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Eye Test - Is this a record?


Quillan
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Just phoned up for an eye test, earliest date 27th May 2010 (7 months wait) [:'(] . Mind you visited the dentist and just walked in off the street and got sorted. Seems what you gain in one hand you loose from the other, never mind. I just hope I have enough vision left by then to find the place. [;-)]
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Apparently this is an area where the waiting lists are notorious.

I believe I read a recent report that opticians (as opposed to ophthalmologists) wanted to offer eye tests, but it was being resisted by the ophthalmos (surprise surprise).

Unfortunately I can't find it any more

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I am seeing the dentist tomorrow and I asked for the appointment on the 3rd of this month.

I can see my opthalmo at no notice if I think that I may have a problem. Otherwise it takes a couple of days, maybe if they ever give me the all clear and I just want an eye test it may take longer.

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[quote user="PeterG"]

That long to wait surprises me..................... with number of optician you see in every town, as well as pharmacies.

Always thought the French were a nation of blind hypochondriacs.

[/quote]

Perhaps you think that  French opticians can give eye tests? A reasonable assumption if you live in England.

Up till now they could only make up the prescription of an ophthalmologist . That may be changing as discussed.

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I was doing some heavy work under my boat on a Friday afternoon last June when I suddenly lost half the sight in my left eye.

I went straight to a clinic in Figueres, where they examined my eye, diagnosed a detached retina, gave me some medicaments, and made an appointment to see an opthalmologist in Gerona the following Monday morning.

The opthalmologist sent me straight to an eye surgeon, who operated (very successfully) on the Tuesday morning.

I left the hospital on Wednesday morning.

Would this have been possible so quickly in France?

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[quote user="nomoss"]

I was doing some heavy work under my boat on a Friday afternoon last June when I suddenly lost half the sight in my left eye.

I went straight to a clinic in Figueres, where they examined my eye, diagnosed a detached retina, gave me some medicaments, and made an appointment to see an opthalmologist in Gerona the following Monday morning.

The opthalmologist sent me straight to an eye surgeon, who operated (very successfully) on the Tuesday morning.

I left the hospital on Wednesday morning.

Would this have been possible so quickly in France?

[/quote]

Actually yes and I speak from experience. My wife had a problem with her eyes and saw the doctor in the morning and the Opthamologist (the same guy with whom I have an appointment) in the afternoon. Fortunately she did not have to go anywhere else, the problem was diagnosed quickly and efficiently. Its just getting a normal eye test that appears to be the problem. I knew from a previous thread some years back that you had to wait a while but I never dreamt 7 months.

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That's great news nomoss and hope you have a quick recovery but not quite the point that Quillan was making.

Quillan is about right for the current wait at a French opthamologue - I've just tried here in Mayenne and the earliest appointments are in six months time.

We will either go to Jersey for the day have our tests and get our glasses on the same day, which is what we did 2 years ago, or do it in the UK again, with Vision Express.

MOH had a walk in eye test (no rendezvous) in the Uk a couple of years ago last year at Vision Express and then got her glasses replaced (due to damage) at Vision Express in Paris (1.5 hours from here) using their Europwide guarantee.

I have also had this done at jersey around 5 years ago.

I have been told that there is a Grande Optical in Fougeres that does eye tests but I think this is only if you have a recent prescription and don't want a full check up.
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[quote user="nomoss"]

I was doing some heavy work under my boat on a Friday afternoon last June when I suddenly lost half the sight in my left eye.

I went straight to a clinic in Figueres, where they examined my eye, diagnosed a detached retina, gave me some medicaments, and made an appointment to see an opthalmologist in Gerona the following Monday morning.

The opthalmologist sent me straight to an eye surgeon, who operated (very successfully) on the Tuesday morning.

I left the hospital on Wednesday morning.

Would this have been possible so quickly in France?[/quote]

Yes and I speak from experience of the same operation in both countries. I am surprised though that you had a succesfull outcome having had the operation four days later, it is known that surgery must take place ASAP and the patient must be immobilised on one side or the stomach whilst waiting.

I was taken to the eye hospital at midnight by Samu, by the time we arrived the staff had been rostered in, they examined me and then I was ferried to the main hospital for a MRI scan and back, they operated on me at 7.30 the next morning.

Unfortunately I suffered 3 recidives, the first two were in France and the diagnosis and surgery were equally quick, the last was in England which was a total catastrophe. By then I knew that time is of the essence to regain the vision, the ambulance service would not take me, so a neigbour took me to the East Grinstead eye hospital, they refused to see me (we dont do retinas) another trip to East Surrey casualty who told me that I would have to wait 6 hours to be asessed by a triage nurse (twas Saturday night) I kicked up knowing the danger and they relented and called out an opthalmogist from London, she arrived several hours later annoyed at having to leave a dinner party who confirmed a detached retina, which I knew all along, I had already had 3 of them!

