Maybe Specsavers company representative ?
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My wife's father had glaucoma. Each time my wife had an eye test, she would tell the optician (Specsavers) of this and was tested yearly.
In 2016 after her annual test, she was told, you need not come back for 2 years, but in Oct 2017 reading problems occurred so she requested an appointment and was seen. Changes of spectacle prescription and on the prescription they wrote, "2yr recall". My wife queried that and was told a Policy Change stated that unless you have glaucoma, the test is bi-annually.
A week or so after this appointment, my wife received a letter from our GP stating that she had been referred to an opthamologist at our local hospital. My wife rang Specsavers to ask what this was about. She didn't receive a satisfactory response so we visited them. We were given a copy of letter that had been sent to our GP stating:-
" Visual fields Abnormal"
" Reason for referral: Glaucoma /OHT".
" Statement: The reason for this referral has been explained to the patient or guardian who agrees to it. The patient or guardian also consents to information being exchanged between the Hospital Eye Service, their General Medical Practitioner and optometrist or ophthalmic medical practitioner"."
My wife categorically states that at no time was she told the diagnosis of glaucoma nor was she told this would be followed through as per.
The appointment was for Feb.2018 and as a result, it was THEN she was told she had glaucoma in one eye and higher than average pressure in the other so both eyes being treated.
Since that diagnosis in Feb.'18, she has been put on three different types of eye drops, each giving her exceptionally unpleasant side effects of dizziness, blurred vision and bad heads, etc.
Fifteen years ago, as a result of the shingles virus to her face,neck and ear, the virus spread into and affected her labyrinth and as a result, she suffered facial palsy,unable to close an eye for several months and I had to tape it down every night after inserting Lacrilube ointment, distorted hearing and loss of balance. Pensioned off work, disabled and walks with a mobility aid in town, round furniture indoors and rails in garden. Last night, she said that in all the 15 years of discomfort from the shingles virus, the effects of the eye drops are much worse.
I am thinking, if Specsavers had called my wife in annually, maybe some of this could have potentially been identified sooner. Writing as they have done, "2yr recall" then contacting GP requesting referral is far from satisfactory in our opinion.
In 2016 after her annual test, she was told, you need not come back for 2 years, but in Oct 2017 reading problems occurred so she requested an appointment and was seen. Changes of spectacle prescription and on the prescription they wrote, "2yr recall". My wife queried that and was told a Policy Change stated that unless you have glaucoma, the test is bi-annually.
A week or so after this appointment, my wife received a letter from our GP stating that she had been referred to an opthamologist at our local hospital. My wife rang Specsavers to ask what this was about. She didn't receive a satisfactory response so we visited them. We were given a copy of letter that had been sent to our GP stating:-
" Visual fields Abnormal"
" Reason for referral: Glaucoma /OHT".
" Statement: The reason for this referral has been explained to the patient or guardian who agrees to it. The patient or guardian also consents to information being exchanged between the Hospital Eye Service, their General Medical Practitioner and optometrist or ophthalmic medical practitioner"."
My wife categorically states that at no time was she told the diagnosis of glaucoma nor was she told this would be followed through as per.
The appointment was for Feb.2018 and as a result, it was THEN she was told she had glaucoma in one eye and higher than average pressure in the other so both eyes being treated.
Since that diagnosis in Feb.'18, she has been put on three different types of eye drops, each giving her exceptionally unpleasant side effects of dizziness, blurred vision and bad heads, etc.
Fifteen years ago, as a result of the shingles virus to her face,neck and ear, the virus spread into and affected her labyrinth and as a result, she suffered facial palsy,unable to close an eye for several months and I had to tape it down every night after inserting Lacrilube ointment, distorted hearing and loss of balance. Pensioned off work, disabled and walks with a mobility aid in town, round furniture indoors and rails in garden. Last night, she said that in all the 15 years of discomfort from the shingles virus, the effects of the eye drops are much worse.
I am thinking, if Specsavers had called my wife in annually, maybe some of this could have potentially been identified sooner. Writing as they have done, "2yr recall" then contacting GP requesting referral is far from satisfactory in our opinion.
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Comments
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The recall is set by the local health authority not by Specsavers. Certainly in Scotland someone with a close family history of glaucoma is recalled yearly if they are not already under the hospital eye service but I am aware that some health authorities in England and Wales are not recalling yearly unless the patient is symptomatic of early glaucoma, has signs of potential ocular hypertension or has other characteristics that merit an annual recall due to them being difficult to monitor (crowded or tilted discs being the usual hard to discern glaucoma suspect).
