Opthalmologist Appointments

[PossumGirl]

I had heard from several people that there was quite a wait to get an Opthalmo appointment around here (Aude), but I was still surprised when I called the guy recommended by my generaliste.  Their first opening is June 1st.

I find it amazing, because I've gotten appointments with other specialists sometimes within a few days, and never more than within a couple of weeks (except right around the holidays).

Is this something that is regional?  Or is it this difficult elsewhere in France?  And, is there that much of a shortage of Opthalmologists?

PG

[Opalienne]

It's the same everywhere in France.   If you can, hop on a train to Belgium where opticians also do eye tests and you can have glasses made in an hour!

[opas]

Do you know , I too dreaded the thought that we would have to wait months for an appointment.......I remember reading a thread in which TU had said that it was always at least a couple of months andothers on here agreeing.

Our youngest came home from school after the nurse had been in to do her annual checks, giving me a piece of paper to go and visit an Optician, telling us to hand the form back in after the visit.  Off we went , armed with her medical records(she has a very rare syndrome and the eyes can be affected) thinking we could use this to shorten the wait, not needed, how about half term (one week away) but we were going to UK for a visit, Ok the week after. Asing for Wednesday ,so she didn`t have to miss school .......morning or afternoon came the reply!

So are things getting easier are we too just lucky!

Oh, and glasses are needed , so we spent a long Saturday moring in the shop choosing a pair that were a la mode for an eight year old

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="Opas"]

So are things getting easier are we too just lucky!

Oh, and glasses are needed , so we spent a long Saturday moring in the shop choosing a pair that were a la mode for an eight year old

[/quote]

Gee, maybe we need to head over to your neck of the woods! 

Actually, my problem isn't really glasses (I buy pharmacy specs for reading), but I have a horrible problem with dry eyes. Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night, I am quite literally unable to open my eyes without very carefully working at it. If I force them open, it feels as if I just ripped my corneas off!  I think I need something stronger that OTC drops,  and only an Opthalmo can provide that, unfortunately.

PG

[Teamedup]

Tried to make our appointments last week and the earliest we could get was  OCTOBER! June would have been fine, I was hoping for June in fact I didn't expect any earlier than June.

 

I have no idea as to what we are going to do now as the opthalmo in the next town is always available, but that is because he is very expensive and rude and horrible, so we won't be going there.

[PossumGirl]

That's terrible, Teamed!! I feel much better about June now my ownself!

One of my friends went to the ER, but I think that's overkill.

PG

[Ormx]

saw a report on the news saying that there is a wait of 1 year somewhere in the north of France.

I phoned my optholmologist (in Hautes Pyrenees) and got an appointment in less than a week. Two months later he's seen me 4 or 5 times and has done laser surgery, so I can see perfectly again!!!

I asked one of the secretaries about the delays in some parts of France and she said that often people come to the clinique while they're on their holidays down south. But that there is an ever-decreasing supply of graduates and the situation is worsening.

[Will]

It's one of those paradoxes of French life. The medical system is supposedly second to none, and you can get quick appointments with most specialists. But try to get an eye test - anything between 8 weeks and 12 months round here.

Recently, in England, I walked into a high street place at about 10am, had an eye test there and then (incidentally far more thorough than the French ones I've had), and the glases were ready for collection early that afternoon. If the prescription had been a bit simpler I could have had them after an hour. I wonder how long I would have had to wait for a cardiologist or psychiatrist though.

[Lori]

Here I was told by the Dentist to make an appt. for my daughter to see

an Orthodontist - may need braces.  I expected the month long

wait, but I was told the first available appt. would be May 6th - 

I called in February.  I guess it is better than October, but I

really wasn't expecting such a delay.  Oddly enough our Dentist

gave us the names of 6 Orthodontists in the same village of

Carpentras.  Apparently, they all have similar delays.  Guess

I should have become an Orthodontist.

Same thing happened here when she needed to visit the Dermatologist - had a 3 month wait for that first visit. 

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="Will the Conqueror"]

It's one of those paradoxes of French life. The medical system is supposedly second to none, and you can get quick appointments with most specialists. But try to get an eye test - anything between 8 weeks and 12 months round here.

