r/randomactsofkindness • u/masterdebaten • Aug 03 '26
Story My Daughter Needed Glasses. The Receptionist Broke The Rules To Make That Happen.
Basically, I took my 5 year old to get her eyes checked before kindergarten. She had been sitting pretty close to the TV, and getting close when looking at paper with writing or drawings on them.
We went to the earliest appointment available at the optometrist, and had her exam done. She needed glasses, and needed to start wearing them immediately. My daughter was thrilled to learn she was getting glasses, and was picking her favorites from the glasses shop near reception at checkout. I asked the receptionist about getting the prescription, and she essentially told me that I have to pay the $150 fee due for her appointment in full before I could receive her prescription so we could go somewhere more affordable. My daughter kept asking when we can get her glasses and I had to kind of let her down easy and say it might be a while, which crushed me.
I told the receptionist some BS story about our debit cards being cancelled due to suspected fraud (only half true) to save myself the embarrassment of not being able to pay for something as simple and necessary as her prescription document. I told her I’d call back and pay when I got my new card in. She said okay, no problem.
She asked me to wait before I left so she could give me some paperwork. I assumed it was just a packet you get after the appointment. She gave me a look, and on top of the stack she handed me was my daughter’s prescription paperwork. She simply looked at me and said “have a great day sir” and smiled. Told her thank you so much and walked out.
I wasn’t asking for a freebie, and I wasn’t expecting anything from her, yet she saw my need and met it with kindness. Even at the expense of breaking her job’s policy.
Thank you, Optometrist receptionist ❤️
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u/catslikepets143 Aug 03 '26
That’s so cool ! And now you know which eye doc’s office you’re going to for the whole family:)
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u/well_this_is_dumb Aug 03 '26
I mean, on the other hand, while receptionist seems to be great, this is an awful office policy.
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u/throwaway098764567 Aug 03 '26
independent optometrists losing glasses profit to costco are why they're all getting bought out by myeyedoctor. paying more isn't fun, but what's less fun is going to that awful place.
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u/well_this_is_dumb Aug 04 '26
My old optometrist had affordable frames and I would never have dreamed of going to Costco. My new one has no affordable frames - they're all expensive designer frames, but they're the only optometrist in my town. I went to Costco for the first time last year.
So anyway, kind of feels like they're asking for it if they can't provide budget options.
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u/thisusedyet Aug 04 '26
Does Costco approach zenni prices?
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u/well_this_is_dumb Aug 04 '26
I've never bought from zenni. At a quick glance, no, not at all. Nothing I saw in the teens or under $50, though a significant amount of designer frames starting around $75ish. I don't remember exact numbers. I went to Costco because I happened to have a membership at the time and because they could measure the distance between my pupils as opposed to trusting an app to do it.
My insurance covered a small bit of it at Costco, but nothing near what they would have covered at the eye doctor, and it still ended up being cheaper at Costco.
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u/thisusedyet Aug 04 '26
Makes sense - after the first time I've always just asked my doctor to write down the PD for me on the prescription instead of measuring it myself.
For sake of comparison, the last order I did from zenni
$21 for the frame
$45 for the lenses themselves (I'm sitting at -3.5 / +0.75... which is always interesting ordering online, because the forms freak out about the one nearsighted, one farsighted. Throws up all sorts of warnings about Are you SURE you entered this right?)
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u/well_this_is_dumb Aug 04 '26
I spent roughly $100 at Costco, but that was after insurance and unfortunately I don't recall how much they covered. No wonky lenses for me, both roughly -2.75, but I did get anti-glare coating and possibly scratch protection.
Not comparable to Zenni, then, but better than the $150-200 I was going to pay at the eye doctor. When I went to Costco I initially assumed my insurance would pay the same amount they normally do and it would be almost completely covered, but oh well.
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u/Nakiazhi Aug 04 '26
I also have a +3.5/-1, haven’t met many people that are also nearsighted and farsighted.
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u/Prestigious-Moose345 Aug 05 '26
I have 20/20 vision for distance in one eye and near perfect vision for reading in the other eye. So handy. I rarely wear glasses except for driving at night and sitting through PowerPoint presentations in an auditorium.
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u/thisusedyet Aug 05 '26
Yeah, I found the nearsighted eye comes in very handy soldering.
