Return-Path: Received: from POPTART.GRAPHICS.CS.CMU.EDU by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa06540; 17 Mar 93 7:56:06 EST Date: Wed, 17 Mar 93 07:54:54 EST From: David.Baraff@POPTART.GRAPHICS.CS.CMU.EDU To: bovik@POPTART.GRAPHICS.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: recent contact lens query Here's a couple of more recent opinions on contact lenses. >>> contacts:1 From: Mark Edward Stahl Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 12:53:54 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed cc: Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general Organization: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon In article you write: >The Bovik database is a bit scarce lately on this subject. >I need a routine eye exam, and probably an update for my >prescription. I wear gas-permeable (not soft) lenses, and >don't have any exotic problems. > >Any recommendations for a good place to get an eye exam >and new contacts would be helpful. (Also, if you have >recommendations of places to stay away from, that is >helpful too.) > > Thanks, > David > If you are worried about price, I found 20-20 Opticians on Murray in Greenfield to be the most reasonable to deal with. They had reasonably priced replacement contact lenses (soft), and were willing to accept a perscription from my Cleveland optician. (Most places insisted I have an exam by their physician and purchase their contacts at twice the price.) I have not used them for examinations, so I can't vouch for them in that respect. I did, however, feel that they were courtious and professional. Let me know how your search turns out. I'm up for a new prescription in a year myself. Good luck. Mark >>> contacts:2 From: Priscilla Fowler Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 12:54:36 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu (David Baraff) Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed Dr. Mallinger on N. Craig did a great job with my soft lenses, and I plan to take my son, who wears gas-permeable, there. The cost of the lenses included the original exam, and as many subsequent exams/additional pairs of lenses as it takes to get it right. I have had difficulty for the past several years getting the right prescription of ANY sort, and was delighted when I could once again wear contact lenses. Mallinger is very professional, has efficient, pleasant staff, and a bright new office. I recommend staying AWAY from McVay, who is always rushed and whose main concern isn't eyesight but eye health (he's an opthamologist). He corrected my incorrectly prescribed glasses once gratis, but wasn't as thorough or patient as Mallinger. >>> contacts:3 From: goddard@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: goddard@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 14:06:06 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed cc: Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon Bcc: I go to Fred Smith on Murray in Squirrel Hill for check-ups and my gas-permeable lenses. I'm quite happy with him. He claims to keep up with the research. His fee included all the visits that were required to adjust the lenses to my eyes, which turned out to be quite a few, so I'm glad it was an inclusive fee. Nigel >>> contacts:4 From: Grace Downey Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 13:55:29 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu (David Baraff) Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed I have always gotten good, friendly and reasonably priced service from 20-20 Optical in Greenfield. The Optometrist associated with them is Dr. Rudavsky. Either the Yellow Pages or the Donnelly Directory used to carry a 20% discount coupon for them--it might be worth your while to check. Grace Downey >>> contacts:5 From: Susan Gallagher Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 14:16:30 EST To: David.Baraff@cs.cmu.edu (David Baraff) Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed cc: Distribution: cmu I go to America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses on Liberty Ave. downtown. I also wear gas permeable contacts, and have an astigmatism. I originally went there because they're exceptionally inexpensive for hard contacts, and they have a great five-year plan (call for details), where eye exams and replacement contacts are extremely cheap. I've always found them to be polite and efficient -- replacement contacts come about a week after they're ordered. The office is low on glitz, and I wouldn't buy glasses there (crappy frames selection), but it's worth the price for contacts. Susan >>> contacts:6 From: Ricky Houghton Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 14:48:18 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu (David Baraff) Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed Distribution: cmu If you have a car and are concerned about price and a good exam, my wife is an Optometrist in Cranberry at the Wal-Mart. Even though this may seem strange, my wife provides very good eye care and Wal-Mart has the best prices around for glasses and contacts. General feeling is that you should avoid chains, and this is pretty much true. (Even though some are good, they are often motivated by money and not eye care.) Given the amount of change in the eye care field, I suggest you seek out a younger doctor with a few years experience. Not only are they more up on the field, but they seem to be more concerned about doing