Disabililty

[mylittlem]

I would be very interested to know if any one has been successful in finding an eye doctor who is willing to write the necessary paperwork for a disability claim. I find it hard to believe that the experts do not view these eye conditions as life altering and disabling. I have gotten negative responses from those doctors I have approached on the subject. They truly believe that the condition is manageable and people are able to work through this problem. I for one cannot.

I would also be interested to hear from those of you who are not receiving disability payments, however, are not working at the moment either.

So my question is twofold: Are you or are you not working? If you are not working, are you collecting disability?

Thanks,

MylittleM

[Guest]

I am currently on maternity leave, but I am due to return to work mid-January 2010.

Ideally, I'd like to work 2-3 eight hour shifts per week.(16-24 hrs weekly)

But, because of my eyes, I've told my boss that I am only available for 2 FOUR hour shifts per week, plus 1 weekend-shift per month.... this is enough to pay the bills and keep my license to practice my profession... but there's nothing left for savings ... will have to work more eventually, but hope the restasis kicks in fully by then...

This dry-eye-caused reduction in hours will cost me a ton of money in lost income, but my eyes just can't can't handle anything more right now...

I won't be getting disability for the lost income either... it sucks!

I haven't inquired yet about the possibility of getting disability... but maybe I will in future... we'll see...

[eva b]

I'm not working - had to retire early because of my dry eyes. I was a college lecturer and could not tolerate the dry air/dust/light in the classrooms, not to mention the strain on the eyes of the paperwork.

I haven't even bothered asking doctors about disability...."it's just dry eyes" is the attitude I'm met with here in the UK. Mind you, I don't think anywhere else in the world is much better.

Just because we're not bleeding out of our eyes, no-one believes the pain and suffering and life-altering effects of this awful complaint.

[odydnas]

I'm not working and I'm only 25. Didn't try to get disability becauase I was pretty sure there would be no way that would happen. Besides, I havent been working long enough to contribute to Soc Security and all that. I was working for 1 year and planning for med school, and then dry eye hit. I worked for another year after that thinking I would get better, but I couldn't handle it anymore. I haven't worked for a year. Luckily, I had accumulated some savings that I was going to use to pay for school, but it's running out. I am pretty worried about my future, but I guess one thing at a time. I think I will try to get a part time job very soon, but the shifts will have to be 4 hours at a time instead of full day.

One thing you can do is that instead of getting disability through your eyes, you can try to get disability through depression. Since I'm so young and I was working towards a health profession, I didn't want to get disability through depression because of the stigma and felt that it might jeopardize my chances of becoming a doctor one day (full medical disclosure is required during training and apply for a position). I still have hope that I will get better enough to pursue my dreams, so I am holding off on trying to get disability for now.

[mylittlem]

Thanks for the comments. Odydnas, thanks, I am aware of the option of collecting under a mental health condition, and that is in fact what I have had to do. The problem with this is that there is a time limitation for this type of payout and it is not quite as good as if the disability were written for a physical condition. So this would not have been my first choice, but I am the sole provider in my household and I am responsible for a college-aged child who I must figure out how to support while he is tending to his studies.

MylittleM

[Guest]

It's so frustrating to have a condition that almost no-one understands or can relate to... (except for everyone on this forum... I think keeping up with this forum is one of the major factors in keeping me sane through all this...)

And the lack of compensation for our lost income and expenses is just one more brutal slap...

Odydnas - wow - I hope you find a way to continue your schooling... I couldn't imagine having this happen to me at the stage in life that you're at. Good for you for remaining focused on just getting through one thing at a time!

I've been having one of those days where all I can think about is what I can't do as a result of this condition, and how I can never get enough of the things I want to do... always having to stop because my eyes hurt etc... I'm SO frustrated!!!! ...but I know that's not productive, and I've been fighting so hard to resist the temptation to just wallow in it and be majorly bummed out.

Oh well... Christmas is coming up soon... hopefully it will be a good distraction from our problems...

And well, if all else fails, I suppose it could always be worse, right? maybe that's a rather dark way of looking at things, but it helps me fight being depressed when I consider all of the things that would be way worse than my current situation...

Anyhow... sorry about rambling on and on...

Looking forward to see what everyone else has to say on the topic of disability benefits (or lack thereof)...

[irish eyes]

In earlier days, eye doctors seemed keen to label me as being depressed even though the mind wasn't their realm of expertise. They couldn't quite get to grips with the eye issues even though this was what they ought to have known something about. True - I get very depressed but on the days that the eye discomfort abates, then my mood lifts also.

Like Eva pointed out; the attitude of `it's just dry eyes' is all too prevalent here in the UK - and anyone who complains about it is just plain self centred and that it's just a physical manifestation of some deeper anxiety ie depression. We cannot win!

I took up a different career when this first affected me. I had to consider sectors where part-time working was an option because I knew it would be impossible to put in a full week.

I ticked the disability box when I took up my present post and whilst the HR dept were accommodating, there seemed to be no end to the request for reports from `professionals' about my workplace `needs'. (Never once did it strike them that I was the expert on my needs .) By ticking the box, I was subjected to a range of false assumptions and depersonalising reactions based on these - and it's made me feel as though I'm always on the defensive.

[eva b]

In earlier days, eye doctors seemed keen to label me as being depressed even though the mind wasn't their realm of expertise. They couldn't quite get to grips with the eye issues even though this was what they ought to have known something about. True - I get very depressed but on the days that the eye discomfort abates, then my mood lifts also.

Like Eva pointed out; the attitude of `it's just dry eyes' is all too prevalent here in the UK - and anyone who complains about it is just plain self centred and that it's just a physical manifestation of some deeper anxiety ie depression. We cannot win!

I took up a different career when this first affected me. I had to consider sectors where part-time working was an option because I knew it would be impossible to put in a full week.

I ticked the disability box when I took up my present post and whilst the HR dept were accommodating, there seemed to be no end to the request for reports from `professionals' about my workplace `needs'. (Never once did it strike them that I was the expert on my needs .) By ticking the box, I was subjected to a range of false assumptions and depersonalising reactions based on these - and it's made me feel as though I'm always on the defensive.

Oh boy, can I ever relate to this entire post!!!

docs really do minimise our condition, and no-one considers the long-term, everyday, real-life practical issues we have to deal with.

On the odd occasion when I've had the opportunity to sit with a healthcare professional and explain to them how this hideous complaint can wreck your life...which is what I consider it has done to me....explain to them about the compress routine, goggles, avoidance of dry air/heaters/aircon....they go all wide eyed and "o my god...."...but usually people are just too ignorant to even think about the consqeuences.

It's a very solitary and isolating debility.

[odydnas]

Thank you for your kind and supportive words SAAG.

Mylittlem, I did not realize that mental health conditions do not have an equivalent payout to physical health conditions. I wish I knew what to do that would help out. Maybe you have a friend/relative who is a lawyer that could help? Hang in there, it will get better. Just today, I saw two posts about people getting the eye care they need to get better. I believe that we will all get there too.

Has anyone ever consulted a lawyer about this? I personally do not know any lawyers, but has anyone consulted a lawyer friend/relative to see what they say?

[mylittlem]

The disability payout on my employer's plan is the same under the mental health and physical disability situations. The difference, however, is in the duration. The mental health situation pays out for a shorter period of time. It is not truly long-term in my opinion.