"Ophthalmology"

I was referred to the Ophthalmology Department through by GP direct through the booking system and was given an appointment for June last year.

I attended my initial appointment and the consultant diagnosed a condition, advised they wanted to see me again in two months time and asked me to have bloods taken on the way out to rule out any underlying symptoms.

As no communication received in any way, shape or form by August and my eye condition rapidly deteriorating, I called to chase follow up appointment.

I was told there was a backlog in that department and I had no other option than to wait.

Getting desperate, the other times I called resulted in being told the same.

Finally, last month I received my follow appointment for today (15 March).

I didn’t see my previous consultant and whom was named on my appointment letter.

No explanation given but the consultant I saw today tarnished the previous diagnosis given (although I showed them photographic proof of the deterioration I was told to expect by the previous consultant) but told me that my bloods had shown up a possibly-related condition and they would therefore have to refer me back to my GP for further tests and investigation before going any further.

The bloods they were referring to were the ones I had taken at my initial appointment nine months earlier.

Surely if a marker comes back on the results, then either myself or my GP should have been advised about this as I could possibly have been living with a condition I did not know anything about since June of last year?

So now, my original condition is now being put on hold until the results come back from this newly-related condition.

If I had have been made aware of this possible condition, I could have sought treatment in the meantime which would have meant that it may have been ruled out of any connection and I would now be further on with my treatment for my original condition.

I was desperate for this follow up appointment and the consultant could see how my original condition affects me as I became visibly upset at my appointment.

I desperately hoped today would result in going further and, hopefully, resolving why I was referred to the department in the first place but now I feel I am further back than when I started as I now have to investigate another condition first before I can progress further.

Needless to say, I feel very deflated and let down.

Today’s consultant said they wanted to see me again in six months but I expect to be placed back in the system and do not anticipate receiving my second follow up this side of 2016.