Long Wait For Consult With Eye Doctor

[georgiapapa]

I received prescription eyeglasses from my local VAMC in March 2011. In October 2012, I had emergency eye surgery on my left eye due to a torn and detached retina. Since the surgery, my vision in my left eye is now extremely blurred and I can no longer use the eyeglasses provided by the VA. My eye surgery was not performed at a VAMC. I used a non-VA surgeon paid by my private insurance.

In early January of this year, I provided my VA PCP with copies of my eye surgery reports and asked for an appointment with the VA eye doctor so I could get new eyeglasses. I explained to my PCP that I could no longer use the prescription eyeglasses previously provided by the VA. My PCP agreed to submit a request for a consult with the eye doctor.

In March, after not hearing anything about my eye doctor appointment, I went to my VA PCP and asked about the status of my eye doctor appointment. She checked my file on the computer and stated, "It looks like I sent them (eye doctor's office) a message in January to call me regarding a consult request for you but apparently they never called me back." She stated "I will send them another request." Knowing I could not count on receiving my eyeglasses from the VA in a timely manner, I went and purchased new eyeglasses out of my pocket the next day. However, I still intend to get the additional glasses I am entitled to from the VA.

The first part of May, after still not hearing anything my eye doctor appointment, I went to my local VA Outpatient Clinic to ask my PCP about the status of my eye doctor appointment. The receptionist at the front desk advised me that my PCP was not available and asked if she could help me. I told her I had made two requests for a consult with the eye doctor but still did not have an appointment. She advised me that my eye consult would be scheduled by another VA Outpatient Clinic, which I had never been to and which is 25 miles farther from my house. I was provided the telephone number for the other VA clinic which I called later the same day. When I called the other VA clinic, I was told they did not have an eye doctor at the clinic but they would contact the VAMC where I received my eyeglasses in 2011 and have them call me and set up an appointment. So far, I have not received any calls regarding my appointment.

QUESTION: Is the VA required to schedule an appointment request within a certain time period?

QUESTION: Can I call my local VAMC eye clinic and schedule the appointment myself or does the appointment have to be requested by my PCP?

NOTE: This is not the first time I have had problems getting an appointment with a VA specialist in a reasonable period of time. Audiologist request took 7 months and pulmonary doctor took 9 months.

Any input would be appreciated.

Georgiapapa...

[Philip Rogers]

Why not get them yourself, as it's not that expensive. I use medicare for my eye exams every yr and get glasses as I need them. Just sayin . . .

pr

[georgiapapa]

Philip,

As I stated in my original post, I did go ahead and purchase eyeglasses in March of this year after I realized I would not get an appointment with the VA in a timely manner.

Today I received notification from my local VAMC eye clinic advising I have been scheduled for an eye exam on August 20, 2013. Even though I already purchased eyeglasses, I plan to go for the appointment because I am not going to let the VA get out of their obligation to provide the exam and the glasses. It will be seven months from the time I requested the appointment until I go for the appointment.

Thanks for your response.

Georgiapapa...

[john999]

Most of the time I use my own dentist and eye doctors rather than the VA. When I had 20/800 in my rigtht eye due to a cataract and the VA said I was not blind enough to get the surgery I knew I wanted nothing else to do with the VA eye clinic. Medicare paid for it plus I have medigap insurance. Why should I go to a charity clinic when I have good insurance? Let the really needy use the VA. I do use them for pills and general documentation of my disabilites. They gave me a CPAP and now a few weeks later they want it back because I have not used it enough. They could not find a mask that fit me so it is my fault. What a waste of money the VA is for most of us.

John

[georgiapapa]

John,

You have a good point about only using the VA for pills and documentation of your disabilities. I will become eligible for medicare later this year and the medicare and my private insurance should pay for my medical needs with the exception of co-pays for medications. Once I go on medicare, I will probably only use the VA for certain medications and possibly dental. I have dental insurance but I have still spent over $3,000.00 out of pocket at my private dentists for bridges and crowns in the last 3 or 4 years.

My only concern is if I quit using the VA health care system, will this send up a red flag to the VA and cause them to schedule me for a new examination of my current service connected disabilities? I am currently 100% P & T with no future exams scheduled and I am 64 years old. I have seen where others on this web site state you should use the VA health care system because if you quit using them the VA may assume your conditions have improved and schedule you for a exam.

Please let me know your thoughts on the concern I mentioned above.

Georgiapapa...

[Chuck75]

The way the laws/regs read, the VA filled prescriptions from a private doctor must be actually issued by a VA doctor. Seeing the VA a couple of times a year, and getting the usual lab tests for nothing, isn't to onerous. It also gives you the chance to have any appropriate private medical records entered into the VA's system.