Ophthalmologists (RANT)

[Arcey]

Went in a few weeks ago and he tells me I need more testing for something else.  While I'm there, we discuss shooting and my need for a new pair of glasses.

At the time, I tried to explain where I needed to focus, he kept asking how far away the targets were.  Every time I'd open my mouth he'd cut me off mid sentence saying he was the eye doctor.  The wheels spin, "How does that look?  That better?  One or two?"  He gets it where it's sharp and writes the prescription which I promptly had filled.  The entire time, I just knew – and I mean KNEW – he adjusted the things for target distance.

Few days go by.  Cell rings, the glasses are ready and off we go.  Clerk hands them to me.  Nice, pretty new lenses.  Clean, not a scratch on them.  Decent frames with side shields.  Put those suckers on stick out my arm and try to focus on my thumbnail.  They aren't right.  Looking across the store was great everything was as sharp as a razor.  Tried to shoot a stage with them the following Saturday – no use.

So we get to this morning.  8:45 appointment but they didn't unlock the front door until 9.  We do our little test – I flunked miserably.  Eye drops from now on.  Oh well.

Now, we get to the glasses.  I told him they were not what I needed.  You'd have thought I threw a bucket of ice water on him.  He was the eye doctor and he couldn't be wrong.

I told him I need to focus on a front sight, not on the targets or distant objects.  The front sight is an object held just a few inches past my out stretched hand.  I explained my 1.5x reading glasses were the best compromise I'd used and asked for a prescription for that strength in polycarbonate.

Well, boys and girls.  He proceeded to tell me I didn't set the standards for focal points corrected by lenses.  Convention sets distances where things will be.  Not me, not him, the convention.  Now he goes off on Benjamin Franklin and bifocals.  "People just don't go around carrying different pairs of glasses."  One size won't fit all and on and on.

Those who know me know I DO, in fact, carry different pairs of glasses.  I don't need any for most things.  I've tried to shoot with bifocals and it was miserable. I do change glasses on the line when I'm ready to shoot.

Finally, he relents and agrees to write the prescription telling me all the while I'm making a mistake.  Sure seems to me if I'm making a mistake that will do any damage and "he's the eye doctor", he wouldn't have written it.  But he did and it's in the hands of the crafters.  I went straight to the glasses store as soon as I left his office.

Pardon me for the rant.  Shooting is a unique hobby.  One having requirements not everyone understands.  If any of you find yourself in the same situation, stand your ground.  Or, find another Ophthalmologist.  He came a hair from losing a patient this morning.  At this writing, I'm still not at all sure he hasn't anyway.

(Posted in this forum.  I reckon glasses is gear..........)

[Micheal Fortune]

Rant away, my last pair of spectacles the left eye was fuzzy when I got them, they made me wear them that way for a week before they would fix them.........said I would get used to it..........

[Doc Shapiro]

Sounds like you need a new eye doc.  Last time I went to mine, he told me to bring my revolver in so that he could be sure the focal point was perfect.

Doc

[Tricky Trina]

Hi Cuz,
   You ain't the only one...........ask MM how many pairs of glasses he's gone through in the last year and a half.  I luckily had the lasix surgery in 1999 and have had 20/13 vision ever since.  I do use reading glasses when I read in bed, but I think that's because the book's too close.  Get a new doc - it ain't like they are rare around here.  See ya at Pungo......finally!

[Russ T Chambers]

Arcey
I have about six pair of the standard 1.5X glasses scattered around for reading.
It's been a while since I've been to my Eye Doc, but the last time he gave me a prescription for tri-focals to use on the computer.  Top (no correction) to look at distant things.  Center (some correction) for seeing the computer screen.  Lower (a little more correction) for the keyboard.
The doc I went to was also a new Cowboy shooter, and he could tell I didn't need any correction for shooting.  (His alias is Dr. Icy Grate).  Offered discounts to CAS shooters who didn't have insurance..
I need to go back,, but have been putting it off as he was not on the last insurance list.  He's now on the newest list.  The interesting thing is my eyes seem to be improving, and I haven't been using any of glasses for about a month now.
I'm gonna give it another month to settle down then go see him again.  We'll see what he has to say about it.

[Digem Deep]

Howdy Bro

I ain't going to rant about my Eye Doc. I took my +1.5 reading glasses to my appointment Wednesday. After getting my general prescription I told him about my needs with shooting. He actually listened. Instead of just writing a prescription he worked with me a little more and tweaked what I was using. Not much of a change. I will let you know how they do once I get them.

Arcey---ya want the name of my Eye Doc?

Dig'em Deep

[Arcey]

Maybe so, Bro....

Had a day to cool down. Been goin' to this guy a long time.  The vision thing as it applies to shooting has only been an issue the last few visits.  I have another appointment scheduled for the 29th of June as a follow up for these eye drops.  Those drops are in the refrigadeezer, haven't decided if I should use 'em.

I have a physical scheduled for the 14th.  Going to ask my PCP to recommend someone else.  If he's right and I'm wrong, it doesn't matter.  The trust is gone and I don't think a few weeks will make any difference in the condition.  I doubt I'll make the appointment on the 29th.  I'll wait to see someone else.