Frankly in glaucoma if it was going to happen it was going to happen and nothing was going to stop it, it was a case of when and not if. Triple therapy is hard to juggle but be sure to give a few minutes in between each drop to make sure you're not accidentally washing the first two out and ask if the treatments can be combined (there are some combination therapies on the market but not suitable for everyone). It may be worth discussing going beyond drops and having surgery, if your PCT will find a procedure such as an istent or if she hasn't already had one a trabeculectomy with mytomycin C or another agent can work wonders and reduce the number of drops.
The shingles is just unfortunate and no optician or ophthalmologist in the land could have prevented that.0 -
12 month recall for any one over 40 with a parent, sibling or child with glaucoma - set by NHS .. after that it is up to the individual whether the attend yearly or not.Dogs return to eat their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness. There is no more hope for a fool than for someone who says, "i am really clever!"0
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The recall is set by the local health authority not by Specsavers. Certainly in Scotland someone with a close family history of glaucoma is recalled yearly if they are not already under the hospital eye service but I am aware that some health authorities in England and Wales are not recalling yearly unless the patient is symptomatic of early glaucoma, has signs of potential ocular hypertension or has other characteristics that merit an annual recall due to them being difficult to monitor (crowded or tilted discs being the usual hard to discern glaucoma suspect).
Frankly in glaucoma if it was going to happen it was going to happen and nothing was going to stop it, it was a case of when and not if. Triple therapy is hard to juggle but be sure to give a few minutes in between each drop to make sure you're not accidentally washing the first two out and ask if the treatments can be combined (there are some combination therapies on the market but not suitable for everyone). It may be worth discussing going beyond drops and having surgery, if your PCT will find a procedure such as an istent or if she hasn't already had one a trabeculectomy with mytomycin C or another agent can work wonders and reduce the number of drops.
The shingles is just unfortunate and no optician or ophthalmologist in the land could have prevented that.
The first prescription of drops, one drop in each eye, every night.
The second as above.
The current set, one drop each eye 12 hrly.
As for the shingles, I threw that in simply to say, that my wife is in a position to recognise how different the effects are.0 -
sillyvixen wrote: »12 month recall for any one over 40 with a parent, sibling or child with glaucoma - set by NHS .. after that it is up to the individual whether the attend yearly or not.
My wife is 65 and she has made it known, even though it appears on her notes at Opticians, of her late father's glaucoma. It is THEY that said 2 yrly, it was SHE that decided to go back sooner.0 -
https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1093.aspx
Note the word MAY not should
Your ophthalmic practitioner or optometrist may recommend you have an NHS sight test more often than every two years if you:
are a child wearing glasses
have diabetes
are aged 40 or over and have a family history of glaucoma
are aged 70 or over0 -
https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1093.aspx
Note the word MAY not should
Your ophthalmic practitioner or optometrist may recommend you have an NHS sight test more often than every two years if you:
are a child wearing glasses
have diabetes
are aged 40 or over and have a family history of glaucoma
are aged 70 or over
Interesting that it's the word "may" , when I'm on laptop will see if that's the latest version. Thanks.0 -
Does glaucoma treatment vary much for a few months difference in detection? It could just be that she would have started on the eye drops, and side effects, sooner. I hope she finds a better treatment soon.But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,Had the whole of their cash in his care.
Lewis Carroll0 -
The first prescription of drops, one drop in each eye, every night.
The second as above.
The current set, one drop each eye 12 hrly.
As for the shingles, I threw that in simply to say, that my wife is in a position to recognise how different the effects are.
As she is now diagnosed with glaucoma (sorry did not realise that at the time of my first post) maybe local protocol is to see optician every 2 years as pressures and field of vision are measured in clinic annually or more often. We not do that I my area but diabetic patients are being put onto 2 yearly recalls as they are seen for annual screening by the hospital or mobile screening at their dr's surgery. If our diabetic patients need to be seen sooner they are refered back to us - may be your area has a simular arrangement for glaucoma patients. Maybe on referral the optician was sure of his diagnosis and expected the hospital to confirm glaucoma.
I am supprised your wife was not aware she was being refferd for glaucoma investigations, hospital or dr's referrals is something my optimus would discuss with patients.Dogs return to eat their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness. There is no more hope for a fool than for someone who says, "i am really clever!"0 -
The Framework is set by the NHS but the actual recall is decided by the the optometrist and they may have to justify their decsion if investigate by the NHS.I recall low risk patients 2 yearlly medium 18 monthly and high risk yearly.
Their is a general moving of glaucoma and diabetic patients onto 2 year recalls if felt low risk.
It is impossible to comment on the specific case without knowing the exact history.
She needs to book into discuss the medication with the hospital if the side affects are that bad. The option would be change medication surgical if appropriate or to stop medication if patients wants to take the risk. ( normally only approriate in very elderly patients with very slow progression )0
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