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Medical Forum / General / Vision / May 2009Mislabeled soft contact strengths?
Has anyone else encountered this-soft contact lenses that do not seem to be the rx indicated on the package? I never encountered it before, but in a recent box of ciba focus night & days, two out of the six lenses seemed to be the incorrect strength, a little too strong. I am fitted monovision for presbyopia, and am very myopic. My left eye is fitted for reading, using a n&d -4.5 (very undercorrected from what I would need for max distance, to use that eye for reading). Recently it seemed to me like my presbyopia suddenly got a lot worse. I often had to use reading glasses over my monovision contacts. Then I recalled a few months ago having the same problem, switching to a different n&d -4.5 lens in my left eye than the one I already had on, and the problem was much improved. So, I tried that again last night, switched to a different one from the same box, and my near vision was much better. These lenses for the left eye were all from the same box, and the individual packaging all had the same specs on it. All I can figure out though, is that a couple of the lenses did not have the stated rx of -4.5, but were a little stronger, like -4.75. Not so different that I noticed it in putting them on, but enough to make reading more difficult. Again, i never recall this happening before this one box, but it is rather troubling, if two out of six lenses are not the stated prescription. Has Ciba's quality control been slipping lately? Has this happened to anyone else, with any brand lens? > Has anyone else encountered this-soft contact lenses that do not seem to be > the rx indicated on the package? [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Ciba's quality control been slipping lately? Has this happened to anyone > else, with any brand lens? It ALWAYS happens with me, with every brand I've used and with every fitter I've gone to since 1998, when I started wearing contacts. I believe it has to do with manufacturing tolerances, and some of us require more precision than we can get. Perhaps half the lenses out of every box are just WRONG. When I keep asking for replacements, the fitters eventually figure I'm trying to pull some sort of scam -- although they can't figure out what it might be since I'm happy to return the bad lenses. The last pair I had I wore for over a year because I had no confidence at all that ordering a new box would fit. Turns out that was a good decision because my eyes have become LESS farsighted in the last year. Latest trial prescription (fourth) in this series, which I put on the first time half an hour ago: 8.4/14.4 Frequency 55 R +3.00 -2.25 x090 L +6.00 -3.25 x080 The right seems pretty good, and my left eye is such a bitch (I have a <deep breath> foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy in that eye) that as long as it gives me decent 3D vision I'm satisfied.  SignatureCheers, Bev ============================================================= "On the other hand, I live in California so I'd be willing to squeeze schoolchildren to death if I thought some oil would come out." -- Scott Adams I didn't ask for replacements. I guess I could have. Except i can't remember which online supplier i bought the last box from.Also, it would be kind of hard to send a loose soft contact in the mail as proof. So, as you say, they might think one is just making that up. To me, two wrong ones in one box of six seemed like a lot. You write half of every box! A lot! These are major large healthcare companies. One would think they would be more careful about stuff like that! >> Has anyone else encountered this-soft contact lenses that do not seem to >> be [quoted text clipped - 66 lines] > breath> foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy in that eye) that as long as it > gives me decent 3D vision I'm satisfied. > Has anyone else encountered this-soft contact lenses that do not seem to be > the rx indicated on the package? [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Ciba's quality control been slipping lately? Has this happened to anyone > else, with any brand lens? Nothing is 100%. I often find that if a patient has a bum lens from a box, all or several of the lenses in the box will have the same problem. No manufacturers are immune from this kind of problem. Return the box and the bad lenses if you still have them. Your fitter should be able to replace them and return the bad box to CIBA. CIBA wants to know about these kind of problems, they will use the lot # to track whether other lenses made that day had problems and they will review the qualtity control reports for that day. Judy ... >> These lenses for the left eye were all from the same box, and the individual >> packaging all had the same specs on it. All I can figure out though, is that [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > box, all or several of the lenses in the box will have the same > problem. No manufacturers are immune from this kind of problem. That's somebody else's problem; all my bad lenses are different in a different way, as are all the "good" lenses, which are just acceptable rather than actually good. > Return the box and the bad lenses if you still have them. Your fitter > should be able to replace them and return the bad box to CIBA. CIBA > wants to know about these kind of problems, they will use the lot # to > track whether other lenses made that day had problems and they will > review the qualtity control reports for that day. Cooper basically told me to pound sand, they only talked to distributors. My fitter didn't want to bother. I changed fitters. The next one didn't want to bother either. Now my ophthalmologist is doing the fitting; if she finds something that works I'm inclined to order the lenses through her captive optician, with the understanding that I'm paying what I assume to be extra for the privilege of returning any bad lenses without hassle. SignatureCheers, Bev $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Polish loan sharks: they loan you money and then skip town. > mpac...