1800 Congame
The “Contact Lens Rule,” implements the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act, codified at 15 U.S.C. 7601–7610, which requires that rules be issued to address the release, verification, and sale of contact lens prescriptions. Here is one part that I have a huge issue with.
(c) Verification events. A prescription is verified under paragraph (a)(2) of this section only if one of the following occurs:
(1) The prescriber confirms the prescription is accurate by direct communication with the seller;
(2) The prescriber informs the seller through direct communication that the prescription is inaccurate and provides the accurate prescription; or
(3) The prescriber fails to communicate with the seller within eight (8) business hours after receiving from the seller the information described in paragraph (b) of this section. During these eight (8) business hours, the seller shall provide a reasonable opportunity for the prescriber to communicate with the seller concerning the verification request.
Just because nobody replied back, doesn’t mean the Rx is ok….certainly not ok to send the order! This bothers me tremendously. Patients can by pass health checks for years, simply by giving bogus doctors info. I had a patient publicly call me out on the crookedness of online contact lens vendors. The sad part, is that its perfectly legal for the vendors to sell contacts to without actually verifying if the Rx is actually correct through a time constraint loophole. Basically, if they do not get verification wihtin 8 hours, they fill the order. The work around is simply. All one does is submit a name of a random doctor and hope that doctor does not tell the vendor that they are not a patient there. There is a drop down list of doctors names. I just picked the first one and the order went trhough with out an issue. Let me make this very clear:
I was able to order contacts that are not even close to the right power, size, shape or material for my eye. Dangerous! I was able to choose a doctor whom I never heard of from a convenient drop down list.
I’m guessing the Dr. Edward Smith doesn’t exist, didn’t see the verification, or didn’t care enough to let 1800 know that I was not a patient of his. It is absolutely crazy to think that if the vendor hears nothing back from the doctor, they assume everything is fine and ship you the contacts!!!!!! That assumption is dangerous. A better solution is to have the patient email/fax a physical copy of the Rx that has the doctor’s name, signature, expiration date and contact info. A camera phone can easily take a pic and email it in. It would also free up the doctor’s office from having to do the verification process. The current system is a joke and easily gamed. Its a very dangerous game to play. You only have 1 set of eyes people, take care of them!
The Rub
It was really clever marketing to call it “No Rub”. Everyone and their mom thinks all you do is take your contacts out, put them in the empty case and fill it up with solution. That is not the way to do it!
Contacts have a bunch of crap on them from being on your eyes all day. If you hold them up to the light you can see it. You have to get this stuff off or it will be as if you are rubbing sandpaper on your eyes. You have 2 options.
The first is to high pressure wash them with the solution by blasting them for 10 seconds, making sure to get both sides. This means you will go through a bottle of solution in less than a month.
Nobody has ever told me they run through solution this frequently so NOBODY is cleaning their contacts correctly with the rinse only method. Is it effective? Well Dr. Peter Rozanec thinks “No-rub contact solution works as well as no-brush toothpaste.” Nice one doc. I agree! Another friend reminds me, “Its sort of like running your dishes under the faucet and then eating off them again. And a 20-second rinse is a ton of solution! Ineffective and expensive.”
The second thing you can do is take them out and add a few drops of solution then rub them for 5-10 seconds, flip it and rub it for 5-10 seconds. Finish with a quick squirt to wash it away. This will get most of the buildup off. Look at it. Its pretty clean now. The rubbing does the best job of getting it clean.
Whatever way you clean them, remember they are still germy and dry so they need to be soaked in multi-purpose solution overnight. This is where it is disinfected and re-hydrated. So it will come out clean, disinfected and hydrated. That will keep things clear and comfortable. It will also give your eyes the best chance at staying healthy.
As always, a fresh clean contact everyday is the best. If you can wear a daily disposables, wear them!
Say Hi to Park Slope Eye’s new doc! Introducing Dr. Lisa DeClemente!
I Don’t Have Allergies But…..
Doc asks, do you have any allergies?
You reply, I don’t normally have allergies BUT….
Eric I. (5/5) on Yelp
quoted from Eric I. (5/5) on Yelp
Screw hanging at coffee shops to write the next great american novel. Park Slope eye has free coffee (you can even take the mug home) , snacks and they have a computer for your use so you could write…
Thanks for also checking in! You are the man!
What do donuts and contacts have in common?
Patient said “Doc, I’ve worn my contacts like this for years and never had a problem!”
