A Flexible Spending Account (FSA, also called a “flexible spending arrangement”) is a special account you put money into that you use to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care costs. You can use this money towards eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, prescription safety glasses, and contact lenses.
Before using your FSA money at any online website that is mostly dropshipped or pre-fabricated non-regulated eyeglasses from out of the country or owned by large monopolies, please think of shopping local or supporting small businesses nationwide. Many small businesses with limited social media or marketing presence need your support to continue to stay open. We quite literally wouldn't be here today if we didn't have customers all over the United States order online or come visit us in Auburn, CA to order new eyeglasses. Many know that we were ready to close up October 2022, so we are only here because of those do chose to "shop small." So, if you have unused FSA funds, please think of every small business for your medical expenses or eyeglasses.
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Our office is known for carrying only Independent Eyewear. With this new change, Costa will be the only line we carry that is under the Luxottica Brands.
The City of Auburn, CA is known for its community filled with independent mom and pop shops. The residents within Auburn, CA support their local businesses and they believe in quality. If you walk through Old Town Auburn or Downtown Auburn, each shop is unique and offers something you simply can't find elsewhere. This is why we believe in promoting Independent Companies. Their products need to be supported by small local businesses. This is one of the few ways to set your business apart from your competitors who may carry all the same products.
Amongst other news, we would like to introduce our new Safety and Sport Eyewear Collection from Wiley X Inc., a company founded by Myles Freeman Sr., a proud U.S. Veteran in 1987 with a single premise - provide superior protective eyewear to the brave men and women who defend our country.
Follow us as we introduce new Independent Eyewear lines to our patients.
]]>Image Credits to condo.ca
It wasn't enough for them to turn your coworkers against you, fabricating endless lies, until you had no one in your corner. Now, you've observed this ongoing pattern with each new employee that gets hired on. Your employer, then decides they would rather hire someone else for a cheaper rate to learn everything they possibly can from you with the intent to kick you to the curb once that employee acquires all your knowledge. Then, on top of that, they don't want anyone else to have you, so they badmouth you to every vendor they have a relationship with, knowing those vendors will tell every Optometry office not to hire you. Sounds horrific, doesn't it?
This is what some Opticians and Optometric Assistants working in Private Practices face on an ongoing basis. They don't have a Corporate HR to protect them in this scenario.
Their reputation is damaged, and their career in the Optometric field is no longer an option. What do they do? They leave the field to pursue any other career as long as it's not related to Optometry. The damage incurred while employed was detrimental enough to their health. Many leave their employers with depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). This is a real thing. I've observed it, and I've lived it.
This isn't just about the Optometry field, this is about every field.
I feared having a voice once upon a time. Now, I fear the future of healthcare if I don't speak up. Why do we end up having individuals who don't care about patient care working in the field? There's a high demand for Opticians and Optometric Assistants, due to high turnovers. Many who worked in the field are choosing to leave their profession behind. Why? Because they're tired of being mistreated, bullied, abused, and harassed at work. They leave in hopes of starting a new career, a new life, a new beginning, a new hope.
Days after leaving your employer, you want nothing more than to be issued your paycheck so that you can move forward with your life. You make sure to part ways respectfully, providing your employer all their property, ensuring they understood what issues are unresolved, where to find assistance when needed. You made sure to leave all documents on your desk, labelled. You made sure to teach your coworkers what you knew so they wouldn't suffer upon your departure. You even had to remind your employer to remove you off as their security system contact person. You followed up with your employer to make sure they received everything, and your employer sends you a final separation letter, thanking you for your service and wishing you the best. Sounds like there were no issues, right?
Now that you've left your employer, your coworkers contact you telling you how much they miss you, and how your employer even stated they recognized how hard you worked, and should've appreciated you more. Around this time, you finally receive your final paycheck, only to find out you were compensated incorrectly, again. You contact your employer and you even compromised. You were willing to leave well enough alone after months of being paid incorrectly. Now, your coworkers are contacting you, telling you that your employer has shared personal information with them, even though, there was no reason to do so. Many shared their discomfort in being involved. Many feared this employer will do the same to them. Your employer understood they have gotten into trouble over sharing personal information with staff before, causing many to walk out because their privacy was compromised. Your employer has decided that they don't want to compensate you for what was agreed upon, and now that their feelings are hurt, they are focused on ruining your career. Phone calls were made, emails sent, evidence tampered with. Your ex employer was set on a path of destruction. You start receiving calls from concerned coworkers and vendors, voicing concerns about how this employer was purposely sabotaging you, forcing them to find a way to make you appear guilty.
Stay tuned for more...
]]>With our personal experience, we have seen too many warranty claims with the biggest eyewear brands, meanwhile not enough people know about the Independent Eyewear Brands who are outlasting their "more known" competitors. This is primarily due to marketing and Vision Insurance Companies owning those Eyewear Brands. Ask a skilled Optician what brand they would choose, and we can guarantee you've never heard of them, but the Optical industry has. The best brands are the Eyewear manufacturers who built their company based on producing quality eyewear. Independent brands don't market their eyewear lines the same way, and that's to ensure their brands stay with Independent Opticians and Eye Care Providers.
Independent Opticians are nearly nonexistent and that's due to the monopolization of the Vision Insurance Companies, Eyewear Manufacturers, and Optical Labs. David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times provides a non-bias perspective on why that is and you can Read his Article Here. Please be weary of individuals who call themselves an "Optician" but aren't licensed within the State of CA Board of Optometry. "Optician" is a protected term, much like "Doctor," "Pharmacist," and "Lawyer" are protected terms. Most Optometry Practices do not employ such licensed opticians, so if you find anyone calling themselves an "Optician" without the proper licensing, the Board of Optometry asks you report those individuals.
We set up shop in a small town that believes in quality and supporting local businesses. We hear too many complaints about big retail opticals coming in and patients feeling that they go to 10 different stores or offices and they all have the same exact thing. Offices that accept VSP and Eyemed will have a frame board that's highly influenced by the Brands that are owned by that Insurer. Once again, David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times provides a non-bias perspective on why that is and you can Read his Article Here.
So what happened to originality? What happened to the skilled Opticians that once existed? As the Optical industry shifts more and more towards the Retail model, very few Opticians find themselves fitting within that niche. Opticians are skilled optical technicians who care about their craft, much like a Jeweler who takes pride in providing the highest quality gem to their clients.
If you can find an Independent Optical, we will always recommend you check them out first. Why? Because they understand optics, proper fitment, and they have access to a higher number of labs and lens designs. Most Independent Opticals will have a Licensed Optician, or Registered Spectacle Lens Dispenser (RSLD), who is certified nationally, American Board of Opticianry Certified (ABOC).
What does that mean to you, the consumer? If you've ever been told that eye strain is normal or that you won't be able to adapt to a lens design, seek out the Independents because the technology used will exceed your expectations. At The Vision Parlor, we take pride in our providing the best quality optics to our patients. Our ability to fully customize great quality optics is why we get individuals seeking something out of the ordinary when it comes to their optics. Our clientele are unique individuals who want quality, because they are not "one size fits all." We are honored to provide quality service locally in Auburn, CA.
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