Opticians

[Le_Jars]

Is an optician used in the same way as in the UK? What I mean is, would you go to see the optician rather than the doctor if you had something wrong with your vision, or would you go first to the doctors and have them send you to an optician? Do you need to register with one or can you just turn up and/or make an appointment?

Thanks.

[Will]

You will probably find that most opticians only sell spectacles, contact lenses etc. A few may do sight tests, but this is not normal in France.

To get a sight test, you need to see an optométriste, who will give you a prescription that you then take to the optician. You don't need to be referred to an optométriste by a doctor, you make your own appointment, but there is often a very long waiting list. If your problem needs more than just a sight test then you would probably need to see your GP first who will refer you to an ophthalmologue (eye specialist).

[Le_Jars]

Many thanks! I'll try to avoid jokes about the optician being able to 'see' me then.

[Punch]

[quote]You will probably find that most opticians only sell spectacles, contact lenses etc. A few may do sight tests, but this is not normal in France. To get a sight test, you need to see an optométriste, ...[/quote]

This is one of the areas in French healthcare that is way behind the Uk. In the Uk you can have an eye test and get a pair of glasses made in two hours (Vision express) wherby the same process in France would take between two and four weeks!!

Punch

[Teamedup]

Booked our appointment with the ophthalmo early summer, we see him on the 19th of October. We usually have a four to five month wait, three if we are lucky.

[Dick Smith]

I thought I would get new specs when I came out to France in July, but didn't as it was unlikely that the process would be completed in less than the month I was stopping for. Also it meant going between 2 towns 20km apart, as the optician and the opthalmic surgeon were in different places. Out of interest, Will, where do you go?

[Will]

Dick - We go to Dr Neveu in Avranches for sight tests and prescriptions (not too long a wait with him we find - weeks rather than months ) and buy the glasses/contacts from Optique Brige in St-Hilaire-du-Harcouët (where 1-day disposable lenses are cheaper than most so-called discount Internet suppliers). Could be just the two towns you were thinking of .

[Dick Smith]

Actually, no. I was given the address of an optholologue (???) in St Hilaire, recommended by the opticien in Mortain. I didn't go as the timescales seemed impossible. Rather different from Boots in Sutton who can normally arrange an eye test within 3 days (but managed to make me glasses with the same prescription in both eyes...)

[Mysfloss]

[quote]This is one of the areas in French healthcare that is way behind the Uk. In the Uk you can have an eye test and get a pair of glasses made in two hours (Vision express) wherby the same process in Fran...[/quote]

vision express own grand optical in france ,shops in rennes and brest for those who live in brittany ,you can have your glasses made in one hour,no eye tests though .They will also repair glasses bought at vision express in the uk.