@rogers.com wrote: > ... [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > fitter didn't want to bother. I changed fitters. The next one didn't want to > bother either. Did you buy the lenses from the fitter? If not, the fitter is not going to deal with lenses purchased elsewhere. Now my ophthalmologist is doing the fitting; if she finds > something that works I'm inclined to order the lenses through her captive > optician, with the understanding that I'm paying what I assume to be extra for > the privilege of returning any bad lenses without hassle. It isn't a "privilege", it is one of many services that the on-line places don't provide so don't include in the markup. Judy >> mpac...@rogers.com wrote: >> ... [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > Did you buy the lenses from the fitter? If not, the fitter is not > going to deal with lenses purchased elsewhere. Yes. They replaced perhaps 6 of the 12 lenses I bought from them and then drew the line. They weren't willing to deal with either their distributor or Cooper. Had I been less willing to accept less-than-optimal vision ("Big deal, so I have to be a LOT closer than normal people in order to read the signs on the freeway, I can always just go to the next off-ramp and turn around...") they would have replaced MORE lenses. The randomness is what bothers me -- getting one that works well is accidental and non-reproducible. >> Now my ophthalmologist is doing the fitting; if she finds >> something that works I'm inclined to order the lenses through her captive [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > It isn't a "privilege", it is one of many services that the on-line > places don't provide so don't include in the markup. Then I expect EVERY wrong lens to be replaced without question. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a bitch to fit, which they should be able to see for themselves just by looking at the prescription. SignatureCheers, Bev ----------------------------------------- "Not everyone can be above average so why shouldn't we be the ones to suck?" --Anonymous School Board Member Return the box and the bad lenses if you still have them. Your fitter should be able to replace them and return the bad box to CIBA. CIBA wants to know about these kind of problems, they will use the lot # to track whether other lenses made that day had problems and they will review the qualtity control reports for that day. Judy ---------------- I don't still have them. But if I did, how would one send a used soft contact in the mail? It would be completely dried and brittle when it arrives. Also, I bought through an online lens retailer. (I don't even recall which one.) If I sent them the box and bad lenses, i greatly doubt that they would bother to send it to Ciba. I don't know whether they would refund or give me credit (I kind of doubt it, although it's possible), but in either case I doubt they would bother sending to Ciba. I don't know if one can send mislabeled lenses directly to the manufacturer. But then again, how would one send them? > I don't still have them. But if I did, how would one send a used soft > contact in the mail? It would be completely dried and brittle when it > arrives. In which case ... they'd re-hydrate it with saline solution.... > Return the box and the bad lenses if you still have them. > I don't still have them. But if I did, how would one send a used soft > contact in the mail? It would be completely dried and brittle when it > arrives. > I don't know if one can send mislabeled lenses directly to the manufacturer. > But then again, how would one send them? My local drugstore sells contact holders for US$2.49 for a package of two. Each holder has a left and a right. I don't think you can beat that price. SignatureDan Abel Petaluma, California USA dabel@sonic.net >> Return the box and the bad lenses if you still have them. >> I don't still have them. But if I did, how would one send a used soft [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> I don't know if one can send mislabeled lenses directly to the manufacturer. >> But then again, how would one send them? President.of.company at manufacturer.address. Include a letter. It probably won't help. > My local drugstore sells contact holders for US$2.49 for a package of > two. Each holder has a left and a right. I don't think you can beat > that price. They generally come free with brand-name cleaning solution. My fitters have always had a drawer full of them which they're happy to give away. I've got several dozen myself. SignatureCheers, Bev ***************************************************** Nothing is so stupid that you can't find somebody who did it at least once if you look hard enough. > <mpac...@rogers.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > contact in the mail? It would be completely dried and brittle when it > arrives. In solution in an old case (you do change your case every three months don't you?) > Also, I bought through an online lens retailer. (I don't even recall which > one.) If I sent them the box and bad lenses, i greatly doubt that they would > bother to send it to Ciba. One of the pitfalls of ordering on line. In our office, if you bought them from us, we would give you single replacements for the bad ones and return the remaining to our rep. Dr Judy |
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