What to do if you are having eye problems.

[Annie Bynnol]

First I would like to thank the staff at Specsavers and at RHS emergency eye clinic.

Having had unusual 'floaters' in my eyes for a few days, I decided to phone the doctors. No appointments available, I could come in on a morning and book one for later in the day.

As I was passing my usual opticians I popped in to see if I could make an appointment as I was due one anyway.

The receptionist took my details and passed the information on.

I was seen by their most experienced optician within a few minutes, had a look around and told me to go ASAP to the RHS emergency eye clinic.

 

Looking back it seems obvious that going to an Ophthalmologist at an opticians was a better idea than going to the doctors. Also, the seriousness was missed by the receptionist and the nurse would probably not have had suitable equipment to see the cause.

 

So use your optician and don't miss eye tests.

 

 

 

[tzijlstra]

Hope things work out well Annie.

[Voldy]

A timely warning, my wife complained that her new specification spectacles needed changing only 6 months later. We arranged for a retest with Specsavers and  immediately were referred to an Ophthalmologist. Contact was made with us the following morning and an appointment made to attend a mobile clinic when AMD (Age related Macular Degeneration) was confirmed and treatment started . This is ongoing though everyone should be aware that damage already done cannot restore any loss of sight, only retard the effect this problem creates.  There are other specific diseases such as  DMO, RVO and CNV which can lead to vision loss so please, if you experience any problems with your eyes, DO NOT DELAY, get it checked out.

The seriousness cannot be ignored, in my wife's case her annual eye photo check (Diabetes) had said "we will invite you to attend again  next year" hence our going back to Specsavers who did react.

[spilldig]

My optician just said, oh youv'e got quite a few floaters then. 

[El Cid]

3 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

So use your optician and don't miss eye tests.

 

Just goes to show that eye tests are very important and should be free.

[Fiat500]

Over 30 years ago after going back and forth to the doctors for over a year my husband went to the optician. He was sent straight to a specialist.  He was in hospital within 2 days. He was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma. Left any longer be would have gone blind. 2003 I also had a similar problem. Back and forth to doctor dizziness, tinnitus, seeing ring of black dots. Went for eye test and explained the ring of black dots.  I had a meningioma. We are survivors all through going for an eye test. I always tell people going for an eye is very important don't think it is just about your eyesight. It can save your life.

[hauxwell]

I stared with  floaters in one of my eyes a few months ago, I had no idea what it was. Black spots that drift about when you move your eye.

 

I phoned my doctor and was told by the receptionist to phone the optician. The optician told me to go to the emergency eye clinic in Newcastle.  It was a busy department and had to wait most of the afternoon.  After having my eye examined I was told it was a floater also known as vitreous, a jelly substance that comes away from your eye. I was reassured that it’s  common and nothing to worry about.  

 

You do get used to it,  but I find they are more noticeable when you look at white walls or the sky.  As all ready been said don’t miss your eye appointments.

[Shazbat]

I had blurred vision one day last year and without hesitation went to the opticians but of course they don't just check you out, they do a full eye test and charge you, so I guess next time I would try and get in my GP's first.  As it turned out, I was diagnosed with labyrinthitis a couple of weeks later (a symptom of which is blurred vision and was likely an early indicator)  so where the optician just said I had dry eyes and needed drops, I actually ended up signed off work, on tablets and unable to drive for 2 weeks.

Edited February 24, 2019 by Shazbat

[Ontarian1981]

Nothing but problems with my eyes since 2014, up to then I didn't even wear glasses and I was almost 70 at the time and still working. Well I knew I had cataracts in their early stages, but the floaters were not supposed to be serious, Anyway I was having weird vision in my left eye but ignored it for a week or two(distorted images and flashes in the left corner). I finally went to emergency who put me in a taxi to see an on-call ophthalmologist,, I was then sent to see a etina expert who told me I had a detached retina. Well I finished up having 4 surgeries and now there is hardly any vision at all there, but the retina has stayed attached. 

 Over a year ago, I decided it was about time the cataract on my right eye should get seen to. I was placed on a priority list. Last November I had the cataract surgery, which has a 95% success rate. You know what somebody has to make up that other 5% right? Well ,Joe Soap here was one of them. Whilst trying to remove my old lens, the surgeon was breaking it up for easy removal and it all collapsed inside my eye. I was then sent to another retina hospital to have the junk taken out from the back through,  yes you got it, the retina. Talk about deja vu. Anyway as you can see from this post, it worked, so far, anyway, but I was basically blind for 10 days. Thank god for my wife, who helped get me to all my appointments on public transit and she is only half my weight.

  So I can only echo what other posters have said, i.e. get to the optometrist or ophthalmologist as soon as you have the slightest hint of a vision problem. Sorry for getting carried away and writing a novel. Lol

Edited February 24, 2019 by Ontarian1981

[Dozer]

Annie, thanks so much for starting this important thread.

 

SpecSavers caught an urgent problem for me on Xmas eve a few years ago, and the Royal Hallamshire vision team did wonders to make everything safe.

 

Royal Hallamshire has an emergency eye clinic. The Emergency Eye Clinic is open from 8:30am – 4:30pm - Monday to Friday.