Hi,
I have been told that if I want a scleral lens I will have to go to Moorfields Hospital as the Norfolk and Norwich doesn’t have the funding to help me.
This will involve several trips between Kings Lynn and London.
Does anyone know if I can get government or charity help with the travelling expenses?
Travelling expenses
Moderators: Anne Klepacz, John Smith, Sweet
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sat 04 Sep 2010 5:10 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
- Location: Norfolk
Re: Travelling expenses
Will be interested in any response to this as I am in the same position. I had a first appointment at Moorfields this week and have to go again next week.
- Lynn White
- Optometrist
- Posts: 1398
- Joined: Sat 12 Mar 2005 8:00 pm
- Location: Leighton Buzzard
Re: Travelling expenses
Interesting question!
I will do some digging around and get back to you.
Lynn
I will do some digging around and get back to you.
Lynn
Lynn White MSc FCOptom
Optometrist Contact Lens Fitter
Clinical Director, UltraVision
email: lynn.white@lwvc.co.uk
Optometrist Contact Lens Fitter
Clinical Director, UltraVision
email: lynn.white@lwvc.co.uk
- Ali Akay
- Optometrist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Thu 09 Jun 2005 9:50 pm
- Keratoconus: No, I don't suffer from KC
- Vision: I don't have KC
- Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Re: Travelling expenses
Hi Simon
You state that you need to go to Moorfields if you "want to" try sclerals, so I am not sure if you've been told you need sclerals or you want to try them as you're unhappy with your current lenses. I work at Addenbrookes where we do fit sclerals on a small scale, but often manage to get good results with other lens types. If its any help, you could seek a referral to Addenbrookes as I'd have thought journey to Cambridge would be a lot easier (and cheaper) than London. If you need to discuss this further feel free to pm me.
You state that you need to go to Moorfields if you "want to" try sclerals, so I am not sure if you've been told you need sclerals or you want to try them as you're unhappy with your current lenses. I work at Addenbrookes where we do fit sclerals on a small scale, but often manage to get good results with other lens types. If its any help, you could seek a referral to Addenbrookes as I'd have thought journey to Cambridge would be a lot easier (and cheaper) than London. If you need to discuss this further feel free to pm me.
- space_cadet
- Champion
- Posts: 955
- Joined: Tue 12 May 2009 11:46 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Other
- Location: Leeds
- Contact:
Re: Travelling expenses
If you are on Income Support then you should be able to claim back travel, I forget how you go about it other than you have to choose teh cheapest possible way of getting tehre and get reciepts, I had to do the same years ago when I had pscyhotherapy in Ilkley and live in Leeds..
x
x
May09 Diagnosed with KC, March 2010 after a failed transplant it has left me legally blind a long cane user (since 2010) who is blind in a once sighted world
- Anne Klepacz
- Committee
- Posts: 2266
- Joined: Sat 20 Mar 2004 5:46 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Re: Travelling expenses
There's a few other benefits that also qualify for a refund of travel costs, such as income based JSA and receipt of some of the tax credits. Full details are at
www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages ... costs.aspx
The way it works at Moorfields is that you take a letter or something that proves you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, along with tickets you've bought, to the Cashier's office and they can then do the refund. I presume there's a similar system at other hospitals.
I don't think there's any help available for people who aren't on these benefits, but if anyone has found another source, please let us know!
Anne
www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages ... costs.aspx
The way it works at Moorfields is that you take a letter or something that proves you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, along with tickets you've bought, to the Cashier's office and they can then do the refund. I presume there's a similar system at other hospitals.
I don't think there's any help available for people who aren't on these benefits, but if anyone has found another source, please let us know!
Anne
- Lynn White
- Optometrist
- Posts: 1398
- Joined: Sat 12 Mar 2005 8:00 pm
- Location: Leighton Buzzard
Re: Travelling expenses
HI
Yes, having checked with a few people,it appears you can only get travel expenses if you are on benefits.
If you are not on benefits, then, as Ali says, the alternative is to try and look for other lens types. There are only a small number of people who have to wear sclerals as opposed to any other lens type. Also, most hospitals are more familiar with what Moorfields can do than what other hospitals in their own region can do, so it is definitely worth examining being transferred to Addenbrookes.
Lynn
Yes, having checked with a few people,it appears you can only get travel expenses if you are on benefits.
If you are not on benefits, then, as Ali says, the alternative is to try and look for other lens types. There are only a small number of people who have to wear sclerals as opposed to any other lens type. Also, most hospitals are more familiar with what Moorfields can do than what other hospitals in their own region can do, so it is definitely worth examining being transferred to Addenbrookes.
Lynn
Lynn White MSc FCOptom
Optometrist Contact Lens Fitter
Clinical Director, UltraVision
email: lynn.white@lwvc.co.uk
Optometrist Contact Lens Fitter
Clinical Director, UltraVision
email: lynn.white@lwvc.co.uk
-
- Contributor
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed 09 Mar 2011 6:35 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: On the waiting list for a graft
Re: Travelling expenses
Thats right take your ticket and appointment letter to the cashiers office on the ground floor at Moorfields with proof of your entitlement ie tax credit card and they refund you. Im off today for my pre op assesment, very nervous.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Sat 27 Mar 2010 9:05 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Re: Travelling expenses
Good luck with the pre op (if you see thus in time) It's nothing major (see the thread last updated 21st April)
Ian
Ian
Return to “General Discussion Forum”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 82 guests