I had been wearing the same Alcon contact lenses for 13 years without any issues. I had previously been seen by another optometrist at this same office, and just last year they wrote a prescription for those exact contact lenses. That prescription was already on file with the office, so there was a clear history showing that these lenses had worked well for me for many years. At my recent appointment with Dr. Dustin Dawson, I was told that my contacts were being discontinued and that I needed to switch to a newer lens. He spent a significant amount of time promoting the new contacts, telling me that ordering through his office would give me a discount and even mentioning that he was "buddies" with someone at the manufacturer. The appointment felt more like a sales pitch than a medical exam. I agreed to try the new trial lenses he recommended, but they were a terrible fit for me. They were so uncomfortable that I felt like I wanted to scratch my eyes out. I could not tolerate wearing them, which made me even more determined to find out whether my original contacts were actually unavailable. Something didn't seem right, so I contacted Alcon directly. I spoke with a representative named Trevor, who explained that while the trial lenses for my contacts were being discontinued, the retail boxes were not. He confirmed that my contact lenses are still being manufactured and are still available for purchase. He also told me that, as a long-time wearer of those lenses, my optometrist should still be able to write a prescription for them. When I returned to Dr. Dawson's office with this information, he became defensive. During my visit, he made a phone call and then acknowledged that only the trial lenses were being discontinued. Despite that, he still refused to write a prescription for the contacts I had successfully worn for over 13 years, claiming he couldn't prescribe them without trial lenses, even though another optometrist in the same office had prescribed those exact lenses for me the year before. To make sure I wasn't misunderstanding the situation, I contacted other providers. The optometrist at Sam's Club had no problem writing a prescription for my original contacts without trials and after reviewing my long history with them. I also called 1-800 Contacts, and they confirmed they could order the lenses as long as my optometrist approved the prescription. They contacted Dr. Dawson's office directly to request that approval, and he refused. On top of everything, when I requested a refund because I did not receive the prescription I was expecting based on the information I was given, the office was unwilling to help. This entire experience was frustrating and disappointing. I went in expecting honest medical advice but instead felt pressured to switch to a product that was extremely uncomfortable for me based on information that turned out to be inaccurate. If you wear Aqua Daily Comfort Plus contacts, do not make an appointment with Dr. Dawson.
