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I had my eyes tested today, as I have done every year since I was 6 years old, because I wear corrective lenses. the new ophthalmologist told me I didn't need a new script as my eyesight didn't change from last year, but he noticed I had "optic nerve cupping" and needed a glaucoma test. He said I may have cataracts and should consider surgery which was, surprise, his surgical specialty. I was told I also had floaters in my eyes that needed laser surgery and his good friend, surprise, did that surgery.
I am 60, and have no health issues or issues with my eyesight that affect my daily activities other than being near sighted. I took the glaucoma test reluctantly, which was negative, and told him before the test I knew I didn't have glaucoma because no other eye doctor had ever mentioned that I had even a hint of glaucoma! I declined his other suggestions.
medical providers used to care about patients. No longer. I don't trust a single one of my providers, dentist, PCP, or eye doctor, to care anything about me. they only seem to care about how much they can bilk the insurance company for useless BS.
If you have a doctor that cares about your health and not only his/her pocketbook, I envy you. I haven't had one for 12 years.
Last edited by texan2yankee; 04-11-2019 at 09:06 PM..
t2y: I hear you loudly and clearly. I was about 60 when an eye doctor said I had the beginnings of cataracts. That was coming up on 21 yrs ago. I didn't do a thing but started to get really into eye support nutritional supplements. Maybe that's the time when they tell everyone to get ready for cataracts. My last eye doctor appt was close to 10 yrs ago. I still use the same scripts for my distance and reading glasses that I got about 12 yrs ago. My eyes are clear, no blurry issues and I'm happy to not go for appts. I did them all my life starting at about 19 or so.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 04-11-2019 at 10:10 PM..
I am also a Dr/Dentist skeptic. Here's some of my experiences:
Dentist: When I was about 25, I went to the dentist for the first time in about five years. I probably shouldn't have told him this because he then told me I had 17 cavities and that it was a good thing I came in when I did so he could "save" my teeth. I had very little money, so the cost of 17 cavities would be a real financial hardship. Anyway, we decided to do 1/4 at a time. He "filled" four cavities. It felt like he barely drilled into the enamel. Before the next appointment, I moved. So I went to a new dentist to continue filling my cavities. He said "Um... you don't have any cavities." I went to another dentist that said the same thing... no cavities! Never trusted a dentist after that. They always want to pull my wisdom teeth that cause zero problems because I clean them with a tuft... and they always wanted to drill out all of my silver fillings. I finally gave in on that one and had them drilled out, but my previous dentist told me the silvers only needed to be replaced as they aged and began to "fail".
Doctor: I had surgery on both shoulders at two different times by different surgeons. In both cases the surgeon wasn't entirely sure what was wrong so they went over what they "thought" was wrong and how it would be fixed. Well, in both cases, the surgeons did find a real problem. They fixed it, but they also did the "other" procedure anyway and amped up their bill. In one case, even the physical therapist asked why I had two procedures on one shoulder. When I explained, she just rolled her eyes in amazement at the audacity of the surgeon.
Optometrist: I wear gas permeable contacts. The Optometrist will always say they need to be replaced at least every two years. In all fairness, perhaps he's getting the information from the manufacturer. At any rate, I've been wearing the same pair of gas perms now for twenty (20) years. Yes, they may have marks on them not visible to the naked eye, but they work just fine for me.
There are other stories, but those are the three most egregious.
I had my eyes tested today, as I have done every year since I was 6 years old, because I wear corrective lenses. the new ophthalmologist told me I didn't need a new script as my eyesight didn't change from last year, but he noticed I had "optic nerve cupping" and needed a glaucoma test. He said I may have cataracts and should consider surgery which was, surprise, his surgical specialty. I was told I also had floaters in my eyes that needed laser surgery and his good friend, surprise, did that surgery.
I am 60, and have no health issues or issues with my eyesight that affect my daily activities other than being near sighted. I took the glaucoma test reluctantly, which was negative, and told him before the test I knew I didn't have glaucoma because no other eye doctor had ever mentioned that I had even a hint of glaucoma! I declined his other suggestions.
medical providers used to care about patients. No longer. I don't trust a single one of my providers, dentist, PCP, or eye doctor, to care anything about me. they only seem to care about how much they can bilk the insurance company for useless BS.
If you have a doctor that cares about your health and not only his/her pocketbook, I envy you. I haven't had one for 12 years.
You "may" have cataracts (= he doesn't even know, yet, if you do or not), therefore, you should consider surgery, he said.
