I need some advice. About three years ago my O.H. was referred to the eye infirmary by the optician because of eye issues. We never got a proper diagnosis ( odd as that must be). I gather they decided it was AMD as after tests he was sent home with one of those grid things. His right eye was poor. They didnt offer any treatment. His left eye was still working I think. We got glasses from the opticians. No recall to the eye infirmary. No advice. No diagnosis . His glasses need updating I think. He is complaining of poor sight but his glasses are scratched.. . Can he just go back to the opticians?
I have read a lot about glasses that enable low sighted people to see . How do we get some of those for his right eye and would they work? He says he can see out of the side of that eye.
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abys
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Hi abys. I assume from what you're saying that the macular degeneration is dry and if so, I don't think there's a lot they can do. If his glasses are scratched then he needs to go back to the opticians to have them checked. Does he not have annual check ups anyway?
No, he does not have annual check ups. The optician sent him to the eye infirmary. We ordered his glasses. he has worn glasses for long sight all his life. They did some tests and we were called back every three months . Each time we had a different consultant and I guess he fell through the middle of them in terms of being told anything. At one point he was supposed to be getting injections for his bad eye but that never materialised as they said they were too expensive and when we asked if it was possible to go private, they shut up altogether and told us we couldnt afford it but wouldnt refer him ( and I could have paid! I checked the prices. We would have paid for his eyes.)..
They werent very forthcoming at the hospital anyway, and then suddenly they told him he was discharged and gave him this grid thing. Nothing was ever said about a diagnosis. We guessed from reading about the grid. They also told him ,if he wanted he could buy some vitamin supplement or something. We never got the name. He knows he cannot see much through his bad eye but his other eye he could see through. Thats the long story cut short of it.
But he says his eyes are deteriorating. he can still see though. No funny wiggly lines or anything. I looked at his glasses and they are scratched and clouded. Its been three years and even the optician has not called him back for an eye test.
I will arrange an eye test for him and hope we can have glasses and its nothing more than that. I was wondering if there were any way we can get lenses put into glasses for his bad eye. I have seen them on the internet but they mostly seem to be in the USA. Are they available here?
I really don't know abys. I have wet macular degeneration and I have regular eye examinations every year with the opticians even though I have treatment at the hospital, that way you know if your eyesight has changed and therefore, if it has then you need changes to your glasses. I think you need further advice on this as it seems to me that your husband has not been treated well by the hospital. You could ring the Macular Society Helpline or click on one of the administrators on the right-hand side of this page for advice. I really think you should seek further help. Good luck and let us know how you get on. xx
Hi abys, it seems as though your husband has fallen through the cracks unfortunately.Could you take him to another optician for an eye test and new glasses and hopefully get them to make a referral toanother eye clinic for maybe treatment.
If it’s dry macular degeneration there is still no treatment but there are injections for wet AMD. I cannot understand why the clinic you went to said he couldn’t have them as they are too expensive. They are provided on the NHS for people who need them. If no joy with the NHS can you get referred to a private consultant by your GP? A chat with the Macular society might prove helpful.
There is only one eye infirmary here. Its NHS and that is it. I think OH and I gave up on the NHS all that time ago. I have no faith in a better experience now I am afraid.
I am going to get him an appointment for new glasses though. I just hope his good eye is suffering from a need for a prescription change and / or new clean, not scratched and cloudy lenses.
I think he has lost central vision in his other eye three years ago now - hence I was looking at those glasses which offer some sort of bi occular option. I guess we need a trip to the USA for that as I havent been able to find anything here. But glasses will do for the moment. Thank you for replying.
I am very concerned reading all this. I have had v bad experiences with the NHS and v good ones. Unfortunately there are bad practitioners around and bad opticians. All you can do is call them out, and move to another, if remotely possible. At one stage the Mac Soc. actually rang either my consultant's secretary or the booking team on my behalf, because I just couldn't get into the NHS system. They succeeded on my behalf! It was overloaded, insufficient clinics, and I had to go private briefly. And this was before Covid.
Things are so much better now. No waiting 4 hours to have an injection for instance.
I think springcross's and RP1944 suggestions are absolutely the best thing to do. Ring the Macular Soc. (0300 3030 111); macularsociety.org
Keep posting too. I am so sorry you have only one choice of NHS eye hospital. What does your GP have to say by the way? He/she should have received diagnostic letters/reports from the eye hospital. Take your difficulties and queries to him/her too and see what the news is there.
Please get back to us and tell us how you're getting on. I really sympathise. It can be a real uphill battle sometimes, but here on this forum there is endless help. Sending you a hug xx
Dear abys. Try and find an optician that does ocular scans. A lot of the large chains and some small opticians do. This gives a picture of the back of the eye. You should be able to get them on the nhs but your situation doesn’t sound good. It costs me £30 to get this privately.....well worth it and I go regularly. As others have said, if dry md no treatment available. If wet or other problem your optician can refer you directly to nhs and you should be seen within two weeks. I do sympathise. It can be very confusing and stressful trying to find a way through the system. Don’t give up. All the best.
If your OH has seen any sudden changes in his vision, then it is important that he gets his eyes checked at an opticians as soon as possible, in case of any signs of wet AMD. 10-15% of individuals with dry AMD go on to develop wet AMD in the same eye and treatment is needed 2 weeks from when it is identified.
Your OH ideally needs to check his Amsler grid weekly to check for any sudden changes in vision.
It is also important to have an annual check at the opticians, as an important part of the check is looking at the health of the eye.
In terms of glasses, whilst sight is relatively good, then individuals can generally manage with varifocals or bifocals if preferred. However, if there becomes any noticeable impact to sight, then generally single vision lenses are preferable; separate for close up and distance vision. It is then generally also advisable to avoid transition style lenses and opt for anti-glare spectacles instead:
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