Did you know that it is possible to be prescribed glasses or contact lenses without going through an ophthalmologist? We explain how.
In France, in 2022, the average wait time for an ophthalmologist appointment was 68 days. A figure that varies enormously depending on the region: in Morbihan for example, the waiting time can range from 3 to 9 months! In an attempt to stem the public health problem that this entails, since January 31, 2023, a new alternative has existed for being prescribed a visual correction. An option available even if it is your first pair of glasses. You can now have your visual assessment performed by another specialist eye practitioner: the orthoptist.
The job of this health professional is usually to carry out more in-depth analyzes of the patient’s visual disorders and to propose re-education or rehabilitation specific to each case. These rehabilitations are carried out over the long term via exercises in the office and outside the sessions. Until then, orthoptists could only renew the correction. The objective of this new measure is to lighten the workload of ophthalmologists a little, leaving them more leeway for serious eye pathologies. It also allows easy access to agreed rates: orthoptists are not allowed to practice fee overruns. Shorter waiting times also prevent some patients’ vision from further deteriorating before the appointment.
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What are the conditions for having glasses prescribed by an orthoptist?
To benefit from this new measure, however, certain rules must be followed. First of all you have to be over 16 and under 42 years old. Children do not currently have the right to be prescribed glasses by this practitioner, but they will be able to do so from June 7, 2023. Certain pathologies must pass exclusively by an ophthalmologist. This is the case for people with glaucoma, those with a history of refractive surgery, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and a number of diseases that require specific visual monitoring.
It is important to note that the prescriptions dispensed by an orthoptist do not have such a long shelf life. With an ophthalmologist, your prescription is valid for 5 years. At an orthoptist, their maximum lifespan is 2 years before having to go to an ophthalmologist. Another exception also exists for contact lenses: if you can have them renewed, the first prescription must imperatively be carried out by an ophthalmologist.