Optometrists/Opticians

The snarky comments are a bit unnecessary. KSand24 did a great job of answering her questions by briefly explaining how the system works. Don't forget, if you're not happy with another member's posts you have the power to ignore them. :-)

The snarky comments are a bit unnecessary. KSand24 did a great job of answering her questions by briefly explaining how the system works. Don't forget, if you're not happy with another member's posts you have the power to ignore them. :-)

Honestly, I find the mollycoddling of her to be a bit disconcerting. Do we have refrigeration (see her thread on that)? Do doctors in the UK perform laser eye surgery? What's the NHS? We pay our taxes to the Queen.

This is allegedly an adult who is getting married to a Brit. These are not quite normal questions to be asking. It screams of troll.

Honestly, I find the mollycoddling of her to be a bit disconcerting. Do we have refrigeration (see her thread on that)? Do doctors in the UK perform laser eye surgery? What's the NHS? We pay our taxes to the Queen.

This is allegedly an adult who is getting married to a Brit. These are not quite normal questions to be asking. It screams of troll.

When I first started talking to people I knew in America about moving to the UK, I was shocked at the number of them who thought I was going to have to adjust to a life without many amenities. It's not a rare perception in the US that Britain doesn't have all the comforts we're used to. I actually did hear the refrigeration myth, too, even.

Becca came here to learn. She's been very nice to and appreciative of people here (hardly the definition of troll), and if she prefers a community of people over having to filter through Google results, then that's her choice. There are people in the community open to hearing her questions, and willing to answer them. You don't have to be one, if you don't judge her sufficiently along the learning curve to warrant your attention, but at least let everyone else make up their own minds.

Back to the topic at hand, thank you everyone who had taken the time to respond to my original post; you've all been quite helpful, and I appreciate having some direction now. :-)

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When I first started talking to people I knew in America about moving to the UK, I was shocked at the number of them who thought I was going to have to adjust to a life without many amenities. It's not a rare perception in the US that Britain doesn't have all the comforts we're used to. I actually did hear the refrigeration myth, too, even.

Becca came here to learn. She's been very nice to and appreciative of people here (hardly the definition of troll), and if she prefers a community of people over having to filter through Google results, then that's her choice. There are people in the community open to hearing her questions, and willing to answer them. You don't have to be one, if you don't judge her sufficiently along the learning curve to warrant your attention, but at least let everyone else make up their own minds.

Back to the topic at hand, thank you everyone who had taken the time to respond to my original post; you've all been quite helpful, and I appreciate having some direction now. :-)

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Ymberlenis>>Thank you so much for your support and defending me even if you didn't have to. No one should judge another person regardless of their intelligence or lack of, their race, or cultural differences, etc...

Yes, I was shocked at some of you who attacked me for that perception that I had about Britain lacking amenities that I am used to over here in the US but I am here to tell you I won't have no trouble adapting to life in the UK for I am used to living a simple life and am much happier being that way contrary to what some of you think.  For I am a very humble person once you get to know to me. 

Yes, I came here to learn and like I said, this forum can answer most of my questions. But I also know this forum won't take the place of the real learning I will experience once I get home to my man. For life is but one big giant learning curve.  We are never too young or too old to stop learning.

I wouldn't worry about it, Becca. As you said, we never stop learning. I think it's important to ask questions rather than just assume your perceptions are correct. I think that can lead to some problems down the line. When I moved over, I had to have DH show me how to cross the street. He thought it was absolutely ridiculous, but I was really concerned about doing something that British drivers wouldn't expect and causing an accident. I was also a bit concerned about totally embarrassing myself. 

Yes, I know the feeling.  I had voiced my concern to my fiance about driving on the wrong side of the road and he said "Don't worry, for I have a surprise for you on that".  He wouldn't elaborate but I know it is to help me get used to driving over there.  As for crossing the road, that can be a bit tricky since their crossroads and signs are a bit confusing. lol.

It's the National Health Service - the socialised medicine that covers most services for most people here for free at the point of service, paid for by taxes (National Insurance Contributions). That's the general description, anyway.

Actually National Insurance contributions don't fund the NHS. That comes from general taxation. NI contributions go toward paying for state pension and benefits such as unemployment.

We pay our taxes to the Queen.

I was once in a chat room online and an American seriously thought that Brit's could be arrested for making critical remarks about the royal family in a pub (I mean us being in a pub, not the royals!)

Back to opticians.

Generally you have to pay. Many opticians will do special offers on eye tests or deduct the cost from the price of the glasses if you need them. My last eye test was £10.
You then get a prescription and are free to go elsewhere to get this completed. You pay for lenses and frames, again many do offers of a free pair at a basic prescription. So, for example, my prescription was for varifocals, I got a 2nd pair of distance glasses tinted for driving free.
DW takes her daughter (now 23 and without health benefits) to the optician here as she says glasses are cheaper here. In fact DW got some glasses here when she visited before we got married.

And eye tests are free in Scotland, at present.

.I just don't know that the training required (at least in the US) really includes much background on nystagmus, based on my experiences the past several years.

I am a US trained/educated optometrist who has worked both in the US and UK   with experience with nystagmus patients.  Optometrist/Doctors of Optometry/"Eye Drs" are more extensively trained in the US than in the UK.  In the UK, optometrists earn a Bachelor degree in Optometry.  Basically not as much medical background education/training before graduation.  However, in the UK, optometrists (or "ophthalmic opticians" as they are still called) are heavily trained in orthoptics/vision therapy from what I have seen.

You are not alone in your thoughts about commercial/chain establishments. And in the UK, the chains seem to outnumber the independent/private practice optometrists. Having worked for chains in the US and UK, I can tell you that $$s and ££s come far ahead of patient care in many places.  One of my last employers in the UK told me I wasn't finding enough prescription changes and needed to look harder to find faults in the frames and lenses and recommend glasses even though they didn't really need them.  Needless to say I didn't stay long there.

There are specialty optometrists that can help you in and out of the NHS.  Honestly, I would stay out of the NHS if you can and work with a local independent optometrist who has the time and flexiblity to work with you. Feel free to PM me and I can direct you to one in your area. 

Thanks everyone, again. I haven't been around the site and my email's been down the last few days, so I hadn't seen or been notified about the most recent posts. I was just coming to update.

I contacted the RNIB, and though they offered a few additional resources of interest relating to nystagmus, I didn't get much direction in the way of finding a suitable eye-care provider. So I ended up just going to the NHS site and searching there. The one I ended up choosing, being able to go pretty much just on location and on positive reviews at the site, I was able to see yesterday. He and his staff were helpful and patient, and it has, so far, been a very good experience. My glasses and contacts are due in tomorrow, so I guess only time will tell whether he managed to get my prescription and contacts fit right, but I am encouraged by yesterday's visit.

Again, I so appreciate all the direction and feedback I got here. It is going to be so fantastic to see without headaches again!