Thought I Wouldve Heard By Now

[Kaylz]

I've got my ophthalmology check up on the 15th April, really though I would've had a letter telling me it had been cancelled by now, should I give it till Friday or call tomorrow? I know its an important appointment but if it is still scheduled to go ahead I'd rather cancel it than attend as there is no social distancing with the nurse doing drops and checking pressure etc, the person taking photographs and then the Dr checking my eyes as well! xx

 

[Tee G]

I can understand your reluctance to attend such an appointment, with the close proximity of the clinical staff.

However, I would think very carefully about cancelling it - its important for your eye health. And you dont know what will happen in the future with other eye appointments. If this situation becomes as bad as some are predicting, all appointments may have to be cancelled.

Perhaps, you could phone the department and ask what extra measures have been put in place to keep both staff and patient safe?. Ask if the department has the necessary and proper equipment for theses close proximity procedure?

 

[Mickeyminime]

Can't you call them to find out. I've not had a single letter come through the door since a few days before the lock down. I was texted to isolate from the GP/Surgery which has a link to a letter saying 12 weeks. However, despite calling them and being told by the lady on the other end i'll get a letter. I'm beginning to wonder if i wont get one. After all, sending a letter is risky if the person who posts it has the virus. I think you should call as all my appointments from now until whenever have either been cancelled or moved. The only two that are still on going is the specialist consultant in June 25th and dentist sometime in may.

 

[Kaylz]

@Tee G I mean no offence by saying this but I know all too well how important they are as I've been having 3 monthly check ups since December 2016 when I had my first eye complications less than a month into my diabetes, and this being my 2nd since it was extended to 6 monthly, I know by now what it all involves and there isn't anyway to avoid being up too close and personal with these 3 I mentioned, I am not comfortable with it at all and given the fact I need a lift and said person is also diabetic I wouldn't put them in the situation either

I know the signs of oedema etc and am quite confident that at the moment I could make it through a bit longer without putting myself and my MIL at risk by attending a large hospital and its not a decision I've come to easily

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry you’ve been put in this situation @Kaylz.

You can’t be the only one who is unsure about what to do! Do you have a phone number to try?

 

[Kaylz]

Sorry you’ve been put in this situation @Kaylz.

You can’t be the only one who is unsure about what to do! Do you have a phone number to try?

I do indeed have my appointment letter in a folder but wasn't sure whether to give them more time for a letter to arrive or if I should get in first, I may just call tomorrow Mike xx

 

[Tee G]

Sorry if you thought i was being a little pushy. Didnt mean to do that. I prob misunderstood the gist of the post.

I hope it works out well for you. Whatever you decide.

 

[Davein]

I've got my ophthalmology check up on the 15th April, really though I would've had a letter telling me it had been cancelled by now, should I give it till Friday or call tomorrow? I know its an important appointment but if it is still scheduled to go ahead I'd rather cancel it than attend as there is no social distancing with the nurse doing drops and checking pressure etc, the person taking photographs and then the Dr checking my eyes as well! xx

As you have more than two weeks before the appointment it may well be that testing for the nursing staff may have commenced by then and more PPE being available. But I fully understand your concern especially with most procedures requiring close up and hands on treatment by the nursing staff. I've assumed your check up will be in a Hospital environment. Our annual testing usually takes place at remote locations such as local community centre or school. They will almost certainly be cancelled given the much reduced NHS services taking place.

 

[grovesy]

I've got my ophthalmology check up on the 15th April, really though I would've had a letter telling me it had been cancelled by now, should I give it till Friday or call tomorrow? I know its an important appointment but if it is still scheduled to go ahead I'd rather cancel it than attend as there is no social distancing with the nurse doing drops and checking pressure etc, the person taking photographs and then the Dr checking my eyes as well! xx

I know this is not the same but I was due my Retinal Screening on 7th April. My letter cancelling it only came Friday. I expected mine to cancelled as the service use a GP surgery.
It did say to contact the hospital eye service if experience problems with vision.

 

[Uller]

I had my 3rd intravitreal injection on the 19th of this month. There was a bit of confusion as I got a message saying it had been cancelled, but then a phone call on the day saying they were still expecting me. After my injection the staff there said all eye procedures were going ahead as they were critical for eye health.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I know this is not the same but I was due my Retinal Screening on 7th April. My letter cancelling it only came Friday.

