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Back at the pool: interfering with children’s visual development?
I spoke to a parent at the pool this weekend. She had recently collected her 6 year old sons’ new prescription swimming goggles. She informed me that the goggles had set her back a cool £100. She also remarked that she had been strongly advised to purchase the goggles by her practitioner.
However, although his prescription is a significant +4.00 in both eyes, would swimming without correction for 30 minutes a week be detrimental to the stability of his accommodative squint?
I wondered if the same practitioner insisted the boy wears his specs in the bath every evening as well.
david cummins // Sep 25, 2007 at 6:44 pm
It’s a bit of a non-story really!
All you need to say is “Does little Johnny want to see clearly in the pool, on holiday in the sea etc..?”. If yes, here’s the price. BANG! Deal done! There really is no need to apologise for the price. I’m sure if it is not swimming goggles then wee Johnny will find something equally (if not more) pointless to spend his parents money on!
Give the customers the facts and let them decide.
Anyway, people love to complain about the price of stuff - what else would parents talk about at the PTA!
A much more PERTINENT discussion would be the whole ‘KIDS GO FREE’ situation.
Is it desirable that the majority of kids eye exams are done in multiple practices? The high-volume environment suits dispensing at the voucher value, with no extra costs to the patient. Most multiple practice (I mention no names but you know who I mean) entertain children as a loss leader in order to get the parents/grandparents through the door.
Are enough cyclos being carried out?
Is there over-prescibing?
Are these practices well enough equipped to deal with pediatric eye care?
I’ve locummed in multiples where the kids are booked in really tightly. The majority of the wee critters are pretty quick to test, but it’s the ‘talking to the parents’ bit that takes eons. Who blames them for being concerned? Christ, you should see me when my wee lad goes to the doc!!!!
It just does not seem quite right somehow. I’d like to see specialist pediatric optometrists for each areas who will recieve intra-professional referrals of child patients who require further investigation (funded by GOS).
Any takers on that one?
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