Illusions Optometrists Part II

Last month we published Part I of an article on Illusions Optometrists, and this month we continue with Part II.

There will not be a single optometrist on the planet who hasn’t given an incorrect glasses prescription at some point; the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of complicating factors such as dry eyes, cataracts and accommodative spasm that can very easily lead to an incorrect result. A large part of the process also relies on responses asked of the client, which can be very difficult for the client due often to the same complicating factors as listed above. However if the eye examination is rushed, then there can be a marked increase in the frequency of these errors because the extra tests aren’t being performed to even check for issues such as dry eyes and accommodative spasm.

These are once again tests that all practitioners know how to do, but if the time isn’t being taken to do them then this is where avoidable errors start to occur. If the exam is rushed, the result can be that you end up with your vision in your new glasses being just okay, rather than the best it can actually be. And when you are spending so much on a new pair of glasses, surely you would want to be getting the best possible vision out of them.

 There are certain eye conditions which can be sight threatening, or even life threatening. Examples include glaucoma, macular degeneration and tumours inside the eyes. An eye examination needs to be thorough enough to ensure these conditions have the best chance of being detected. Once they are detected, they should be explained and all of the potential management options for reducing the chance of vision loss given, as for some of these conditions no cure is available once vision is lost. I have unfortunately seen multiple cases where eye conditions such as macular degeneration have not been managed appropriately, which is concerning as there is the possibility that better management could have slowed the rate of vision loss.

The common thread here is that proper testing and client education takes time, and unfortunately spending more time with each client means less money coming in the door. Sadly it’s not even always up to the practitioner how much time they are permitted to spend with each client. And the more clients that are fit into each day, the cheaper the services can be made. Cheaper prices tend to draw more people in, and this creates a successful business model but a potentially self-destructive cycle for clients who have no way of knowing how important a thorough eye examination is or even what one looks like.

To find out more about eye exam appointments, eye clinic in Tauranga and eye test offers, please go to http://www.illusionsoptom.co.nz .