Tom recently had his eyes tested and we already knew he had a cataract on the other eye .
The other cataract was successfully dealt with a couple of years ago.
The Optician gave him his new prescriptions but said that it wasn't worth bothering with the long distance until the cataract was done.
Hang on.....Tom is 81 next week with a terminal illness, this meant that he would have to go through the next year not being able to see properly, and at that age every second counts.
At the same time she was happy for him to get new readers.
MAKE SENSE?
So after some thought I rang the shop back and asked them to explain this.
They couldn't, and so I asked what changes there were to his long sight prescription.
Oh dear, red tape came into play.
'sorry we can't tell you over the phone'
Steam coming out of my ears I asked why.
The law.....
Anyway, the long and short of it is that he can have the long distance glasses after all but they will have to be changed when the cataract is done.
With all the hold ups in the NHS who knows when this will be.
In the meantime he has to sit in my computer chair to get close enough to read what's on the tv.
As you can see the Golf Game is a hit. lol
The moral of the story
If you don't push and do things for yourself you don't get anywhere these days.
Not sure where exactly you live but this place might be of interest to you.https://my-iclinic.co.uk. I had both my cataracts done there a couple of years ago and have also had them both " lasered" afterwards as that is often required. Last visit last week ! His prices are very competitive as I believe he.....Mr. John Bulger... for that is his name...set up his own clinic as he thought that the likes of Spire were charging too much! Excellent service in a state of the art clinic. You can get an appointment usually within 2 weeks.
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating! and yes you are right you have to fight for what you want these days, I feel sorry for those who haven't got anyone who can speak up for them.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens in care homes a lot of the time, the poor elderly are not able to speak up for themselves, especially if they have no near relations. It seems you become irrelevant once you have grey hair.
DeleteHow silly is all that? There is little more important for older folks living at home unsupported by social care than to protect, repair, preserve or enhance whatever vision they have available to them. Protection against all sorts of accidents, and enables you to remain independent for some much longer. Small investment now to save so much agony (and money) - when did the NHS get so short-termist in their views on dispensing? xxx F (and Mr T - who thinks his feline cousins don't want to be tripped over by a Dad with no working specs.) Good on you for sticking to your guns over it.
ReplyDeleteI remember when they used to put the new glasses on you and do the adjusting needed, these were sent through the post and 'that will do ya' sort of thing.
DeleteI know there's a so called pandemic but people still need to treated. I get hopping mad over these things.
Well done for questioning them, I hate it when the dismiss things for their reasons, I had a blood test, no results were given to me when I called to speak to a doctor, I was told they were happy with the results, I told him what I thought, I asked for the blood test to see if things were improving, so did he not think I would want to know the results.
ReplyDeleteWe are like chalk and cheese. Tom never questions anything but accepts what they say, I on the other hand question everything.
DeleteRight decision well thought through. It's hard to think of the right questions on the spot, but at least with opticians you can ring back. With doctors, unless you ask first time, you don't get a second chance.
ReplyDeleteit sounds good you can get them now but I am wondering how long your system will drag it out... I agree he needs it now not a year from now. the glasses I mean.. sorry all these new things keep popping up to add to your stress.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for questioning Briony. I would write to their head office.
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so sorry; how frustrating!! I sure hope the wait is not long!
ReplyDeleteYou need to ask the right questions, that’s for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt is awful that you had to push. How senseless of the optician to suggest he wait. I'm having problems with my optician at the moment. After a test and a retest they are still not right and I have been back 3 times. They were about to refund me but said they'd try one more thing..... arrghhh.
ReplyDeleteWell done Briony. Re the oxygen. Yes we do fill up from the machine, it was full then emptied itself. Scary.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for persevering. It can be hard to muster the energy to make things happen but sometimes the fight is worth it.
ReplyDeleteThree weeks ago I had my eyes tested.Went to pick the new specs up.Reading glasses were fine.Varifocals I couldn’t read the bottom 4 lines of the sheet they show you.No amount of altering could make them work.They were far worse than the glasses I have.I eventually got a refund.If you are spending £188 you need to be able to see through them!!!What a waste of my time.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe they sent Tom’s glasses through the post.
When I saw the title of this blogpost, I thought that Tom had been smashing his whisky and beer glasses in a drunken rage. You are right about the need to "push" jobsworths if you are going to get what you want, need or deserve.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for calling them back and questioning them, my husband would be the same and just accept what was said, not me though.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so frustrating. I would probably get nowhere because I hate pushing.
ReplyDelete