Help with eye glasses

Yes , I would also like to know where you can obtain a REAl optician and have quality eye glasses here on the north coast . I have heard ther is one in Santiago and one in POP. Dentists are another issue here in Sosua they do not even have an X-ray machine or proper teeth cleaning procedures including sterilization. Any help would be appreciated.

globalmike295 said:

Yes , I would also like to know where you can obtain a REAl optician and have quality eye glasses here on the north coast . I have heard ther is one in Santiago and one in POP. Dentists are another issue here in Sosua they do not even have an X-ray machine or proper teeth cleaning procedures including sterilization. Any help would be appreciated.

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I have gotten two different sets of glasses here in Santiago and have been very pleased. Both times they copied my existing prescription. One pair lasted me over 4 years and it was rimless.

Also, I believe there are quite a few competent shops here in Santiago.

As far as dentist go I had my teeth cleaned here in Santiago and they used the same equipment that they used back home - the ultrasonic "zapper". It cost me RD800 but the normal price was RD600 - mine were exceptionally dirty!

Thanks Chip, but where do you go in the DR to get the precription?

globalmike295 said:

Thanks Chip, but where do you go in the DR to get the precription?

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I'm sure most of the nice shops have the equipment to do the eye test. Just pull up the phone #'s in the guia and give them a call.

Now that I think about it I believe one pair of glasses they actually gave me a test. The shop was new near the Jose Maria Cabral Hospital on La Ave. Sabana Larga.

I have a copy of my prescription from an eye test carried out in UK and I take that into opticians here in PP for them to make up the spectacles. The results are relatively accurate but if, like me, you wear varifocal lenses, insist that the optician sits the other side of the desk and measures from the seated position. First time I was measured here the optician did it standing up & she was a lot shorter than me............ so the 'vari' bit started waaay too high. That process took around 2 weeks for complete & satisfactory spectacles which of course cost a lot less than the UK. I don't know of anywhere which does specs while you wait, but if anywhere does it'll be SD. You can buy off the shelf reading glasses here in an instant. If you already have a prescription, even if slightly out of date, I'd use that and at least cut out one part of the process which could go wrong.

My experience with dentists is entirely different, globalmike. Dr. Fredy Lepe in Puerto Plata is an excellent dentist, trained here & in US, fluent in English & a really nice guy. He has fully sterilised equipment, can do small Xrays but for the panoramic full mouth Xray will send you to the Xray centre (also in PP). Again cost of proceedures is notably different from UK, so much so that we now have denti-tourists coming here on holiday while they get their dental work done. And Dr. Lepe is no Atilla the Gum, btw.

Thanks lambada, I will take your advice on the dentist.

The eye doctor is another matter, I am looking for an accurate prescription from a real eye doctor. I will have the prescription sent to the U.S. for the manufacturing of the actual pair of glasses. I do need a bifocal prescription.

Thanks,

Mike

Higuey

Rick,

Here in Higuey there is one "optica" that made my glasses with next day turnaround when my original pair was broken.

I bought new frames, around 4k and the lenses were about 1.5k.
Depends if you need any special lenses, etc.

George

Rick Snyder said:

I am told that there are establishments in Santo Domingo that give you an eye examination and make your glasses while you wait. I need to know if this is true and if so where I might find such an establishment.

I broke my glasses and am presently using an old pair that does make me able to see but barely. I traveled to Romana and had an examination and ordered new glasses. 11 days later, today, I received my new glasses and they are as bad as my old ones. Rather then sending them back for another 11 days I would travel to SD if I can be assured of new glasses the same or next day. HELP!!!!!

Rick

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Rick

I realize you are looking for a place in Santo Domingo but there is an optician here in Santiago that can do everything you want in a day. You would have to get there early of course. The best thing is to get here the night before and you could stay with us. I could pick you up from the bus station and take you downtown to the opticians early. Maybe we could meet HB for lunch.

Let me know if you are interested.

I am looking to get a perscription only. Where exactley would I go for that. Please

For Rick: if Doctora Cecilia Yocasta Cruz Rodriguez is still with Grupo Medico San Martin (she is an opthalmologist & surgeon) on Avenida San Martin, No. 232, Santo Domingo it may be worth giving her a call. (809-565-1717 & 809-565-5779 ext. 259/253). I don't know that they do specs in a day but you could ask her; she speaks English btw. I met her socially not professionally quite a few years ago when she visited my home. Delightful lady, please pass on my (Ginnie's) best wishes.

globalmike295, you'll have to go with someone else's recommendation for the Puerto Plata area I'm afraid (or Santiago). I would if I could, but where I can't, I don't . And to anyone who does make a recommendation, please remember he needs a bifocal prescription - a bit more complicated than unifocal but not as complicated as varifocal. In theory globalmike any opticians could do this for you, but I don't believe in making recommendations unless I've been totally happy with the service.

globalmike295 said:

Yes , I would also like to know where you can obtain a REAl optician and have quality eye glasses here on the north coast . I have heard ther is one in Santiago and one in POP. Dentists are another issue here in Sosua they do not even have an X-ray machine or proper teeth cleaning procedures including sterilization. Any help would be appreciated.

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Optica Santiago ph 809-583-4661 says they have an optician that can do bifocals. My first pair of glasses from them lasted 4 or more years and would have lasted longer if it weren't for the daughters thinking they were twiddle sticks.

Rick Snyder said:

Chip I appreciate the invite and hospitality but the cost of transportation and the 6 hour bus ride to and 6 hour back just don't equate for a pair of glasses. Don't get me wrong as I would love to visit and meet you but I'll have to wait till such a time that I can spend sufficient time to see the city. Thank you anyway.

George what is the name of that establishment? Due to your post I took another look in the phone book and came across Optica Prisma Vision located on Agustin Guerrero in Higuey. Their advertisement says glasses in one hour and I called them up and they said they do in fact do glasses in one or two hours. As Higuey is only an hour away I guess I'll go there.

I wish to once again thank DR1 and its members for the valuable help they offer to the public.

Rick

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I think it MAY BE prisma vision. i got my glasses there in october but i do not
recall the name, but sounds familiar.
If you ask for Clinica Cedano, it is one block away taking the street that is on the right side of the clinic (bajando). there is another optica right on the left side of Clinica Cedano, but i do not have any experience with it.
Give me a ring when you go to Higuey (I send you PM with my cell).

George