Contact lens Price

General forum for the UK Keratoconus and self-help group members.

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jayboi2005
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Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
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Postby jayboi2005 » Sun 26 Mar 2006 10:01 pm

Thanks Jay and everyone else. I have a spare few hours tomorrow so i will do a little bit of digging and see what i find out i doubt i will get very far. I just need to make sure that i can answer any questions that the MP will ask when i go to her and say LOOK, which will lead to what do you think and can you help?

If you were diagnosed with High Blood pressure or diabetes then you would mostly get any tablets that were needed. I know we are talking completely different conditions and life circumstances. But this was put to me this way by a man who has both conditions at church today! And he was quite shocked when i said i pay for lenses yes. He seen it that the government should play a better part, and so do i.

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jayuk
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Postby jayuk » Sun 26 Mar 2006 10:03 pm

I agree....but I think we can actually refer to a number of illnesses where there is a treatment methodology.......its just KC doesnt seem to have one as such right now...
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -
(C) Copyright 2005 KP

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Lynn White
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Postby Lynn White » Sun 26 Mar 2006 10:25 pm

JB...

You only get free tablets if you are over 60 or are financially eligible. If I for instance, as a fully employed person under 60 and over 16, needed a prescription for ANYTHING, I would have to pay prescription charges. I would not get anything free. Most of the benefits in this country are based on financial rather than medical need. People who are diabetic or have glaucoma or relatives with glaucoma get a free eye exam - but no other medical category.

There is no different provision for anyone who needs contact lenses as opposed to chooses contact lenses.

The provisions for vouchers I have mentioned in my previous post.

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Sweet
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Postby Sweet » Sun 26 Mar 2006 10:49 pm

As Lynn said we have to pay for tablets if we are employed which stands at the precription charge of about #6.50 per item. This is why it is better to get your GP to write down for a three month supply if it is a long term drug as you will only pay one charge.

People are buying more products online in a bid to try to stop paying prescription charges, but the downside of this is that no-one can cover them for their condition and how it is treated, you can't trust all websites and there is no record from the GP's.

Most painkillers are now available at a much cheaper cost at supermarkets and chemists etc and this applies to a lot of solutions as well, so now we just need to work out if we can get anything reduced because we have KC. Asthmatics have the same argument with inhalers which are life saving as well as diabetics with drugs and insulin but we can try!

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Helen Scholar
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Postby Helen Scholar » Mon 27 Mar 2006 7:17 am

Dear Jayboi

I know you are recently turned 17 from reading earlier posts - if you are still in full-time education I don't think you will have pay for contact lenses prescribed through a hospital optometry department. I know we don't have to for our 17 year old son through Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Mon 27 Mar 2006 7:42 am

When buying over the internet, you need to be able to ensure it is from a reputable source. Even reputable sources in this county are finding it hard to detect counterfit medicines which are more harmful than if you were to take a placebo.

Fortunatly this country has one of the tightest controls regarding medicines comeing in from outside sources.

Going to a high street chemist means they have to meet srtict licensing criterea.
Gareth

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Andrew MacLean
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Postby Andrew MacLean » Mon 27 Mar 2006 8:33 am

I'm a little bit old fashioned. There are things that I would not buy over th einternet.

for example I don't think I'd contemplate buying medicine over the internet, although I would buy artificial tears and saline.

I would never buy contact lenses over the internet, but I would buy sunglasses.

Now we come to the crux of the problem. Some of us are able to get our contact lenses through hospital departments (and I did not notice a reluctance to provide lenses, as apporpriate, from across the board of lens materials and styled). Others, on the basis of where they live, seem to be denied this opportunity.,

That, it seems to me, is the real injustice.

Andrew
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jayboi2005
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Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
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Postby jayboi2005 » Mon 27 Mar 2006 10:01 am

I understand what you are saying about the fact that people still have to pay for any prescription, however the government fund a large part of this. For example we know that a doc can write you 3 months worth of something that has a value of £100 you pay £6.50 the government picks up the bill for the rest. I just think that the benefits towards people that need to have contact lenses isn't all that great.


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