exam without costly OCT scan?

[2see]

I am traveling in NZ and am from the US. I need an injection but am not covered on insurance here Has anyone ever asked for a visual check alone without the expense of an OCT scan? I had spoken in the past to my regular specialist sinc I had been in Mexico where the service was not available. My Dr. said a good specialist is capable of seeing what needs to be seen visually. I hve been having injections for two years and need one in my right eye monthly. left eye has gone to every 8 weeks. It is quite expensive out of pocket and my travel rider says I am not covered, only for Emergency! I am opting to use avastin @ $100 instead of Eylea due to cost differnce even though i hate that it is preloaded in a silicone lubricated syringe. I had stopped using that when I read of possible silicone leakage into the eye. My doctor in the US said no issue to change, maybe even possible better result. This all depends on whether the Dr here will go along with it. Anyone have input.?

[Retired130]

No information on if you can get an eye injection without the scan, but I am commenting on your statement about Eylea preloaded in a silicone lubricated syringe. I am in the US & spend 6 months in PA & 6 months in FL so I have 2 retina specialists = one in each state. Both do not use preloaded syringes of Eylea. They get the Eylea in a tiny bottle & load their own syringe from the bottle & they do not use silicone lubricated syringes. I think you should talk to your retina specialists about getting Eylea in small bottles & using their own non-lubricated syringes.

[2see in reply to Retired130]

it is Avastin which is preloaded and it seems that is about the only way it is distributed. It is a complicated story..you can google it if interested. Gentech developed it for colon cancer bleeding and then someone realized it would work for wet amd but in much smaller doses. but because they were also developing one for eyes they would not sell it in the smaall quantities. So then comes a secondary pharmacy who makes the small dose but preloads in silicone lubricated syringes . the price of Avastin is $100 and Eylea or lucentis is at least 10 times that. The silicone lubricant has been known to leak into the medication and end up leaving slicone in the eye causing large olive shaped floater or cause ocular pressure if the silicone would settle near the optic nerve. Makes one wonder!

[Hammiepaeroa]

You could ring the Hamilton Eye Clinic 078340006 and they will tell you what to do. I live in NZ

[Hidden]

I paid extra to have macular condition added to my travel insurance as a preexisting condition. Worth thinking about for the future.

[2see]

thanks I will look in to that

[StokeySue]

I hardly ever have an OCT - the consultant can see if there’s a bleed without OCT, and if it’s just a schedule injection there’s no reason for an OCT as the injection is happening any way. I do have injections quite often