Optometrists in Lakewood, and ophtalmologist question

amother

Lilac

Mon, Oct 19 2015, 11:33 pm

Hi!
Sorry if it's super long, I just don't know to whom to talk to in real life.

I took my child to 2 optometrists in Lakewood about 1.5 yrs ago and 1 year ago to discover some farsightedness (don't remember exact numbers but one guy prescribed bifocals of +.75 and +2.25 for both eyes; the other one said one eye was ok, the other one lower than guy#1 measured).

I didn't like the first guy at all in terms of the way he spoke to the child and handled the exam- it was a disaster, couldn't get the child to cooperate to put in drops and ended up handing the bottle to me(!) and sent me into the waiting area for me to convince the hysterical and mad child myself and put in the drops, it was mamash nuts. I have to say he appeared fine in terms of knowledge, and I had had an exam with him myself prior to that.
+ he said the child needed glasses for farsightedness or else he would have problems with excessive eye and brain strain during reading and as a result problems with learning, and eventually develop a lazy eye (he was very convinced about it) . Guy#1 sounded quite scary in his "prediction." He prescribed bifocals of +.75 and +2.25 on both eyes.

I looked up some info that confirmed both possibility of lazy eye and outgrowing the whole thing altogether, and we decided to hold off with glasses, especially that the child was doing perfectly well in school and grew into a huge bookworm, never complaining of eye strain, headaches whatsoever. Rather, he was uncomfortable with the glasses.

About 6mos. later we went for a checkup to optometrist#2.
This optometrist was super-nice, seemed not less knowledgeable AND handled the child really well, got him to close his eyes in order to put in drops in two seconds. He got milder results compared to Opt#1: one eye good, the other one lower prescription than dr#1 said. However, he suggested to wait with glasses because the child may outgrow the farsightedness.

Now, a year since last checkup (I somehow missed the 6mo mark) - according to guy#2 his prescription went up to +2.5 and he needs glasses asap for farsightedness + to prevent a possibility of lazy eye, then we'll check again in 2 months to monitor it it's changing and if necessary may patch him then.

Now the dilemma(s):

1. I definitely feel guilt, which somehow sits alongside with "it's all min hashomayim", "we couldn't have really known and made a decision that seemed right at the time". Besides, we were convinced that guy#1 was quick to push glasses because the store would make money, while guy#2 did not, even though the store would not make money on glasses, only on exam. Does it make sense?

2. Whom should I trust from now on? I still am not so thrilled with guy#1, besides now that the "nice" guy suggested the glasses and possibility of patching, the child is totally OK with it, was shmoozing with dr etc. By guy#1 we had a major complete disastrous meltdown, no desire to wear glasses, and I'm sure if eventually it had come to patching then or now and the idea would have come from guy#1 - the way he talks to kids the implementation would have been a failure. So regardless, it's good we've been to the "niceguy."

Where do I go from here?
Get another eye exam this time from #1? (insurance would cover it, because I paid out of pocket for one with the dr#2),just to double check the prescription? But I wouldn't know which guy is actually right, not in exam results, not in suggestions!

Please help if you had good or bad experience that you realized over time with either dr#1 or dr#2. Not to name the names, it's the optometrists in 2 major optical stores in town.

P.S. anyone had good or bad experience with Dr. Rusta from Dr. Engel's group in East Brunswick - I had to take a very young child to them and I want to know if I should go back to them in 6mos or have somebody else's opinion.

Thanks a lot!

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 1:08 am

Anyone? Pretty please

amother

Orange

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 1:45 am

How old is the child?

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 1:51 am

8yo but has anyone had experience with Lakewood's major optometrists?

amother

Ginger

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 7:40 am

If it were my child I would go to a pediatric opthalmologist.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 8:03 am

Pediatric Ophtalmologist office says farsightedness at this age is managed by optometrists, they don't even make appointments for smth simple as that.

It's basically now a question of which optometrist is trustworthy, one of these two or both, or none.

