Eye trouble - any experts about?

[comfyoldcardi]

I have blurred vision in one eye, aching, double vision when I look to the side. It came on over a period of weeks and is gradually getting worse.
I am waiting for an urgent appointment - 6 weeks now, but there are no appointments available at all.

I have a thread in chat about the appointment situation, but I am wondering if I should just borrow the money for a private consultation.

I can't afford to stay in the private system though, and if my sight gets worse I won't be able to work.

I really don't know what to do.

My blood tests all seem to be ok - GP did those. Should I just hang on and hope for a referral out of area as advised my my local NHS trust?

Have you had a full eye test at a good optician's?
They have all the equipment that a GP surgery won't have - and the expertise to use it.
Referral pathways vary from health board to health board, but here optician's can refer directly to ophthalmology if worried.

Optician's but unless you are elilgible for a free test it'll be about £30 but they are very, very thorough.

The optician wrote to my GP who referred me urgently to hospital.
Hospital say no appointments available at all. I have been waiting 6 weeks.
They can't advise when, if at all, there will be any appointments, so I am looking into getting a referral out of my area, but I am not sure how long it is ok to wait. I can't really afford to go privately.

Have you found out how much a private consultation would cost local to you?
A one off consultation may give you some peace of mind.

Sorry - meant to say I went to optician first who said I needed urgent hospital appointment.

Can you pay for the initial consultation/diagnosis and then have treatment on the nhs? FiL did this with a different problem.

Just keep badgering the hospital. Keep ringing every few days they iften have cancellations on the day or a couple of days before. They will fit you in if its urgent. What did the optician write on the referral letter? I might be able to give you more information.

I could pay for a consultation, but would they then refer me back to the NHS? That would be queue jumping, but I am really worried about my sight.

barleysugar

"left lateral rectus weakness and horizontal diplopia".

I didn't have pain in my eye 6 weeks ago, but I do now.

Is it a one off for you it has it happened before? Any history of lazy eye or squint as a child? Take this to PM if you like xx

I have a separate issue that I couldn't bear to wait to get sorted (TN, so in a lot of pain but not life-threatening).

I was able to find out the name of the neurologist that I would be referred to, found that they did private work locally too. I contacted them and they called me and we had a conversation about how it would work.

I was able to see him privately within 2 days rather than 26 weeks, then he added me to his NHS clinic the day after that. I worried about queue jumping, but he added me on for 5 mins at the end of his clinic and I was seen early due to people missing their appointments for whatever reason.

It was worth the money that I paid (£200+) to be seen and have the investigations and advice about medication I needed sooner rather than later.

No history.
Just need reading glasses since turning 50.