I am over 70, if self isolation is brought in can we still get our eye injections ?
Self isolation: I am over 70, if self... - Macular Society
Self isolation
Written by
JJnan
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27 Replies
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I certainly hope so
Greetings, JJnan,
This is a very important subject for everyone requiring these eye treatments. I just wrote a detailed letter of response to my doctor’s office. I received an e-mail from the office stating “the practice is concerned about the safety of everyone and if you are sick, to telephone the office and reschedule the appointment,”
Following is my response to that e-mail which I wrote this past Friday:
Dear Office Managers, Physicians and all wonderful support staff:
I am in receipt of your notice which states “you are focused on the health of your patients” requesting anyone sick to reschedule.” I very much appreciate the notice.
However, if you are TRULY INTERESTED in doing everything possible to protect your patients and everyone else, doctors and all medical and support staff, you should not have several dozen patients, most of whom are elderly seniors, sitting together in a hot waiting room, in very close proximity, for long periods of time, waiting to be seen by your staff and physicians.
Until this CoronaVirus passes and a vaccine is created, you should spread out all the appointments, not scheduling each patient on top of each other, and move patients into separate examination rooms as quickly and efficiently as possible. This absolutely necessary precaution is for the protection of everyone....patients, physicians, and complete staff. I realize this could create inconvenience; however, this is no longer a “carry on as usual” situation. In this manner, everyone will be handled and treated with true safety and dignity.
There are many doctors seeing patients there at the same time. The office is very busy. Let’s see if I get a response and what they do. I do not see how they could ignore or simply dismiss my letter; not in light of what is now happening world-wide. It would be completely irresponsible for them not to deal with this appropriately. My next appointment is this coming Wednesday morning March 18th; my second treatment in that eye. The other eye on March 25th. I will let you know.
Take care,
Bunny
Great letter. Your doctors office sounds just like the one I go to. Way too crowded with so many patients sitting right next to each other, lots of staff, husbands, wives, family members of patients because after treatments you can't drive. Many times children are also present. Best of luck, my next appointment is early April I may not want to go.
Hi JJnan. This is what I am wondering too - I am 71. I have my next appointment on 2 April. I may email Macular.org. Will let you know.
Hi JJnan. Have received a very speedy automated response to my email which just says that they will aim to respond within 3 working days. I will let you know when I receive one but they may put an announcement out before that anyway (assuming).
Thank you very much x
Hi JJnan. I have had a response from the Macular Society this morning but I see they have already written to you too. I did mention that someone else on here was querying it also. Hope we all get our injections. x
My mom is also worried about losing sight if they start to cancel injections 🙁
Thanks for bringing this up. I am also worried as many crammed into waiting rooms for what can be up to two hours. My next injections in April. Also need someone to drive there as can’t drive after injections. Limited to a few friends who are the same age as me so should also be avoiding close contact.
Becky_MacularSocietyPartner
Good Morning JJnan,
At this stage, there are no guidelines as to what this means regarding hospital appointments etc, however some hospitals are already suspending "non-urgent" appointments ahead of government advice.
Please stay in contact with your hospital about what they are doing and what their advice is about appointments.
The Government is also issuing daily briefs about the coronavirus and hopefully more information about what this self isolation will mean for those over 70.
Thanks,
Becky,
The Macular Society,
Advice and information
help@macularsociety.org
0300 3030 111
It is the first thing I thought of. I have a check up in early April which is not urgent and wonder what they will do if I don't attend. Hopefy we will be informed.
I have eye injection soon.I travel by bus whicj is a breeding ground for germs.I am considering cancelling appointment.I am sorry cannot answer your question .Take care xx
Isabella, is it worth contacting the hospital to see whether they can arrange transport in these special circumstances?
Wondering the same thing. Have an appointment tomorrow at my amd clinic. Will see what happens. Hope we are all ok through this.
Went for an eye appointment this morning and the telephone girl was telling people that the hospital was operating as normal; depends of the hospital I guess.
Mike.
This is exactly my concern, I am 80 and heading towards my 100th injection required due to radiation damage. If I miss my injection interval by just one week my vision deteriorates. It can take several injections to return my vision to its “best” possible level. My biggest fear is that at some point that might never happen.
I have 3 weeks to go before my next appointment and hope to have some information from the clinic before then.
JJnan in reply to
I understand how you feel, only peripheral vision icon left eye...new consultantstarted me on monthly inj to help right eye, head not 5 weeks it has to be 4 weekly .....waiting to see how they are going to manage apps x
Thank you for raising this concern, we’ll all be watching with interest.
Good morning, I have the same concern, my next injection is April 8th. I will phone the eye clinic and let you know what they say . I am 69 and keeping my distance from people.
Take care everyone.
Wondering as well. My injection is March 24, really need it s eye isn’t doing as well. My driver will sit in the car waiting for me to come out. Think that is good idea as he is elderly like me, 81., and has COPD. Sure wish this would all go away, especially scary for the ones who have other health problem.. good luck everyone.
