I just look at it this way.
"We have to send these out to the lab" is just code for "we're going to mail
order them from our wholesaler." If glasses can be mail ordered and shipped
either to the doctor, or to the customer, then what's the difference?
Usually the OD checks the prescription for accuracy (mistakes do happen) and
the higher-end lab offers a few more options like VOC positioning, which
would be hard to specify without trying on the frames. That's one of those
vertical measurements they so love to take at the dispensary.
These are all valuable services, and useful as well, especially for those
with extreme prescriptions. Precision, fit, etc do all matter, and there is
a direct correlation between their importance, and the strength of the
prescription.
But, as someone else in this thread said, it's not like we're aligning a
supercollider.
-- Chuck Knight
On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 1:05 PM, Rosalyn Newman <[email protected]> wrote:
> I would really like to get the word out about these companies. The so
> called insurance thru EyeMed is what we have thru AT&T. We used to have
> VSP, which was much, much better. I would like other members of the union
> to know what to expect from them. I did start a blog explaining my
> experience with Lenscrafters but haven't gotten much activity with it. I
> really wish that more newspapers, online ads, television and radio would
> advertise buying glasses online. Something needs to be done to show our
> local vision centers that unless their prices go down and their level of
> service goes up, people will go elsewhere. I look at it this way, my money
> is green just like everyone else's so it will spend anywhere I choose and
> like everyone else, I watching very closely. I just hope that when things
> come out, they don't do things like when Canada Drug.com was discovered!
> Rosalyn
>
>
> [image: Win Free Prizes] <http://www.winzy.com/f/msrosn>
>
> --- On *Sun, 9/20/09, Ira Mitchell <[email protected]>* wrote:
>
>
> From: Ira Mitchell <[email protected]>
> Subject: [glassyeyes | 6260] Re: Come across a OptiBoard forum thread about
> online optical stores
> To: "GlassyEyes.com Forums - Visit the site!" <[email protected]
> >
> Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:13 AM
>
>
> EyeMed isn't an insurance company. They're pretty much just a
> marketing company for those stores you list -- all owned by Luxottica.
> If you're being "provided" with EyeMed, your company is doing you a
> huge disservice.
>
> Read more here: http://suxottica.com
>
> - Ira
>
> On Sep 20, 12:06 am, msrosn
> <[email protected]<http://mc/[email protected]>>
> wrote:
> > If they were not in bed with the vision insurance companies and not so
> > greedy, people would have no reason to order online. I have been
> > doing a lot of research on this for a while. It is terrible when even
> > using your insurance, the frames and lenses still cost $350+....the
> > frames cost little to manufacture and the prices of the lenses are a
> > real joke. People just want well made, fashionable glasses that are
> > reasonably priced. Even designer frames should not cost so much! I
> > went into a Lenscrafters recently. Gave them my insurance
> > information, I wanted a pair of D & G frames, Physio 360, Crizal,
> > Transitions...my bill with insurance would have been almost $600.
> > They stated that the insurance company would be paying $600 and the
> > other almost $600 would be my portion! So, glasses cost as much as a
> > house payment????? Yes, the opticians seem to be in an uproar, but
> > they can blame themselves and the insurance companies they accept.
> > The insurance company EyeMed is a real joke. They even advertise to
> > the stores like Lenscrafters on how much money they and the companies
> > can make by accepting their insurance and the bulk of that money made
> > comes from the consumer. Plus, EyeMed has considerable interest in
> > the largest maker of frames such as D & G, Prada, Oakley, etc. That
> > company is Luxottica and they also have bought up the largest labs in
> > China! So, what that means to you is, if you use this insurance and
> > go to places like Lenscrafters, Sears, JC Penney, Pearle Vision, or
> > others that are the "preferred" for your vision care insurance
> > company, you can rest assure you can end up paying out the nose,
> > especially if you wear multifocal lenses. Single vision are not too
> > bad, but not great either. You will do better not even using the
> > insurance and paying out of pocket. Only use the insurance for exams
> > and measurements, then buy online!!!!
