7 weeks for a pair of glasses?

[AFQuaid 18]

I knew this Off-Topic session would have me posting eventually and so happens right now I need to let off a bit of steam about a pair of glasses

Yes you're probably thinking, "oh boy this looks an exciting thread." But believe me it gets beyond a joke when it didn't even start out as one!

Ok here goes;

So 7 weeks ago I had the "Outside" Clinic come to my home for an eye test for some new glasses. The test took over an hour and she pointed out that I have "high pressure" in my eyes which could be Glaucoma (which I now have another test with an eye specialist for on the 5th). So ok, no big deal it might just be "my normal" may not be Glaucoma so I wasn't too worried. Then she has me pick out my glasses and I asked for a spare pair because I'm neutorious for dropping things. Then here's the first blow £800!!!! For two sets of glasses. She said it was because of my muscle disorder she has to have like 5 different lenses squashed into one or something. Ok so after a bit of a grumble and pulling it out of my savings (because I couldn't afford them any other way) it was all done and she said 3 weeks till they're ready.

So week after week go by and eventually I start to get nervous cos I want them for the interview really. So I phone up last week (week 6) and ask where the heck they are. I mean they cost me £800!! The lady said they were having problems with the lenses and if I wanted one pair delivered they could do that. So I said I'd call back once I thought about it because I have to pay for em to come out again! So I rung em back last friday and the lady says they broke one of my glasses by accident, the bridge broke and it's going back to the lab. And I said that the other lady said they could deliver one pair and I explained about my interview and I need to be able to see!!! Then she says "oh I dunno if we can do that!" ####### so I explained the other lady SUGGESTED IT. By this time I was panicing and getting a tad angry. And apparently one pair is for reading and one for distance. So what happens if I want to read something at a distance? The opticions never said anything about two different purpose ones. So another person phones up this morning from the "outside" clinic and apologises and is giving me back £100 for the inconvience. I again went on about I at least need the reading glasses by August 9th and she says she has to wait till one of the staff is in our area but we pay for em to deliver em! I've already waiting 7 weeks now.

Some might remember the glasses issue when I was on about it in VJ chatroom. I tried to ask to see if contact lenses would be better like somebody suggested but apparently my vision issues are too complex for standard contacts and this place only does glasses.

/rant off

Feel a bit better now I got that out. Geeze never had so much problems getting a pair of glasses in my life!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Wow..... I picked up my new varilux glasses on Sat after only waiting 5 days... they are no line bi-focal so I dont need 2 pairs.... total cost $268.56....

If I were you I would not go there again....

Kezzie

[TracyTN 237]

Is eye care something provided through the NHS or is this something else?

[samir_shannon 0]

damn! i would rant too!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I thought healthcare was free in countries with socialised medicine?

[TracyTN 237]

Well, yeah, that's sort of what I was wondering. Why are you having to pay THAT much for a pair of glasses if your care is on NHS? (That said, why does one have to wait months or years to have surgery, too? - but that's another tangent! LOL)

I just wasn't sure if eyeglasses/contacts were something covered by NHS or if you had to seek that out privately.

[Ric Flair 0]

7 weeks is well worth the wait to see the Nature Boy with 20/20

wooooooo!

[TracyTN 237]

[Sister Fracas 5]

(That said, why does one have to wait months or years to have surgery, too? - but that's another tangent! LOL)

[KarenCee 3]

*HUGS* Fiona...I certainly hope things work out for you VERY soon. I think 7 weeks is an excessively long time to wait for a pair of glasses, whatever the scrip for them may be. You have every right to be frustrated! Good luck dear - with everything.

[AFQuaid 18]

Ty very much for your support guys.

At least not in my area of England (North-West) Opticion appointments plus glasses are not covered by the NHS. The dentists are becoming private now too here. Only if you need to see a specialist is it covered. I've been wearing glasses since I was 4 years old normally around £100 a pair but blimey!

I've got emense guilt on my shoulders right now because that 800 had to come out of the "America" account. The account I've been selling ebay things etc to gain funds to get back to Andy. I still have enough thanks to peoples donations but the money I scraped myself is near gone on a pair of glasses! Andy tells me it's fine, I needed them and I shouldn't feel bad but I do. We could have created a memory with that 800.

But I shall not dwell on the past and just continue to hope somehow they'll get a pair to me by the time of my interview. I'm gonna look a right idiot wheeling into things.

[TracyTN 237]

I can't get over the fact that you don't get covered for that there. Why does where you live have anything to do with whether or not it is covered by NHS? Aren't you glad you're paying into NHS and then can't even get help on glasses? Amazing.

Don't feel guilty - you NEED these. Doesn't seem fair to me that you can't even get some $$ help paying for them.

The whole thing makes me

[Neja 0]

I can't get over the fact that you don't get covered for that there. Why does where you live have anything to do with whether or not it is covered by NHS? Aren't you glad you're paying into NHS and then can't even get help on glasses? Amazing.

Don't feel guilty - you NEED these. Doesn't seem fair to me that you can't even get some $$ help paying for them.

The whole thing makes me

I don't know anything about the UK system but in Canada we have the whole free healthcare thing but vision and dental are not covered. You need to get private health insurance for that. Maybe that's the case in the UK??

[TracyTN 237]

To my understanding, dental care used to be covered widely by UK NHS. Now, there are fewer dentists who accept NHS but if you can find one of those dentists, it is covered (but is still pretty pricey).

I had my fiance research the eye care, and it seems it is only covered by NHS if you are:

are getting income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or the guarantee credit of Pension Credit. Your partner and children will also be entitled to a voucher. If you are getting Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit, you may be entitled to help, depending on your income

are under 16

are under 19 and in full-time education

need complex lenses.

LINK

I'm just surprised that its not covered. Heck, gum disease can cause you other health problems beyond your teeth (heart disease, heart attack, stroke, respiratory problems, and low birth-weight babies, or so says THIS link. )

Just doesn't seem logical to me to 'save' money by not covering dentists via NHS when you're probably just throwing that cost somewhere else.

My head just spins from all this NHS stuff, sorry. Mind boggling.

[ChasUK 0]

I don't know anything about the UK system but in Canada we have the whole free healthcare thing but vision and dental are not covered. You need to get private health insurance for that. Maybe that's the case in the UK??

Very similar system. Vision is only covered under certain circumstances. There are NHS dentists but as anyone will tell you, when you go to the dentist here in the UK everything is itemised, £20 for an x-ray, £25 for an injection, £10 for this and £15 for that, then you have to see the hygenist once the dentist has finished with you, another £30 for that. Unless you have perfect teeth, a visit to the dentist can be very costly, even at NHS prices. Why do you think we Brits have such lousy teeth as a nation?

edited to add this afterthought........

......if England was devoid of people and you just imported a nation of US citizens as the UK public, then there would be civil war inside a month because of the health care.

Edited August 1, 2006 by ChasUK