I had my eyes tested whilst in UK and needed a change to one of my lenses.
I had the work done at my optician in France as I did not want to buy new frames.
I was given a feuille de soins to send off for the princely sum of 7.32 to be reimbursed.
I have had the feuille returned asking for a prescription, which, of course, you do not need in UK.
I have had a prescription before when my old prescription ran out of date and our GP provides them for free.
I have already had to use a stamp to send this darned feuille to Macon and, will have to do the same again if I bother to claim the measly amount they are paying.
Do I really need this prescription and would you bother.
The last time I had trouble with CPAM Macon I had to take the French Health Authorities to the European Commission which took two years, I won and they never apologised.
I don’t understand why they reimburse so little, I am with the MGEN and could get new specs every 2 years if I want them; as it is my last specs ended up costing me about 17€ (for ray-ban frames and high tech all singing all dancing lenses), but if my prescription changes the lenses are free whenever. I have a yearly visit to the ophtalmologiste which I pay 23€ for and am reimbursed 21€.
I don’t understand the problem with the prescription. You always get a prescription when you have an eye test done in the UK. And you must have given the prescription to the optician in France, or how did they know what lenses you needed?
Hi Vero, also do I really need this prescription? Surely, the prescription is for the visit to the optician for the vision test, and the feuille de soins for the measly reimbursement for the replacement lens.
Is MGEN associated with your work? We are retired.
Anna, I think they are referring to a prescription from the medecin traitant for the eye
test itself, but I would appreciate clarity on that.
I suppose I could always send a copy of my UK eye prescription to them, but it really is becoming a pain.
I don’ t get a prescription from the medecin traitant to go to the ophtalmo, I just make my appointment directly, the prescription is made out for new lenses by the ophtalmo but only if my vision has changed since the last visit.
A prescription is valid for I think 3 years so if no change, no need to get a new prescription.
If I need a new pair of specs because they are scratched or whatever, I take my existing prescription for replacement lenses to the optician (they have it in their computer anyway) et voilĂ , if it is 2 years since the last lot they are free, if I need new new lenses with a different correction it is also free even if it is less than 2 years since I got my specs.
Yes the MGEN is through work they are my mutuelle and the top-up.
Did they say that? In this context, I would have thought “prescription” is more likely to mean the prescription for your lenses.
Anna, it says prescription medicale.
Ok I have checked, the ophtalmo is one of the specialists you do NOT have to go to via your GP. I should think the prescription referred to is for the lenses. Ophtalmo are doctors, unlike opticians who cannot prescribe but only deliver and fit specs (they do a 2 year after the Bac BTS lunetterie, not medical school). You can get a bog standard how many fingers am I holding up type eye test at the optician’s but that isn’t a proper eye test for eyeball pressure degree of astigmatism presbytia etc etc.
Actually Vero
When we came to France… I went to the French Optician and he did an eye-test and decided my current lenses were not sufficient… and gave me a new prescription, lenses and frames… all of which was covered by CPAM and Mutuelle. I did not visit an Aphtalmo until 12 years later…and how that went has been discussed in another thread.
Goodness! I thought it wasn’t possible! Did you get a fond d’oeil etc? Or is your optician more qualified than the usual ones eg an optométriste? Because opticians aren’t allowed to prescribe, according to my optician at least.
But oooh ooh ooh look what I just found
https://www.krys.com/sante/conseils-opticiens/lunettes-de-vue-ou-lentilles-de-contact/on-ma-dit-quon-pouvait-changer-de-lunettes-sans-aller-chez-lophtalmo
I stand corrected!!
I always had the fond d’œil done when I lived in UK as my optician there was also a fully qualified opthalmologist (ex-eye-hospital specialist). he did such extras in with the normal eye test. Great…
Never thought about it for all the years here… until one day my french optician asked when I had last had it done… and suggested I get back into the habit… prevention being better than cure… et voilà …I would add that my Optician here is more highly qualified than most… and if he was registered as an Ophtalmo he could do all that as well…lovely guy… found him by chance and stayed with him.
Vero, in UK you have a proper eye health test at the same time as your vision is tested. Cataract, glaucoma, peripheral vision etc.
You do not need a prescription for this and it is free if you are over 60.
Quite so Jane, I remember getting contact lenses in GB and all the concomitant hoo ha & testing etc but that was with an ophthalmic optician who came to the optician’s shop 3x a week or so - so ophthalmic opticians were a thing and then they did your specs on the spot, downstairs. And my lenses were free but I paid a lot more for my frames. And the person who tested my eyes didn’t make my specs himself.
But here because the ophtalmos don’t make specs they have to give you a prescription for your lenses, you don’t need to go and see anyone eg your gp first.
So what exactly is this fonctionnaire asking for?
The prescription for the lenses themselves, I think.
Jane … why not pop into your local CPAM some time…and ask them to explain… I often find things easier… face-to-face…
If I remember rightly… you have about 2 years in which you can ask for reimbursement of a particular “feuille de soins” … so there is no particular rush…
Stella, the amount is only 7.32 and I have already spent a euro on one stamp and will probably have to buy another to send the damned feuille de soins back to them.
I am going into Cluny on Thursday so will ask the optician.
I would spend the whole lot on diesel going into my nearest CPAM.
I now have the answer. The opticians should have attached a copy of the prescrption for my new lens to the feuille de soins, but they forgot.
Normally my opticians give an excellent service, but this time everything that could go wrong has done so.
I will now return all the paperwork to Macon.
The UK prescription should be fine. We have used it and the CPAM were quite happy