Eye Doc said “The guy who eats donuts for breakfast every day without a problem eventually has his FIRST heart attack. Just because you’ve never had a problem does not remotely mean that you never will, or that it is the right or smart thing to do.”
Courtesy of Dr. Anthony Clark
Even if one ignored the clinical research data, common sense would lead you to believe the longer your do something that is unhealthy, the riskier it gets. Wearing dirty contacts for long periods of times over the course of many years, just leaves your eyes open to such great risks. The patients who come in with a contact lens related red eye, almost are always contact lens abusers. They often are the ones who do not adequately clean them. They are often the ones who habitually fall asleep in them. They are often the ones who chronically stretch them out beyond their indicated replacement schedule. Its just not worth it!
Should we call the new iPhone the EYEphone? It really is easy on the eyes
I have had the iPhone 4 since launch and I have been really impressed by the screen. I knew something was way different so I began to investigate. It turns out this really is the EYEphone, as they are utilizing retina display technology. Typically print is much easier on the eyes than a computer screen. That has a lot to do with the fact that the jagged pixels are a hard target for our eyes to focus on. The smooth ink fonts provide an easier target for our eyes. However, that may have changed with the iPhone 4′s retina display. Watch this video.
Interesting for sure. Is there any proof to back this up? Here is what Bryan Jones, a retinal neuroscientist discoverd.
“”I’d find Apple’s claims stand up to what the human eye can perceive,” writes Bryan Jones after an exhaustive analysis of the iPhone 4′s 3.5-inch, 960×640 display. Article
As an extreme iPhone user, I can say that this screen is amazing. It has been a pure joy reading iBooks, emails, websites, apps, etc. This super clear and comfortable retina display makes the new iPhone 4 my top EYEphone ever!
Shoot! I feel asleep in my contacts again!
Relax, it happens to all of us from time to time. (even those of us in daily disposables!)
As long as it’s not a habit, you should be fine if you remember a couple of important things.
The first thing to remember is that your eyes get a lot drier at night and that contact is probably stuck very tightly to your eye. In addition to the dryness, there might also be some eye swelling which can cause the contact become very tight on the eye. So even though you are a perfect patient and are eager to get out of the contacts, please do not immediately rush to take the contact off because you run the risk of tearing off the top layer of your cornea along with the contact!
Ideally, use an artificial tear or re-wetting drop to rehydrate the contact which will loosen up the fit enough to safely remove the contact. If you are stuck without drops, just give your eyes 15-20 minutes to produce enough tears to rehydrate the contact naturally.
Your eyes will probably feel temporarily irritated even after the contacts are removed. If the irritation persists more than a few hours, or if your eyes are not feeling, seeing or looking fine, you might have a serious contact lens related complication that your eye doctor needs to see your right away for if you want the best possible outcome.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a chronic contact lens abuser for something bad to happen. It really may only take 1 night for an issue to develop. Let your doc examine you and make the call. Do not delay in seeking care as many contact lens related red eyes are time sensitive, and the sooner the treatment, the better the outcome.
So the key take away point to remember if you fall asleep in your contacts:
- Don’t panic. Relax and rehydrate your contacts before removing.
- If you eyes are not looking, seeing or feeling fine after you take out the contacts, let your eye doc prove everything is ok by doing an exam.
There will be a point in your life where this will happen. Keep these 2 tips in mind and things should work out for the best.
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
My contacts are killing me! These allergies are driving me crazy!
Dr. Bazan’s Top Tips For Keeping Contact Lens Wearers Comfortable During Allergy Season
(Photograph ©2007 John Kimbler.)
It has been a tough last few pollen filled days and I feel like a bee covered in pollen! Here are a few tips to keep your eyes comfortable.
1. Thoroughly clean your contacts….ideally just dispose of them. If you are unable to use a daily disposable contact, the “Rub, Rinse, Soak” method is the best way to do things. See my blog post here: http://tinyurl.com/ydy7eud Remember, a clean contact is a comfortable contact.
2. See you eye doc for help. An appropriately prescribed allergy drop can work wonders at controlling the symptoms. Drop before, drop after contact lens use. For flare ups, the second drop can often go on right over your contact lenses. Use the prescribed medication as directed to ensure the best results.
3. Know the pollen count. Today going to be off the charts? Might be a day to wear your glasses. http://www.pollen.com
4. Id and avoid. Allergists can quickly help you identify exactly what you are allergic to. They can also provide appropriate treatment. Live around NYC? See Dr. Bassett, he is awesome. http://www.nyc-allergist.com/
5. Sunglasses. They help to keep the allergens out of your eyes, make sure you have them before leaving the house.
The 1800 CONtacts Game
February 11, 2010
My Saturday visit to Park Slope Eye was my first trip to the eye doctor in seven years. I don’t have health insurance and my vision didn’t seem to change, so I didn’t see any reason to go until my glasses fell off my face and broke in half.