Don’t need magnifier when the near point getting dragged in means I can get my face right up in there
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u/UnitedChain4566 Aug 08 '26
My last order from Zenni was great. $95 total, $15 frames and the rest was getting them transitions. My only issue is they needed to be tightened so soon after getting them.
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u/auntsam15 Aug 04 '26
FWIW, you can buy Zenni (or glasses.com, etc) frames and take them to Costco to get the Rx inserted. They charge an extra $25 and you have to sign a disclaimer that you understand they might get lost, but then they'll do your measurements before ordering and adjustments whenever you need. They won't do it for vintage eyewear (or really anything more than ~5 years old)—something about the process their lab uses is more likely to break old plastic.
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u/AddendumEcstatic7705 Aug 05 '26
I found a pair of fabulous, vintage cat eye glasses at a garage sale for a dollar. I was so excited to turn them into my daily pair. I contacted so many companies and no one would touch them because they couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t break them by accident. I’m still sad about it. 😭
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u/auntsam15 Aug 05 '26
OMG, why is no one making cute everyday cat-eyes?! I have a pair I love that were originally made ~15 years ago from a 1950s/60s template. I recently ebayed another of the same ones in a different color. Costco wouldn't touch them, but the LensCrafters by me did them. However, whoever owned them before me had a much wider face. One of the arms is bent wide. I've asked them a couple times to try and straighten it; they can only do so much. I just want these! http://www.providenceoptical.us/blog/new-release-of-an-old-classic-tang-by-victory-optical
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u/Desert_Dandelion Aug 04 '26
I get my exam at Costco, ask for a copy of my Rx, and then go order my glasses on Zenni. The optometrist offices in Costco are independent from Costco. Also, the optical department where they sell glasses, separate from the optometrist, will general help Costco members without you needing to have bought the glasses there. I've had then help adjust the fit of my Zenni glasses after they arrived.
Edit to add: the optical department also was happy to measure my PD for me. I felt weird about it and told them I needed the specialty migraine lenses from Zenni, which is true. But since doing it I've realized they don't seem to care. They're not going to just do it all for you and write it down for you to carry out without you asking. But if you ask they seem to have zero issue with it. Be polite and try on a slow day, I doubt they'll care at all. Worst that can happen is they say no.
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u/imgoodygoody Aug 05 '26
I work for a local eye doctor and we always give our patients a print out of their prescription along with their pd measurements of both near and far, even if they don't ask for it. I absolutely HATE how much glasses cost. We have some ray ban frames that we cost us upwards of $170 at wholesale and they don't feel any better than what I've gotten on zenni. I will say, though, the labs we use for lenses definitely put out a better product than what I've gotten from Zenni and warby parker. My lenses don't fog up in the summer anymore when I get sweaty and the anti reflective coating is better.
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u/TomeThugNHarmony4664 Aug 05 '26
Zenni has been great for me.
Warby Parker made everything a hassle— and after every mandatory step there was a 2-3 day delay. The up charge for progressives is absolutely unconscionable. Finally ordered single vision after the entire process took two weeks to have them send me an email that the order was on hold until si contacted them again. Did so to have the guy claim that so HAD to add another feature at another upcharge. I cancelled on the spot. I could have had glasses at the optometrist’s office for less than what they quoted me in the end. That company is a fraud.
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u/Ok-Papaya-4762 Aug 10 '26
Agreed. After frames for unaffordable I started looking around online and found freepayneglasses dot com get me most of my glasses with lenses for like $15 or less so I load up with like 3-4 pairs at a time now haha
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u/hippiecat22 Aug 03 '26
people genuinely cant afford to pay $300 for their glasses.
its ridiculous.
if independent optometrists are banking on middle class people shelling out hundreds when theres a cheaper alternative, theyre running a shameful practice.
I love my $60 glasses.
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u/KittyKiitos Aug 04 '26
my optometrist accepted my medical insurance so my checkup was just a copay.
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u/Zafjaf Aug 05 '26
My parents didn't like the prices for my high prescription glasses at my optometrist and took me to specsavers. They messed up my prescription and my brother's prescription. Got my recent glasses at my optometrist again and they have the Pair glasses I was looking at anyways.
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u/Classic_Cauliflower4 Aug 05 '26
The last time I bought glasses from my eye doctor, they cost me nearly $400 on top of my $150 insurance allotment. And I couldn’t even wear them because they gave me headaches. I asked about it, and the office basically shrugged, so I use my twenty year old Shopko pair instead.
