For UK members - Any NHS tips

[khmedia]

Hello guys,

I am a UK resident. I have MGD. I am wondering if any of you have any advice for me in terms of how I can use the NHS to help me with my dry eye. Currently I've got no where with the system here in Northern Ireland and am now officially 'discharged' to make their numbers seem good even though I have not been cured.

I am not seeking a cure but I feel my discharging was just pathetic as they don't know what to do with me apart from say do hot compresses and use drops.

Are there any good doctors I could see/visit. Or is Lipiflow available anywhere?

Any advice on how I can use what I am entitled to would be appreciated.

I do get drops on the NHS for free but I feel I could avail of the NHS more.

Lastly, do you know if NHS patients can visit private eye clinics and get the NHS to cover fees?

Thanks!

[Chloetee28]

I use everything I can get on the nhs I found it on this pdf file :

https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/media/157031/...inal_oct13.pdf

Hylo forte are ment to be the best eye drops availible on the nhs as they are of high viscosity and preservative free. I also use systane balence and this targets mgd and unstable tear film specifically.
I also have vita pos as a night ointment but tend to not use it as it is kinda hard to apply and blurs vision but maybe I should.
Anyway those 3 things are about as much as you can get on the nhs so if you have not tried hylo forte I would say give it a go. Ask for it on prescription though as they sometimes try to tell me I can just buy it without but it £18 not on perscription.

I have had lipiflow at 'the dry eyes clinic' in Manchester. I have yet to see results and It was £1150 for the consultation (£150) and treatment (£500 per eye) but even just the consultation was interesting as lipiview offered objective readings and showed me I had a partial blink so a consultation is worth thinking about.

I was put on a waiting list to see a specialist (only after my 6th GP appointment when I specifically said I wasn't happy with the treatments I'd been given as they had actually been causing more problems and that I'd like to see a specialist and if not I would just go private anyway)

The GP refered me to a specialist but I was on a 9+ month waiting list( but the appointment would be free). I then rang the same opthomologist off my own back and said I would like a private appointment and got an appointment that week (£199 for 10 mins, £95 for every follow up) .
So it's very much a case of whether you can wait or whether you can justify the £199.
I can justify it as before that all I'd ever heard form gps was 'your eyes look normal' 'maybe your just overthinking ?'. Not knowing if my symptoms were just in my head was the worst feeling so £199 was worth it just for an mgd diagnosis even if the treatment options were limited ( he suggested a couple of eyesdrops is already used and warm compresses).

I know your from Northern Ireland and I've only had experience with opthomologists in England but some of the system should be the same and I Hope some of this info helps??

[Keely]

I have an NHS clinic referral, but I've been wondering about going private due to the scheduling and delays. Since you did that, is it worth it and can an NHS GP use data from a private appointment?

[khmedia]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am only seeing them now for some reason.

Chloetee28

It is very interesting what drops you use Chloetee28. I am using the same i.e Systane Balance and Hylo Forte. I use Hylo Forte on going to bed and I use systane balance throughout the nighttime (about 4-5 times on average per night). I refuse to use drops during the day. I don't know why. I think I don't want to reply on them too much. And also overuse of drops isn't good. I reply on hot compress and mostly hot showers to get the eyes going.

Will be interesting to see if the lipiflow has any impact for you.

I've got the same feedback from the regular docs in terms of 'they look okay to me'. Yes, just because there is a 'shine' to my eye doesn't mean I don't have severe dry eye. I think it is like saying to a whiplash patient that you neck looks fine to me. After this I really lost confidence in going to see a doctor. I just get my prescriptions now. That is all I use the NHS for. After seeing a specialist because of my corneal scratches I am still in shock that she told me 'we expect this to just go away'. I was sure at that moment that this wouldn't be the case. Sometimes you just know your own condition so well. That was about 2 years ago now. Also when I was first diagnosed with dry eye the specialist told me 'the good news is it is nothing serious'. Looking back now my stomach turns at such nonsense soundbites.

[Guest]

I have had 3 private appointments and then finally after showing the results from the appointments tmy doctors gave in and I'm now able to be treated on the NHS. I have done many of the treatments already so now I will be seeing an NHS specialist after having tried all the front line stuff so hopefully he can just stick with me and keep monitoring my condition. I'm hopefully going to be able to request a specific practitioner which is good. David O Brart in London is the best in the uk for dry eyes apparently so I'm trying to get referred to him.