Did I get cheated?

[thatguy]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Well I just picked up my contact lenses, they hit me with another $30 in "material charges". So now, I'm up to $404. They have my wife's contacts, but they would not give it to her and said she had to have a set up appointment for a "progress exam" for her new contacts. I'm going to be hit with "material charges" for her contact lenses plus another copay for this doctor appointment. I'm looking at spending almost $500 out of pocket for two pair of contact lenses and one pair of glasses. Her glasses have not come in yet. Are they going to charge me a fitting fee when she puts on her eyeglasses?


My wife is an optometrist and i have worked with her a lot, but i didnt sleep in a Holiday Inn express last night - so here are my thoughts.. LOL

From what I understand the 'materials' charge should be for like a 6 mth supply of contacts..

We require the patient to have a follow up visit with new contacts just to make sure there are no problems (ie vision is good, the lens is comfortable, it is the correct size, its not moving around on the eye too much or too little).. But we NEVER charge (either fee or co-pay) for the follow up visits.. No matter if it takes several visits - We built in money to cover the follow ups into our fees..

We also offer no charge for any contact related problems for 1 yr after the exam.. We DO charge if the visit is a medical problem or not CL related.. Medical problems (dry eye, infections, diabetes, glaucoma) and routine eye exams are two entirely different items

There should be no 'fitting fee' for the glasses.. That charge is normally associated with contacts "fit and follow up charge".. some insurance companies do not pay for the 'fit and follow up'..

good luck

Brian

 

[TylerL]

That's not too bad, glasses cost quite a bit.

I usually wear contacts but I may get some $18 titanium frames and lens for backup from zennioptical.com

 

[Gary Allan]

Good source! I never knew that Monel® was the metal of choice for most metal frames.

Quote:
Our standard frames are of Monel metal alloy. The overwhelming majority of metal frames sold in the US , including most of the very expensive designer brand names are of this alloy. This is a strong metal alloy that adjusts well, and is relatively easy to manufacture into a wide variety of shapes and color finishes, hence its popularity.


This stuff is about 8X more expensive than stainless steel in something like a ball valve.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

Good source! I never knew that Monel® was the metal of choice for most metal frames.


Monel is high in nickel content and unsuitable for anyone with a sensitivity to nickel. Not only will nickel affect those who already have a nickel allergy, but it can sensitize people to develop contact dermatitis. I'd buy nothing other than a nickel free frame. I like Titanflex frames with an unbreakable memory metal nose bridge.

 

[Cutehumor]

I got Silver 07 daily wear contact lens, not disposable, one pair. -4.75 in my left eye and -3.50 in my right eye. Online, mail order are around $40. I paid $30 out of pocket, plus $15 copay for material charges. I did not have to have a "follow up" exam. My wife has to have a follow up on her disposable contacts. I'm going to call my Vision insurance to ask them about this during lunch. There's no explanation on their website about coverage limits. I went to an in network provider.

Service Description Co-Pay
EXAM $15.00
MATERIAL COPAY $15.00
LENTICULAR/CATARACT $15.00
FRAME $15.00
CONTACTS $15.00
DISPOSABLE CONTACTS $15.00

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

Good source! I never knew that Monel® was the metal of choice for most metal frames.


Monel is high in nickel content and unsuitable for anyone with a sensitivity to nickel. Not only will nickel affect those who already have a nickel allergy, but it can sensitize people to develop contact dermatitis. I'd buy nothing other than a nickel free frame. I like Titanflex frames with an unbreakable memory
metal nose bridge.


That's me. Regular frames turn my skin green wherever they touch and cause contact sores within a few days.

The only frames I can wear are SS and even those cause problems, as they are usually coated with some decorative finish. I always end up sanding off the finish where ever it touches skin.

I used to wear acrylic frames, but my skin oils cause the plastic to craze and eventually crumble.

 

[Pablo]

Because SS has Ni as well. Try Ti frames.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Because SS has Ni as well. Try Ti frames.


My ins. won't pay for them. The SS work fine. The latest ones have some sort of colored finish on them that seems immune to my sweat. Something like black chrome maybe. Works anyway.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Because SS has Ni as well. Try Ti frames.


That appears to work for eye glass frames, but try pricing Monel ball valves vs. SS and the difference is about 8X between the two.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Because SS has Ni as well. Try Ti frames.


The Ni in SS does "usually" not cause problems in the case of short contact. There is however Ni plated steel, Susie may give you a rash when you play around with her too much.

When in contact with sweaty or wet skin, SS may well cause allergic reactions. My better half gets occasionally a rash from her SS Fortis watch in hot weather. It seems that sweating is the cause, but wether the reason is Ni or Cr content I do not know. I am sensitive to nickel, but I have never reacted to my SS Breitling (316 L SS).

Surgical SS (martensitic) is pretty low in Ni and tolerated by most people who have only a slight sensitivity towards Ni.

 

[moribundman]

Just for kicks, going back to the original topic, I looked up what i paid for my last glasses and contacts:


Contacts:

- Boston XO2 material (RGP, aspherical, w/UV filter)
- lenses made by 3P, not an online discount maker
-----------------------------------------
$252 (fitting included)

Glasses:

- Eschenbach TitanFlex frame, $187
- Essilor Stigmal lenses (high index glass) with Super Diafal coating (anti reflex/hydrophobic), $284
-----------------------------------------------------------
S471

My insurance makes me choose if I want them to pay the glasses or contacts. I make them pay the glasses. They pay the lenses for the glasses completely and up to $125 for the frame.

That means I got stuck paying $62 for the glasses and $252 for the contacts. The glasses last usually at least 5 years. I buy new lenses every year, or if one gets scratched it gets replaced (ca $100 per lens -- if I were to buy the lens online it would cost half).