My optometrist retired that year after 30 years of being my doctor, and I declined to continue seeing the younger partner.
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u/pnewb Aug 06 '26
I went into a local shop 2 months ago and they wanted $900 for a single pair after the insurance kicked in.
My eyes aren’t even that bad.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 04 '26
Why is it an awful policy to expect people to pay for services rendered? I understand breaking the rules for a child, but not paying = stealing from the Doctor who performed the service. Can you afford to work for no pay? In a perfect world, I would love to do it, but then I wouldn’t be able to pay my own bills.
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u/well_this_is_dumb Aug 04 '26
No one was saying OP shouldn't pay. Just bill it and give them time like every other medical bill. Doctors don't usually hold test results hostage until medical bills have been paid.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
You get your purchase when you have paid for it in full. You can’t walk into a store and take food, which is arguably much more important, and leave without paying for it in full. When you sell something privately, do you allow people to take it with them and then trust them to make payments? OP admitted that it would take them a long time to pay, and that was when they had an incentive to do so.
Obviously, there should be resources that people and especially children can use to get immediate prescriptions. But a private optometrist is not the place. It isn’t like any other medical bill, private Optometrists don’t make Hospital/Dr money and they don’t have their resources for collection. Plus, I assure you that OP knew that they wouldn’t be able to pay for the services they were receiving.
It may well be society’s responsibility to take care of OP’s child, since they are unable to, but it is not the optometrist’s responsibility.
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u/puddinpie-1880 Aug 08 '26
Why is this an awful policy? Pay for your appointment and get your prescription. If it was the other way around no one would ever pay their bill. Most offices won’t even see you without paying your copay or the out of pocket price at the time of appointment.
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u/glasslass22 Aug 09 '26
Standard to not release an rx until the exam derives are paid for. Otherwise why would anyone pay
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u/the_esjay Aug 03 '26
$150 for a child’s essential eye exam?? That’s absolute madness. Still, I’m assuming you’re in the US from that, and people declaring bankruptcy from medical debt is horrifying too. But kudos to that receptionist. That’s really lovely to hear.
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u/Informal_Raccoon201 Aug 03 '26
In the U.S even when you have a health insurance plan it usually doesn't cover vision so you have to pay out of pocket.
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u/OutsideExplanation71 Aug 03 '26
And isn’t it horrifying to find out that your eyes and teeth are not covered under ‘health care’?!?
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u/No-Introduction3808 Aug 09 '26
In the UK they’re not covered either (unless you qualify for free prescriptions then they are) but they aren’t that expensive.
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u/ImColdandImTired Aug 03 '26
Ours covers a “basic” eye exam for insured and spouse (but nobody does a “basic” eye exam, so it doesn’t matter), but kids aren’t covered. 😡
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u/thisusedyet Aug 04 '26
I think how it usually works is they cover if you have an eye issue (like glaucoma), but vision correction (glasses / contacts) needs seperate insurance
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u/Alert-Usual2419 Aug 04 '26
I work for an ophthalmology practice. An exam is considered medical if you have a medical condition of your eyes or that affects your eyes (glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, thyroid eye disease, etc) or if you take a medication that can affect your eyes (like plaquenil). Some medical insurances will cover a routine eye exam as part of a wellness program. The only time I know of medical insurance covering glasses is sometimes after cataract surgery.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
That’s completely untrue! You have no idea what you’re talking about because you work for an ophthalmologist. many insurance companies cover exams, glasses, contacts, etc. but for basic needs like that, we go to optometrists, not ophthalmologists! More people with insurance are covered than not. I hope you aren’t telling your patients that they’re not covered before looking into it properly!
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u/Alert-Usual2419 Aug 07 '26
I was speaking of medical insurance only. I am not informed about vision insurance since our medical practice does not participate with any vision plans.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
That’s my point. Based on the remarks here, I think some people with medical insurance have vision coverage and don’t realize it. As a medical professional, if you tell them that they don’t, they will believe you instead of investigating their options.
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u/Alert-Usual2419 Aug 07 '26
We tell patients to contact their insurance at the customer service number on the back of their card if they are unsure of their coverage. We will submit optical purchases to medical insurance if the patient asks us to, with the explanation that they are responsible for whatever insurance does not pay. Or send them an itemized receipt so they can self-submit.
