Hi just wandering if anyone else is experiencing delays with appointments I just spoken to my eye clinic and I was supposed to have a check up last December, rang up this morning 4/4/23 to be told that it will now be end of May June, that will be a year since my last check up, I have been to my local opticians and was told that my pressures were alright at 19 in both eyes but my right cataract needed surgery, unfortunately they say their field vision test machine is broken so I d understand that, but I have had check ups without them doing that, so I don't see why they cannot do the check up and do the field vision test later when that is working, has anyone else experience long delays in Wales, my situation could be different because I live on the border in Powys Mid Wales and opthalmologist come from across the border Hereford in England to the local eye clinic, I am worried although my opticians saids the pressures are ok, hopefully I will get one soon.
Delays with Appointments: Hi just wandering if... - Glaucoma UK
Delays with Appointments
I'm still awaiting my 6 week follow up from surgery in January.
January 2022!
They haven't forgotten about me because I have since been in for field tests.
Now this morning my mother in law (80) needs a GP appointment and has been told that none are available until sometime in May.
Envy of the world? Don't make me laugh!
Thanks for your reply, we don't have any problems with doctors appointment where I live, mind you most of them are telephone appointments still, we can get the GPs to rang back on the same day and we can see them face to face as well if needs be, if you want just a routine check up it usually about a week with them. I am more concerned about my Glaucoma appointments then my other health problems which are getting regularly check up on. My eye clinic have not forgotten about me either, and they understand why I am worried about it been nearly a year, I did not have a field test in June last year, so I am due one this time, but I have been without field test for longer when they said I didn't need them, I was glad because I hate them, so perhaps they can do one without and do the field test later, but she they would probably wait until the field machine is mended, hoping for one soon. Best wishes to you and your mum hope you both get sorted soon as well. It worrying when you have to wait.
Hi Peter,
I'm not sure if your hospitals have the same structure as we have in London but we too have long waiting lists and I have had appointments cancelled or delayed at critical points of my glaucoma journey.
My surgeon advised that at any point if I felt an appointment was crucial to contact the group secretaries who in turn would alert the senior staff who could make an assessment and bring appointment's forward.
I attend Moorefield's in London so I don't know if this approach would work for every hospital. I am also mindful that there are many people waiting so only took this route when a planned operation was cancelled, and I had already lost sight in one eye due to late diagnosis.
Take care and I wish you well.
Hi no my appointment system is not like yours, I go to a local eye clinic in my local hospital and the opthalmologist comes from across the border in Hereford which is our own main general hospital which is 40 miles away. Our appointment system works from a call centre who sent out letters for the patient and then the patient makes the appointment with the clinic, daft system rather I cannot see why they just don't send the patient appointment letter and if the patient has a problem they can change the appointment themselves. Living in Wales is very different to living in London, although all my treatment like operations will probably be dealt with in England because of where we live. Hopefully it will get sorted soon, thanks for your reply. Best wishes
Hello,
Long waiting times are unfortunately all over the UK.
If at any time you are concerned or you feel your vision has changed/worsened, call the eye secretary so that they can tell the consultant and get back to you. There is more chance of getting an appointment by calling the eye secretary directly than keep calling the appointments department.
Hi I have been doing that since I last December when I was due to have a check up, our system in Wales is different to yours in Wales, if I call Hereford eye clinic direct they say call the eye clinic appointment centre in your local area. They do know about my worsening eyesight and the cataract, hopefully things will get sorted soon, don't worry I will keep on ranging them until I get an appointment they will be fed up with me probably are already. Best wishes
I think it’s the pressure on the service I work for the NHS
And love it but recent months has seen the emergency eye
Emergency eye clinic waiting time five hours that has never
Been heard off as well as working there I am a patient
Since 1978 🇺🇦🇺🇦
I’m in Somerset and I have experienced delays in the past. Even before lockdown my hospital trust struggled with huge volume of patients needing the eye department. I’m guessing parts of Wales NHS will struggle for similar reasons.
