The cost of sight...

Wayne

Wayne

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For all of you out there unwilling to discuss the need for health insurance reform... bite me.

Last week, I noticed that I'm not seeing as well as I should be. Particularly reading the monitor, but longer distances weren't so much better. Sitting here 12" away from a 24" monitor straining to read the text on the screen. Not good.

So. After looking around a great deal trying to find an optometrist who would accept my insurance, I made an appointment and went to see them.

One eye appointment, 2 pairs of glasses. $720 USD AFTER the insurance "breaks" and copays.

I tried going to one of the "2 pairs of glasses for $69" places, but without insurance coverage, the eye exam and everything worked out within $100.

I'll also admit that $150 of that $720 at the optometrist was for "transitions" lenses (versus $400 for the same lenses at the discount store -- which is how they made their money). I also had to go to progressive bifocals which doubled the cost of the lenses, but DAMN!!!

If I had just gone in and bought the basic lenses (no tint, no transition lenses, etc), I'd still have been out $500 regardless of whether I went to the discount store, or the certified optometrist..

Wayne
 
In Canada simple eye exams aren't covered. Cataracts and any other eye disease like glaucoma is. So I'd pay about the same as you do, minus what little benefit I get from work. My eye exam (including glaucoma screening) was around $90. I probably pay more for the frames then you do just because I live in Winnipeg (everything designer is scarce here so you pay more just because). My lenses are polycarbonate, high index made by nikon, along with every anti-glare and anti-scratch coating there is. I think I paid around $500 for titanium frames + lenses. I didn't even get a second free pair! So I think we're close, especially when you consider that I paid in Canadian dollars back when USD was still worth something.

EDIT: However, to get on topic, it might actually be cheaper for the state to fund eye exams. Why? Just by looking at your eyes you can pick up early signs of other medical issues that aren't even related to eyes. I can't remember what those are, but at my last eye exam I remember the doc telling me things like "no sign of ever having a stroke or diabetes or whatever..." In this day and age, catching things early can not only save lives, but tons of money too. Free eye exams could encourage that.
 
@Wayne,
Obama's monstrocity will not lower health insurance costs nor eye doctor visits, you will see costs skyrocket. Go read all 17,000 pages of the health care bill and tell me where it says eye exams and glasses will be cheaper :wink:

On a more serious note, Diabetics are supposed to get at an eye exam every six months. Not even for eyesight, but for multiple medical complications caused directly by diabetes. Just an FYI.
 
redrumloa said:
@Wayne,
On a more serious note, Diabetics are supposed to get at an eye exam every six months. Not even for eyesight, but for multiple medical complications caused directly by diabetes. Just an FYI.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but don't forget that I'm regrettably a few months ahead of you on the "oh crap" scale of diabetic knowledge.. :) erm.. I mean :(
 
Wayne said:
Thanks, but don't forget that I'm regrettably a few months ahead of you on the "oh crap" scale of diabetic knowledge.. :) erm.. I mean :(
Click to expand...

:lol:

That's cool, I figured you were but thought I'd throw that out there just in case. BTW, don't know if you are interested or not but I forgot that Dr. Atkins actually put out a book specifically for Diabetes. I picked one up for $3.95 including shipping.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDet ... 8%26y%3D13

If any of you have not used Abe Books, check it out. I've been able to find just about any book I want for $1.00 plus cheap shipping.

-Edit-
Oh yeah and it should always be :) and not :( , or at least as much as we can. Think positive! Trust me, I know that can be hard at times but we have to try :)
 
On the subject of Atkins...

I have been on a strict (modified for HH) Atkins style diet plan for about 6 weeks now and I am taking a single Glucophage 500mg pill a day. My blood sugar (glucose, not whole blood) is always in a fairly tight range of 79-111, usually in the middle of this range. I'm going to stop taking it for a few days. If the levels still stay good, I am going to stop taking it completely. I think I have my blood sugar levels under control simply by diet.

FWIW, my glucose tolerance test had me at:
Fasting - 129
1 hour - 296
2 hours - 240

-edit-
Well, I will be putting off stopping Glucophage it seems. I am almost out of my first batch of strips and just went to buy some out of pocket. Egad those suckers are expensive :shock: I will keep taking a pill a day until I get some more test strips through my insurance :lol:
 
redrumloa said:
Well, I will be putting off stopping Glucophage it seems. I am almost out of my first batch of strips and just went to buy some out of pocket. Egad those suckers are expensive :shock: I will keep taking a pill a day until I get some more test strips through my insurance :lol:
Click to expand...

WalMart has a glucose meter for $20. Long, thin one but I forget the name. The test strips for it are 1/2 the price of the others and it works just as well. Also, dunno if you have an iphone, but check for apps that allow you to log your data each time, along with keeping a food intake log.

The doctors love that.

Wayne
 
Wayne said:
For all of you out there unwilling to discuss the need for health insurance reform... bite me.

Last week, I noticed that I'm not seeing as well as I should be. Particularly reading the monitor, but longer distances weren't so much better. Sitting here 12" away from a 24" monitor straining to read the text on the screen. Not good.

So. After looking around a great deal trying to find an optometrist who would accept my insurance, I made an appointment and went to see them.

One eye appointment, 2 pairs of glasses. $720 USD AFTER the insurance "breaks" and copays.
Click to expand...

Sorry Wayne but that is not so much the price of insurance but rather the price of sight these days. You and I have the same insurance (COBRA aside) and when I got my new glasses last spring (before the Bonaire trip) my total cost (including eye exam) was roughly the same. Like Glaucus, I chose some designer frames (very nice, flexible light titanium frames by Luxottica) and got high density plastic lenses with all the coatings. I don't have the receipt with me but I seem to recall paying close to $700 for a single pair. I could have saved some $$ by purchasing a cheaper frame and standard plastic lenses (with less coatings) but I wanted something that would last a while. The sad thing is that where I purchased my glasses from is one of the cheaper (mainstream) vision stores in town! I can think of at least one store here in Huntsville where my cost would have been $100 more! I can say that because I did some price checking before I purchased.

I'm not sure how this proposed Obama care would help either of us in this case. Sure, you might get a break on the actual eye exam but buying glasses is all about choice. You decided how much you want to spend.

Regards,
Ltstanfo
 
The two pair I got were actually Nautica flexible sunglass frames (they were the only ones I could find in a 57/58 frame to fit my head).

Transitions lenses, tinted, and anti-scratch coated.

The ONLY reason I bought the second pair was that the VSP/COBRA gave a 30% discount on the second pair *if* purchased during the same visit. Well, that, and I'm terrible at misplacing my glasses.

Strangely, since the multiple insurance discounts didn't apply to just putting new lenses in the old 5-year-old frames, it would have about 60% more to simply put in new lenses.

Love one pair, but they look a lot like my old ones, just black with wooden arms. The second pair looked a LOT better while my eyes were diliated but will do in a pinch.

@Lee,

Still beat you to bifocals, so I win... hey... drat...
 
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