[Delmonico]

I went on Tuesday, the guy had no problem with what I wanted, had the bi-focal I always had left out cause it makes it hard to see through the tang sight on the Sharps.  He has watched Quigley and was aw-struck that the guy in his chair shot one of those.  Course he also asked 'bout my mule ear boots and my big black beaver hat and could tell the bandanna was real silk.

That's the secrect friend, no offense intended, but with out the clothes you and me look like old burnt out hippies or as I call them "Leftovers."

By the way the new glasses are small oval lenses and they look like fire blued steel but are titanium.

[Will Blastem]

Sounds like ya need another "peeper" doctor. I just went to mine (couple months ago) n told him I needed 2 Rx's...1 fer readin-n-writin & 1 fer shooten...told him I needed ta see the front sight n gave him a focal point measurement. I was the 1st patient he ever saw who asked for a shootin Rx...he listened ta me n gave me exactly what I wanted. Boy do they work good

It sure is nice to go to a professional who isn't overcome with his/her own importance/knowledge and ego.

[Arcey]

Will, that last line hits dead center...

FWIW, just got back from the glasses store with the new ones.  The glasses mechanic handed 'em over, I stuck 'em on held up my thumb 'n saw I didn't get all the oil from 'round my thumbnail.  Changed oil in the lawn mower yesterday mornin'.

So, ya see, there's good in ever'thing.  Had he done as I asked the first time 'n give me whut I needed, I wouldn't have been there today.  Had I not been there taday 'n tested out the new glasses, I wouldn't have known my thumbnail was still dirty.

Life is good........................

[Delmonico]

Ya should have whipped out yer pocket knife and cleaned it right then and there.

[Camille Eonich]

Will, that last line hits dead center...

FWIW, just got back from the glasses store with the new ones.  The glasses mechanic handed 'em over, I stuck 'em on held up my thumb 'n saw I didn't get all the oil from 'round my thumbnail.  Changed oil in the lawn mower yesterday mornin'.

So, ya see, there's good in ever'thing.  Had he done as I asked the first time 'n give me whut I needed, I wouldn't have been there today.  Had I not been there taday 'n tested out the new glasses, I wouldn't have known my thumbnail was still dirty.

Life is good........................

It's ok Arcey.  It's all good.

[Delmonico]

Got my new ones yestday, took a bit of time cause I insist on glass lens. (Could give you a rant on plastic if ya want. )

took them outside and the parkin' lot was on a hill, valley to the south and clear air and sunshine.  Could see the pigeons flyin' round the grain evavator 'bout a mile away, couldn't tell what color though.   Went home and the little Ruger's front is in focus.   Bad thing, the flat screen pewter at work is fine, but the old one at home is a bit of a problem, but wife is buyin' a new one soon.  I'll just put the old ones with the bifocals in the desk drawer.

[Arcey]

Well, sir(s),

I'm proud ta announce the new ones whut'll allow me to focus on the front sights ah my pistols wuz just real nice taday.  Only ketch, they slid off my nose on a six shell shotgun stage 'n had ta push 'em up.  L'il bendin' here 'n there 'n I'll be real happy.

The one's he wrote fer distance.  Snapped the side shields on 'n clamped the sunglass thingys on 'em in used them as mah walkin' 'round protection.

[Digem Deep]

Well Arcey

My new glasses should be ready later this coming week. I am interested to see if I can see the sights better than using my reading glasses. I know I will feel safer with them. Stainless steel frames and poly-carb lenses with side shields. I will let you know how they turn out.

Dig'em Deep

[Arcey]

We gonna look sharp wit our new specs!

[Digem Deep]

Howdy Arcey

Well I finally was able to pick up my new shooting glasses today. The certainly make a difference. The sights on my pistols are much clearer. Hopefully it will lead to fewer misses.

Dig'em Deep

[Arcey]

Heh, heh, heh.....  I could see my misses real good.........

[Arcey]

Well, folks...  Perhaps this'll close the book on this one.

The test I told y'all about was for Glaucoma.  The ole boy that diagnosed it was the same one that gave me a ration over the glasses.  Before I left that mornin', he'd given me a sample bottle of eye drops and a prescription for more.  Told me to start usin' 'em that evenin' 'n make an appointment for the next month so he could check up on it.

I'm tellin' ya, when I left that morning I knew somethin' just wasn't right.  Came home 'n put the drops in the refrigerator.  I cancelled the follow up appointment.

Anyway, I got a referral to another ophthalmologist 'n paid him a visit this mornin'.  Took the drops with me.  He looked over the glasses I brought, they're right for their intended purposes.  Did another glaucoma test using an instrument I'd never seen before.  The dilation, of course.  A complete examination from scratch.

Following the exam, the new Doc said he didn't want to know who it was but asked if he was an ophthalmologist.  I told him he was.  He said in his opinion my eyes were as healthy as a nineteen year old's, save the need for corrective lenses.  I didn't have glaucoma.  He went on to say had I started those drops I'd have been stuck with usin' 'em from now on.

It gave me more confidence in the new Doc when he told me he wanted to see me in six months just to make sure he was correct.

Kindah glad it worked out like it did.  You young'ns what ain't run inta eye problems yet 'n ya old farts that have.  If sumthin' just don't feel right, get another opinion.

[Stump Water]

Glad it turned out good Arcey.

I agree... go with yer gut.

It seems that quackery in the medical profession is becoming more rife all the time.