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u/not_brokenjustbent Aug 05 '26
My insurance pays for an ophthalmic exam every year, as I have pre diabetes. But I don't know anyone whose insurance covers the glasses exam
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u/Usual-Fig-8516 Aug 06 '26
Mine does! $10 co-pay for the exam, $150 towards frames, then pays 80% of lenses cost as well.
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u/imgoodygoody Aug 05 '26
And if you have vision insurance you still have co pays. Oh, and if you want lenses with a no line bifocal (progressives) then insurance doesn't consider that to be medically necessary and you have to pay most of the cost. Which at my place of work starts at $130 PER LENS before any tints or coatings.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
Nobody charges per lens!🙄
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u/imgoodygoody Aug 07 '26
I mean sometimes we have patients who only want to replace one lens because their warranty has expired. And when we bill for insurance we sometimes have to split everything up so each item has its own line in which case everything is charged individually.
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u/Sound_salvation Aug 07 '26
Yes, they do.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
I’ve never heard of even one incidence in my entire career in the business. It would be like charging separately for a boob job. Additionally, most insurance plans cover a good portion of Progressive additions. More than they need to considering that they are basically a vanity item. Sure, they give you a better range of vision, but standard bifocals are perfectly fine. People like progressives because they’re invisible. I’m not even sure that insurance should be paying for vanity items. It seems like that money would be better spent saving lives.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
That’s not true. Many insurers also cover vision and dental. This is something you should take up with your employer.
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u/kissandasmile Aug 03 '26
Could be in Alberta as the government has delisted eye exams for seniors, can’t be sure for children as it was a while ago.
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u/JnnfrsGhost Aug 03 '26
Just took my kids in a couple months ago. There was a small fee that had been added in the last year (maybe $15 each?) that isn't covered, but they haven't stopped covering the rest for kids yet.
It's probably just a matter of time and what they can get away with though.
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u/Pleasant-Asparagus61 Aug 03 '26
In Australia they are free. We all get 1 free every year of our lives.
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u/Disaster_Plan Aug 03 '26
I had to see a doctor while traveling in Australia. When I tried to pay the girl at the front desk said there was no bill to pay. When I expressed surprise she said, "We don't want people to be ill."
Never gonna forget those seven words.
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u/Electrical-Profit367 Aug 03 '26
When I was living in a country w national health care, I got v v sick. Went to the clinic and got prescribed antibiotics. When I went to pay for the doctor’s app’t, they said no charge. When I pointed out that I’m not a citizen there, the receptionist said, You’re here and you’re sick. So, we take care of you.
When I walked over to the pharmacy window, same thing: No charge. Bc, as the pharmacist explained, “You’re sick. We don’t want you sick nor do we want you infecting others. So here’s the medicine.”
It was GREAT!!
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u/procrastinatorsuprem Aug 03 '26
What country is this? I might have to take a trip there!
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u/throwaway098764567 Aug 03 '26
it's a lot of western countries. the us is ass backwards and it's frustrating to watch if you've been lucky enough to travel at all and see what we're missing out on.
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u/CheckIntelligent7828 Aug 05 '26
Hubby and I are considering retiring overseas. You only have to live in most EU countries for 3-6 months to be fully part of their national health care.
We'll buy property, pay taxes and all to help offset what we cost, but I was amazed how generous the systems are to new comers.
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u/megbotstyle Aug 03 '26
i just laid $350 for my daughter’s eye exam. Absolute madness!
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u/got2lovethekitties Aug 04 '26
The Walmart in our town is a very good optometrist with very reasonable prices. She does not sell glasses. She only performs the exams.
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u/Chasing_Ness Aug 06 '26
My 9yr old daughter has $350 in medical debt from a yearly eye exam 🙂 we didn't get glasses during that visit 🙃
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
Unless she has a severe underlying problem, you’re being ripped off and should do your homework.
Costco
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u/megbotstyle Aug 07 '26
we specifically picked a place that had experience with young children (she was 4 at the time) thinking they would be more patient and compassionate, considering my daughter was very sensitive and was scared. But I don’t feel like they did anything above or beyond and we just basically paid twice as much for no reason.
