Ophthalmic consultation

[lozzyf]

Hi
Does anyone know what the price IS for a consultation with an eye specialist is going to be. Around about?
Bella ,who we had from Many tears last year has just had her annual check up and I asked them to check her eye as we suspected they are not too brilliant . The vet said one was definitely not reacting and there is a blob ( you can see it) floating in front of her lens that she didn't know what it was.
So now were waiting on a quote for a consultation.
Anybody had a similar experience??

[elaine.e]

William has 6 monthly checks with an ophthalmologist because he has Dry Eye and cataracts. I've looked back through my insurance claims but I no longer have the paperwork from the first appointment, which was some years ago. His 6 monthly check ups cost me around £35, but I'm pretty sure the initial consultation was £100 or a bit more.

I'm sure costs vary from one practice to another, and also depending on what tests may be done beyond the initial examination. William's was quite simple and consisted of the vet having a thorough look in each eye, making a lot of notes about his cataracts so that she'd be able to tell if they were getting worse when she next saw him, and doing a Schirmer Tear Test in each eye.

My "normal" vet suspected Dry Eye and could have done a Schirmer tear test, but hadn't picked up on the early stage cataracts or noticed that William had a barely discernible problem with one of his eyelids. So I'm very pleased that I asked for him to be referred and I know his eyes have had the very best care ever since.

I'm sure the ophthalmologist will be able to give you a definitive answer about Bella's eyes, and hopefully it will be something that's manageable and won't get worse

[lozzyf]

Thanks you was right they have just phoned to say £105 . . . Prob is do you pay and get " well there's nothing to be done" and wish you hadn't bothered or don't bother and wish you had?!!!!!

[Pearly]

Thanks you was right they have just phoned to say £105 . . . Prob is do you pay and get " well there's nothing to be done" and wish you hadn't bothered or don't bother and wish you had?!!!!!

I wouldn't risk not going - Coral's vet is an Opthalmic Vet (I have no idea of the cost yet as its through the rescue) but if Alison wasn't available I'd be heading to Leominster to the Vet Eye Hospital - I'd rather go and be told there is nothing wrong/can be done than risk her eyes - depending what it is, it can be very painful

I hope it turns out to be the best waste of money and Bella is fine 

Jayne
X

[elaine.e]

Thanks you was right they have just phoned to say £105 . . . Prob is do you pay and get " well there's nothing to be done" and wish you hadn't bothered or don't bother and wish you had?!!!!!

I wouldn't risk not going - Coral's vet is an Opthalmic Vet (I have no idea of the cost yet as its through the rescue) but if Alison wasn't available I'd be heading to Leominster to the Vet Eye Hospital - I'd rather go and be told there is nothing wrong/can be done than risk her eyes - depending what it is, it can be very painful

I hope it turns out to be the best waste of money and Bella is fine 

Jayne
X

That's how I feel Jayne. I'd much sooner know what the problem is, even if nothing can be done to change it.

[jasper_boy]

The consult fee at Willows in Solihull to see the eye specialist is about £235, it might depend on area, etc. Hope all is okay x

[lozzyf]

Your right. . . I just have the feeling that we have to go down the path whether it's the wrong direction or not!. . . "Vets" are not my favourite people along with dentists  . . . ( I think I'm turning into Victor meldrew!!!)

[Helen]

It cost us £160 for a disappointing consultation at Seadowns with Jarvis - the consultant was really of no help and just told us he had week iris muscles and had very little advise or reassurance for us.  She didn't even tell us if it was affecting his sight or what we could do to help.

I had to do my own research along with my vet in the end.

I still would not hesitate to take him again  (but perhaps not to the same practice or consultant  )

[lozzyf]

It cost us £160 for a disappointing consultation at Seadowns with Jarvis - the consultant was really of no help and just told us he had week iris muscles and had very little advise or reassurance for us.  She didn't even tell us if it was affecting his sight or what we could do to help.

I had to do my own research along with my vet in the end.

I still would not hesitate to take him again  (but perhaps not to the same practice or consultant  )

This is what worries/ annoys me . I have just confirmed I want a consultation but am not expecting a lot of help. . My previous vet said , " I wouldn't be surprised if there was something wrong" and never picked up THAT there WAS ( sigh).

[lozzyf]

Just an update on Bella.
The ophthalmic consultant doesn't know what's wrong with her one eye !! He's not sure if it's congenital or an injury or if there is anything that can be done with it . He now wants a second opinion from another "specialist" in the practice so we are back to see them both next Thursday 

[elaine.e]

It's a shame you didn't get any answers today, but hopefully you'll know more when you go back . The trouble is, if you didn't see the specialist and then later found out that something could have been done to improve Bellas's eyesight you'd be kicking yourself.

[BobnDot]

When we got Milly at 7 months old from a local rescue our vet found that she had Distichiasis, abnormal eyelash growth causing the lashes to rub on the cornea. The practice has several local branches and the vet in one of them is an ophthalmic specialist with all the appropriate equipment and our vet referred us to this branch for more specialist advice.
The diagnosis was confirmed within a week and was treated under a general anaesthetic by removing the extra eyelashes and destroying the abnormally placed hair follicles with a laser.

Four years on and Milly's had no further problems although our vet makes a point of checking her eyes at every six monthly checkup. The cost of the whole procedure including the consultations and aftercare was just under £1k which was borne by our insurers.

You may find it useful to write down a list of questions to ask the specialist and record his responses. At the time of the consultation the mind just blanks out and you'll often find that questions pop into your mind soon afterwards. It may well take some time to pin down the cause of the problem and get it sorted but stick with it as Bella's relying on you to make everything better 

Hopefully you'll have a better outcome at your next consultation on Thursday.

Bob.

[lozzyf]

When we got Milly at 7 months old from a local rescue our vet found that she had Distichiasis, abnormal eyelash growth causing the lashes to rub on the cornea. The practice has several local branches and the vet in one of them is an ophthalmic specialist with all the appropriate equipment and our vet referred us to this branch for more specialist advice.
The diagnosis was confirmed within a week and was treated under a general anaesthetic by removing the extra eyelashes and destroying the abnormally placed hair follicles with a laser.

Four years on and Milly's had no further problems although our vet makes a point of checking her eyes at every six monthly checkup. The cost of the whole procedure including the consultations and aftercare was just under £1k which was borne by our insurers.

You may find it useful to write down a list of questions to ask the specialist and record his responses. At the time of the consultation the mind just blanks out and you'll often find that questions pop into your mind soon afterwards. It may well take some time to pin down the cause of the problem and get it sorted but stick with it as Bella's relying on you to make everything better 

Hopefully you'll have a better outcome at your next consultation on Thursday.

Bob.

Thanks bob
We are insured. bellas not in any pain it's just her eyesight isn't very good,never has been since we had her 12 months ago ,if nothing can be done it doesn't matter she's lovely anyway.

[lozzyf]

Just returned from second visit to the vet and it isn't great news. Bella has got a retinal detachment in one eye and a re absorbed cataract??!! And her other eye has a small cataract that probably needs surgery      but first she needs an ultrasound done on her good eye ( if you can call it that) to assess it properly . . . So I don't know whether I'm happy or sad  and then the question is- do we opt for surgery on the only eye she can see out of??

[Pearly]

Not the news I was hoping to read - that's also not an easy decision to make 

I guess so long as Bella is pain free then there is no rush on a decision (unless the Consultant says otherwise).  I'm not sure what I would do in this circumstance - my heart goes out to you x