Anybody familiar with optician work able to tell me if this optician was lying?

Bo7a@lemmy.ca to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 102 points –

Location: Canada

Background: When I first started wearing glasses the optometrist would just give me a piece of paper that I could take to any shop to get my lenses made. Then they started refusing that paper and insisting I either leave my frames with them for two weeks, or that I buy new frames.

And now it seems like even asking for the script, or the measurements, is 'against policy'.

I recently went in for an eye exam and some new glasses, and the optician said something I have never been told before.

I had asked if they could give me the prescription for my sunglass lenses since they don't deal with the brand that I prefer, and he said that I would have to schedule another appointment at a shop that deals with that brand, because the prescription was not enough, and I would also need the measurements he took.

I asked if I could have those measurements and he said it was against policy.

Is he lying to try to get me to buy new frames from his shop? Or is there something to what he is saying?

Confession - When he walked away I took a picture of the measuring app he had used which seems to show all the measurements.

Would this be useful to another shop? I'm just trying to buy lenses without spending a fortune on yet another frame.

It all feels like a scam.

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It's good you included your location.

In the US, opticians have to provide your script whether you ask for it or not.

I didn't find something as official for Canada with a 5-second web search, but this Ontario College FAQ indicates Canada has something similar.

Thanks! I had thought the same.

It all felt so forced and scummy. I am going to go back and demand all the information (politely)

Yeah, I'm currently in school for opticianry in Canada and both doctors and opticians are required to give you a written prescription that you can take elsewhere, and in most if not all provinces they have to put your PD on it too

Searching "optometrist complaint canada" seems to get the different licensing bodies. Reaching out to them would likely get some action.

If you haven't been back yet, it might be worth emailing them instead, and getting a response in writing

But I think they similarly hold the PD ransom so you can't shop around.

Or at least mine tried to do that, but I asked to see some frames behind them and snuck a peak at the notes and went elsewhere on principle.

PD is annoying, for sure. But the FTC website I linked above covers that too:

some states require you to include the patient’s pupillary distance in their prescription. If your patient wants to buy glasses online, they will need that measurement. If you take a patient’s pupillary distance measurement, we encourage you to provide it to your patient. It is likely they are entitled to a copy under Federal or State record requirements, which involves a process that may be more time consuming for you and your patient.

"Oh, you don't share prescriptions with the patient? I thought that was an FTC regulation. Here, let me pull that up on my phone right quick to clarify. Pretty sure they even have an email contact I can reach out to if needed."

Knowledge is half the battle. Have the info to back yourself, then hold your ground. Scummy optometrists rely on people not knowing their consumer rights.

This goes for everything. Once you're able to show them exactly where your rights are noted they usually will do it, but they always try first.

Not sure how much sway the FTC will have in Canada.

I had this happen to me during my last annual optometrist visit, they didn't list the PD (I am in the U.S.). Fortunately you can figure it out yourself on many of the online eyewear retailers, which is what I ended up doing for no extra charge.