Cataracts and laser eye surgery Warning

nicholgd

Hi, I'm posting this more as a warning than of any hope somebody can help.


I had laser eye surgery at a Boots Birmingham Centre clinic between April and May 2003.
I had no problems with the surgery at the time. I was not given a copy of the surgery details.
Optical Express purchased the Boots laser centres in 2004/5 and the patient records were apparently transferred.


I now need to have a cataract operation and the hospital needs to know some details of the laser surgery. They need to know at least my preoperative refraction and preoperative Keratometry (K)
My consultant has stated that these records are vital to the success of my cataract operation.
They have lost my records!
I have contacted both Boots and Optical express .
Boots say that
“I understand that we passed over all of our patient records to them(optical Express) several years ago so we don't currently hold anything relating to laser eye surgery. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to help on this occasion.”
Optical express say :-
“Thank you for your enquiry for you clinical records. Unfortunately after a complete audit of the Boots patients files that were passed on to us our archive team have confirmed today that your file was not migrated over to us with the records we received. I am sorry we have not been able to assist you with this matter.”


Have Boots or Optical Express been negligent in my case? By a not telling me that the records would be vital if / when I have cataract surgery and by not giving me a copy at the time of the laser treatment
I'm not going to get my records by the look of it.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Surely you must have seen other opticians in the period leading up to your surgery? Maybe they have records that will be of assistance to your consultant?

pmduk

Aren't they required to have written to your GP with details of the procedure after discharging you?

tidus

As per the previous reply, try contacting your Optician. Most of us keep records almost indefinitely for a regular patient, and if yours has they'll certainly have pre op refraction details. "Ks" are less likely, but still possible.

nicholgd

"Aren't they required to have written to your GP with details of the procedure after discharging you?"
No

"Surely you must have seen other opticians in the period leading up to your surgery? Maybe they have records that will be of assistance to your consultant? "
I have checked with some of my old opticians . They do not hold inactive records for more than 7 years .The Data Protection act .
I believe that Boots were negligent in the first place by not providing me with a copy of the data and not warning that these records would be vital in later life.

nicholgd

nicholgd wrote: »

"Aren't they required to have written to your GP with details of the procedure after discharging you?"
No

"Surely you must have seen other opticians in the period leading up to your surgery? Maybe they have records that will be of assistance to your consultant? "
I have checked with some of my old opticians . They do not hold inactive records for more than 7 years .The Data Protection act .
I believe that Boots were negligent in the first place by not providing me with a copy of the data and not warning that these records would be vital in later life.

I have spoken to my opticians again a more senior member of staff and obtained my old precriptions from 1998 which will help BUT I am still missing the vital measurements.

[Deleted User]

I had cataract eye surgery this year and i questioned the surgeon about something i was told about people who have had laser eye surgery being in more danger if ever they need a cataract op. he said it was nt true. they can do all the measurements they need. dont worry about the op. 95% success rate,, 3 % no difference and 2% a deteriation, so one of the most successful ops . takes 10 mins and only a few hours in hospital

nicholgd

sacsquacco wrote: »

I had cataract eye surgery this year and i questioned the surgeon about something i was told about people who have had laser eye surgery being in more danger if ever they need a cataract op. he said it was nt true. they can do all the measurements they need. dont worry about the op. 95% success rate,, 3 % no difference and 2% a deteriation, so one of the most successful ops . takes 10 mins and only a few hours in hospital

So my consultant cancelled the operation for the fun of it ?
I think you are being told porkies..
see

pendletoneye.com/danger.htm#risk
and
mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2011/dec-16a.html

Ask for a copy of your records and keep them safe safe .
Sorry as a new user I cannot post links.Please put www in front Please cut and past the above address into the address bar of your browser.

Shannonwilliams

I had mine done 18 months ago at Evergreen eye clinic in Washington using the Intralase Lasik method. Best thing I've ever spent money on. I was in contacts before (-4 and -4.5) and the joy of waking up and not having to put those things in is great. Even better is rolling over in bed and being able to see the time on the alarm clock.The only negative I have is with the night vision. Mine wasn't great before but I get the "halo" effect that much more now. I was told/warned about this though as I have pupils that dilate beyond the corrective area. I would still do it again even with the degraded night vision.