I wore my contacts to the appointment, and Dr. Bazan was astonished to learn that I have been buying disposable lenses online from 1800Contacts.com without a prescription for seven years. In fact, most people are surprised by this possibility, and most of my broke, uninsured, and vision-impaired friends were delighted with the news.
In fact, it’s not only possible to get contacts from 1800 without a valid rx, but also easy. I learned the secret from one of my crazier friends of all time, a guy who believed he was a reincarnation of the famously evil Aleister Crowley. This friend figured out that 1800Contacts.com is eager to ship your order quickly; they will call your doctor, but if they don’t get an immediate response they will give your prescription the benefit of the doubt and ship the contacts anyway.
For the doctor-less this means choosing a doctor from the convenient drop-down list on the website who sounds unlikely to answer their phone, or too busy to deal with the procedures of online corporations.
The first time I used this method, it worked like a charm and I was an immediate convert. The second time I switched doctors for some reason, choosing a university that I thought would fall into the too-busy category. The next day, a 1800Contacts representative called me and said that the university had no record of me as a patient. “I’m sorry, my mistake,” I said, “Please cancel that order.”
As soon as I got to a computer I re-ordered the lenses, this time choosing a doctor in the unlikely-to-answer category, a doctor with such an improbable name and address that I was cracking up as I placed the order, and I still laugh every time I log in and see his name on my account. I’ve been using this hilarious character ever since; all my order info is saved on the site so all I have to do is log-in, click “reorder,” and the contacts are at my door a few days later.
Sadly, I learned from Dr. Bazan that this mild con game came very close to doing serious harm to my health. I’ve been wearing the very first generation of Acuvue lenses. Made of plastic instead of silicone, these outdated lenses have been cutting off the oxygen to my corneas. If my glasses hadn’t broken when they did, I could have done myself serious damage. As it is, I have to stop wearing contacts altogether for at least 3 months, so I’ve ordered two new pairs of glasses (and one pair of Rx sunglasses) online for $8 each. When my time is up, I’ll finally get the long-overdue contact lens prescription and switch to a more up-to-date model of contacts. But as long as I’m uninsured, I’ll probably continue to let a few years go by between doctor visits. It’s just too cheap and easy.
Emily
I would like to thank Emily for her speaking frankly and openly about her experiences. This situation is more common than I would like to believe. Certainly more common than it has to be. A contact lens is a foreign object that can cause serious changes to your eyes, but leave your vision unaffected. Meaning you do not know if you are doing ok with your contacts unless you have an eye doc use his special equipment and expertise to determine so. An annual exam will help to ensure your eyes stay healthy.
How do you guys really feel about this situation? Have you ever been educated on why an annual contact lens exam is done? Let me hear your thoughts!
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
A Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Patient Liaison – Ana
A Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Patient Liaison
Posted by Dr. Bazan, Optometrist and Owner of Park Slope Eye
Continuing with our “Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Employee” series is Ana from the Park Slope Eye Patient Liaison team. Based in Park Slope Eye’s Brooklyn New York office, Ana talks about how she helps patients and clients have an exceptional experience.
What did you do before coming to Park Slope Eye?
I was a manager for an athletic apparel company.
How did you first hear about Park Slope Eye and the job opening?
I was good friends of Dr. Bazan from a previous job.
What’s your title at Park Slope Eye and how long have you been with the company?
I work the front desk. I have been a member of the team for 3 months
What comprises a typical day for you?
Everyday I get to help patients with any insurance questions they may have. I also make sure the patient feels comfortable. Making and confirming appointments are a big part of my job title as well.
What’s the BEST part of working for Park Slope Eye?
Making patients happy! Putting a smile on there faces and knowing that they would like to come back to see us makes my day so much better.
What is your favorite perk at Park Slope Eye?
When ever we have a patient who was referred to us by another patient makes everything I do wroth it.
What has been your favorite memory at Park Slope Eye?
We went out to Boston for a conference. After the conference we had a wonderful store meeting in a great restaurant. It was nice for all of us to get together out side of the office.
What separates Park Slope Eye from other places you’ve worked?
When I worked in retail it was a very fast paced environment. We didn’t have any time to have one on one with a customer. Here at Park Slope Eye we like to make sure that our patients are having the best experience. We also like to make sure that all their needs are being met.
