Is the tonometer on the website the ICare Home 2?
Enlivened.com offers the iCare HOME 1 and iCare HOME 2. I recommend the HOME 2.
How often do you need to replace the probe?
There are the official recommendations and then there are the things most of us do in actual practice. Almost none of us replace the probe after each measurement. Some of us replace it daily, some weekly and some even less frequently. It does depend on how many measurements you take in a day. In practice, the cost of probes is not significant. Once you get your tonometer and start to use it, check out the other answers on that topic such as these:
Does my doctor have to give me a prescription?
Yes, as you found out. This is not a company-specific requirement, it's the US FDA policy.
I went to the Enlivened website and found it very confusing.
As you now understand, a physician has to be involved. The website is oriented toward helping the physician understand that they can utilize the Enlivened platform to recommend tonometers to their patients and that Enlivened will provide all the training and support, making things easy for the physician's office staff and the physician themselves.
The target audience for the website is the physician, which is probably why you found it confusing. In my opinion, anyone should be able to walk into a Walgreens or similar store and buy a tonometer on the spot. In reality, US law will probably not allow that in the coming decades. Physicians have to prescribe the tonometer.
Unfortunately, many physicians do not have any experience with a patient using a tonometer at home. Physicians are often very hesitant at first due to their own lack of understanding. As another answer here mentions, we often have to have a conversation with the doctor to assure them it will be OK.
At this moment in history, it is up to us patients to educate our doctors about home tonometry. Enlivened is working hard on that too. Again, that's why you see the website focused on what Enlivened can do for the physician instead of a website that says, "click here to buy a tonometer."
I call the number on the website and no one answered.
They have a small team. As you found out, someone will call you back.
How do I get the ball rolling on this website?
Giving them a call or email is sufficient.
Do I need to start an account first and then purchase?
Not usually. Your doctor (any type of doctor, even a primary care doctor or optometrist) will set up the account with Enlivened and send the tonometer recommendation through their platform. There is no cost (no obligation of any type) to the doctor.
However, if your doctor writes a paper prescription, you can take a photo of it and email it to Enlivened and they will set up the account for you.
What is the fiteyes discount to purchase a tonometer on this website?
You can find the information in the PDF attached to this comment:
https://ask.fiteyes.com/p/9767/#9784
Well, I did get a phone call from Enlivened and they told me I would need a dr prescription to get a tonometer. My current doctor (and new doctor) will probably not give me a prescription as I did inquire about getting a tonometer and they were not on board about it. So how do you get a tonometer without a prescription?
When I got mine, my doctor at the time was not on board either. I persisted, and said, "I don't need you to be involved, I just need you to write the prescription and that's it". He ended up writing it. I would suggest trying that -- as tactfully as possible.
And then eventually I found another doctor who was actually interested and used my data to adjust my medication and lower my IOP.
Your other option would be to take a trip to Europe and buy one there, no prescription needed. But you then may have support issues in the US.
thank you Brian for responding. I'll try again to convince my GS. Enlivened also said they would take a primary Dr prescription too but that seems more unlikely. I don't think my primary Dr will want to be "responsible" for anything having to do with another medical field.
A trip to Europe is not in my foreseeable future.
Thanks again, Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, I think that how you ask, and how you frame it, can make a big difference. I told my Dr that I wanted to use it to get a better picture of the daily fluctuations outside of what can be seen in the office, and whether particular activities and sleeping position have an impact. I told him that I didn't need him to be involved at all unless he wanted to, and that I wasn't going to be calling him all the time if I got a high reading (to be honest, I think that is what some of them are afraid of). I said that I wanted to be an informed patient.
Good luck! Brian
Thank you Brian! My next appt is Dec19th... I'll practice what I am going to say based on your advise. If that doesn't work I'll work on my primary Dr.
Thanks again, Suzanne
I agree. Thanks for sharing your advice, Brian.