> >
> > On Sep 19, 3:31 pm, Patrick
> > <[email protected]<http://mc/[email protected]>>
> wrote:
> >
> > > This thread launched by Firmoo has been the hottest one in recent day,
> > > now has around 70 replies and 1300 views. Check it and see how
> > > frustrating these well-trained opticians feel in the new wave of
> > > online business.
> >
> > >http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37086
> >
> > > On Sep 18, 10:21 pm, O-H
> > > <[email protected]<http://mc/[email protected]>>
> wrote:
> >
> > > > It's not hard to guess how they'd react to this getting more
> > > > prominence (the concept isn't new but it's been in the news more
> > > > recently)
> >
> > > >http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/16/liquid.glasses.self.refraction/i
> ...
> >
> > > > Quote
> > > > -
> > > > In the developing world millions of people struggle to operate
> > > > machinery, read from a blackboard, or just see the world around them,
> > > > because they don't have access to the eye glasses they need.
> >
> > > > But a pair of glasses developed by Joshua Silver, a physics professor
> > > > at the University of Oxford, offers an affordable solution.
> >
> > > > The glasses can be adjusted to the right strength by the wearer,
> > > > without the need for them to visit an optometrist.
> > > > -
> >
> > > > There's an idea ?
> >
> > > > :)
> >
> > > > I personally intensely dislike the B&M aspect of the whole thing,
> even
> > > > the eye exams but then I hate being regarded as a potential victim
> > > > whose pocket is to be picked as soon as I walk in the door. I'm
> > > > strange that way. I also think all the hoohaa about 'being fitted
> > > > properly' and 'needing adjustments' and measuring 'exact distances'
> to
> > > > monitors etc is ridiculous. I move my glasses around all the time,
> > > > view screens, books and paper at all kinds of distances (as in normal
> > > > life!) and think the B&M people are out to scare and intimidate with
> > > > spurious lines about 'precision' and 'proper fit'. I went through
> > > > this a few weeks ago with an OD I asked for a prescription for
> > > > computer glasses at around 30-36" very approximately (I use multiple
> > > > monitors at all kinds of distances and of course cannot tell a client
> > > > where to put his screen so my glasses will work (LOL at the
> > > > prospect)).. She went on and on about how she could only do it for
> > > > 28" and how she didn't want to do it (!) and it wouldn't work and she
> > > > would hate for me to waste my money and how I should see a specialist
> > > > and get a 'proper' prescription (what is an OD for exactly!?). I
> > > > eventually persuaded her to do it for 28" and of course the glasses
> > > > made to that prescription are fine for me to about 8" to 6 foot. :).
> > > > I couldn't get out of her office fast enough after that experience
> and
> > > > I don't ever want to go back.
> >
> > > > And the idea of having 10 pairs of cheaper glasses for the price of
> > > > one, why the heck not. Plastic IS cheap and by now many of us have
> > > > seen the youtube videos of how lenses are actually produced. Most
> > > > adults know what is a reasonable markup for services, overheads etc
> > > > and the B&M diehards are going to have to deal with daylight being
> > > > shone on their business model.
> >
> > > > I'm waiting for a pair of glasses from Coastal right now. I hope
> > > > somebody from optiboard reads this :) :)
> >
> > > > On Sep 15, 9:22 pm, Patrick
> > > > <[email protected]<http://mc/[email protected]>>
> wrote:
> >
> > > > > OptiBoard is a forum where most of the ECPs gather and discuss. I
> come
> > > > > across this forum and found discussions about the online optical
> > > > > stores. Most of them still strong oppose this new form of business.
> > > > > They mention Coastal and Zenni. Here are the links:
> >
> > > > >http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37086
> >
> > > > >http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37066-Hidequoted
> >
> > > > - Show quoted text -
>
>
> text -
>
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