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johnycarper
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Can someone tell me if an eye test done in england is ok to use in france,we cannot get a test done near us until late this year and as we are going back thought it would be easier to get it done when back.We will also look at prices as glasses in france seem expensive.

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What I know about this is limited to our own experience so please do not read as gospel.

Spectacles in France are mega expensive and OH's (for which he paid a small fortune) are of very poor quality.  As I said, I am only speaking from personal experience so, if you have found anything different, please do not take an aggressive tone![;-)]

Other thing we found was, the CPAM would not give us any money back as our eye test and prescriptions were from the UK.  However, the CPAM contribution is so low that you should still save by having it done in the UK if you are already there and it's convenient.

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I would agree with Sweet 17's comments, though I know that many have been satisfied with service (but not prices) in France. I would never bother with the French eyecare system, however good it may be, it just all takes far too long - but I do spend time in both countries so it's easier for me.

When looking for your British eye test, consider shops like Vision Express that can often do an eye test and make the glasses on the same day, or failing that within a day or two. It's not uncommon to get special offers like a free or reduced cost eye test if you buy glasses from the same shop that tests your eyes.

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Thanks everyone and i think we will wait to go back to england and get the test and specs,we went to french eye test last year not cheap and i felt not done very well either.The glasses we brought over here were very expensive evan with our mutual and its a waste if its so much cheaper in uk. 
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We have bought specs here in France and they are not worth the money. My wife was quoted 700€ for one pair. We now get our eyes tested in the UK and buy off the net. A pair of single vision specs for my wife £35 total (and they are the expensive frames)! I was quoted 145€ per lense to replace the scratched ones in my very expensive French frames. I have a special prescription and have just bought a new pair off the net - memory metal frames, thinner lenses etc. for £125

I understand if you get your eyes tested in France and buy off the net you can claim the usual reimbursments here - just send in the receipts.

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So about 2 €uros then!

How would you get the feuille de soins when buying on the net?

The last pair I ordered from an American web-site were delivered from Karachi n a hand sewn coarse linen bag sealed with wax, I expect if they did do feuilles de soins they would be on papyrus or ardoise [:P]

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[quote user="sweet 17"]Does anyone know how much you pay for an eye test in the UK if you no longer live there and no longer have NHS access?[/quote]About £30 I think. Never had any help from the NHS on these even when living there that I recall.

EDIT:

"Those in the following categories are entitled to an NHS eye test without charge and may also be entitled to a voucher to offset the cost of any spectacles or contact lenses prescribed: Children under 16 or under 19 still in full-time education. All those aged 60 and over and people receiving Income Support or Working Family Tax Credit.

Those receiving Disabled Person's tax credit if aged 70 or less, it will have been taken off the maximum credit shown on their tax credit award notice. Those receiving an income-based jobseekers allowance (Contributory ISA does not count), Diabetics Glaucoma sufferers and those who are aged 40 and over and are the parent/brother/sister/child of a person with glaucoma. Also, those diagnosed by a consultant ophthalmologist as being at risk of developing glaucoma. The blind and partially sighted People entitled to NHS complex lens vouchers and those who have a valid HC2 certificate. If you are not in the above categories you will have to pay for your Eye test, which should cost between £15 and £28. NHS Eye tests are free in Scotland."

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[quote user="Chancer"]

So about 2 €uros then!

How would you get the feuille de soins when buying on the net?

The last pair I ordered from an American web-site were delivered from Karachi n a hand sewn coarse linen bag sealed with wax, I expect if they did do feuilles de soins they would be on papyrus or ardoise [:P]

[/quote]

Yeah they don't like giving you too much! Last time we got a pair of spex here we got 15€ back, that was years ago and the specs were 400€

I presume you can ask for a feuille de soins just about anywhere - chemist, dentist, doctor or perhaps HERE.

If you pay for treatment in another country you have to be able to claim it back - it's just a bit of paper after all.

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[quote user="cooperlola"]

[quote user="sweet 17"]Does anyone know how much you pay for an eye test in the UK if you no longer live there and no longer have NHS access?[/quote]About £30 I think. Never had any help from the NHS on these even when living there that I recall.

EDIT:

"Those in the following categories are entitled to an NHS eye test without charge and may also be entitled to a voucher to offset the cost of any spectacles or contact lenses prescribed: Children under 16 or under 19 still in full-time education. All those aged 60 and over and people receiving Income Support or Working Family Tax Credit.

Those receiving Disabled Person's tax credit if aged 70 or less, it will have been taken off the maximum credit shown on their tax credit award notice. Those receiving an income-based jobseekers allowance (Contributory ISA does not count), Diabetics Glaucoma sufferers and those who are aged 40 and over and are the parent/brother/sister/child of a person with glaucoma. Also, those diagnosed by a consultant ophthalmologist as being at risk of developing glaucoma. The blind and partially sighted People entitled to NHS complex lens vouchers and those who have a valid HC2 certificate. If you are not in the above categories you will have to pay for your Eye test, which should cost between £15 and £28. NHS Eye tests are free in Scotland."