[/quote]

JM's cousin is an opthalmologist in Paris.  He's retired, unfortunately.  Maybe I should give him a call and get his take on this whole thing.  I find it surprising that so few people are interested in specializing in the field.  It seems lucrative, especially if they do laser surgery and cataract surgery.

Maybe they've all moved to California, because you just about never have to wait for an appointment there!

PG

[Teamedup]

As I said, I know one where  I could make an appointment with within the week. No way would I ever go back to see him.

[JohnM]

I know that people hate spelling corrections and (az won whu striggles wiv spillings) I know why they hate them. So please don't consider this as being one, it is pronunciation advice! The word actually starts OPH so it should not start with an OP sound, but OFF. If we all said it correctly then the spelling would follow. [;)]

Sorry to all who hate spelling pedants but I started my working life as an ophthalmic dispenser and it just niggled when people couldn't get the name right (for what it's worth many Chiropodists hate being called Shiropodists - you don't go to the Shemist or Shiropractor, so why Shiropodist!!! - Father and Sister were in that profession!)

(I'm standing by for a deluge of "Get a life comments")

John

(Edited to correct a spelling mistake!)

[Rob G]

We're in Haute-Normandie (76) and have been told to expect to wait several months for an opthalmo's appointment.

Will's post got me wondering - where do we stand with regards to getting sight tests and/or spectacles in the UK? I assume since we payed full whack in the UK before coming to France, that there's nothing to stop us going back to our old optician in the UK and paying the same as we used to. Don't suppose we'd be entitled to anything back from the Sécu?

Rob

[Shane]

We live on the north Dordogne/south Haute Vienne border and rang a (can't spell it so..) optical doctory at St Yrieix for an eye test and the wait was 2 months! so rang an opticians at Thiviers, appointment next day, eye test took 3 hours and glasses within 5 days, superb! we were well impressed with the service and price which was 400 euro for a very complicated prescription. Would have cost the same in the uk. 

[JulieR]

Seems to be the same here in the limousin, made an appointment for my

son last month and have been given one for July!!  5 months!!

He wears contact lenses but had an eye test (for strength of lense

only) at the local opticians and new contacts butI  wanted him to

have a medical exam as well so made the appointment at the

opthalmologist.  At least he can see in the mean time!!

The person who had the laser surgery on their eyes......how much does

it cost in France as I quite fancy having this done myself.

[Will]

[quote user="Rob G"]where do we stand with regards to getting sight tests and/or spectacles in the UK? I assume since we payed full whack in the UK before coming to France, that there's nothing to stop us going back to our old optician in the UK and paying the same as we used to. Don't suppose we'd be entitled to anything back from the Sécu?

[/quote]

That's right. You can get a sight test at somewhere like Specsavers or Vision Express (where I went) in England, even though you live in France, without any problems. In fact I had quite a chat with the ophthalmologist there about the different systems. Of course, you pay for it yourself as a private patient, and don't get anything back from either NHS or your caisse in France. Can't remember how much, but it wasn't a lot.

Many opticians in France can make up glasses, or dispense contact lenses, from a British prescription, though some may refuse to do so. Mrs Conq got some glasses that way in France. Doing that, you could reclaim part of the cost of the specs from your caisse but as you get such a small amount it probably isn't worth even trying. If you are looking to save money, rather than go for speed and convenience, then you could use one of the Internet dispensing opticians that have been discussed here recently. I've found, though, that I can get my daily disposable contact lenses for virtually identical cost at a French high street optician to what I had previously paid on a discount web site - and a faster, more secure service too.

[Ormx]

[quote user="JulieR"]The person who had the laser surgery on their eyes......how much does it cost in France as I quite fancy having this done myself.


[/quote]

julieR,

Cost was 950 euro per eye, none of which is reimbursed (although some mutuelles do give 100 euro or so towards it I think). Don't know how it would vary region to region or laser type (I had LASEK as opposed to LASIK). There were also about 4 visits beforehand at about 45 euro per visit (I think this part is covered by secu, but still have to send in forms). Overall, the best 2K I ever spent!

[Opalienne]

Were you myopic and if so, how much?   I am -8.5 and -8 and would love to be able to get rid of lenses and glasses, but am worried that if anything went wrong I would end up even worse........ Grateful for any advice