How to get a second opinion.

[lilliput]

This is really an NHS systems question and I notice that many of you seem far more clued up than I am!

My apologies that its not really thyroid related. I have a cataract in one eye and have seen a consultant at my local hospital who would be performing the surgery. I thought that this would be straightward but am now worried and confused partly due to having lost confidence in the surgeon. I've met him twice due to reading up on options after the first appointment. He seems to favour ops on both both eyes in order to avoid visual imbalance as I am short sighted. Ideally I do not want my good eye operated on.At the second meeting he said that he could operate on one eye only but I saw him write minus 3 down. He thinks that there would be no visual imbalance but everything I've read says that there will be as my good eye is minus 5.5.

I've adapted very well to poor vision in one eye but would be stuffed if my only pair of varifocals broke. I know that cataracts are meant to develop slowly but mine seemed apparent overnight.

Anyway I've phoned PALs (Patient Liason and Advice Service) whose number has been changed, no answer on new number. My questions are:

If I ask to be re referred by my GP, how long would the process take?If he agrees to it as he says having both eyes done is best. His rationale that my second eye will also develop a cataract.

I knew nothing about the chose and book scheme and now, would have chosen a particular surgeon at a different NHS hospital, how picky can you be?

I cannot really afford to go private but if I paid for a private consultation with my chosen surgeon would his advice re strength of inter occular lenses be listened to by an NHS surgeon?

My NHS surgeon says that if I had both eyes done I would only need reading glasses but didn't explain how he intends to achieve that. The only way that I can see is if he also does refractive surgery as well. My chosen surgeon does both at the same time.

A minus 3 minus 5.5 combo to me makes no sense, the worst of both worlds. I don't mind wearing glasses but this combination would make it difficult to wear them due to the different image sizes between the two eyes. Asinometrophia.. A mini monovision ie dominant eye plano and other slightly short sighted could make sense.

I don't really understand why I can't just be corrected to minus 6/5.5.ie thesame as before.

But anyway, what options do I have?

I was diagnosed hypothyroid after several years of borderline about a month a month ago, after the cataract appeared. The main reason for the blood test was to rule out type 2 diabetes which is related to early cataracts. (Though one eye?). My fasting glucose was fine and I have noother eye disease.

Phew... Thanks for listening.

[lilliput]

Sorryre typos in ful flow plus even thinking about eye surgery makes me anxious. Any replies from members who have had it would be appreciated.

[lilliput]

Mini mono would have a very small difference. Most people would have asinometropia withy a difference of over 1.5. Mono a difference of 0.5

[shaws Administrator]

I wonder if you could have an appointment at the Moorfields Eye Hospital (I think there may be branches in some hospitals) as they know absolutely everything about eyes.

I can understand you don't want to take chances. I think sometimes because they see so many people with similar problems, that they cannot understand you can be a bit nervous as your eyes are precious.

[Jackie]

Hi Always if not happy with first consultant, go back to GP, after your own research and say that you want to see ......and have a new referral. Usually not a problem. However, be wary of seeing another one at the same hospital.

Best wishes,Jackie