New to Contact Lenses

Have been a long time bifocal lens wearer and have recently decided to
try the new multi-focal soft lens contacts. Had my vision checked and
eye measured at a large chain optical store. They ordered a pair of
Ciba Progressives for me to try and have been using them for a week
now. Went back to the store with a free trial coupon from Bausch &
Lomb for pair of soft progressive lenses. The store clerk stated that
he could not honor it as my perscription was only for Ciba's. Is he
pulling my leg or, am I stuck with Ciba lenses from now on?

My many thanks,

Dennis

Dennis wrote:
> Have been a long time bifocal lens wearer and have recently decided
to
> try the new multi-focal soft lens contacts. Had my vision checked
and
> eye measured at a large chain optical store. They ordered a pair of
> Ciba Progressives for me to try and have been using them for a week
> now. Went back to the store with a free trial coupon from Bausch &
> Lomb for pair of soft progressive lenses. The store clerk stated
that
> he could not honor it as my perscription was only for Ciba's. Is he
> pulling my leg or, am I stuck with Ciba lenses from now on?
>
> My many thanks,
>
> Dennis

In the U.S., contact lenses can only be purchased by prescription.
That prescription must specify the lens parameters, including the Brand
Name. A prescription can only be written by an licensed eye care
professional. A coupon is not a prescription. If you want to try
another brand of lenses, you must go back to the person who ordered
your Ciba trial lenses and request a trial of B&Ls.

As was said, doctors who fit contact lenses have free trial lenses
available, which makes the coupon totally unnecessary. The coupon is
just a gimmick to get you to request a specific brand of lenses.
Sometimes, the best contact lenses are manufactured by companies that
are too small to advertise. For example, when I began having problems
with my own lenses, I came across an ad in a professional newsletter
for the Proclear lens which was manufactured by Biocompatibles, Ltd.
The rights to that lens were later purchased by Coopervision. Going
waaay back, some of us are old enough to remember the revolutionary CSI
soft lens which was manufactured by Syntex, who also manufactured the
first mass-market RGP lens, the Polycon. Syntex was later bought out
by Barnes-Hind, which was acquired by Pilkington. Even the Acuvue lens
started out as the Vistamarc lens manufactured by Vistakon, which was
acquired by J&J 20 years ago. The Acuvue polymer dates back to that
time.

DrG

In article <(E-Mail Removed) .com>,
"Dr. Leukoma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> As was said, doctors who fit contact lenses have free trial lenses
> available, which makes the coupon totally unnecessary. The coupon is
> just a gimmick to get you to request a specific brand of lenses.

Quite a scam, eh?

> Sometimes, the best contact lenses are manufactured by companies that
> are too small to advertise.

And we could list about a half dozen companies here. But the consumer
market thinks BAUSCH & LOMB! ACUVUE! CIBA! when there are what, about
30 (was 40 a few months ago!) companies manufacturing 120 different
lenses in 49 different plastics. And that's just soft!

> For example, when I began having problems
> with my own lenses, I came across an ad in a professional newsletter
> for the Proclear lens which was manufactured by Biocompatibles, Ltd.
> The rights to that lens were later purchased by Coopervision. Going
> waaay back, some of us are old enough to remember the revolutionary CSI
> soft lens which was manufactured by Syntex, who also manufactured the
> first mass-market RGP lens, the Polycon. Syntex was later bought out
> by Barnes-Hind, which was acquired by Pilkington. Even the Acuvue lens
> started out as the Vistamarc lens manufactured by Vistakon, which was
> acquired by J&J 20 years ago. The Acuvue polymer dates back to that
> time.

Ahhh. Memory of the good 'ole days! Like the visits from the supermodel
Pilkington heiress (tagging along with her sales crew) and sales reps
who weren't clued in to the fact their company was just gobbled up.

Heh, Dr. G, how about putting together a full timeline of the
ever-changing contact lens industry? Seems like your memory is good
working condition!

But back to the original subject of this thread for a minute.........

Coming soon to the USA and available now in other more civilized nations
are the silicon hydrogel multifocal soft lenses from B&L (and sooner or
later Ciba, Cooper, and Vistakon/J&J) which, on paper at least, should
be very interesting. Perhaps a soft multifocal that actually works.

Actually, I've had good results with Blanchard's Quattro, Ocu-Ease,
Opti-Center's Ultravue (now at Cooper) and Cooper's Proclear Multi and a
disproportionately poor results from the others. Patients who can wear
RGP lenses should definitely consider that type of lens which in my
practice has worked extremely well, but no coupons there!

---LB, O.D.

(welcome back W.S.! hope your kill-files are hard at work!)

Would like to thank you all for your expert advise. I am understanding
that if I want to change manufactuers of my lenses, I must have them
fitted first. All contacts are created equally.

In article <(E-Mail Removed) .com>,
Dennis <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Would like to thank you all for your expert advise. I am understanding
> that if I want to change manufactuers of my lenses, I must have them
> fitted first. All contacts are created equally.

No, they are not created equally. That is why they need to be fitted.
However when I have been fitted if one brand did not fit properly,
there was not an extra charge to fit another brand. The fee paid to the
practitioner was to find the contacts that were the best fit regardless
of brand.

--
Charles

I agree with the statement that the fitting process involves finding
the lens which best satisfies the needs of the patient. However, it
cannot always be exhaustive, as there are too many brands on the
market, hence the concept of "best" may not be appropriate. IMHO, the
experienced fitter will already have narrowed the universe for the
patient.

DrG

Again my many thanks for your expert replies.

My OD has RX'd contacts with a BC of 8.6 with a Dia of 14.0. The only
lens I have found to which has been RX'd is the Ciba Progressive. Have
been having a problem with them in looking at a distance in which I
must refocus and blink to see at a distance. Oh forgot to mention my
OS is +.50 and OD is +.25. Have noticed when looking at stars they
have a corona around a back hole. My RX is seems to be for specificly
for the Ciba's as other progressive lenses are of diffrent BC or dia..
If I would like to try another lens must I have to go thru the process
of paying for another visit to get re-fitted for other lenses as I
would like to try all available to decide on which is best for my
vision.

My thanks in advance.

Dennis

The effect you are getting from the progressive lens is not uncommon
with progressive contact lenses.

Whether your fitter will charge additional or not depends on his or her
policies. You just need to ask. There is no law governing what is
charged or how often.

DrG