Finally, what would be your one piece of advice for someone interested in becoming a Patient Liaison?
One piece of advice for someone who would like to become a receptionist would be Customer Service. Try your best to work hard at what you do. Having a great personality goes a very long way.
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
I was recently listed on this site. I really think they have the right mindset and wish them great success. WellnessCenters.com’s mission is to empower millions of individuals to find their perfect well-being experiences! Try them out.
Americans are getting Blurry!
Wow! Nearsightedness has gone from a quarter of all Americans, to almost half of all Americans in just a few decades. What gives? I was just discussing this point today with a patient. What are your thoughts? Is it really all of the near work we are doing with computers, phones and video games? Check out the video below or read the article here: Study Finds Many More Nearsighted Americans
A Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Optician
A Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Optician
Posted by Dr. Bazan, Optometrist and Owner of Park Slope Eye
Starting off our “Day in the Life of a Park Slope Eye Employee” series is Yasmin from the Park Slope Eye Optician team. Based in Park Slope Eye’s Brooklyn New York office, Yasmin talks about how she helps patients and clients find incredible eyewear.
What did you do before coming to Park Slope Eye?
I managed a Solstice Sunglass boutique in Beverly Hills, Ca
How did you first hear about Park Slope Eye and the job opening?
Through social media! I saw the add on Craigslist and responded via Twitter.
What’s your title at Park Slope Eye and how long have you been with the company?
I am the head Optician here and have been a member of the team for 4 months.
What comprises a typical day for you?
Everyday I get to help ensure people end up excited over their incredible eyewear and ensure they have an awesome experience. Part of my daily grind is making sure the lab is doing the best job of grinding your glasses and that our frame gallery is beautiful.
What’s the BEST part of working for Park Slope Eye?
The opportunity to help grow and grow with this company as it is still new. I also love being able to just do what I do I do best. I also enjoy learning new things.
What is your favorite perk at Park Slope Eye?
Every time we are noted for going above and beyond, really exemplifying something extraordinary, we get some cold hard cash! To see some examples check out our Yelp!
What has been your favorite memory at Park Slope Eye?
We took a trip up to Boston for a conference on how to deliver 5 Star customer service. The whole trip was an adventure, especially the crazy drive home!
What separates Park Slope Eye from other places you’ve worked?
I always say until I came here I was a spoiled optician. Even though I was a manager, things were always set up to be done a certain way (very black and white). Here, a lot of time it is up to me to come up with the solution and/or make the corporate decision. It’s a huge challenge,but the results are very rewarding. Dr. B has a standard for a level of service that’s unparalleled. What sets him apart is that he REALLY has a passion for his craft, and helping people unlike anything I’ve seen in quite some time.
Finally, what would be your one piece of advice for someone interested in becoming an Optician?
You have to be very versatile and wear a lot of hats! Customer service, administration, lab work, and the clinical parts are all equally important. You HAVE TO love what you do, or it can become a bit overwhelming.
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
Pumkin Pie in Your Eye!
Park Slope Eye Pumpkin Pie in Your Eye
A lot of Thanksgiving dinner’s will include a delicious pumpkin pie. Don’t feel so bad indulging in a slice or two because the pumpkin, is a great source of nutrients that keep your eyes healthy and your vision optimal. Dry Eyes, Cataracts, Night Blindness and Macluar Degeneration are all eye conditions that are believed to be staved off by vitamin A containing foods, such as pumpkins!
Check out some more info here: http://www.verybestbaking.com/products/libbys/pumpkin.aspx and http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/vitamin_a.htm
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
Do you hate driving at night? Here are some helpful tips!
Driving at night is just about the hardest thing we do with our eyes. Since moving out of Manhattan and into an area where people actually drive their own cars, I have heard the difficulties of night driving commonly vocalized. Let’s do something to make it easier.
What can one do? In order to add ease and confidence to your night driving experiences, start with a basic comprehensive eye exam. Do those lights 
look blurry and glarry because the power of your Rx is less than optimal? Could the natural lens in your eye have developed some cloudiness? Is your vision blurring out because of your dry eyes? A great exam will help ensure that both your eyes and your Rx are perfect. So, for starters, get seen by the best to see your best.
