Where to get your eyes examined
no problem. Getting an eye exam with equipment more modern than a dog-eared eye chart hanging crooked on the wall is a bit trickier.
Still, there’s no reason to walk around squinting although there are certain times, of course, when thatХs preferable to an unblurred view of your surroundings. Your best bet is to look for an optician who deals in contact lenses.
At the optical shop on Lva Tolstoho 24/104, (tel.: 220-85-26), you could get an eye exam using Western technical equipment. A consultation with a doctor costs Hr 25. Six-month lenses cost Hr 60, while lenses good for one year cost Hr 150. Different types of disposable lenses also are available, but donХt expect to find hard lenses. An added bonus: The staff is friendly and fast, and no reservation is needed.
If you need to replace your contact lenses, Bousch and Lomb products, including lenses, solutions and containers are available at many local opticians.
You can also check out one of the oldest optical shops in Kyiv to get replacement lenses, including hard lenses.
Irida Medical Center (Pidvysotskoho 19, tel. 295-1403) has a wide range of Ukrainian, American and British lenses Р ranging from the type that last a month to those that last for 18 months. Prices vary from Hr 40 to Hr 200.
The more adventurous, can get an inexpensive (Hr 30) exam and consultation at Irida. But beware, you might want to brush up on your Cyrillic; this exam involves reading letters from an eye chart. There is nothing that could be considered high-tech at this place. An optician will measure the curvature of your eyes using some sort of a special Dick Tracy spyglass. Make an appointment by telephone to avoid the long wait.
If you are having a problem with your eyes, the best place to go is the Center of Eye Microsurgery (Kosmonavta Komarova 3, tel. 488-2833). They deal with eye defects and diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts. A consultation with a foreigner costs Hr 80. For Ukrainians, itХs free. Professor Mykola Serhiyenko is the best doctor at the center and people from all over Ukraine go there for consultation and treatment. Serhiyenko receives patients only on Mondays. Appointments are required.
If youХre not a contact-lens wearer, there is a wide range of modern glasses available, which cost from Hr 10 to Hr 1,000. You can find UV-protection and anti-reflection glasses at Veyana optical shop at Gorkogo 123 or Kominterna 7/9. They even carry light, shockproof lenses made of polymeric glass for about Hr 35. There are two optic shops on Khreshchatyk. Platon at Khreshchtyk 27 is perhaps the most expensive shop. Optica at Khreshchatyk 48 uses outdated and poor-quality materials, but if your glasses are broken, theyХll fix them for a couple of hryvna.
Olga Kryzhanovska
