do fine there.

I have really lousy vision and astigmatism in both eyes. I'm *hoping* to be able to afford Lasik (or similar) in a few years.

So, should I spend a ton of money and stay with my regular eye dr or should I try a chain that is covered by my insurance?

What would you do?

TIA!

 

[DoeWDW]

Maybe you could call your doctor and ask if he'll do the exam and give you the prescriptions so you can have them filled at Lens Crafters or whatever "chain" you can deal with. That way, you get his expertise for the exam but you can use your insurance for the prescriptions. He should understand if you explain about the insurance.

Good luck!

 

[Christine]

I feel like you do about eye doctors! I feel that opthamologists versus optometrists are the way to go BUT I have a vision services plan that does not cover my opthomologist. Since we have 3 out of 4 people in my family that wear glasses, it can be VERY expensive for us to go to the eye doctor we want. So, I broke down and went to one of the plan doctors. You know, it is really fine. As long as you are dealing with simple vision problems and no weird vision problems, it will be fine. Give it a try. If you don't like them you won't really have lost anything and then you can turn around and go to your favorite eye doctor and pay out of pocket.

Now when I have an actual eye problem, like I've had twice in the past two years, I go to the opthamologist. Since it is an eye problem and has nothing to do with vision, it gets covered under my health insurance (plus I get an eye exam to boot!!).

 

[Dan Murphy]

What Christine said.

 

[Kimberle]

Thank you all.

 

[Pembo]

Stick with the one you know and trust. If you don't go for YEARS at a time and all your ins covers is the exam (that's all mine covers), then why change now?!

 

[oogieboogie]

I have to get my eyes checked every year because I have sticky focusing and wierd muscle movements. Top that with astigmatism and I have to wear reading glasses on top of my -5.50 regular glasses. And I'm still in my 30s.

What I do is go to the plan doctor, have him write my prescriptions - one for contacts and one for glasses - then go and get them filled over the internet. I got my contacts (Boston gas perms) for 1/2 the price. This year, I'm going to try an Internet company that does glasses for $40 complete.

My last glasses lasted all of 10 months, then broke... there goes $400 right there.

Like Christine says, for simple vision problems the plan doctor is the way to go. Heck, DH went to WalMart optical and he's doing just fine too.

 

[FroggyinArk]

check to see if your plan would cover a nearby teaching ( university ) hospital clinic,, Is very impressed with teh drs at the univ mississippi opthamology dept. they ar ethe ones saving my eye and i have nothing but praise, its also ussually much cheeper than regular opthamologist,, i see ocular plastics dept head and cheif surgeon, hes became a god friend, even calls me at home to check on me, and i just love the attention from all the different residents i had three eye exams last week, just one today, but hten it holiday and most weree out today, had electralosis done on lid grafts twice today, and all this was done at a very cut rate to normal would be something i would consider anyway.