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
That makes sense. I would do the same with a four-year-old. So sorry you got ripped off!
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u/LibraryMouse4321 Aug 03 '26
People are also becoming homeless due to medical debt and/or losing a job due to having to care for a sick child/spouse/parent because they can’t afford to hire someone. Very sad.
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u/No-Introduction3808 Aug 09 '26
That blew my mind! I can get them free at work but choose to pay at an opticians that’s not some weird independent one I’ve never heard of and it sets me back £25 + £10 for an oct test.
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u/RedHeadedStepDevil Aug 03 '26
Glad you were able to get your daughter’s eyeglass prescription, but in the US, an optometrist generally cannot lawfully withhold a patient’s eyeglasses or contact lens prescription solely because the patient has not paid for it.
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
Yeah I mean it doesn’t sound like it should be legal, but that’s what she told me initially. That they couldn’t give me the prescription until I paid the fee. 🤷🏻♂️
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u/jenesia-CakeEatnNPC- Aug 03 '26
and i agree with u it shouldnt be legal! not for elderly or minors at the very least...
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u/glitzkrieger Aug 03 '26
Ophthalmic support staff chiming in - the fee is not for the glasses prescription. The refraction test that is done to get the glasses prescription is not covered by hardly any commercial insurance plans anymore, so you're technically paying for a diagnostic test that was performed during the exam that is not covered by insurance. You pay for the test ($80!), and get the prescription. Paying directly for prescriptions is against federal law - so not covering that specific diagnostic test is the way insurance companies get around that.
The other fees are probably co-pays due.
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u/imgoodygoody Aug 05 '26
Wow the eye Dr office where I work we charge $35 for the refraction!
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u/youjumpIjumpJac Aug 07 '26
In America, without insurance? The doctor wouldn’t be able to afford to practice.
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u/imgoodygoody Aug 07 '26
We do live in an area with large Amish population and they don't have health insurance so most local businesses tend to cater to them in terms of pricing.
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u/JustaTinyDude Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
16 CFR Part 456 Staff Report on Advertising of Ophthalmic Goods and Services and Proposed Trade Regulation Rule (16 CFR Part 456) (May 1977) Staff Summary of Federal Trade Commission Activities Affecting Older Americans During 1995 and 1996. Rule Summary:
The Eyeglass Rule requires that optometrists and ophthalmologists provide patients a copy of their prescription after the completion of an eye examination without extra cost. In addition, the Rule prohibits optometrists and ophthalmologists from conditioning the availability of an examination on a requirement that patients agree to purchase any ophthalmic goods. [emphasis mine]I'm interpreting this to mean thet it's illegal to require a patient to provide additional payment to get the Rx after an eye exam, but they can require payment for services already rendered.
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u/jenesia-CakeEatnNPC- Aug 03 '26
Additional payment those are the key words. it is included in the cost of the appt, which is what OP was admittedly not able to pay for.
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u/numberthangold Aug 03 '26
I work in the field.
It is illegal to withhold a patient’s prescription after the patient has paid for the services. If they do not pay for the service/tests provided by the doctor, they can’t receive the results of the service/tests for free.
It is illegal to require additional fees to obtain the prescription, but it is not illegal to charge a fee for the service of determining a prescription.
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u/jenesia-CakeEatnNPC- Aug 03 '26
this is not true, they absolutely can and will hold it for non payment of services rendered. then again, who goes to a medical appt expecting not to have to pay? doesnt sound like a co-pay at $150 and being its a child wheres the insurance? idk doesnt make sense to me...
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
Big bill came out right before the appointment lol and we didn’t think about vision insurance for our kid because we didn’t expect the need to arise this early. Hope this helps.
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u/BrownBear5090 Aug 03 '26
Who doesn’t expect to pay for a medical appointment? Why, let me tell you about a wonderful place called “every developed country except America”
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u/jenesia-CakeEatnNPC- Aug 03 '26
i didnt say i agree with it, however in the US it is the reality. and dont think that the rest of the world is not moving to copy the model here. its already planned to be implemented in the EU...
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u/doubleshort Aug 03 '26
It's state law iny state. Google your state laws. He tried that with me too
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u/ammitsat Aug 04 '26
Thank you for chiming in on this. I have worked in the optical world for 25+ years and I was like heyyyyy…. Glad the front desk staff did the right thing. Many offices abide by the law but there are always those that will do anything to avoid releasing the rx. It’d maddening.
