Still no lenses :(

[bwfc2011]

I posted a few months ago about me struggling to get replacement lenses. I have been getting lenses from a contact lens specialist at Wigan Infirmary for years, but lost my lenses back in April/May. After Mr Turton went off sick, the hospital said they couldn't help me and had nobody who was replacing him whilst he was off. I have since been working abroad for 3 months, without lenses, and therefore unable to drive or see very well at all. I have since rung the hospital again on my return, to be told that Mr Turton has now retired, and they have no-one now dispensing lenses, and therefore no-one who can help me at the hospital. I asked to see a consultant and they've told me I have to be re-referred to them. I am seeing my GP this week to get referred back to the hospital, but I'm worried that even when I see a consultant, I will have no way of getting the lenses still as Wigan Infirmary have made it clear they no longer have a contact lens specialist to dispense the lenses. Does this mean when I have seen the consultant, I will have to get my lenses made privately from an optician, and if so, does anyone know how much this will cost??? In the meantime, I'm back home in the UK, unable to drive, and as I'm at uni, it's incredibly embarrassing as I can't see any of the powerpoints shown in my lectures, so it is also affecting my education!

Sorry if this doesn't make sense, any replies would be welcome.

Thanks

Alec

[Andrew MacLean]

Alex

I am sorry that you seem to be getting the run around from the NHS, but I think that your university ought to be able to make adjustments for you.

Go to see your tutor/advisor of studies or whatever your institution calls the Academic with whom you have your primary contact. Take one of the leaflets from this website.
http://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/sit ... tions.html
Tell your advisor that you have keratoconus, that you do not have contact lenses and that you are struggling to see powerpoints at classes. They will make arrangements for everything you need to be provided.

Andrew

[KIRST]

Hi Alec,

Sorry to hear about your problems. It can take a while to get suitable lenses, even when you have seen a consultant so don't worry too much.

The local hospital I attend also does not have a lens fitting department and I go to one of the local opticians for lens fitting.

I would assume that once you have seen the consultant, you will be referred to a local opticians to have your lenses fitted. Your consultant may be able to advise an opticians they use regularly and who specialise in patients with KC. I have learned through my own experience that it seems to the more independant opticians that specialise on the condition, rather than the bigger ones.

You could maybe phone a few local ones yourslef to find out??

Once you have been to your appointment with consultant and been referred to the opticians, the hospital will send your details to that opticians, along with an NHS voucher for help towards the cost of lenses.

Lenses shouldn't cost you any more getting them this way than what it cost getting them fittted from hospital direct. I think it is standard charge (around £53 per lens) no matter how you get them. This should cover the requirement of replacement lenses, if presrription changes etc but not if you lose them. Someone else may be able to advise better on this.

If you find a good opticians, they will have lots of different lenses you can try to find ones which are suitable for you and in my experience, you get to try a lot before you are even charged anything, which helps!!

So don't worry too much about cost or the fact that lens fitting is now outsourced at your hospital.

Have a talk with your tutor meantime as Andrew suggested and chin up - you'll get there in the end

Kirst x