Cataracts take years to form, and in many cases, they don't affect vision enough for surgery to be required. You're right; he's totally bamboozling you. I'm sorry that happened to you. The thing is, that these days, many docs belong to a hospital-owned clinic or practice, and the hospital pushes them to sell surgery, often without considering the patient's well-being, and in total disregard of whether the surgery is really needed. It borders on the criminal.
I went in to an orthopedist to get some knee pain checked out. The x-ray he took and showed me looked as though the space between the bones in the joint was closing up due to osteoarthritis. He said I needed surgery, and wanted to schedule it then and there. I declined, and said I'd wait a year, then re-evaluate.
A friend told me about some really good ortho clinics in Colorado (an easy drive away, for me), and said I should get checked there. So a year later, I made an appointment at one of those clinics in the neighboring state. These were independent clinics, not associated with any hospital, while the practice I'd visited was owned by our one and only hospital.
Well, the difference was like night and day. The x-rays were of a higher resolution, and showed that there was almost no arthritic buildup at all. I'd also been told by another practice in my town, that I needed surgery to my meniscus, but these guys out-of-state said, "nobody does that kind of surgery anymore. We encourage patients to promote healing [various ways], and manage the situation, keep swelling down, and avoid that type of surgery altogether." Wow! Such a difference, between surgeons out for a buck at any cost to the patient, vs. honest doctors, who care about the patient's welfare.
I am also a Dr/Dentist skeptic. Here's some of my experiences:
Dentist: When I was about 25, I went to the dentist for the first time in about five years. I probably shouldn't have told him this because he then told me I had 17 cavities and that it was a good thing I came in when I did so he could "save" my teeth. I had very little money, so the cost of 17 cavities would be a real financial hardship. Anyway, we decided to do 1/4 at a time. He "filled" four cavities. It felt like he barely drilled into the enamel. Before the next appointment, I moved. So I went to a new dentist to continue filling my cavities. He said "Um... you don't have any cavities." I went to another dentist that said the same thing... no cavities! Never trusted a dentist after that. They always want to pull my wisdom teeth that cause zero problems because I clean them with a tuft... and they always wanted to drill out all of my silver fillings. I finally gave in on that one and had them drilled out, but my previous dentist told me the silvers only needed to be replaced as they aged and began to "fail".
Doctor: I had surgery on both shoulders at two different times by different surgeons. In both cases the surgeon wasn't entirely sure what was wrong so they went over what they "thought" was wrong and how it would be fixed. Well, in both cases, the surgeons did find a real problem. They fixed it, but they also did the "other" procedure anyway and amped up their bill. In one case, even the physical therapist asked why I had two procedures on one shoulder. When I explained, she just rolled her eyes in amazement at the audacity of the surgeon.
There are other stories, but those are the two most egregious.
Some shoulder issues can be resolved with a course of therapeutic massage treatments. But insurance doesn't pay for massage, so patients tend to go for surgery that really isn't necessary.
I would say that about 75% of my interactions with doctors have been either odd, disappointing or a waste of time.....or a combo of all three. I mainly say this because of the incompetence and/or weird attitude many of them have had towards me............especially since I do my best to be polite, upfront and as accurate as possible.
And now with the electronic-medical-records requirement.........guess who has a massive
supercomputer spy-network, that parses all your medical-info????????
Surgery for eye floaters should be a last, last, last resort. The surgery isn't proven and can be dangerous. Unless the floaters are making you near blind, I'd not consider it at this point.
medical providers used to care about patients. No longer. I don't trust a single one of my providers, dentist, PCP, or eye doctor, to care anything about me. they only seem to care about how much they can bilk the insurance company for useless BS.
If you have a doctor that cares about your health and not only his/her pocketbook, I envy you. I haven't had one for 12 years.
Right on ! There is no point in health insurance really. It just provides a "deep pocket" for the corrupt medical industry. We are on our own.
I had my eyes tested today, as I have done every year since I was 6 years old, because I wear corrective lenses. the new ophthalmologist told me...
If you have a doctor that cares about your health and not only his/her pocketbook, I envy you. I haven't had one for 12 years.
But apparently you HAVE trusted all the prior doctors that told you there was no issue with glaucoma, etc.?!
Think about it - you don't trust this one because he told you something new. Now, he sounds a bit too much in a hurry suggesting surgery for all of them.
But consider that AT SOME POINT every health problem is NEW. And you will be told about this NEW thing for the first time. What does that mean? That you should not immediately distrust hearing about new health things! Sure, get another opinion or two...but to immediately throw it out and say you distrust all doctors? Phooey - you'll only be hurting yourself. Have a "healthy" dose of skepticism but not immediately dismissive.
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