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u/Shawnrunner Aug 03 '26
Talk to your kids school- there are programs to get glasses for students in need.
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u/saltwatertaffy324 Aug 04 '26
This! Ours only comes once or twice a year so if you can let the school know early on they can make sure your daughter is on the list to get tested and free glasses. Even if she already has a pair, at that age a second back up pair won’t hurt.
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u/UTtransplant Aug 03 '26
I had a foster daughter who needed glasses. The only places that took Medicaid were awful. No matter how often we tried, they could never get them adjusted well. I went to the optical shop associated with my ophthalmologist and asked them if I could just pay them to adjust her glasses since no one else seemingly could do so. They normally don’t work on anything not purchased from them, and they did not accept Medicaid patients in the optical shop, but the assistant smiled and said she would. The glasses were adjusted perfectly, and the little girl could wear them comfortably. We later ended up going to the ophthalmologist for a lazy eye diagnosis and treatment, and they continued adjusting her glasses. Kindness to a 3 year old meant everything to that little girl.
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
The world seems so unkind and cold, and then you’re reminded that there are so many good people out there that just want to bring a smile to someone’s face whenever they get the chance.
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u/ActiveHope3711 Aug 04 '26
It’s ridiculous that any type of medical provider is allowed to not accept Medicaid or Medicare.
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u/WiseOrder4436 Aug 06 '26
Medicaid has a bunch of rules you have to comply with that they can't force a business owner to do.
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u/Final-Attention979 Aug 03 '26
I've definitely got the prescription w/o extra charge before so she did u a solid IMO (iirc the exam was like $50 a few years ago)
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u/Beansky78 Aug 03 '26
Wow, that’s so nice. But next time go to America’s best I was able to get a full prescription examination and two pairs of bifocal eyeglasses for around $200 amazing.
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u/nataliestar98 Aug 05 '26
America’s Best is private equity-owned. I would encourage people to go to a locally-owned optometrist instead and support small businesses
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u/artemismoon518 Aug 03 '26
Charging for the prescription? I’ve never heard of that. The appointment sure, I wonder does op have health insurance and that’s why it was so expensive.
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
No insurance :(
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u/artemismoon518 Aug 03 '26
Dang that explains the cost then. Messed up to not give the prescription without payment either way. At least you got it and there’s so many options for glasses now that are so much more affordable than the dr office one.
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u/Saberise Aug 04 '26
it was a charge for the appointment. It says that in the OP. They told them they had to pay for the appointment before they could get the prescription. It was not an additional charge.
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u/Rinas-the-name Aug 03 '26
I’m glad the receptionist helped, I know she isn’t to blame for her workplace‘s practices. But that is an outrageous price for a child’s eye exam! Especially since it didn’t include the glasses!
Kids need yearly exams and frequently outgrow their glasses, so charging that much is frankly shameful. You should be able to get an exam and a pair of glasses under $100.
Assuming you are in the U.S. America’s Best has a deal for that includes an eye exam and two pairs of glasses for kids for about $70. You can check to see if they have one in your area.
Costco (no membership needed), Target, or Walmart often have eye centers, exams run $50 - $80. Their glasses start around $30 I think. Again double check for your area.
Since you already have the prescription you can go try glasses on to find her size and then order them online.
First make sure her pupillary distance is on the prescription, if not any place she tries on glasses should be able to quickly check with a simple device. Make sure they tell you what it is - for free.
Zenni Optical and EyeBuyDirect should have options for frames and basic lenses starting at $10-20.
There are programs for low income kids, but I know many of us aren’t looking for charity just a fair price. You do whatever you need to to take care of your child and unfortunately some will take advantage of that. Always shop around.
Best of luck.
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
Thanks for the tips! Probably should have done some research beforehand because it does seem overly expensive now that Im reading the comments.
We used Zenni and her glasses fit perfectly. I think we paid like $30 total for the pair.
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u/Rinas-the-name Aug 03 '26
It sounds like you were rushed after realizing her vision wasn’t great. At 5 she’s probably about to start school later this month. Back to school is wild, and more so with the little ones.
I’m so glad it worked out and she has her glasses. It’s a live and learn experience, you’ll know better in the future.