The issue for us is because this area of Somerset, a predominantly rural area has few large hospitals, a large patient catchment area and an aging population. A lot of people move to Somerset to retire and many eye conditions are more common in the elderly. The issue is also the distances and terrain people have to drive to access treatment, often needing a driver companion if they are having eye treatment as there’s a lack of any -and I mean ANY- public transport. In winter due to the step, winding, narrow lanes even short journeys can take a lot longer as rural roads are no longer routinely gritted. But we love our village communities so we hang in there like limpets despite the challenges, neglect and increasing lack of amenities, but we all fear our health is put at risk by it.
Somerset NHS tries to offer alternative appointments around the county in community hospitals to relieve Taunton and Bristol eye departments to increase appointment availability but Somerset county covers a large geographical area. If I can’t get in at Taunton a 30 mins drive away then I’m looking at Exeter, an hour down the M5 or Bristol and 1.5hrs away. Even Chard considered still local to me is an hour drive away. Then there’s the waiting time in the hospital, which staff do a sterling job of keeping to time, but on a busy day can take a long time. It’s hard to ask a friend or relative to take a half day off work to drive you to a routine appointment every few months.
However very recently my NHS trust has just invested in a new Opthamolgy Diagnostic Centre on the edge of Taunton to move less urgent care from clogging up the hospital. It works like the virtual clinics in lockdown so technicians/nurses do routine glaucoma tests: pressure checks, fields, OCT and acuity.
The information is sent electronically to the consultants team who review it and decides if a face to face is required. I was amazed that I got my 6 month check date bang on time, the whole testing took about 30-40 mins so no waiting and the car parking was free and easy to find a space. The building was air conditioned and not crowded and the staff seemed calm and less stressed than at the hospital. I was less worried about COVID due to lack of ventilation and crowding.
I was told that I’d hear from the consultants team by letter in about 2 weeks unless something urgent was spotted. They said the hospital team review results within a week. I attended on the 24th and I am waiting for my letter. If this works then it is a better option. My only concern is that no one looked in my eyes and I have retinal bleeds so I have to hope that shows up on the OCT.
I do also have my optician who I pay to check my eyes every 6 mths as I had some concerns my eye care was being compromised as the NHS started to struggle during lockdown and I had lost some vision. I see it as an investment plan to save my vision and back up if the NHS fails me.
Is anyone else being offered these new opthamology diagnostic centres? Are they working better for you? I’d be interested to hear. Particularly if you live in a rural area like me. I have lived in London, Birmingham and Guildford and I did find the health service better funded, better equipped and easier to access in the cities, but that was way before lockdown, which has changed everything.
Interesting. I too was waiting over a year the next appointment and yes I was offered an appointment at the Taunton diagnostic centre on 16 March and am still waiting for my letter. Apparently the Consultant I was under has retired so I’m not sure who I’m under now.
Hello! I’d be interested to know when your letter arrives, so please let me know. I’ve had important letters go astray from the hospital so if I haven’t heard in 3 weeks I’m going to email my GP and see what comes up on their screens as they get an E-copy now I believe.
Firstly, I am saddened to hear of the waiting times to see your opthomologist, I live in New Zealand and are constantly seeing my opthomologist for VFT, eye pressure tests etc. I have just had a Preserflo Microshunt in March, and all is progressing well.
Your eye health is super important, is it expensive to see a private specialist or do you have to go to a eye clinic at the hospital?
I wish you the best with all the further appointments. I wish I could help.
Hi! It is expensive if you can’t afford health insurance and a lot of us can’t.
Initial consultation is £200-240 . Plus tests e.g. visual fields, disc imaging, pachymetry are separate. The cost is different for different hospitals. Follow up visit costs £140-160 depending on the hospital.
