My special contact lens broke!

[Jill Marie]

Two weeks ago I took my beloved contact lens out before going to bed, put some lens cleaner on it and as I gently touched the lens it broke in two!  I was heart broken as the lens has made my life so much better these past 10 months.  The lens I had was the first lens the eye doctor tried on me, every lens after that caused issues so we always went back to that ONE!  I was concerned about getting another one that would work so well.

First thing the next morning I called my work to let them know I would be late and headed for the eye doctor in hopes she would be at the office I go to.  She like so many doctors these days works at 3 different offices during the week.  Anyway, I lucked out, she was in.  She gave me a loaner lens the exact same size as my old lens, it felt ok but not great.  During the day it seemed to work ok.  Over the weekend it fell out 3 times, luckily each time I caught it.  It moved around and irritated my eye so on Monday I called the eye doctor after work.  Found out she was on a two week Honeymoon, doctors aren't suppose to have private lives are they?  Found out that my new lens should be in the next day.  Got the new lens and it was way better than the loaner lens but not as great as my old lens, think I did a little damage to my eye with the loaner lens slipping around.
My eye was irritated for a few days but I think the new lens is going to work now.

A bad lens day is still better then a NO lens day!  Jill

[saralynn143]

Sorry to hear about that, Jill. I'm glad you resolved the problem relatively quickly.

My eye doctor told me to anticipate ordering a new lens in July and keeping this one for a backup. If something were to happen meantime I think he would let me have the first lens he ordered for me, although it is a much looser fit it would get me by until a new one came in.

[Jill Marie]

Thanks Sara

Not long after I got my lens I asked my eye doctor about having a spare encase I lost my lens.  She said she would get me a temporary one that would cost me about $50.  Then I got the ulcer on the cornea and forgot about getting the temporary lens as I was more concerned about my eye.  Now that I have a new replacement lens I will talk to her about getting me a back up lens so I don't have to worry so much about loosing the lens or having another one break on me.  Will let you know what she comes up with for only $50.

The crazy thing about my old lens is that it's gone and I still haven't paid for it.  I gave my doctor the broken lens and she is going to try and get it covered under warranty.  Will continue to fight to get my lenses paid for by my Insurance either way.

I truly hope that you succeed with your appeal on your lens.  Take Care Jill

[saralynn143]

I'm trying to decide if it is worth my while to make another appeal. My husband has changed jobs so we are no longer with the same insurance company. Also even if I were to win I think it would go toward a deductible and we would see very little actual reimbursement. I may just have to gear up for submitting to the new company next time I get a lens.

I wonder if maybe the temporary lens is a fitting sample with no correction? I hope your broken lens is covered by warranty.

[Jill Marie]

Sara,  When I first read your post I thought to myself, I too would just let this appeal go.  Then I got to thinking, if you won this appeal it might help you get the next lens paid for by showing the new Insurance company that another Insurance company approved the lens whether it went on your deductible or not.  As you know my lens went on my deductible but still have my fingers crossed that they will change the billing so that the lens that broke will be covered or at least the new one will be. 

My temporary lens nor the lens that broke had any correction in them, she tried putting correction in a lens and we just couldn't get it to work.  I too am hoping the lens is covered by warranty and the new one is fully covered by my Insurance, we shall see.  I need to call the eye doctor and the billing department again to see what if anything is going on with the Insurance and warranty issues.  I get the feeling that my claim is in a stack of papers that they get to when they can! 

Will keep you updated!  Jill