I'm sure many people here have used optometrists I'm speaking about.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 8:10 am

Ginger amother, thank you- I kept thinking about your idea and remembered that I have contact of another pediatric Ophtalmologist that I used once for a different child.

I would call them and see what they say, maybe I could get him to see this child.

Stars

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 8:18 am

You really need to see a PO for this. These are pretty low numbers in terms of plus but tell the office that your child is at risk for amblyopia or strabismus( I always get these terms confused)

amother

Ecru

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 8:20 am

Ophthalmologists definitely do not say that a lazy eye or risk of developing one isn't their field. A lazy eye can be a big issue and have a lifelong impact on a kid. Having uneven vision is one of the most common causes of lazy eyes. Dr engel is very experienced with this. If you need to see someone else in his office to get a quick appt you probably should start with that. Do you have private insurance or jersey care?

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 8:27 am

It was dr Engels office that said for farsightedness the child would have to see one of their optometrists and not ophthalmologists, they wouldn't even make an appt for that unless I wanted it "just for the heck of it" and paid for it myself.

Kids have jersey care, which their optometrists don't take, however ophthalmologists do but not for this!
So I was basically left with choice of taking him to an optometrist for free (whom I didn't like), for $80 or $180, or taking him to their dr, which they said don't even deal with that.

I thought that once it's an optometrist appt anyway I don't need to wait forever and schlep him an hour away and a local one would do.

I guess I'll call dr Mintzer's office now and see what they say.

I can also call dr Engels office now that there is a chance of developing amblyopia and ask if their dr would now see a patient like that.

amother

Brown

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 9:14 am

Have you spoken to your child's pediatrician? I found him to be a great source of references for me and I wish I had spoken to them before I ran to a different doctor.

I was just the one who responded to the thread about Dr Engel. (we went for wondering eye, but he also handles cross eyed, lazy eye, etc)

I had first taken my child to an eye dr who came very highly recommended by a lot of people, after seeing him I didn't trust him and he was rushing to do expensive therapy.
When I asked my pediatrician about him he didn't like him at all and recommended I stay away even though everyone raved about him.

For the wondering eye he recommend we go to Dr Engel, and for the vision issues with a different child Dr Pardone (in Dr Turtel's practice in Brick and Ocean) or Dr Spedic in Toms River. I have an appointment with Dr Pardone coming up (Haven't seen her yet). But another dr in the practice told me that is who he uses for his children.

(Our eye dr who we really loved and trusted retired about 5 years ago and we've been struggling to find a replacement for both adults and children)

have you spoken to your pediatrician to see you who he would recommend (or call the referral desk if your office has one to get info)?

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 9:21 am

I have left my kids dr a message and am waiting for him to call me back.

I'm just so distraught because the optometrists have given quite different measurements, and I don't know which one is right.

amother

Ecru

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 9:28 am

This is very typical so don't think you're alone. You can go to different eye drs and they'll each give very different prescriptions. You just need to find someone who is trustworthy and go with their recommendations for a while watching to see if it's working. Dr pardons office doesn't take jersey care. I think your best bet is dr Engels office. Do not minimize the lazy eye when you call to make an appt. tell them the local optometrist found him to have uneven vision and had concerns about a possible lazy eye so you want an expert opinion. I do not think that they'll turn you away if that's the description you give.

Chayalle

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 9:28 am

I've been very happy with Dr Turtel for my kids - very experienced and knowledgeable (We saw Dr Turtel himself). I can't imagine him EVER handing me drops to put into my child's eye. Whoa.

I gotta tell you something - growing up I was a doctor and dentist's nightmare - you know, the kid who gets the whole staff in to hold her down. I remember struggling with my eye-doctor because I did not want those drops. I remember my mother holding me and him speaking gently but firmly and putting them in.