Same with mine. (Obviously not surprising. I was expecting the cancellation.)

 

[grovesy]

Same with mine. (Obviously not surprising. I was expecting the cancellation.)

I had been keeping a watch on the local screening website too.
Personally I am not concerned as I had a sight test in Specsavers in December, and they took picture then and compared with my ones they had done over the years and could see no changes.

 

[Kaylz]

I had my 3rd intravitreal injection on the 19th of this month. There was a bit of confusion as I got a message saying it had been cancelled, but then a phone call on the day saying they were still expecting me. After my injection the staff there said all eye procedures were going ahead as they were critical for eye health.

Yes but that's slightly different as that was treatment, this is only a check up which they have changed in the past themselves, my anxiety and OCD levels are also through the roof so I dont think going would be the best thing for me at the moment xx

 

[Ralph-YK]

I'd say ring them to ask. (It's reasonable to check.) Though, if it's still on, it could be cancelled in the meantime.
Since you've got the appointment letter, you'll have a number for the appointment booking line, so you won't be distracting medical or ward staff. They might only be able to tell your what's on the system.

 

[Mickeyminime]

I was supposed to get contact lenses from my specsavers, but it got cancelled because of the virus

 

[Greymouser]

as there is no social distancing

I cannot be a 100% sure, but if such appointments are still going to be going ahead, I have been told that they will have full protection gear on. I.E.: Mask, face eye protection. I have a similar appointment, but not until May, but like you I tend to be a little OCD, so worry about it. Especially as the deputy chief medical officer said this could be going on for at least six months, with a review every three weeks. I am surprised that you have not had a cancellation letter.

I had expected that all such appointments would be postponed to be honest, as barring a complication, they are not urgent. We will have to wait and see.

 

[MarkGeordie]

I would ring. I’ve advised my Nan to call nearer the time to her upcoming appointments as she thinks they might be cancelled too.

 

[missclb]

@Kaylz – i'm TOTALLY with you on this, I have an ophthalmology clinic appointment due on 17th April, at a hospital that is much too far to walk to (i'm talking a 2.5 hour walk in one direction) and with no-one to drive me, I would have to take public transport. It's not my diabetes eye check up, it's an unrelated and ongoing retinal problem that i've been living with and having monitored for about four years now. Obviously i'm super concerned about going and would prefer not to if at all possible. I'm waiting in hope that it gets cancelled.

I also have my next clinic appointment due a couple of days before to do an updated HB1Ac, which I really want to attend to get my lower result on record, but the way it works here is that i'd need to do a visit to the nurse at my GP together the blood test done a couple of days before. So that's THREE clinic appointments within a week when i'd much rather be socially distanced.

 

[Kaylz]

@missclb this is ongoing check ups for macular oedema and proliferative retinopathy both of which I've required treatment for, the hospital is 30 miles away and while my MIL was due to take me obviously you aren't supposed to travel with someone that's not in the same household, buses were bad enough before with a 6 hour round trip as I had to get in a bus in the opposite direction first to get a bus to the hospital, they couldn't have got me there for 9am before so now they are Sunday service its even more unlikely

I know all too well how important my check ups are after 3 years of them so I don't think I needed that pointed out to me but I do not want to go to a packed hospital, I cant even walk away from the sink easily in my own house just now with my OCD so a hospital would be an absolute nightmare for me!
xx

 

[missclb]

Yeah @Kaylz, it's a really tricky situation, and it must be mirrored up and down the country at the moment. I completely understand.

I think maybe just give them a few more days and hopefully you'll get a letter or phone call letting you know. If nothing comes through, then you can perhaps call them a couple of days before, to talk through your concerns. This is my plan anyway.

It might come down to you making a decision to postpone, if you feel this is the best option. I don't think anyone would blame you, and they can't MAKE you go if it's just not feasible.

Funnily enough, it's not so much the actual hospital that i'm finding worrying, it's the public transport. So i might cancel my ophthalmology appointment, but keep my Endo as I can drive there (I need to start the process of updating my driving license and I think I need paperwork from them).