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What is the procedure for an eye test?

Is it purely private or covered by the Carte Vitale?

Do you need a referral from a doctor or do you just go to an Opthalmist?

Do all or some Opthalmists carry out retinal screening (a precaution for diabetics)?

Are eye tests normally covered by a mutuel?

Any advice would be most welcome

Just make an appointment directly with the optician

I recommend...
Centre D'Ophtalmologie Médicale Et Chirurgicale
8 espace Méditerranée
Perpignan
04 68 35 92 70

....simply because they have all the modern equipment (retinal screening etc) in one building, and pretty efficient. My experience of several other opticians is long long waits, whereas here, because there are quite a few of them, the waiting is less - tho still worth taking a copy of PO Life to read!!

It is reimbursed via carte vitale and mutuel in the normal way.....assuming you're not having lazer etc

I've sent you a PM with full details.

I can highly recommend the Centre of Ophthalmology in Argeles total cost 80 euros.

Hi, can you copy and paste that PM to me please too? Cheers

malcolmcooper wrote:Hi, can you copy and paste that PM to me please too? Cheers

PM sent Malcolm.

Think/hope I may need reading glasses.Argeles or a cross border trip best value?

If you just want ready readers take a look in Gifi. They're not easy to find. They're on a big hotch potch rack near the entrance. Just black framed magnifiers but very cheap.

Sad to say Malcolm I'm on +3 at the moment and just starting to notice slight headache after reading/web browsing after a couple of hours,,so maybe a test might be wise.I find it totally unfair that on the stroke of your 50th birthday your eyesight starts to decay yearly!!!
Well at least mine has.

I agree with you, best have a proper check. Perhaps Kate will chip in too with info on the corrective operation she had.

You are lucky Davidsimon to make 50, mine started going at 40! I must admit I have my eyes tested every 2 years when I go back to the UK and buy my glasses there too. If you dont require any special type lens then they can be made up in 24/48 hours. I always use Vision Express.

Smiley G advice above is good too.

Yes, as Malcolm said, I had laser eye surgery a few years ago, and have never worn glasses since.

http://www.anglophone-direct.com/My-New-eyes?

The actual process was a doddle - and this is from a needle phobic wuss - and took about 5 mins per eye.

The down side for me is that I can't drive at night cos I am dazzled by oncoming headlights.....and my distance sight is worse than it was before the procedure with glasses....but I would do it again.

In theory, over the years, it is cheaper than buying new glasses to constantly replace the ones you lose, sit on.....but it ain't cheap.

if you have a carte vitale and have diabètes are you covered 100%? if so then normally it covers eye tests. Argeles ophtalmologistone is really good, but best to go in to ask for appointment as otherwise can be up to 6 months later. when you go in sometimes they can get you in on a cancelled appointment or like me just say to wait there and then as doctor was ahead.

I had to go for a diabetes eye check and paid. Forgot to to see if it was refunded!!

Had the eye test, only had to wait a week for an appointment at http://www.visis.fr/ very professional and well organised with ultra-modern equipment and the equipment to carry out a diabetic retinal scan.

Afterwards I phoned my optician in England who expressed incredulity at the new prescription. I decided to go ahead anyway and sent them my glasses to have new lenses fitted. The glasses duly arrived and they are certainly different but I decided to try them for a while before getting any of my other glasses changed.

Last week I was talking to a French friend who is an ophthalmic optician and he told me that as a matter of course they re-test everyone as 30% of the prescriptions that they see are incorrect.

Over the weekend I managed to break the nose pad mount on my glasses so I switched to my spare pair but on cleaning them managed to dislodge a lens, leaving me with just prescription sun glasses to see with.

This morning I took them to M Channard opticians in the centre of Perpignan and I have to say their service was superb. They repaired both pairs of glasses while I waited and only charged me 20€. http://www.chanardopticiens.com/


Whilst there I asked them about new glasses and they said that as a matter of course they would carry out an eye test as a large number of prescriptions that they see are incorrect.

Makes you wonder about the system for testing eyes - what is the point if so many prescriptions are wrong

I recently had an eye test in the center of Perpignan where I was prescribed varalux lenses. I had my sunglasses changed at the same time; I went for the most expensive lenses as I was advised they are easier to adjust to (695 euros). 100 returned from my complementaire and 44 from the social security. I managed to adjust to the close up range but couldn't see through the distance. I went back to the optician (who is excellent by the way) and took my last prescription from specsaver 5 years previously. He advised me to contact the eye specialist immediately as they have an insurance for cases like mine. He squeezed me into a lunchtime appointment, very ungraciously, re tested my sight, adjusted the prescription and stormed out to receive his next patient without even saying goodbye to me!! When I returned to the optician the new prescription was almost identical to my specsaver one, which incidently, I never showed the eye specialist. In a nut shell, my eye sight has hardly changed and I never needed varalux, could just have managed with reading glasses. I have decided that in future I will go back to the UK for a few days and have my eye tested there! It's not the first time I have had problems with eye specialists here!

"Ophthalmologues" seem to be almost the extreme case of the French exception. They are in very short supply, and correspondingly very highly paid - and in a position to be as surly and slapdash as they choose. I am sure that training to the level of BAC +11 is desirable for some of the things that some of them do. But it is ludicrous (and apparently counter-productive) for straightforward vision testing, which you could learn to do in about a week with modern equipment. And you might even have the time, and grace, to do it carefully.

The Argeles Ophthalmologie Centre cannot give me a date for an eye test before September. There seems to be an excellent eye clinic in Girona. Has anyone used it, and would the Sécu pay out for treatment there ?

Hi, I've recently had new glasses from Generale-Optique in Cabestany . My prescription had changed but they didn't try to push me to have the more expensive options . * I have had them for about 6 wks now and they're fine . I have a pair for driving/TV and a pair for the computer. I don't have any serious eye problems but I've worn glasses since I was about 12 . I am very pleased with the service from Generale Op ; this is high praise from me as I tend to be a bit over critical . You can book an appointment on line.

* Some years ago in the UK I was 'sold' varifocal glasses but couldn't get used to them; I kept tripping upstairs, yes upstairs not down. I ended up falling and cutting my head (still have scar) . I had been promised that I could have a refund if I couldn't get used to them and so back to the opticians who said it was my fault for running up stairs too fast . Now, I wish I could !

* About 3 years ago here in France my local optician told me that I needed some very expensive bifocals . I made my excuses and left and then off to the UK and Boots . A friend had a similar experience to yours .

I have just had my eyes tested in the Argeles centre. Only had to wait 4 weeks or so for an appointment, possibly because I am diabetic. My eyes had altered slightly and was given a prescription for lens that covered close up, reading, and middle distance, laptop. Took the prescription to Generale d'Optique in the Auchan complex at Perpignan, Porte d,Espagne. Glasses should be ready this week and were reasonably priced for 2 pairs.