Oh PDs … A Contentious Subject … But 83% of You Provide Them When Asked

Yes: 83%

• We do not charge, according to Texas optometry laws it is required. — Pam Housley, Texas State Optical, Port Arthur, TX
• I give it to good patients who I like or whose entire family I see for no charge and get the good will out of it. Some patients ask because they have an optician in the family who they order glasses from and that’s never a problem. Non-patients who come in knowing they are ordering online we suggest using the method described online and explain that we only take measurements for glasses we are ordering. — Marc Ullman, OD, Academy Vision, Pine Beach, NY
• We have a charge for an optical consult but I do not usually charge the patient to get their PD. I do like to sit with the patient and go through common issues with purchasing online so they keep that in mind and 9/10 times they come back with issues. — Caitlin Wicka, San Juan Eye Center, Montrose, CO
• If they have purchased eyeglasses, I will give it to them, if they have not I charge $50. Everyone signs a waiver. — Sherry Berry, Eye against Eye and Ardmore Eye Care, Ardmore, Pa
• Only to patients who have purchased from us before, free of charge. — Larah Alami, OD, Hudson River Eye Care, Tarrytown and White Plains, NY
• Anyone, no charge. — Richard Frankel, OD, Atlantic Cape Eyecare, Wildwood, NJ
• Established only and it depends on the situation, sometimes we charge. — Susie Phillips, Dr. Brendon Johnson, O.D., Pekin, IL
• We charge if we’re taking new measurements and they have not purchased glasses. We offer two levels of “Professional Optical Services:” The PD and OCs/seg height if frame has been purchased, and these measurements plus verification and adjustment of the frame after purchase for a slightly higher fee. We explain the measurements are important and are normally provided by the seller of the glasses, but if they are not offering the service, we are happy to do it for a nominal fee. — Sarah Jerome, OD, Look + See Eye Care, Minneapolis, MN
• We provide PD for $25, and a package including adjustments, verification and measurements for $50. If you bring glasses in after the fact because you can’t see, we charge $50 to diagnose and share that with the customer. — Nikki Griffin, EyeStyles Optical, Oakdale, MN
• Only to established patients. If outside, we charge for them. — Selina McGee, OD, Precision Vision of Edmond, Edmond, OK
• No charge. — Sabina Krasnov, I2ioptique, Scottsdale AZ
• No charge to anyone. — Annie Thompson, Lawrence Eye Care Optical, Lawrence, KS
• Yes, free to patients on same day as exam. We charge $5 for walk-in’s or when it’s been some time since the patient’s exam. — Jen Heller, Pend Oreille Vision Care, Sandpoint, ID
• Yes for established patients, we charge walk-in customers a fee. — Deb Jaeger, Eye Center of the Dakotas, Bismarck, ND
• We will provide PDs for anyone regardless of patient status and we do not charge. We will educate the patient, however, on the other measuring requirements for the best lens to make sure they are getting what they need elsewhere. — Selena Jachens, Urban Eyecare & Eyewear, West Des Moines, IA
• I’ll give the PD to long time patients. If you come in off the street looking for a PD then $25. — Jeff Grosekemper, Casa De Oro Eyecare, Spring Valley, CA
• Not to anyone, only our current patients. We try to educate them on the benefits of in person care. — Deanna Alexander, OD, Eyecare Associates, Fort Collins, CO
• Yes, we provide it after having the patient pay a fee and sign a waiver explaining that the PD is only one of several measurements needed for the proper fabrication of eyewear and stating that we are not responsible for any errors in eyewear made outside of our office. — Christine Howard, Attleboro Vision Care, Attleboro, MA
• On a case by case bases. I try to advise the patient that the PD is not part of the prescription and that it is used primarily for the fitting of glasses. If a patient is established, I don’t hesitate but if they are in for exam only and ask, I definitely give my online ordering is not all it’s cracked up to be spiel. — William Chancellor, Eye Can See Eyewear, McDonough, GA
• Anyone, don’t be silly, just give it out. — Daniel R. Wolfe, OD, Cedar Rapids, IA
• I will give PD to established patients if asked, but only after I give them quick reasons to not purchase from online retailers. New patients we charge a fee which includes me personally checking their completed eyewear for accuracy and adjusting. — Stacey Nutting, The Eye Doctors at CNY Eye Care, East Syracuse, NY
• To anyone that comes in asking. I do not charge and I make sure they have both monocular and binocular PDs and explain the difference. — Jade Kowalick, Ryczek Eye, St. Petersburg , FL
• Established only. No charge. — John LaShorne, Brown County Eye Care, Nashville, IN
• I give the PD when ever asked by the patient. It rarely happens that people ask. — Leisa Lauer, Dr. H. Michael Shack, Newport Beach, FL
• We charge to warranty our measurements and work done. — Dennis Iadarola, OD, Center For Vision Care, Monroe, CT
• Typically, it’s just current clients. — Kevin Count, Prentice Lab, Glenview, IL
• Thankfully, not many people come in for their PD to go order online. I don’t love doing it but I do hoping that they will figure out it’s not that great of an idea to get them offline and eventually come here. I do not charge at this time, but if it becomes a big deal, I probably would consider charging for it. — Julie Uram, Optical Oasis, Jupiter, FL
• Only if we have one from within 12 months, which means the patient has purchased within the last 12 months. — Bethany Cassar, Complete Eye Health, Holland, MI
• We charge $25 if a patient takes their script and walks. — Chris Lopez, OD, Roberts Eyecare Associates, Vestal, NY
• We charge $10 to anyone wanting us to take a PD, whether they are a patient or not. I tell them it also includes me checking the outside Rx and adjusting the frame as well. — Kathy Maren, Comb EyeCare & Eyewear, Western Springs, IL
• We do not charge and we will help anyone. — Amy Pelak, Proview Eyecare Optometry, Corona, CA
• If the patient has previously purchased from us we provide that measurement at no charge. Otherwise, there is a small charge to provide a professionally measured monocular PD. — Zachary Dirks, OD, St. Peter and Belle Plaine Eyecare Centers, Saint Peter, MN
• We provide PD’s to patients that request them if we have provided the service before after seeing our doctor. Half a loaf of bread is better than none at all. — Tim Gray, Visual Eyes, Huntingdon Valley, PA
• Yes, no charge. — Melissa Creath, AAFEC, Lothian, MD
• No charge. But it’s a great opportunity for me to say, “Where are you getting your glasses? Do you know we have packages as low as $39?” You wouldn’t believe how many people end up buying from us! — Jennifer Leuzzi, Mill Creek Optical, Dansville, NY
• Not provided in optical, simply state that whoever makes the glasses for them will be able to take that measurement. In exam, if asked, it is given as a rough estimate, but patient made aware it is not exact and should be done by an optician. — Andrew Romeril, OD, Torrey Highlands Optometry, San Diego, CA
• Established patients only. — Jocelyn Anderson, National Vision, Riverdale, GA
• Only established patients. — Angel Miller, Cynthiana Vision Center, Cynthiana, KY
• Only in very select and unique situations, and to established patients only, and after they hear my spiel on the perils of ordering eyewear online, but I do not charge for it. — Pablo E. Mercado, Optima Eye Care, Alpharetta, GA
• We are being paid for an exam and I feel that the PD is part of the patients Rx, there is no reason for any dialogue because that takes time and time is money. — Texas L. Smith, OD, Dr. Texas L. Smith & Associates, Citrus Heights, CA
• Established patients and customers. We don’t charge, but it gives us the opportunity to educate patients about the risk of buying online. We also offer to inspect their eyewear when it comes back. Patients really start to get it when you can mark their optical center on their glasses and it sits 10mm below their pupil. — Jenna Gilbertson, McCulley Optix Gallery, Fargo, ND
• Established patients no charge, all others $10. — Judith Whitelaw, Dr. Gregory Char, OD, Orange, OR
• We let them know it’s part of a $30 package where we will get exact measurements for their frame, and make any adjustments and minor repairs for the year. — Michael Martorana, OD, Falls City Eye Care, Louisville, KY
• It’s part of the medical/chart information patients are entitled to. We will provide PD’s for non-patients if they are purchasing eyewear. — Dave Schultz, OD, Urban Optics, San Luis Obispo, CA
• We only charge if they are buying online and haven’t purchased here; $10 buckaroos. — Rick Rickgauer, Vision Associates, Girard, PA
• Normally, it’s an established patients and we do not charge. — Pam Neagle, Austin Eyeworks, Austin, TX
• We don’t charge, but I do take my time and go over the benefits of purchasing through us versus online retailers. I offer to check the glasses when they come in to verify accuracy. Basically, I use it as a teachable moment and educate the patient. — Kim Hilgers, Monson Eyecare Center, Owatonna, MN
• Only because my doctor tells me to, otherwise I would charge. It’s a service that is being provided and with all other services, why not charge? — Scott Felten, Fox Valley Family Eye Care, Little Chute, WI
• We provide the PD on the printed Rx we give to the patient at no charge. — Deanna Phillips, Clemmons Family Eye Care, Clemmons, NC
• We will take a PD for anyone. We charge unless we already have a recent PD measurement on file. The charge includes verification of Rx in the glasses purchased elsewhere, as well as basic adjustments at the patient’s own risk as we can’t guarantee the quality of the frames. We have had very little pushback with this method. — Katie Root, Latham Family Vision, Latham, NY
• Anyone. — Scott Keating, OD, Vision Trends, Dover, OH
• Free to established patients. We don’t get very many requests from non-patients. — Jessika Arena, The Eye Center, Asheville, NC
• To established patients at no charge. — Dorothy Reynolds, Optical Alternatives, Milford, CT

