Candidate card · Optometry

You are the optometrist

New glasses and unrealistic expectations

Setting: Optometry review clinic

Owen Bell, 49, bought spectacles online using a near-reading prescription. He reports difficulty viewing a wall-mounted screen and has not yet had the supplied lenses checked.

Task

  • Clarify the tasks and distances causing difficulty.
  • Explain the near-reading purpose of the prescription.
  • Check supplied lenses and assess the complaint before advising replacement.
  • Discuss needs and possible costs without pressing for a purchase.
New glasses and unrealistic expectations consultation plan
  • The prescription supplied for this case is for near reading tasks only.
  • The optometrist will check the supplied lenses against the prescription and assess the reported difficulty.
  • Different working distances may require a separate options discussion.
  • No replacement purchase should be agreed before the checks and the patient’s priorities are discussed.
  • Owen Bell, 49, bought spectacles online using a near-reading prescription. He reports difficulty viewing a wall-mounted screen and has not yet had the supplied lenses checked.

Fictional scenario information supplied for this examination exercise; not medical guidance for real patients.