If you choose to fill your Rx in a pair of glasses, choosing the right lenses is crucial to keeping you clear and comfortable while on the road at night. Yasmin Johnson, ABO head optician of Park Slope Eye had this to say:
“Having a good quality anti reflective coating, like Crizal Avance or Hoya Super Hi Vision, is imperative to seeing well at night. Anti reflective coatings allow more light to transmit through the lens and more directly to your retina. Lenses without the coating reflect a lot of light, and therefore the light that reaches the retina is scattered and less focused. For instance, we have patients who complain of car headlights looking like star bursts, and this is easily resolved with this coating.
Having clean lenses that are scratch-free is also very important because it will reduce additional scattered light. Light transmits better through a smooth surface, versus through damaged lenses. To keep your lenses in great shape, we recommend using eyeglass cleaner from Park Slope Eye to clean your glasses, but tap water with lotion-free dish soap also works well. Afterward, use a cleaning cloth or soft cotton cloth (not your clothes) to dry your lenses. You definitely want to avoid using tissue products to dry your lenses and never use window cleaner because the ammonia will destroy your lenses. These tips will not only reduce glare dramatically while driving at night, but also keep your glasses looking great!”
Ok, so now your proven healthy eyes are sitting behind the ideal pair of eyewear and you are now behind the wheel. Its your typical BKNY winter night and the amount of potholes in the road seemed to have doubled, the lane size has halved and of course its raining. You may still feel very uncomfortable behind the wheel but at least we now know its not your eyes Rx or glasses. So what else can one do?
Here is what works for me. Think of your windshield as the lenses in your glasses. Remember what Yasmin said about making sure they are clean, and that they have non-glare coatings? Well your windshield can be optimized the same way.
First, think of you windshield as a pair of glasses. Just like your glasses that have special coatings to help you see better, your windshield should also have a special coating to help you see better. Hit the
car wash, get the windows as clean as possible, then apply a product like RainEx or Aquapel to them. Some car washes even have this as an option, mine does, and its awesome. This greatly enhances your visibility, especially at night in the rain, the toughest condition to drive in for most.
Secondly, get a great pair of wiper blades. I installed Silblades on my car over a year ago and they do a great job of keeping the windshield clean, much in the same way as how Mary informed you about keeping your glasses clean. Also, keep the wiper fluid full and use it frequently. In the winter, I use a deicer fluid, but most of the time I would use the Rainex fluid found here.
Lastly, Windex. You clean both the inside and outside of your glasses right? Do the same thing for your car’s windows. A thorough cleaning of the inside windows with Windex will be the finishing touch on optimizing your roadway visibility and limiting your issues with night driving.
Keep those eyes healthy, Rx updated and make sure your glasses/windshield are appropriately set up for the task and you will find yourself much more confident and calm behind the wheel at night, even in the most trying of road conditions.
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
VSP has a great post entitled:
Your Child’s First Eye Exam: Six Easy Steps to Prepare for the Eye Doctor
At PSEye, kids get the drops but don’t even realize it! I have 2 spray bottles that we use. They look the same but one is just artificial tears in which we have the kid wash his mom/dad or my eyes to get them all cleaned up. Then I let the person who had their eyes cleaned, clean the kid’s eyes with a spray bottle that has the “real” drops in it. It usually involves a ton of laughter instead of tears!
My Lacrisert Experience
I am sharing my experience with Lacrisert over on the Park Slope Eye Facebook page. Care to share yours? Head over there now and check it out: http://www.facebook.com/ParkSlopeEye
Ciba Focus Dailies Toric
I’m really excited about providing so many more of you with an opportunity to try a daily disposable. Ciba has expanded its Dailies Toric parameters!
New – Now available in 6 axes (20°, 70°, 90°, 110°,160,180°) Focus® DAILIES® Toric lenses cover the majority of astigmatic patients. Available in -.75 and -1.50 cyl.
EXCELerated Vision: Good Vision as a Set of Skills…Tools in the Classroom Learning Readiness Toolbox
80% of what your kid is learning is dependent, not only on how well they see, but on how healthy and how well their eyes work. Let an eye doc confirm your son or daughter is indeed ready to learn!
EXCELerated Vision: Good Vision as a Set of Skills…Tools in the Classroom Learning Readiness Toolbox
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
Contact Lens Saftey
Contact Lens Safety
If you aren’t able to throw out your contacts after each use (daily disposables!) please take heed to what the FDA has to say here: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm164197.htm
Park Slope Eye is located in Brooklyn, NY. For more info contact Justin Bazan, OD, the optometrist of Park Slope Eye, at Dr.Bazan@ParkSlopeEye.com or visit www.ParkSlopeEye.com Also, check us out on Yelp!, Twitter and FaceBook.