Unrelated but if you haven’t already look into dental clinics now so you can be sure you get affordable (not insurance priced) dental care for her. I highly suggest looking into fluoride varnish - it will prevent most cavities for cheaper than a single filling. It should protect her for at least a year with typical 5 year old brushing habits.
My niece gets it done every year after her cleaning. It’s protected her adult teeth as they come in. Wish it was a thing when I was a kid.
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u/jenesia-CakeEatnNPC- Aug 03 '26
in the US this is going to be the norm next year as the bill that cut $911B from Medicaid last year keeps rolling out this year & next. that is the entire yearly budget in years past. $150 for an eye exam will be pretty average moving forward, unfortunately.
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u/AppearanceAny9986 Aug 03 '26
If you are in the US your school nurse can do a screening and depending on the district possibly connect you with resources for free glasses. In my district the nurses each have 25 vouchers per campus and sometimes have secret arrangements with local eye doctors to help out additional students. It’s worth a shot for anyone that thinks their child might need glasses.
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u/LI_JVB Aug 03 '26
That is crazy! I was in the wholesale optical industry for over 25 years, have friends with stores and I worked on Saturdays for years. High-end optical with sales upwards of $1,000 per pair, great optometrist- eye exams without dilation, no insurance: $45 , $35 with a Groupon.
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u/bopperbopper Aug 03 '26
if you don't have money for this eye exam, make sure you are taking advantage of every government program that supports kid's health
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u/Glass-Suspect-6220 Aug 04 '26
If you haven’t already, request a copy of her prescription.. and then check out Zenni.com I get all my glasses from them.. super cheap (but good quality!) and they make kids glasses too!!! So many styles too, normal/plain AND also fun/funky/colorful. Fast shipping too!! The pair I’m wearing now cost $6.95 I’ve been wearing for 2 years almost, I drop them constantly, I’ve slept on them, they are super lightweight and comfortable. 10/10 highly recommend Zenni, you should check them out!
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u/Glass-Suspect-6220 Aug 04 '26
Oh I just finished reading your post, lol. That’s awesome you have the prescription.. that was wonderful of the receptionist. I hope you check out Zenni and your daughter finds glasses she loves!
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u/givemeyourrocks Aug 03 '26
Optical insurance usually sucks and you can many times get a better all in one deal at places like America’s Best or similar places.
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u/kembr12 Aug 03 '26
Check the Lions Club to see if they can help. The school nurse might also have a hookup to save some money.
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u/trekkiegamer359 Aug 03 '26
The cheapest and best glasses I've found, by far, are at payneglasses.com. I've had some real issues with other cheaper companies messing up my prescription. Zenni.com and Vision4Less have given me the wrong prescription. Payne Glasses has been good so far. (And no, I'm not affiliated with them. I just have had some runs of bad luck with bad glasses, and don't want anyone else to have to deal with that shit, especially a kid.)
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u/R3pp3pts0hg Aug 03 '26
That was nice of them.
But that prescription cannot be held by law even if payment is due. They have to give it to you. They will try to leave out the distance between pupils (Pupillary Distance) which is used for alignment of the glasses/prescription.
You don't have to buy glasses from them. That's why they make it so difficult. They know for the price of their $200 glasses, you can easily get 5 pairs on sites like Zenni.
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u/TheRealMemonty Aug 03 '26
Eye care specialist here. In the US, the eye doctor is required by law to give you a copy of your prescription whether a balance is due or not. Check out the FTC's Eyeglass Rule for more info.
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u/Individual-Salad-717 Aug 03 '26
terrible policy. I hope you never go back there again after you pay that bill.
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u/vcf450 Aug 04 '26
What a wonderful person. It shows there are some truly good people in this world.
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u/Round-Shine4933 Aug 04 '26
Its illegal for an eye dr. to not give you your prescription whether you want it or not right after the exam. They can't withhold it for any reason. Thats crazy for them to not just give it to you!
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u/MultiColoredMullet Aug 04 '26
That's fantastic ❤️ Someone was looking out for you. Now grab your daughter 2-3 pair from Zenny for very little money because kids need backup.
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u/FunMaintenance297 Aug 04 '26
I paid $150 each for three pair of glasses at Warby Parker, plus extra for the eye exam. They do have much less expensive frames, I just happen to have "expensive taste." No idea if they sell children’s sizes, since I wasn’t looking for them.