things the right way. (This is from my personal experience after having met a rather large number of optometrists through my wife. I've met many older optometrists who laugh at my wife for dilating so many patients. In fact, if they think you should be dilated, they will refer you out for this, when they can do it themselves, but don't want to deal with it.) A lot of people also suggest that you should go to an opthomologist (Spelling?). While this may be true if you have known problems with your eyes, they typically do not received the contact training that an optometrist will receive. It is also the case that many opthomologists have optometrists working for them. (In fact, my wife has worked for a couple opthomologists who went out of their way to make sure the patients didn't know they were being examined by an optometrist, my wife. They would make sure my wife didn't sign any of the papers, so they could put their name and ego on it, then charge a higher fee.) With all this, I claim my wife provides good eye-care. She has a good reputation of taking care of people and explaining things well. Give them a call and check pricing, it may be worth the drive. Dr. Houghton O.D. 772-4557 Ricky btw, definitely avoid America's best and mail order contacts >>> contacts:7 From: rwh@GOTTLOB.TIP.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: rwh@GOTTLOB.TIP.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 15:16:24 EST To: David Baraff Subject: contact lens doctor info needed I just got new ones (disposables) from Fred Smith on Murray Ave. He seemed competent and conscientious, and it's worked out just fine. Bob >>> contacts:8 From: Derek.Beatty@COSMOS.VLSI.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 15:18:45 EST To: baraff+@J.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: contacts I know nothing about their contact-lens operation, but I have only the most glowing remarks for the Squirrel Hill Eyetique's customer service. I bought my present glasses there in 1988, and they've given me absolutely no grief about replacing my "unbreakable" frames even though each pair seems to last about 8 months on average. They'll even go out of their way to put my lenses in another frame for a few days, if they don't have mine in stock, during the wait for a replacement. So if you decide that, all else equal, Eyetique is one of the contenders, here's a reason to prefer them. -- Derek >>> contacts:9 From: Sanjiv.Singh@H.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 15:21:28 EST To: baraff@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Eye Exam David, Would you please send this Bovik? I have been in the same predicament as you. For the last two years I have been wearing Acuvue disposables and really love them. But I didn't have a good doctor to go to. I think I might have found one. I recently got an eye exam from Barry Cohen who is on Carson St. I thought he was quite good and pretty laid back. He charged $50 for the exam which is higher than some other optemetrists but I thought it was worth it. He figured out why my glasses were giving me a headache and so I got the lens changed through him. I also got a prescription for contacts which I got through mail order (they are about 30-40% cheaper through the mail). I get my contacts from LenSmart, (1 800 231-LENS). They usually have a pretty good turn around. If you call them, please mention my name because I get a $15 referral credit. I stongly suggest staying away from Fred Smith. The guy is really pushy and gets quite upset if you ask him any techincal questions. Sanjiv >>> contacts:10 From: Dean.Pomerleau@POMERLEA.BOLTZ.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 15:37:00 EST To: David Baraff Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed David, I've been very happy with the Squirrel Hill Eyetique. They may be a little bit more expensive, but they are really nice and competent. --Dean >>> contacts:11 From: Todd Jonker Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 16:23:13 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu (David Baraff) Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed Distribution: cmu I use Dalmo Optical on Forbes in Squill. I have found the doctor (whose name escapes me at the moment) to be extremely helpful and willing to discuss and explain things. I bought some disposable lenses through them, but wasn't satisfied with the vision. So last month I switched over to gas-permeable. He was great about explaining my options in lenses and the differences among them. Also, you get an automatic 20% discount just for being from CMU. I also get some other discount and as a result my exam+lenses were amazingly inexpensive. Highly recommended. Cheers- .T. >>> contacts:12 From: cmaeda@ERNST.MACH.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: cmaeda@ERNST.MACH.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 16 Mar 93 23:44:27 EST To: baraff+@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: contact lens doctor info needed cc: Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon Bcc: I just got a new pair of contacts from Hugo Cerri last month. He's pretty damn expensive ($85 for eye exam, $200 for contact lens fitting) but takes great pains to get things right. The money is chump change compared to your eyesight anyway. I think doctors are like dress shoes. The really expensive ones are much better. He has an office across the street from Mercy Hospital. His number is 391-6625.