That being said, I use an optometrist for myself - Dr Borkowski - and I find him to be very knowledgeable and great for taking care of my vision. DH goes to him and I also take my teen to him at this point. He actually doesn't believe drops are necessary except in cases of high risk. Instead, he takes a picture of the inside of the eye and examines it, enlarged - much more comfortable. I've found that we have done well with him with prescriptions, including contacts for my teen.

What I fail to understand from your post is - you go to a doctor for his knowledge, he gives you an opinion which you second-guess, you go to guy number 2, and now you are second-guessing guy number 2. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I think if you are going to the doctor in Turtel's office but with a pre-attitude that you are not sure you will trust what he says, then you are wasting your time and his.

Stars

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 9:34 am

OP there is a Facebook group called Little Four Eyes, they are extremely nice and very helpful (I have a Facebook account for this purpose only). If it is possible for you to join that would be a great resource for you.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 11:02 am

ecru amother, thank you for reassurance

star- thank you for your suggestion.

chayalle, here is the clarification:
I took the child to optometrist#1 who found farsightedness of various degrees in both eyes, gave a grave prediction of learning issues and lazy eye + handed him bifocals. We tried to have him use the glasses but the kid complained that he was seeing much worse with glasses and ended up not using them and in the meantime reading lots and lots without any loss of concentration.

Then, for a follow-up exam 6 months later I took him to a different optometrist. It's not that I was doubting the results of the first exam but I was not signing up for another disaster, the exam experience was something really crazy.

Dr#2 found farsightedness of a much lower degree in only one eye and claimed the other eye was alright. At this point you gotta doubt at least one of them, right? The exam results were really different, as were recommendations (insistence on bifocals and doomsday predictions vs. waiting it out in case he would outgrow it).

Having liked dr#2 I took my kid for a follow-up a year later. He now still says one eye is perfect, and the other one got worse (so now, was it dr1 who was correct that vision in the weaker eye would get worse?).

I just stopped to think that since the 2 drs' results are so different I'd better find out the truth.

I like dr#2 a lot but do I know for sure if he is a good optometrist?
Both are licensed, sit in crazy busy stores and are booked like there is no tomorrow.

I guess that's the situation when you look for a reassurance that one of them is good, or you look for a third opinion!

BTW, I've never been to Dr. Turtel's office; I've taken other kids once to Dr. Mintzer and once someone from Dr. Engel's group.

UQT

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 12:33 pm

My daughter has a lazy eye since she is 2, she is 13 now. I used Dr. Mintzer. Paid out of pocket for the visits, I think it was around $200 for the first time and then he charges me $80 a visit. I look at it as way cheaper than paying for insurance premiums.

I was so happy with him! He's great with the kids (though very friendly with them - prepare for some high fives and even hugs). At one point Dr. Shanik recommended taking her to Wills Eye in Philly to make sure the treatment was on-par and they were satisfied with it. He completely backed up Dr. Mitzter's methods. However, they were obnoxious and my kid still remembers the mean doctor who held her down while putting drops in her eye.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

lkwdmommy

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 1:57 pm

I took my (now 25 yo) DS to Dr. Mintzer when he was 10 for his first eye exam. He had a really complicated diagnosis (Somehow his issues had not been noticed till then.) Dr. Mintzer actually enjoyed the challenge of coming up with a correct repscription! He was excellent! When DS outgrew him, we went to another doctor who seconded the diagnosis.

Then, we switched to Dr. Borkowski who came up with the same diagnosis also. Since then, I take all my others to Dr. B. and am very happy with him as well.

amother

Orange

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 2:22 pm

My friend had a similar situation with her son. He is about the same age and when to an eye doctor that prescribed bifocals also. She didn't see any results.
My friend took her son to an optometrist that specializes in prism glasses. The doctor got rid of the bifocals gave him prism glasses and he is doing much better.
Not sure if this is something you want to look into.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Oct 20 2015, 2:27 pm

OP here.

The pediatrician told me to take him to a pediatric ophthalmologist (Dr. Engel's group or Dr. Mintzer).

They come highly recommended by my pediatrician, so we'll see what they say.