seeking an optician

[cellio]

My opthamologist is a very good opthamologist, but she seems to be only a so-so determiner of glasses prescriptions. I haven't been satisfied with the two pairs I've gotten through her, so I'm looking for someone I can go to for this specific task. If you've had a good experience with this in Pittsburgh, I'd like to know the details.

The best exam/prescription I've ever had (from someone who has since retired and moved away, alas) had the following characteristics: it was not fast (I think he double-checked all the "which of these two is better?" queries), it seemed very thorough, we talked about distances for reading both paper and computer monitors, he actually had me do some tests sitting in front of a computer, he tested me on lighting levels in addition to standard accuity ("read that chart"), he took detailed measurements of my face, and the resulting glasses were perfect. The bifocals were in just the right place, distance and reading visions were very clear (and not headache-inducing), and I got used to them in hours rather than days. (I waived all opinions on things like frame design, which affects lens performance; I said "make me the best pair of glasses you can".) I did not in the least begrudge the money I spent on this.

I'm looking for another perfect pair of glasses. Any recommendations?

Comments

[ginamariewade.livejournal.com]

It was explained to me by a former roommate, who was an optician, and who came from a family of opticians (his dad and two brothers were also opticians) that opthamalogists are the guys you want if you have a disease of the eye, like glaucoma or macular degeneration, but for figuring out the proper Rx for glasses, you want an optometrist. Apparently, the first kind of doctor has about a semester or two of optometry, but an optometrist has a four year degree in nothing but that.
When I first got glasses, I went to an opthamalogist, because my parents did. I took my roommate's advice and I've gone to optometrists since, and it really makes a difference.
Also, the opticians pointed out to me that who makes your glasses also matters. If you get your glasses at a cheap place in less than an hour, you're getting what you pay for. You want an optician to take his or her time and pay attention to detail, and get the focal point of the lens exactly right, so you don't get eye strain from looking through the wrong part of the lens.
He was also really against those twisty metal frames, because even though they look like they pop right back into shape, they will always be slightly off, because the material bends so easily.

Obviously, I'm in Georgia, so I can't recommend anyone specific, but that's my two cents.

Optometrist

[lefkowitzga.livejournal.com]

I go to an optometrist that I've been using for more than 25 years. He's probably in his early 50's and very good. Before my family transferred to using him, we had used an ophthmalogist exclusively for annual checkups. At the first visit with the new optometrist, he correctly diagnosed my younger brother's vision problem that had escaped the ophthmalogist for almost a decade.

The doctor's office is out in Dormont, which is a bit of a hike. But if you're interested, I can highly recommend him.