I e-mailed tge optician with a scanned copy of my old UK prescription and my new specs are on order.
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I’m a bit confused here, Jane. Are these new lenses to a new prescription or, new lenses to an old prescription in a new frame?
From my understanding of the leaflet Wozza picked up and shared, an optometrist/optician can only issue new lenses if, following examination, the change in prescription is of little significance (“si la variation necessaire vous améliorer la vue est de faible importance”).
I am dubious about optometry and even ophthalmology since my wife was referred (when she sought an eye test and without any examination) to an ophthalmolgist for further tests and was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts three days later, and posted for urgent surgery a week later. All this although she has no visual defects and only uses reading glasses for small print.
The whole process was carried out with what we both thought was unseemly haste, and the ophthamologist conducted his examination across his desk. We both thought he seemed a bit tipsy and he was full of post-prandial bon-homie for the five minute encounter, for which my wife had to cough up 90 euros. He had eight patients in his waiting room the afternoon we attended. That’s 720 euros for forty minutes work, by my reckoning.
On the eve of the operation on her first eye we agreed she should get off the cataract conveyor belt, and we both felt mightily relieved. We went to the clinc and cancelled the surgery. They were not well pleased!
Fifteen years ago my wife was informed that she had ripe cataracts and stood a 95% chance of going blind in two years: this was at a Specsavers in Essex. She ignored the advice. She can still see perfectly well.
Ophthalmology in Calvados/Manche is outsourced to a private company and their clinic is teeming with grannies and grandads tottering round in green surgical gowns hats and boots like lambs to the slaughter. Like something out of Brave New World or Soylent Green:money_mouth_face:
!
We may be wrong here, but as experienced nurses we think our judgement here is sound, and we were being scammed, which is a disturbing notion. The ophthalmic suregeons are coining it: most seems to be Romanians or Italians, like most dentists in this part of France.
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Hi Peter
It certainly sounds as if you/your wife were given the run-around… ghastly…
OH and I have had very differing experiences too…
I had an eye problem and went via A&E (with Doctor’s blessing)…as the “appointment” system was dangerously long. Anyway, it meant that I had a really thorough investigation by an accredited and highly-competent Ophtalmologiste.
A few years down the line… OH had a problem and our Doc sent us back to the same hospital. However, OH saw a completely different person, the examination was fast and casual…the chap was totally uninterested and dismissive.
I was appalled… and reported all this to our Doc. He was furious and sent us to another Ophtalmo (not hospital-based) … who did the whole, thorough routine. Phew, OH is OK, but what a palaver…
We are sticking with this latest Ophtalmo… but he is retiring in a couple of years… I hope he finds someone good to take over his clients…including us 
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Peter,
I’ve had nigh on the same experiences with a dentist & specialized doctors, if I’d believed them I’d have had major surgery on my knees & false teeth, or I’d be in a wheelchair with false teeth.
One Kiné I was advised to see & I did was a top sports kiné for the French Rugby Federation he told me the same as the specialist sports doctor (the same as who referred me to him). Whilst thinking of what I should do, I put my back out at work & after I came off the morphine & could move a little my GP sent me off to see a Osteo/ kiné & after a few visits he put all to rights, even my knees. As for my teeth a few fillings & a couple of crowns all is fine.
Played my last game of rugby 2 years ago, 15 years after I supposedly needed urgent surgery if not I’d be in a wheel chair or need of walking aides.
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My OH and I have our eyes tested at Macon Hospital
There’s a lot we admire and appreciate about France healthcare, Stella, and we’re lucky not to have significant health problems, touch wood!
But I’m congenitally suspicious of health ‘business’ as there is an obvious imperative on businesses to drum up custom, and to seek out profitable markets. The ethics of healthcare business is, to be charitable, best described as nuanced and applied as a thin but mirror-like gloss.
I’m also very glad to have you back on the forum, Stella, after your sad re-union with your deceased brother, may he rest in peace.
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You’ve done very well, Wozza, several escapes by the skin of your perfectly salvagable teeth and the good sense of knowing what’s dud advice in your bones. And very funny with it 
! Santé, à la votre de Wozza ! 
My optician did an eye test and my sight has not changed since the test in Cirencester in April, 2017.
I need the new frames because the old one broke and the suppliers have discontinued that particular design.
I will have the eye health test in January in Prisse.
I believe the lady also works from the Polyclinique in Macon.
How does that work?
The worst thing in France was when I was diagnosed with lung cancer and given a letter saying just that.
I had just changed my GP as I was not satisfied with him.
He worked on his own and did not even have a computer!
The new guy speaks excellent english, but is now retiring. He was very helpful and sent me to a lovely lady oncologist in Macon.
She looked at my x rays and told me not to worry as that this particular guy was wrong 50% of the time.
I had to undergo a lung puncture, which was inconclusive, as they could not get the needle into the largest nodule in my lungs.
In UK two GP’s told me I did not have breast cancer when, in fact, I did.
They both refused to refer me to an oncologist and it was only when I was in a private clinic after initial treatment at Gloucester that I was taken seriously and had to have a mastectomy.
Made an appointment at the hospital ophthalmology department.
I used a group called Point Vision last time and booked an appointment on line for 8 days later. They are a bit thinly spread around the country but do have several places in Lyon (and Lens le Saumur for Jane)
Basically they have technicians to do the tests and then the real doctors check the results and write the prescriptions
I’m sat in Specsavers having just had drops in(Not atropine but similar) to check for floaters. Two months ago got a really annoying large floater. I can’t drive for 6 hours. Everything is a bit blurry.
But at least my eyes are being thoroughly checked.
It turns out I have a posterior vitreous detachment which is quite common and the good news is that my retina hasn’t torn.
The ophthalmologist asked if I had banged my head and I remembered that the dog had brought her head up under my jaw in August and it really hurt. It was around this time I started to see this large floater.
So there we have it. Definitely pays to get your eyes tested regularly. Apparently my brain will adapt and ignore this floater.
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Floaters are quite alarming! About fours years ago I had a similar experience of waking up to see the bedroom ceiling was obscured by potato peelings swirling over the bed. Turning my head caused them to swirl more. Big, brown and with a life of their own. I thought “This is it! Going blind (or worse)”
But nature swept them up, or pulled the plug on them within 48 hours, leaving the dish-water crystal clear. Never happened since! 
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Will look into that Steve, Lyon is a possibility for the future.
I am told that my new specs will be available tomorrow.