No: 17%

• Proprietary information. If a problem occurs with the Rx then liability can be claimed by another making the lens. — Alexander Saper, Great Glasses, Houston, TX
• We just tell them we are not taking responsibility for the orders they place outside of our establishment so if there is anything made incorrectly we are not responsible in any way. We can’t be responsible for human error that doesn’t happen under our roof or in our labs on orders placed by us. — Nancy Revis, Uber Optics, Petaluma, CA
• Those measurements will be taken by the optician fitting you for your glasses. — Paul Pascarella, OD, Pascarella Eye Care & Contact Lenses PC, Newtown, PA
• We advise the patients those are included as custom measurements offered to our patients as a comprehensive fitting of our eyewear. — Blake Hutto, OD, Family Vision Care, Alma, GA
• We no longer do. We state that our attorney said we needed to take ourselves out of the chain of liability. — Frances Ann Layton, Eye Associates of South Georgia, Valdosta, GA
• We can’t provide that measurement due to liability. Wherever you get the glasses from, they should be able to measure it. — Bhumika Patel, OD, Redstone Family Vision, Indian Land, SC
• A PD is not part of the medical record. Even if the patient requests a copy of their medical records they would not find it there. We tell our patients that it is a measurement taken by the eyecare professional who is ordering the patient’s glasses. — Dawn Christman Munoz, North Valley Eye Medical Group, Indian Hills, CA