Sounds like a shit hospital and a shit nurse. Don´t give up. Some people are kind and try their best to help. Others don´t. I would have taken jayuk´s advise and go to Manchester.
(Don´t go to Moorfields, and avoid Italy, since the hospitals are now run by robots
potentially libellous comment removed -- John
Eye Appoint was today (Angry)
Moderators: Anne Klepacz, John Smith, Sweet
Uh-oh...
Hello there,
You must be really peeved, and rightly so.
I presume whoever you saw in the clinic will write a report to the GP detailing their observations.
I suggest that you wait 10 days for that letter to reach the doc, then make an appointment to discuss the situation with the GP. The other route would be to see an optician for advice, but they'd only write a letter to the GP to say you need a specialist referral for KC, and that will only take longer, so avoid it.
You need to say to the GP that you'e been diagnosed with KC (and they can't argue with the letter in front of them) and you want a second opinion from another ophthalmologist on how you can get NHS lenses. It will involve going to a bigger city hospital.
I have to travel nearly two hours to the hospital where they fit me for lenses (three trains and a bus).
I was diagnosed by an optician in 98 or 99 who said she would write to the GP to get them to send me to an eye specialist because private lenses would be too expensive, and opticians are desperate to hand KC-ers over to the NHS, as they generally don't have the expertise as it's a chronic condition. Anyway, I never got an appointment-letter must have got lost.
Went to another optician a year later who said KC again, and I'd need NHS treatment because it would cost a fortune to have lenses made privately, so I was referred and sorted out at a city hospital.
Don't despair. It sounds like you've had a bad experience, but that can always turn around once you have a chat with your doctor.
It will be worth the effort and the wait.
I wish you all the best. Let us know how it goes.
Lyndsey
You must be really peeved, and rightly so.
I presume whoever you saw in the clinic will write a report to the GP detailing their observations.
I suggest that you wait 10 days for that letter to reach the doc, then make an appointment to discuss the situation with the GP. The other route would be to see an optician for advice, but they'd only write a letter to the GP to say you need a specialist referral for KC, and that will only take longer, so avoid it.
You need to say to the GP that you'e been diagnosed with KC (and they can't argue with the letter in front of them) and you want a second opinion from another ophthalmologist on how you can get NHS lenses. It will involve going to a bigger city hospital.
I have to travel nearly two hours to the hospital where they fit me for lenses (three trains and a bus).
I was diagnosed by an optician in 98 or 99 who said she would write to the GP to get them to send me to an eye specialist because private lenses would be too expensive, and opticians are desperate to hand KC-ers over to the NHS, as they generally don't have the expertise as it's a chronic condition. Anyway, I never got an appointment-letter must have got lost.
Went to another optician a year later who said KC again, and I'd need NHS treatment because it would cost a fortune to have lenses made privately, so I was referred and sorted out at a city hospital.
Don't despair. It sounds like you've had a bad experience, but that can always turn around once you have a chat with your doctor.
It will be worth the effort and the wait.
I wish you all the best. Let us know how it goes.
Lyndsey
-
- Chatterbox
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Thu 12 Jan 2006 8:06 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Contact lenses
- Location: Cheshire
- Andrew MacLean
- Moderator
- Posts: 7703
- Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2004 8:01 pm
- Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
- Vision: Other
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- Lynn White
- Optometrist
- Posts: 1398
- Joined: Sat 12 Mar 2005 8:00 pm
- Location: Leighton Buzzard
JB...
What you need to check with your GP is the catchment areas of various hospitals and where he can refer you.
If you can get to MREH, then you can either get fitted there or get a Hosp voucher to use at a private optoms.
Basically you have now got an official diagnosis of KC, so thats one under your belt!
You are also now getting into the position where you know more about your condition than many professionals, simply by being on this board. This may seem shocking to you but remember KC is the only thing you are intensely researching right now. Other people may be as intensely researching gout or osteoporosis etc... medics have to know a little about everything, the "patient" has not much other interest but the condition he or she has.. The people to see about this are consultants - they are not called "specialists" for nothing!
So yes, go to your GP, he or she is the gateway to the NHS and will be able to guide you.
Lynn
What you need to check with your GP is the catchment areas of various hospitals and where he can refer you.
If you can get to MREH, then you can either get fitted there or get a Hosp voucher to use at a private optoms.
Basically you have now got an official diagnosis of KC, so thats one under your belt!
You are also now getting into the position where you know more about your condition than many professionals, simply by being on this board. This may seem shocking to you but remember KC is the only thing you are intensely researching right now. Other people may be as intensely researching gout or osteoporosis etc... medics have to know a little about everything, the "patient" has not much other interest but the condition he or she has.. The people to see about this are consultants - they are not called "specialists" for nothing!
So yes, go to your GP, he or she is the gateway to the NHS and will be able to guide you.
Lynn
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