[/quote]

Coops, I don't mean for people still living in the UK.  I mean for people like us with the carte vitale and only have the EHIC.

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[quote user="Jimmy"][quote user="Chancer"]

[:P]

[/quote]

Yeah they don't like giving you too much! Last time we got a pair of spex here we got 15€ back, that was years ago and the specs were 400€

I presume you can ask for a feuille de soins just about anywhere - chemist, dentist, doctor or perhaps HERE.

If you pay for treatment in another country you have to be able to claim it back - it's just a bit of paper after all.
[/quote]

Excellent link Jimmy!

I can see that you really know your way "around" French beaurocracy [;-)]

You are right about claiming after treatment in other countries, there was a huge fraud running into the millions involving just one medical cabinet in I think the comores, the "patients" (read scam artists) were billed thousands for exactly the same treatment for malaria in every case, it was only when the total figure ran into the millions that assurance maladie even noticed it, I think one guy in France was convicted who admitted splitting the money with the clinic, the rest denied it and no action was taken, the clinic was not prosecuted and still carries on with impunity.

Now where can I order a stock of green ink cartidges on the hurry up? [6]

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"People like us with the carte vitale and only have the EHIC" will pay exactly the same as anybody living in UK and not entitled to free NHS eye tests, i.e. £15 to £28.

Note that you can book ahead online with companies like Specsavers and Vision Express, which should save you time if you are on a short visit.

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[quote user="Will"]"People like us with the carte vitale and only have the EHIC" will pay exactly the same as anybody living in UK and not entitled to free NHS eye tests, i.e. £15 to £28.

[/quote]

So does that imply that if you would be entitled to a free test in the UK (i.e. over 60) you are still entitled under EHIC?

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My understanding is that EHIC (wherever you use it)  can only be used for emergency treatment. For example coming from the U.K. you can't plan to use EHIC to have a hip replacement done in France and I am pretty sure you couldn't use it for free (over 60) eye test in U.K. if you reside permanently in France.

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You could try it, if you have proof that you are over 60. I doubt that the EHIC gives any eyecare discount, but you could always try. But when it comes to buying glasses, if you come into the categories that qualify for NHS help with glasses you need a special form (GOS3 I think, issued by the health authority) before you get the discount.

If the cost of the eye test is a problem, then you can often find somebody offering free or discounted tests. Dollond & Aitchison, for example, is currently doing half price eye tests with an online voucher - http://www.danda.co.uk/promotions/

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[quote user="Will"]

If the cost of the eye test is a problem, then you can often find somebody offering free or discounted tests. Dollond & Aitchison, for example, is currently doing half price eye tests with an online voucher - http://www.danda.co.uk/promotions/

[/quote]

I have a problem paying for anything I can get discounted or for free! Good link, thanks, but it would probably expire before the next time we are in the UK. We have been resident in France for 9 years and we have visited our previous GP in the UK, visited a NHS dentist (some years ago) all without any questions asked. Both our GP and dentist in the UK were interested in how we were enjoying living in France! I think I may well try to get a free over 60's eyetest using my UK passports for proof of age as the NHS site suggests.

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[quote user="Will"]"People like us with the carte vitale and only have the EHIC" will pay exactly the same as anybody living in UK and not entitled to free NHS eye tests, i.e. £15 to £28.

Note that you can book ahead online with companies like Specsavers and Vision Express, which should save you time if you are on a short visit.
[/quote]

Thank you, Will.  That's very useful information for me.

I am trying to persuade the OH to have a break in the UK and get his eye test done and his spectacles at the same time.

Unfortunately, it would be easier to prise a limpet from its rock!

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This does not bode well!  dog chewed my glasses, so using an old pair which are slightly the worse for wear.  Have no plans for a trip to the UK until the end of the year, and my existing prescription is more than 2 years old so I need to get a new one anyway. 

What to do?

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Hi.

 

As Fi mentioned about the 2 year eye test, I thought that I would interject on this subject; as it appears to be a bit of a con for some, not all.

 

I had my last eye test in the UK prior to coming to France I was told by the Optician at D&A that being over the top (60) I would require an eye test every 18 Months, two years later I went for an eye test at Niort Hospital.

  After a thorough eye test, the doctor, who I should point out is the head of the department, said, that there was nothing wrong with my eyes and I certainly do not need new glasses.

When I pointed out what I was advised by the optician at D&A, his answer was, “its rubbish”, every one is different and why I was advised every 18 months he couldn’t understand.

He then said that I need not return for another 2 years, it was then on that return rendez-vous that he discovered the start of a Cataract, and was booked in for the operation on that same week-end. Only then did I need new glasses. The cost 322€ = £270 not bad really for 4 years.

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