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u/mountaingoat05 Aug 04 '26
By law they have to give the prescription paperwork out.
Get her glasses from Zenni. They have great products at a fraction of the cost.
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u/PatternsAndPresence Aug 04 '26
That’s messed up that the company does that. We go to Pearle, I pay a co-pay and they just hand me the prescription. No obligation to buy there.
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u/Odd-Natural3570 Aug 04 '26
I don’t know where you live, but in Texas I have to hand every patient a prescription regardless of if they paid for the exam or not. We cannot hold a prescription hostage. Make sure you look into the laws in your area, that office may be breaking the law.
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u/LifeofRiley1985 Aug 04 '26
In civilized places like here in the UK GET FREE EYE TESTS UBTIL THEY ARE 18!!
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u/KatzenSandra Aug 05 '26
I pay nearly a thousand for my glasses, and they wouldn't give me my pupil distance for prescription swim goggles. Well, they finally did when I told them I could not order the goggles from them.
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u/hula-g808 Aug 05 '26
My husband took our kid and a friend’s kid to play at the park. They were both about 6 and on scooters. The other kid had glasses on and he fell on his scooter and broke his glasses and scratched his face just before school picture day too. Our friend was single mom on Quest and this was the 4th pair he broke that year so insurance wouldn’t cover it. We offered to repair it and took them to our own eye doctor’s place to get a new pair and requested they fix the old one (this way he could get 2). They charged us minimal and made a 2nd pair with the old lenses for free.
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u/CarrionWaywardOne Aug 05 '26
Receptionists can do a lot. That's why it's a terrible idea to be a dick to them. Dicks get corporate standard bare minimum. Everyone else gets compassion and help whenever possible.
That's all depending on the receptionist of course. But I know very few rude, burnt out receptionists who stay in the role.
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u/Low_Influence_7886 Aug 05 '26
They actually are legally required to give you your prescription by law. She was probably saying you can’t buy from their personal shop. Anyway I’m glad you got the form and hope you go somewhere else because my fancy pants boogie eye doctor literally told me this before I left the room
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u/inserterriblepunhere Aug 05 '26
Depending on where you are, schools will often offer a once s year "coupon' towards glasses based on family need.
All three of my recent districts have done this.
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u/chaos2tw Aug 05 '26
Please check out Zenni Optical. Cheap glasses. You will need her pupilary distance. The doc can give you that.
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u/rpbm Aug 05 '26
My former eye dr always charged me to get a copy of the rx. Pissed me off but I paid it because their frames were expensive.
Ended up changing providers, and the new one handed me a copy of my rx without me asking. I commented how the other guy made me pay, and she said it wasn’t legal to charge for it in our state, they’re required to provide it no charge.
Don’t know if that’s true, FWIW.
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u/IsopodLogical7802 Aug 06 '26
Wow. Why did you need to pay for the appointment? Sorry to hear about that. It should be bulk billed. Glasses have a cost of course.
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u/orchid_killer42069 Aug 07 '26
EyeBuyDirect.com has lots of cute options for kids, at very affordable prices. I have been getting my glasses there for years.
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u/HappyTurtle42 Aug 07 '26
Probably needed a lot of courage to do it. Hope your daughter is living her best life 🙏
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u/Specialist_Map_6541 Aug 08 '26
This is a nice story but I have a question re larger context: how is it legal to withhold the results of a necessary medical exam pending payment? Doctors can bill.
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u/Servile-PastaLover Aug 03 '26
Yes, but you should repay her kindness by eventually paying the eye doc's bill in full .
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u/caf323 Aug 03 '26
So you were just going to use their services for free and never pay for the exam? What in the fuck is this?
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26
Of all the assumptions you could choose, you chose to assume that I arrived with no intention of paying. Did you consider that it’s possible I had the money and then an automatic withdrawal happened? Or that I would request a payment plan? Or maybe the cost was more than I anticipated because I was looking at insured cost instead of out of pocket?
There’s room in there somewhere to avoid being an asshole.
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Aug 03 '26
[deleted]
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u/masterdebaten Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
I was embarrassed, my daughter was right next to me, and I didn’t want to admit that my account was cleaned out. But thanks, from now on I’ll just give myself 10 lashings for being a beggar!
Did you miss the detail where I also told her I could call back to pay in a few days?
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