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My eye doctor discovered a cataract yesterday during an exam. I am going to have it evaluated in August by a specialist. I've been reading up on the procedure and noticed they require someone to be there with you and stay with you after the procedure.
My problem is I live in a rural area and the nearest surgery center that my eye doctor recommends is 70 miles away in Chattanooga. I have no nearby relatives and am not close enough to anyone to ask they give up a full day and drive me down there and stay with me overnight.
I wasn't planning on driving afterward but instead getting a hotel room and uber or taxi to/from the surgery. Apparently, they do not allow that.
Has anyone else faced this problem? I might not need the procedure soon; it all depends on the evaluation.
Any ideas?
Can you offer to pay a friend or neighbor to go with you? So many people are hurting for cash right now, it seems like someone would be willing. Or someone from your church, if you have one.
My eye doctor discovered a cataract yesterday during an exam. I am going to have it evaluated in August by a specialist. I've been reading up on the procedure and noticed they require someone to be there with you and stay with you after the procedure....
First of all, if the cataract is not bothering you by impacting on your vision, then there's no reason to get it removed. Secondly, did the eye doctor give you any indication of how large the cataract is? Again, if it's small and not impacting your vision to a point where it's bothering you, there's no reason to rush to have the surgery done. I was first diagnosed with cataracts around 2007, but was told that they were small. Although they grew in size over the years, it wasn't until last week, fully 15 years later, that I finally had cataract surgery and had the lens replaced in one eye. The other eye is scheduled for next week. By the way, an added bonus to having cataract surgery is that your vision will be corrected to 20/20 at the same time, so if you wear glasses or contacts, you will no longer need to. (Although reading glasses may still be necessary if you use them.)
I also want to add that although you'll need someone to take you home if and when you do have surgery, there's no reason for that person to be at the hospital for the entire time. I just had my surgery performed at Bascom Palmer here in Miami, which is the #1 ranked eye hospital in the entire U.S. (and has been for 20 years). They take the name and phone number down of the person who will be taking you home (or to a hotel), and keep them updated via text. When it is close to the time for you to leave, they text that person and tell them to come back to the hospital.
First of all, if the cataract is not bothering you by impacting on your vision, then there's no reason to get it removed. Secondly, did the eye doctor give you any indication of how large the cataract is? Again, if it's small and not impacting your vision to a point where it's bothering you, there's no reason to rush to have the surgery done. I was first diagnosed with cataracts around 2007, but was told that they were small. Although they grew in size over the years, it wasn't until last week, fully 15 years later, that I finally had cataract surgery and had the lens replaced in one eye. The other eye is scheduled for next week. By the way, an added bonus to having cataract surgery is that your vision will be corrected to 20/20 at the same time, so if you wear glasses or contacts, you will no longer need to. (Although reading glasses may still be necessary if you use them.)
I also want to add that although you'll need someone to take you home if and when you do have surgery, there's no reason for that person to be at the hospital for the entire time. I just had my surgery performed at Bascom Palmer here in Miami, which is the #1 ranked eye hospital in the entire U.S. (and has been for 20 years). They take the name and phone number down of the person who will be taking you home (or to a hotel), and keep them updated via text. When it is close to the time for you to leave, they text that person and tell them to come back to the hospital.
At this point the eye has slightly blurred vision and it bothers me slightly. I have a month and a half until I get it evaluated but I want to see what they say.
I will ask them at the evaluation what I need to do about this rule. I'm sure I am not the first person with this problem. I just wondered if someone else figured out a solution.
My eye doctor discovered a cataract yesterday during an exam. I am going to have it evaluated in August by a specialist. I've been reading up on the procedure and noticed they require someone to be there with you and stay with you after the procedure.
My problem is I live in a rural area and the nearest surgery center that my eye doctor recommends is 70 miles away in Chattanooga. I have no nearby relatives and am not close enough to anyone to ask they give up a full day and drive me down there and stay with me overnight.
I wasn't planning on driving afterward but instead getting a hotel room and uber or taxi to/from the surgery. Apparently, they do not allow that.
Has anyone else faced this problem? I might not need the procedure soon; it all depends on the evaluation.
Any ideas?
1. I once hired a nursing assistant to stay in hotel room with me overnight. The dr. required someone be w/me for 24 hrs. It was an extra cost, but it was reasonable, as I recall. There are nursing services for the public, where they hire out for this sort of thing. It's also possible that the assistant could pick you up and take you to a nearby (VERY nearby) motel/hotel that you've pre-arranged. The dr office will likely release you to the assistant. But if the dr doesn't require someone stay with you for 24 hrs, then you don't need an assistant, unless you want one.
2. In larger cities there are now Medical Service Transportation services. For a fee, of course. The dr. office may know of one, or you can check local listings. I don't know if Chattanooga is large enough for one of those.
I doubt you'll be able to drive the next day, will you? You may have to let the assistant go, and then stay in the motel/hotel another couple of days.
Cataracts don't have to be removed immediately, is my understanding. My 71 yr old brother has cataracts but hasn't had to have them removed yet. I just got cataracts (or found out about them) last yr or yr before. Dr. didn't recommend removal until later.
At this point the eye has slightly blurred vision and it bothers me slightly. I have a month and a half until I get it evaluated but I want to see what they say.
I will ask them at the evaluation what I need to do about this rule. I'm sure I am not the first person with this problem. I just wondered if someone else figured out a solution.
Usually cataract surgery does not require an overnight stay in the hospital, but the ophthalmologist may want to see you the next morning, so staying might be easier.
I had the same issue for medical appts several hours away. One of my friends has 2 responsible sons who were starving college students and who were happy to chauffeur me for the day for some cash.
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