SLT (selective laser trabeculoplasty) laser costs £1095 for two eyes. You could need this repeated several times in your lifetime.
Trabeculectomy surgery under local anaesthetic as a day case costs around £3500 per eye depending on the hospital.
Tube surgery (aqueous shunt implantation) costs between £4000-5000 depending on the hospital. Costs are higher for general anaesthetic. Surgery price includes one follow-up.
Then there’s all the lifetime of eye drops and lubricating drops which you don’t get free if you’re under 60. ☹️
Having Glaucoma treatment is an expensive business!
Having said that I’m suffering with a suspected trapped femoral nerve having waited for over 3 mths to see a specialist for a proper diagnosis. Private treatment for that is equally eye watering. My only pain relief is to lie down on the floor occasionally for an hour. But I’m making the most of my incapacity and frustration by keeping up with queries on the forum. The good news is femoral nerve pain is so all encompassing that it does temporarily distract you from the worry of glaucoma I find! 😂
Lucky I don't have to pay because I live in the UK in Wales, and you don't pay for treatment or prescription in Wales. I can understand it is awful when you have to pay and have insurance as well in the US, it must be awful for you paying all that money and getting your appointments delayed. Best wishes
I am in the Uk! I was replying to Moana64 who is in New Zealand and asking about the UK. 👍🏻
Thanks for clarifying the costs etc, however it appears you have a long wait time in the public system to see an eye Dr., which is crazy.
In NZ my private Health Insurance is NZD1500 per year, therefore all my eye problems and eye drops etc are covered , however a small charge for the drops of NZD10 per prescription which is generally for 3 months supply of my Combigan, Travatan.
I just had Preserflo Microshunt and of course have steroids, antibiotics for a few weeks. And weekly follow ups with my eye specialist. In NZ I know a few others with Glaucoma and under public system, and they never would run out of eye drops. They just email their GP and they email a prescription thru to the pharmacy to collect.
I wish you well, and truly hope you can get on top of things
I changed hospitals last year, due to the delay issue. I saw a consultant in May 2021 (the sixth different one in 8 years), so assumed I would get an appointment in May last year. Not having heard, I rang up and was smugly (sorry, it really was) informed there was a 12 month delay. As my pressures had been 16 inn2021, I have a cataract and thin corneas, I decided I needed to go private. After my private consultation, I was transferred to a different NHS hospital and have had SLT and two follow up consultations in the last 10 months. Having said all that, I hope I never need a GP appointment as our surgery (the only one in our town) has just been rated “needs improvement “ by the CQC and another of the doctors is about to retire. If you need a GP appointment, they put you on a waiting list and someone may (or, as happened to my husband in December) or may not phone you back. It’s a very sad situation, but I’m sure it’s more complicated than just needing to throw money at the problem. Best of luck to you.
Yes I have never seen the same consultant twice since before the pandemic, when I was diagnosed 10 years ago I saw the same consultant but not since he retired and that was about 6 years ago now I think.
Yes! I last saw the glaucoma doctors in April 2022 and was told I would be called back in 4 months. It never happened which I had forgotten about till annual optician check up in November and he said my pressures had gone up and I should ring the hospital. Which I did and the receptionist sort of laughed and said no appointment till April 23. Still waiting .. but I was scared so went to see a good man at a private hospital which has a lot of eye equipment. Sad, isn’t it?
Never had this problem before even through the pandemic, it is just at present.
Well just came back from doing a VF in my local opticians and it was ok apparently, but it is not going to help apparently I have to have one done at hospital so waste of time me going this morning I will just have to wait.
The position in North wales is dire. The last routine appointment I had was 10 months late and the current one is 2 months overdue. I made a formal complaint and got a bland letter back several months later apologising but still offering no appointment.
Can anyone recommend a private consulant/ hospital in the north east of wales or Merseyside/Cheshire area?
Myrtle 22
optician appointments
Quick Update 
Eye pressure tests in between appointments
