Diabetes and opticians

[mikeydt1]

didn't know about this. made an appointment with opticians this morning told them i am a diabetic on medication along with other things and apparently got told that i don't have to pay for the eye test because i am a diabetic.

i have an appointment booked as i am getting horrid left eye pain just hope it isn't any thing serious.

 

[trophywench]

Haven't had to pay for 30 or 40 years - may have been longer.

 

[mikeydt1]

i am on exemption for medications but all ways paid for dentists and opticians. was only a few years ago that i was diagnosed with diabetes but good to know about the information from the opticians.

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately we still have to pay at the dentists and of course for glasses at the opticians if we need them.

Sorry to hear you have pain in one of your eyes Mikey. Hope they are able to find a cause which is easily rectified.

 

[mikeydt1]

i have got a funny feeling i will be paying as i haven't done the diabetic form, my exemption card still runs till back end of this year but only covers medications. not really bothered as i have all ways paid for both dentists and opticians.

 

[trophywench]

What do you mean about 'doing the diabetic form' ?

 

[mikeydt1]

the form you get from the doctors if you have diabetes and are on medication

 

[rebrascora]

i have got a funny feeling i will be paying as i haven't done the diabetic form, my exemption card still runs till back end of this year but only covers medications. not really bothered as i have all ways paid for both dentists and opticians.

You don't need to complete a new medical exemption form until the old one is about to run out..... which you say is the back end of this year.
You don't need to fill in any form as regards the opticians. Just tell them you are diabetic and the eye test should be free of charge.

 

[trophywench]

Yeah but if you need a DRUG prescription from either a doctor or dentist - it will be dispensed FOC with the medical exemption certificate which does not state upon it why you are exempt, only that you are. Certain optical equipment provided by NHS opthalmologists can also be provided FOC, eg where special prisms need to be added to normally dispensed spectacle lenses because of things (like AMD I believe) so you get your eyesight checked and your specs dispensed by the optician in the high street as per normal but will then have to take them back to the hospital opthalmology dept for them to add the prisms, probably while you wait. (Probably have to be told by hospital what sort/size of lenses the glasses will need to have to accommodate the prisms, hence may not now be possible to have the tiny - or indeed huge - frames you might want)

 

[AndBreathe]

@mikeydt1 - I have never filled in any forms. Because I have never taken any medication for my T2, I have never had an exemption certificate, but since diagnosed T2, I have never paid for an eye test. I have paid for my glasses, but not for any tests. It seems just disclosing the fact is enough for the opticians I have seen.

 

[mikeydt1]

didn't have to pay for the test but paid for the glasses.

basically the left eye pain is due to my right eye not been so good which has resulted in my left eye carrying out all the work so hoping new glasses will resolve the situation. as they call eye strain. got to say it is a bit painful.

and before people ask no i am not cross eyed 😎 well just a little bit 🙄