Eyeglasses

[georgiapapa]

In 2011 I was told by my local VAMC that in order for vets to receive free hearing aids they had to be at least 10% service connected for any disability and also undergo a VA hearing exam to see if they would benefit from hearing aids. The VAMC rep stated the service connected disability did not have to be for hearing loss. I am not sure of the current policy.

I am currently service connected for hearing loss and have VA hearing aids.

[Buck52]

I Wish All Veterans Could Get All VA Medical Care Glasses, Hearing Aids, and Dental plus Their general Health Care, we all served so we all deserve. No matter what the rating!

[raven316]

Here's my deal. I went to a local audiologist and, after he tested me, he said I'd benefit from them but I should go to the VA before I bought them from him. I had already registered with the system so I figured I'd give it a try. I went to the local mini-clinic in Athens and they set me up with a physical and an appointment with their audio. In the meantime I went to hearingaid.com top see what I could learn. There is a guy there named Doc Jake, a real hard ass who does not suffer fools gladly. The first thing he told me was that if I was in-country I was eligible for hearing aids and glasses, no disability rating needed. I questioned him on this because I could not find that anywhere in writing. The dude jumped my butt and basically told me I was stupid. I jumped back and, over time, came to find that he was a VA audiologist and a Nam vet. I don't know about ya'll but I felt better knowing he was a vet and let the bs roll off my back. After the physical they made an appointment with a VA audiologist and she found that my hearing qualified in my left ear but that she wanted to re-test in a couple of months to make sure it was not an allergy problem. I agreed, went back and the results were the same and I got a resound linx9 a couple of weeks later. I then figured I may as well check out the glasses so I asked about that. I went to the local center for a VERY preliminary test and they said I needed glasses and would have to go to Augusta. This is a link to one of the conversations where Doc Jake gives a rundown of hearing aids and glasses for "in-country" Nam vets. Oh, I also was told to file a claim for hearing loss and tinitus even though I really am not looking for a disability. The guy at the state vets service filed it for me and I was just denied. The bottom line is that Jake has been right from the start.

http://www.hearingaidforums.com/showthread.php?17014-Veterans-particularly-conbat-Vets

Edited December 11, 2014 by raven316

[broncovet]

I dont know how much you get paid, but its marginal to give up a day's pay for eyeglasses, not to even mention most companies really dont like it when you call in sick. This is not going to help your promotion potential at all...another sick day.

I think the copayment on glasses varies widely. For example, I used to have to pay for the scratch coating on lenses, and also the "transition" lenses which darken in sunlight.

If your eye doc says these things are "medically necessary" then you may not have to pay them. I have a different eye doc now, and, the last 2 times I got glasses I paid zero. If you want "cool stuff" like transition lenses or are particular about your frame, then its probably not worth it to go to the VA.

If you can get by with "generic" frames, and no transition lenses, then you may save a buck going to your VA. My VA optical has a rack of "free" frames, and another rack where you have to pay for them, but, last time, there were more "free" eyeglass frames. I dont know if plastic lenses are still an upcharge at VA or not, but they used to be. Plastic is much lighter on your face, especially if you have rather thick glasses, and really require a protective coating or they scratch easily. Glass lenses are tough, rarely scatch (glass is harder than plastic), but are heavy, and thus, may be more likely to break if dropped from a distance on a hard surface. This is a judgement call only you can make.

[raven316]

First, I'm not "calling in sick" I'm taking a sick day that I earned with the full knowledge of my boss (former Army officer who stayed at Benning and wrote M-79 manuals and then got %20 for a basketball injury) so I'm good on that. As for promotion, I'm 65 years old and work in higher ed, I'm probably not going to see much more upward movement! Second, this is Doc Jake's comment about what you can, and cannot get

. If you are in the VA Healthcare system. Ask your primary care doctor to refer you to the optometry department. If you need glasses you will receive free glasses which includes progressive lenses if you want/need them . you can pay a little extra if you want to upgrade to carbon lenses, polarized, transitionslens, etc.. my recent pair with Transition Vantage lens set me back under $100. My new Siemens Binax Carrat aids set me back $0. This years flu shoot set me back $0 and I got it at Walgreens all Rx's are free. if you are in priority group 6 or above vet with a decent job and no disability you may have a one time co-pay for each specialty dept of $50 and $8 co-pay on 90 day Rx's. "

Edited December 11, 2014 by raven316

[broncovet]

Raven..

Im just trying to help..with what I know...Im not telling you to not take a sick day for eyeglasses...this is up to you. In the past, I, personally, have done quite well with employers and military when I showed them I was a "go to" guy who could be counted on every day.

Then, if I DID need a day off...I always got it. I always use my "sick days" very, very sparingly. How you do it is up to you. My mother worked for a company for 6 years and took "0" sick days, and had 0 days late. When she left, they gave her 4 weeks pay as a bonus, for this very reason.

I had a supervisory position, before I left the military, where I had a cushy job of sending daily muster to the captain. People called me, if there car broke down, wanted a sick day, etc, etc.

Of course, I kept mental notes..on who abused sick days (no, Im not accusing you of abusing sick days!!!!), who could be counted on, etc. I knew these people well. From me, "Mr. Reliable" got favorable treatment, but those guys who tried to call off every other monday for hangovers were told to get in here or face a demotion from the Captain. And, guess which ones got favorable supervisor reviews? The ones where I had to come in every other monday to fill in for them, or the guys I knew I could count on?