UK Government advice currently is to avoid non essential contact with others, including avoiding crowded public places & public transport ie "social distancing", this advice strengthened for all those normally advised to get an annual flu shot. They acknowledge however that many NHS/emergency workers need to go to work and be in close contact. Also that people may need to go out shopping for food or attend necessary medical appts. The UK is not in a mandatory lockdown situation.
My view is that my eye appts for review and inj are necessary. The chance of losing my sight due to no treatment is higher than getting/passing on the virus, which in any case ranges in effect from mild to severe. Many more folk have survived it than not. I am under 70 but even if I wasn't I personally would still go.
So, unless my clinic advises otherwise I shall be attending, travelling by taxi as I usually do.
However, I have no reason to believe I have the virus and do not have any symptoms but if they appear I do not want to knowingly put others at risk and will contact my clinic for their advice first.
In any case, I will use hand gel before and after opening doors, avoid pressing lift buttons with fingertips, use stairs where I can, avoid using public toilets other than to access hand washing facilities if necessary, avoid touching my face, and attempt to keep 6' away from other people esp anyone coughing without covering their mouth and nose. Once back home I will wash hands thoroughly with soap and water ( the rinsing action is what makes soap and water more effective than hand gel). I also wash hands after shopping / opening food packs and rinse fresh foodstuffs well.
Keeping hydrated, eating well, getting fresh air and keeping mobile are important health factors too.
As is not panicking - stress doesn't help anything. For the vast majority it's not a deadly disease. If you are in a position of self isolation ensure you are in some kind of non personal contact with others both for moral support and practical assistance.
With the incredibly busy schedule of the nhs eye clinics its going to be impossible for them to reduce the waiting room crush without potentially causing inj delay problems for patients - hopefully those who know from experience that they must adhere to a strict inj timescale will continue to get theirs on time.
Sending best wishes to everyone with an upcoming appt. X
in reply to
Thanks for your update. and I think all your points given are solid . I have an injection
later this afternoon I will take all precautions as I possibly can.
Well said Eyesright. Thanks it is very uplifting.
love Anne.
in reply to
Thanks x. Catseye235 has put a post with link to a very good article which puts a bit of much needed perspective on the matter.
Speaking as someone who has worked for the NHS many years I have long criticised the way the NHS run their clinics. Some time ago at a Stockport hospital I was scheduled for an appointment to have an injection in my thumb under ex-ray for arthritis. I was told to be there at 12.0 noon. Apart from having my blood pressure and temperature taken, and giving my permission to the surgeon to do my op. nothing happened until 5.15 pm. I was incensed I had been called so early, and ABANDONED TO WAIT SO LONG. surely I WOULDN'T HAVE TURNED UP FOR THE PROCEDURE IF I HADN'T ALREADY GIVEN MY PERMISSION? WHIDCH INCIDENTLY I HAD DONE. I wrote a huge letter of complaint. Did it not occur to the NHS to stagger appointments and obtain permission to do the op. earlier? Not on the day when he had to plough thro HUGE clinic? Apparently not.
I now move onto Macclesfield eye clinic. Here we ARE quite literally rammed in like sardines. One consultant remarked on it. Again sometimes, (not always), we wait a minimum of 2 hours, once only 1 1/2 hrs. During that time we do have blood pressure and temperature taken, but mostly we're packed together waiting and waiting. I once had an eye appointment sceduked for 4.30, and didn't get my injection till 8.15! Poor me, poor staff!!!!. I shall just have to write again to ask if there is any way we can be scheduled better so the waiting room is not packed to the rafters, and -patiemts rammed together for hours on end??
Is there anyone out there reading his that feels the same as me and works in the NHS and has a suggestion and/or answer. The NHS at the moment seems to be run for the convenience of he staff, not the patients.
for all my moaning and letting off steam I still think the NHS is the envy of the world, but it doesn't half need a bit thought; to put it mildly; how it's run.
in reply to fed13
Hi fed13 I work in the hospital where my eye clinic is. Couldn't agree more. We used to have same system as yours and could sit for hours but they changed so that there are days which are just inj appts. I think they get through 15 per room per day which I think must be quite gruelling. As one is being injected another patient is in preop having first set of drops. This works well as usually all done well within an hour.
Separately the appts for visual checks and scans and review with doc go on alongside taking about 2 hrs (so lots of folk in waiting areas) and if necessary they try to fit you in at the end of the day for an inj. if they dont want you to wait for the next inj day.
It does mean you usually have 2 different appt days so twice the travel but overall less time hanging about. I prefer the 2 day system.
Though it always seems there aren't enough trained injectors or consultants to meet demand. I see other outpatient clinics that appear better staffed and less crammed with folk but of course that may not be the reality.
JJnan in reply to
Our clinic has a small waiting room and always full ..we also share it with minor injuries !..I allow 4 hrs ...
