Wellness

[Jordan2]

I had surgery done on my left eye four years ago, I now need it on my right (I'm not even that old). I had to change ophthalmologists since my doctor was dropped from my insurance company's roster. I went to a place that has several offices throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County in New York. This place was like a factory, the assistants do so much of the exam that I was use to my doctor doing. Anyway I need surgery, it's not done in a hospital, they have their own eye surgery facility. The doctor only does surgeries twice a month on Wednesdays (there are a lot of doctors in the various offices this doctor was one of two that accepted my insurance, the one I wanted to see didn't have an in office appointment until March 31). So my appointment is May 6, which I'm very unhappy about. My cataract is so bad, I can't see much out of my eye and it's very blurry. I know I will be miserable for over two months.

[nana59]

sounds like the kind of facility where i had my cataract surgery.....

[Jordan2]

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@nana59 wrote:

sounds like the kind of facility where i had my cataract surgery.....

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It's not like I had a lot of options.

[patbz]

I live in a small mountain community and the only place that does it locally is Dulaney and Perkins.  The in house ophthalmologist was very hands on and I was very happy with post up on both eyes.  DH is going to need this next year but the problem now is that shortly after I had my surgeries my doctor went deer hunting and fell out of the deer stand and is now a paraplegic!  He still does exams but can't operate all the equipment during surgery (he is researching work arounds) so at least for now they have an out of town doctor doing the surgeries.

[AuntG]

They move you in and out pretty fast like an assembly line. You obviously need the surgery so I wouldn't turn back.

[Kachina624]

@patbz   Your dh could always come to Albuquerque or Phoenix.  I had mine done by the othomologist at Eye Associates in Rio Rancho.

[BklynKinsey]

I recently had cataract surgery -- right eye in Dec., left eye in Jan.  I was referred to this particular ophthalmologist/eye surgeon by another ophthalmologist because I had previously had Lasik surgery and this new doctor had experience with that type of patient history.  He had excellent credentials and many years experience.

This doctor has multiple offices and does his eye surgeries out of a private eye surgery center (owned by multiple eye surgeons).  Yes, the experience was very much like what you initially experienced.  Most initial tests and original exams were done by medical assistants and other doctors.  Only then, do you get to be examined by the surgeon (I call him the "big cheese" .  It was like a factory or an assembly line at the surgery center -- packed with patients, moving through the process.

I chose to have laser removal of my cataracts, a laser system to take detailed measurements after removal and before the new lens implants (which were premium trifocal lenses).  This was all out-of-pocket and cost me $8,000 (beyond what Medicare and my supplemental paid for everything else).

I found all the staff at the surgeon's office and the surgery center to be very competent, very thorough, and very solicitous and pleasant.

Years ago, I, also, had been used to a doctor who did all the testing and exams himself, so this was all very different.

I continue to have checkups and lots of tests to make sure all is in order.  I did have to have additional laser treatments because I developed something like secondary cataracts behind the new lenses -- a common condition but which usually develops years after cataract surgery -- mine developed immediately (lucky me).  These laser treatments were done at the eye surgeon's office by the surgeon himself.

Yes, it was a strange experience, but I am glad it's over and I am on the other side of it.

I know it's hard to wait for your appointment.  I wish you all the best.

[RedTop]

My mom went to a top ophthalmologist in this area to remove her cataract; all of his procedures are done at a surgery center.   The staff have the prep and care down to a science, so everything ran very smoothly, and mom was home in less than 3 hours.   

Hopefully the next 2 months won’t be as hard as you fear.

[lovesrecess]

I need to have a cataract removed in my left eye. It has been there a long time but is just now starting to j tenderer with my vision. My ophthalmologist, who I have seen for years, told me he didn’t do cataract surgery anymore and I would need to go to some big Cataracts R Us clinic. I am not looking forward to that setup at all.

[Jordan2]

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@lovesrecess wrote:
I need to have a cataract removed in my left eye. It has been there a long time but is just now starting to j tenderer with my vision. My ophthalmologist, who I have seen for years, told me he didn’t do cataract surgery anymore and I would need to go to some big Cataracts R Us clinic. I am not looking forward to that setup at all.

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@lovesrecess It will be okay. The bad thing though about going to an office that has a good number of practices in other towns, the wait to get your cataract surgery is long. I have to wait until May 6, I can barely see anything out of my right eye ( what I can see is blurry), I will be miserable for over two months. The woman who arranges the surgeries did say she will keep me in mind for April 15 if she gets a cancellation ( my sister works in a school and will be on vacation).