Eye doctor problem - need advice

[akafred]

tl;dr Is there any way to get a refund on unusable contacts or an eye exam/insurance payment?

My DH is having problems with our optometrist's office. He went in for his annual exam a few weeks ago and got a new Rx for contacts; same brand as before and everything but not sure about the strength. When they came in the mail, they tore his eyes up. He said they felt like they were the wrong diameter, and created almost like a suction on his eyes. They caused a lot of redness and inflammation. He called immediately and got in to see them a few days later because of the weekend. The optometrist (not one he usually sees) said the contacts only have one diameter and gave DH a Rx for eye drops to fix the inflammation, but agreed to try a new brand of contacts and ordered a trial of a daily wear for DH to come in this week and test.

DH got there today and the optometrist told him the inflammation is gone and he can go back to wearing the contacts that screwed up his eyes. DH said no, I want to try another brand, and the nurse () pipes in that she ordered a trial set like the dr ordered last week. Only she ordered the same strength for both eyes and his are different, so he can't trial them. So the dr tells him to put back in the ones that hurt his eyes and DH refused and when pressed he flew off the handle, said it was time for a new eye doctor, and left.

Problem is he has these contacts he can't use and now we have to pay OOP for a new exam and new contacts because the insurance benefit was used by the previous dr. Is there anything we can do?

P.S. He is absolutely 1000% certain that the contacts he has paid for are what messed up his eyes.

[2chatter]

I don't know if there is a governing board that recommends things - but here's how it goes for us.

Eye Exam. Contact lens exam - billed as a line item - same visit. You trial new lenses in the office. If they have to order them, you go back in to trial them. The eye exam and the contact lens exam are in separate places in the building.

Getting the weight of a governing board who recommended something like that, and this place cut that corner, might give the argument weight?

[mae0111]

Also not sure about a governing board, but that's a good idea if they're not responding to your requests (or just saying no).

Also, I'm very nearsighted, which comes with a whole host of potential issues (retinal detachment, for example), so I see an ophthalmologist, rather than an optometrist. I've had much better luck with them - I feel like they're more thorough and more responsive to stuff like this. The ophthalmologist caught the fact that I'd developed an allergy to the contacts I'd been wearing, and the optometrist just kept telling me to use drops.

Good luck!!

[mommyatty]

Where did he order the contacts? Most places will take back any unopened boxes.

Can you call the doc and tell them you want a refund if they aren't going to do what they've been contracted to do, i.e., provide a solution to his vision issues that doesn't cause pain? Alternatively, some places offer a free eye exam if you buy glasses or contacts from them.

[waverly]

You can bring a copy of your exam in with you to the next eye doctor- it just has to be within the last year. You don't have to get a new exam. Unless you are still seeking additional solutions. But to order different contacts, hopefully your other exam will suffice.

Maybe you can try talking to the office manager if there is one, and see if they can send back the contacts for a refund.  Or speak to the contact company.  

[freezorburn]

I'm extremely nearsighted and have worn contacts since I was 13. One of my eyes can be tricky to fit, and because of my Rx I have limited options. So I've been in that situation, where my Rx just isn't common enough for the company to offer trial packs. In those situations, however, the optometrist or ophthalmologist has let me walk out of the office wearing the fitting lenses that they have on hand, provided they are the right strength for me. If they are not the right strength then I have to wear glasses or my old prescription until the new ones come in.

I've had situations where I've opened a new pack of lenses and there is a defect -- I can feel or see it immediately and I just let my optometrist know and they replace them for me. It's just good business.

I think it wouldn't hurt to look into whether a governing board might be able to help in this situation ... I would also report this to your local BBB.

Has YH tried lodging a complaint with your insurance company? What have they said?

[mommyatty]

freezorburn - I wondered if there wasn't a tiny chunk out of an edge of the contact that caused the pain. That has happened to me. I was also hysterically nearsighted pre-vision correction surgery (so much so that I had to go to a few doctors before I found one who would do the surgery), and I understand the frustration of getting new contacts.

[akafred]

Aug 8, 2017 15:52:34 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

freezorburn - I wondered if there wasn't a tiny chunk out of an edge of the contact that caused the pain. That has happened to me. I was also hysterically nearsighted pre-vision correction surgery (so much so that I had to go to a few doctors before I found one who would do the surgery), and I understand the frustration of getting new contacts.

According to him it was "huge". He could tell it was weird even before putting it in, and it made a weird suction kind of thing.

It was 2 boxes (one left Rx, one right Rx), or I would think it was a defect in the one contact or even that serial number.

[HeartofCheese]

It is crazy to me that you can't return them. I understand not being able to return glasses, but contacts? I'd call the insurance company and let them know that the doctor prescribed contacts that don't fit YH's eyes and won't take them back. Maybe they'll have a suggestion or maybe they just won't pay the doctor and allow you to use it for another type.

But I bet you're on the hook for a new exam if you need one.

Also if the dr. prescribed contacts that don't match the prescription, you should be able to lodge a complaint with his professional licensing board. And you should be able to lodge a complaint with your insurance and possibly get him booted as an accepted provider. You may also want to mention this to the dr beforehand in case it helps him to do his job correctly.

Also if you go to a second dr. who issues a different prescription than the first doctor, you should submit it to insurance and maybe they'll give you your money back. And you can also use the correct prescription to lodge a complaint with the licensing board.

ETA: FWIW - About a year ago I went to a doctor and got my contact and glasses prescription. Recently, just before the glasses prescription expired, I went to get new glasses. When I got the glasses, it was obvious that the prescription was really, really wrong. They had the astigma in the wrong eye and the wrong strength. When I called the dr about it trying to get him to do new exam for free, he refused. He said it was so long ago, it might have changed. RUKM, MF? I've had the same astigma in the same eye since I was 8, AH. But it was last year's benefit and all that, so I had to just start over. Fortunately the place I got my eyeglasses from said that if I corrected prescription w/in 30 days, they would let me return my glasses and get new lenses without costing me anything. So. FWIW...

[midnightmare81]

Who is your insurance through? I used to work for one of the largest vision insurance companies (my last day was this past Friday) and may be able to give you some info if you have that company. We had different processes in place depending on the situation.

[akafred]

Aug 9, 2017 8:28:55 GMT -5 midnightmare81 said:

Who is your insurance through? I used to work for one of the largest vision insurance companies (my last day was this past Friday) and may be able to give you some info if you have that company. We had different processes in place depending on the situation.

Eye Med

[midnightmare81]

Aug 9, 2017 9:58:34 GMT -5 akafred said:

Aug 9, 2017 8:28:55 GMT -5 midnightmare81 said:

Who is your insurance through? I used to work for one of the largest vision insurance companies (my last day was this past Friday) and may be able to give you some info if you have that company. We had different processes in place depending on the situation.

Eye Med

Darn, not mine. Try giving them a call, they likely have a process for you to follow