She said she was able to refer me to either the Moorfields or Brighton eye hospital and that I would have to find my own way there and they would be open a 9am the next morning, ambulance refused and she seemed ambivalent about the danger.

Brighton eye hospital the next day received me with a serious urgency and said that they were calling in the surgeon and operating team to operate immediately only he in his wisdom decided without seeing me that it could wait until Monday, the nursing staff were livid, said that he was paid to be on call and were very worried for my chances of regaining any sight, they told me that I should sue the hospital and that they would help me, I think that they really hated the surgeon, he certainly acted as if he was above mere mortals, but it is not my way of doing things.

Finally at mid-day on Monday they operated 42 hours after I first tried to get treatment. I am now effectively blind in my left eye, you were very lucky indeed to have regained your sight after 4 days.

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I certainly do count myself lucky. I did stay, as advised, lying down or at least almost immobile with my head on one side - mainly through fear, over the weekend.

I am so sorry that you were not so fortunate. Not a good reflection on the NHS.

I'm glad to hear the situation is so good, even in rural France. I discussed this with my local doctor today, and she reassured me about the rapidity of similar treatment here.

We used to live in deepest Cornwall. Our nearest hospital was in Falmouth, in the opposite direction from our nearest doctor, and quite a long way through the lanes. Even that was closed after about 7pm when my wife was a patient there. She had to be taken in urgently after a delay of some months when the negative results of a scan were sent to the wrong doctor in error, but that's another sorry tale. Accident victims were still brought there after that time and were redirected to Truro.

I don't know if that situation has improved (since 1978). We left England in 1962, and went back there only for 2 years before we left for good, but I believe that hospitals have been even more centralised since then.

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My grandfather died in Treliske (I think) cottage hospital in the early 80's and I remember the care and compassion being first class from all of the staff.

20 years later and how the situation had changed when my father had a stroke, Im sure that Treliske had closed by then and he spent his last days in Truro hospital, I would rather not revisit the terrible experience but suffice to say that it was no different to what you can read about most days in the papers, clinically it would not have made any difference to the end result but had it been 20 years earlier he would not have been neglected and suffered and neither would the close family.

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I used to medical negligence cases in the UK but another story.

Both here and in Normandie there were two specialist clinics and the waiting list was in days not weeks.

However just come back from the UK with a new set of glasses from Specsavers and at the time I was armed with a prescription from France.

They test my eyes and disagreed with the prescription here and which is as I understand it based upon a software approach and which differs totally from UK standards.

However we have rehearsed this matter before.
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I had an ordonnance which was nearly two year's old which I hadn't used.  I printed off some info from the Ameli website, "Comment changer vos verres correcteurs chez votre opticien?", which says that your optician can correct your glasses as required if the ordonnance is less than three year's old. The exception being if you now need lenses for "une presbytie" which was previously not known about.  I am now in a position to be able to buy some new specs and I didn't want to wait another six months for a new test.  I had to try three opticians before I found one that would do the re-testing.  They were able to carry out the usual checks with the letter charts using what seemed to be relatively new equipment.  I was informed that my ordonnance hadn't changed so I ordered the specs.  Hester.
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Hi Bob, I can answer the first question, probably the second but not the third.

No you don't need a prescription from your doctor.

I seem to remember a figure of 45 Euros but to be honest we don't physically part with any cash, we just hand over our Carte Vital and our mutual paperwork.

I have no idea about ladies over 60 years but somehow I have my doubts thats its free. Perhaps somebody else can help on this question.

 

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[quote user="Bob T"]On a different tack. Do you need a prescription

from your doctor for an eye test? What does the eye test cost here in

France, is it free for women over 60?

[/quote]

I think I can help with all three [:)]

No

It depends on your chosen ophtalmo.

  • If he/she is conventionné de secteur 1 (meaning as per the agreed tariff), the fee is €25, of which 70% (€16.50, less €1 for the participation forfaitaire) will be reimbursed by the sécurité sociale and the balance by your mutuelle.
  • If he/she is conventionné de secteur 2 (meaning he/she sets the fee outside the agreed tariff), the fee could be anything. The reimbursement will be €15.10 (=70% of €23, less  €1 for the participation forfaitaire) the balance should be covered by your mutuelle.

No.

Source

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