eyes- optician unable to correct my vision so all ima... - NRAS

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eyes- optician unable to correct my vision so all images (close and far) are blurry

Arthurthecat profile image
20 Replies

Has anyone else been told it’s not their eye health but vaguely something to do with your other health issues….went for my two year check up. Had noticed vision quite fuzzy. Varifocals prescription changed. Had varifocals for about 16 years so used to them. Found getting nauseous. Like motion sickness. No writing is crisp anymore. And takes me longer to stabilise on an image to view it. Went back to opticians. Had the other optician in the practice redo my eye test. Said prescription correct. I would just have to accept the lack of crispness. And he made reference to my meds and health condition. Would see me in two years. Not a cheap outfit. Glasses were an extortionate price. Since 2015 I have been on methotrexate 20mg; sulphasalazine and had Enbrel (changed to Benepali) from 2017. I would say RA in chemical remission.

Should I just accept this or should I be contacting the RA team - which is nigh on impossible. Something has changed.

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Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat
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20 Replies
Oshgosh profile image
Oshgosh

have you considering contacting your Gp,. I know how hard it is . But it’s worth a try. I leave messages for rheumatology no one hgets back to me . Have you considered having another eye test at a different optician

Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat in reply to Oshgosh

thanks I will try my GP.

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone

You should definitely go to see your GP for possible referral to an ophthalmologist immediately.

The optician may be right…...but don’t just accept his word. Your Meds may need looking at & your GP will. be able to get you a rheumy appointment.

Don’t be put off if the GP receptionist refuses a f2f….Eyes must be looked after…….there are no second chances with them.

Good luck.

Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat in reply to AgedCrone

I think going to the GP and telling them what the optician said and taking it from there seems best approach but will have to wait till next week with their system now! Thank you.

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone in reply to Arthurthecat

If I were you I’d write down what you want to say…emphasising you feel you need an urgent referral because you appear to have real problems with your sight & you don’t think being told that you “ have to put up wihout the crispness” is acceptable advice…...especially if you still drive …..I wonder if you would probably be breaking the law?

Eyes are precious…..if something is going on you need to get as much medical help as possible.

Amnesiac3637 profile image
Amnesiac3637

None of that sounds right with regard to your vision. Would definitely go to a different optician or an ophthalmic clinic if you’ve got one at your local hospital or failing that get a referral through your GP. There’s all sorts of reasons why your vision can be affected, none of them should be dismissed out of hand. As you say, something’s changed, you know your own body…….

Hope you can get some answers soon.

Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat in reply to Amnesiac3637

Thank you

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase

Agree with the others - you can’t just accept that. I would go to completely different optical practice for a retest and see what they say - depending on where you are some opticians can refer you directly to a hospital.

Did you have an OCT scan done as part of your eye test? We’re cataracts mentioned. It sounds a bit odd.

If it does turn out to be a problem with the prescription or the glasses have been very badly fitted then you can demand your money back.

Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat

Thanks. It was the way he thought I should just accept it that surprised me. Yes I can guess a long way down the chart but reading is not the pleasure it was… quite depressing really… Interestingly white on black seems clearer.

Hi. I go to specsavers and they examine eye health. I would go there if I were you. My dad had cataracts on his eyes removed last year; said he’d never seen so clearly.

Also as others have said, I would ask your GP for a referral to an eye hospital. I am glad you voiced your concerns on here.

You really need to investigate this.

Chris_O profile image
Chris_O in reply to

I absolutely agree with this comment. I used to go to a small family optician for years, and got on well with the optician. He retired over the lock down and then they got a series of locums, they where ok but I decided this year to change and went to Specsavers. The difference was amazing, I spent at least an hour with the optician and the range of tests conducted was vast. When I asked her about the test kit they use, she said it’s quite new and small opticians don’t have it due to cost. The one thing that really impressed me was the computer generated image of the cross section of the macula, which is linked to the onset of various eye problems.

Chris_0

Deeb1764 profile image
Deeb1764

my vision is very blurry but been told medication and autoimmune as all eye checks been done and all ok. I now have eye drops which intake at least three times a day to help too

Blocksetter profile image
Blocksetter

Opticians can refer you directly to your local hospital if there's been a sudden change in your vision. If I were you, I should go back to the optician and ask for a referral as it's probably quicker than going via your GP. You'll be checked first by an orthoptist who will be able to diagnose what the problem is and refer you to an opthalmologist should you need surgery. Don't delay! You can find advice on the NHS website (My daughter is an orthoptist at the eye clinic at JRH, Oxford).

barbieg profile image
barbieg

A silly question but did you ask the optician to check the new prescription lenses? My father was a Optician but after he retired I had to go to a new one. I had new glasses and couldn’t see clearly out of them. My father made me go back and ask to have the lenses checked against the prescription. They were wrong!

oldtimer2 profile image
oldtimer2

I would ask for the prescription to be checked on the actual glasses. My d-i-l had the same problem and it was the actual glasses - they had not been made up correctly. In the end she had to ask for (and got) a refund and went elsewhere as the optician would not accept there was a manufacturing error. The various proprtions of the lenses had been done incorrectly so that one was across her vision when walking around.

The lenses from a different supplier were the same prescription but made up correctly. And she was fine again - stopped feeling nauseous.

Arthurthecat profile image
Arthurthecat

thank you - he may have checked - I was a bit too discombobulated by the whole experience in that second visit to quite notice - but I will get someone else to check. They haven’t given me a copy of my prescription so I will need to go back in there later today to get it.

Green230461 profile image
Green230461

I had similar issue spoke to RA consultant who referred me to hospital optometrist between them they changed my RA meds and now sight has returned to the way it was. Meds were causing pressure in my eyeball! Crazy! Speak to RAconsultant. Good luck 💐

DJK99 profile image
DJK99

hello. Please go to eye a&e as soon as you can. They need to check your eyes all round asap. That optician should have made a referral i think, or at least advised you to go pronto.

I am under nhs cornea clinic and glaucoma clinic as I have Sjogrens syndrome byt also thick corneas and very narrow angles, family glaucoma history. It could be you need a cataract procedure, whilst I’m not an opthalmologit.

Not to panic..but best get to eye a&e or go to a far superior optician with all the up to date testing kit, if eye a&e not open til monday.. All the best to you, D .

Angels54 profile image
Angels54

I’m on Benapali and my eyes have deteriorated now have Sjourns

Juliesb profile image
Juliesb

I have had issues with varietals in the past. I changed from an independent opticians to specsavers so years ago due to house move and when it was time for new glasses they were not great so after a few weeks I went back and said I couldn't get on with them and they told me it was the quality of the lens. My previous lenses from other opticians were a much higher quality. In all fairness specsavers did give me the better quality for free the first time. When I changed to another opticians recently I requested the premium quality and have had no problems apart from the cost (over £600 in the sale for a everyday pair and prescription sunglasses).

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