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#Post#: 5202--------------------------------------------------
And sometimes it's best to fire an ophthalmologist
DIR By: agate
Date: June 9, 2026, 1:14 am
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I'm not in the habit of firing doctors. I've been going to the
same ophthalmologist for over 16 years, just once a year, almost
always coming out with new glasses. There are bifocals for
everyday use, computer glasses, and prescription sunglasses.
I liked this ophthalmologist. He kept recommending cataract
surgery and I kept backing off--and he didn't insist.
This year I had set up an appointment (many months in advance)
for early June. But I had an e-mail a few weeks ago telling me I
would need to reschedule. No reason given.
When I called to try to reschedule, I learned that the doctor is
spending several days a week at another location now, about half
an hour away. I know the current location well. I know the
bathroom situation there and what it's like to wait for the
paratransit van. The current location is only a few minutes
away.
I may be retired but I do have commitments. Two days a week I
need to be home most of the day for the grocery ordering and
delivery process. Other days I might have other appointments. I
have one or two routine medical or dental appointments a month.
I wasn't able to get an appointment with this doctor any time in
the next two months. We could have looked at September. Or I
could have decided to go to the distant location.
I'm old and set in my ways. This eye clinic has about 10
ophthalmologists to choose from. I chose another one.
The clinic wasn't happy about it. They seemed to be giving
another try at rescheduling but in the end they agreed that I
had good reasons for changing doctors at this point.
They did make it clear that I can't change back.
This may be a case of a doctor who wants to be rid of his
Medicare/Medicaid patients. Or maybe he wants to be rid of the
patients who aren't likely prospects for surgery.
Saying he "wants" to be rid of me may be putting it too
strongly. It's more a situation where he doesn't at all mind if
I drop out.
This is a very busy and successful doctor. One of the
optometrists there told me that this doctor was the one who
started this very successful eye clinic, which has about 12
local branches.
I don't need such an important doctor, I decided. I just want to
get my diabetic eye exam, my glaucoma checkup, my glasses
prescription--and to feel that I can turn to my ophthalmologist
in case I have an eye problem that needs attention.
Interestingly, this ophthalmologist has never once dealt with
the MS-related vision issues I've had. Previous eye doctors have
usually wanted at least one visual fields test but not this one.
I don't mind missing out on the extra attention so long as those
eye problems aren't getting worse, but I never felt I could
count on this doctor in such a situation.
#Post#: 5208--------------------------------------------------
Ophthalmology update
DIR By: agate
Date: June 15, 2026, 1:12 am
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The new ophthalmologist is very busy too. I waited an hour and a
half past my scheduled appointment time, but that's the way it
goes with doctors sometimes.
It seems my best corrected vision is 20/200 in the left eye
(legally blind) and 20/50 in the right. When I learned that
cataracts get worse over time and can lead to glaucoma,
especially in diabetic patients, I began to rethink the cataract
surgery, particularly with this new doctor outlining a plan that
made the whole thing sound easier.
Then I looked at the pressure readings, the test that is always
done to see if a person has glaucoma, and the right eye was 22.
Normal is 21 or below. Up to now those scores have always been
normal. The doctor didn't mention it, and I'm optimistically
assuming it was just a one-time thing. The reading has to be
consistently abnormal before anyone talks about glaucoma.
However, not wanting to go blind and not enjoying the way my
vision is now, I've signed up for cataract surgery in the left
eye. The doctor is booked up two months in advance, and so this
isn't going to happen very soon.
It very probably won't happen at all since my insurance plan is
once again going through one of its negotiation periods with
this eye clinic, and my coverage may be dropped. I'll know
definitely by mid-August.
I've been through this a couple of times before with the
insurance people. They send out an ominous letter saying
coverage is about to end for certain medical providers, and I
start looking around for alternatives. More letters ensue. After
a couple of months of this, in the past the coverage has been
restored because the two parties came to terms.
I have no guarantee that this time around they will settle their
dispute. So I'm not counting on having my cloudy lens replaced.
I'd need to lie flat on my back, perfectly still, for 15-30
minutes at least. That in itself would not be easy, with my back
as misshapen as it is. However, the doctor thought it could be
done.
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