Weird (or stronger word?) doctor's behavior - what should I do?

Hello all,

I'd like to solicit opinions on this situation.

Basically, it was time for my annual eye exam, so I picked a doctor
in a new area since I moved. I need a new prescription for contact
lenses, and I have been wearing 2-week lenses produced by "Ocular
Sciences" for 3 years now, and they were fine in all aspects as far as
I could tell.
I bought them from "Target", and took the box to the doctor to show
him what I had. Previously, I had similar things branded differently
but always labeled by "Ocular Sciences" on the actual internal
packaging.

Well, once we went through all the tests, he insisted on changing my
contacts to the ones produced by "CIBA vision". He also told me that I
should spend my insurance money on 2 boxes of these at $55 each, total
$110. He claimed they could be worn up to one month each pair. I tried
to ask him to prescribe to me what I was wearing before, citing me
being accustomed to them, my perceived lower cost, and that I liked
them. Instead, he slammed "Target", and told me that what I was
wearing was designed 20 years ago and was really old. What he offered
was of course really modern, and that he would never touch anything
like what "Target" sells. Never mind that "Target" resold "Ocular
Sciences" stuff, as many other places, and the insurance I have
recommends both "Ocular Sciences" and "CIBA". I tried to keep the
packaging from the trial lenses he made me wear, but he went to great
lengths to get it back citing legal reasons. Well, I negotiated
copying the info from the package so that I could check things later
myself.

I came home, and checked things online. It turned out that both the
previous lense material "Ocufilcon D", and the new lense material
"methafilcon A" are in the same category. Also, these "advanced"
lenses he was pushing at $55 a box could be had for as low as $15
online, and the claimed wear time is 2-4 weeks (Ciba Vision CHOICE AB
or identical relabeled lenses). So 1 month is really on the far side.
My old lenses cost pretty much the same, $15-20 depending on the
place.

Now, due to the lense change, I have to go for a follow-up visit in 2
weeks. I think I'll just get the prescription and take my business
elsewhere. He will probably insist that I must spend my insurance with
him, but as far as I can see, the insurance will cover lenses from
outside just the same.

Anybody got any comments? Are my concerns justified?

Mike

 

Unless the provider saw something detrimental with what you were
wearing there was no reason to for him to pull the tactics he
did. If I have a patient who is happy in his/her current cl's and
the fit is fine I will give the patient options of other choices
but will more than gladly update the rx in his current material.
I'm more concerned about patient satisfaction and proper fit than
profit mark-up.I also find it distasteful critisizing the competition,
makes the provider look petty.

So I think your concerns are very justified with what you stated.
It would be interesting if you "insisted" on getting your current
cl material and refusing the Ciba's. Just say that the new lenses
feel "awful" or something like that.

frank

 

(Mike Jackson) wrote in message
Dear Mike,

Your concerns are justified.

Find another doctor.

Do the words bias and money mean anything in
affecting the recommendations of this doctor?
Do his explanations seem reasonable to you?

Best,

Otis
Engineer

*******

 

snip of doctor foisting lenses on a patient.

If he wasn't suggesting the newest silicon hydrogel lenses (Night and Day)
but the older Focus or AB Choice you are justified. Don't take your
concerns here though. You can complain about this doctor's behaviour to his
licensing body and they will investigate the complaint and discipline the
doctor if needed. Tell us what state you are in and we can direct you to
the correct regulatory body.

Dr Judy

 

Thanks for your opinion on this.

I did in fact spent about 10-15 minutes trying to get just an updated
prescription for my old type of lenses, but got nowhere. He kept
saying that if I wanted "Target" (not "Ocular Sciences"), I should
have gone to "Target" and all such crap. What can I do when I go back
in 2 weeks for follow-up? Say that the new ones don't feel good and
ask for a prescription for the old type? What if he keeps refusing?
Should I just report him to the Optometrists board, as well as cancel
my credit card payment for his services?

What course of action can I take?

Thanks!

Mike

 

I have to strongly disagree about Mike taking his concerns here. This is
a good place to find out whether a claim is reasonable or not. I've seen
many posts here with claims that were groundless. Other claims are
valid. Before lodging a complaint with a licensing board, it's nice to
know whether you have a chance and which way to go. It's hard for us
laymen to know the difference between "doctor knows best" and doctor is
trying to jack up the charge and doctor has a sweetheart deal with a
supplier and gets a rebate or a case of Scotch if they switch enough
patients over to a certain contact, one that is no better and maybe worse
for some patients.


I should also mention to Mike that I'll guess that the doctor isn't going
to give him the prescription and may not have to, and that if he does, it
will have a specific brand name of contact on it and won't be good for a
different one.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean don't take concerns here, I meant don't JUST take them
here, there is legal recourse.

Dr Judy

 

The guy sounds like a flake to me (I went to such a flake once, who
insisted that my new glasses were wrong because I'd lied on the eye
test) even if he isn't deliberately putting his markup in front of your
satisfaction, but I'm just a layperson with really-hard-to-fit eyes. I
suggest disputing the charge with your CC company and perhaps going back
to your local Target if that's reasonably convenient.

It would be nice if there were a really good way of finding a new doctor
in any field, wouldn't it?

--
Cheers,
Bev
*********************************************
Not all cultures are equal. If they were, we
would have a lot more cannibal restaurants.

 

OK. The lenses he gave me had the following on the actual packaging:
"8.7 -X.XX 14.5", 03031305, Abberration Blocking Technology,
methafilcon A, CIBA vision, "D2461A" - this was vertically on the
right of the packaging.
I looked this up on google and it is mostly likely that these are "AB
choice" is in "Abberration Blocking". If I am mistaken, please, let me
know.

I am in NJ, in here is the organization I found for this state:
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/brief/opcon.htm
"New Jersey State Board of Optometrists"
Let me know if this is the correct place.

Thanks!

Mike