Etiquette of making appointment with optician to check eye post surgery

[Getbackinthebox]

I have had surgery on one eye but I am a little concerned it may not have all gone as well as I hoped. I had the initial follow up with the surgeon one week after the operation and I am not due the next follow up until end January. I would quite like someone to look at my eye before then but I don't think I have enough justification for bringing forward the follow up appointment as I don't necessarily have an emergency, although I might do! I had a vitrectomy plus a cataract lens replacement at the same time. As a result the fluid in my eye was replaced as part of the vitrectomy. I was told during the surgery (done under local anaesthetic) that I would have good clear vision as a result as any 'floaters' were coming out with the existing eye fluid! My vision was blurry after the surgery, as expected, as the surgeon had to put a gas bubble in. However, a couple of days later I noticed two or three black dots in the corner of my eye. By the following morning they had spread across my vision and there were more black dots. The surgeon looked at it at the first follow up appointment and said it was 'debris' left in my eye. Since then I have seen more of the black dots (floaters). I mentioned it to the hospital who said they would get the surgeon to phone me but he didn't so I figure he isn't too concerned. However, I would quite like to get my local optician to look at my eye to at least give me another opinion. I am concerned about a retinal tear for example which is a potential risk with the surgery I had. I also have lots of what appear to be fine scratches in my vision. I have read it is possible to get scratch and scuff marks on the replacement cataract lens during surgery so I am wondering if that is what has happened. Do you think it would be OK to ask my usual optician to examine my eye and tell me what they can see? I would quite like to know from another eye 'expert' what they can see in my eye. However, what is the etiquette of doing this? Would my current optician be reluctant to find anything wrong if there is an unwritten code that medical professionals avoid commenting on another's work for example? I am hoping everything is OK but I would like the reassurance or otherwise of my local (usual) optician.

I'm not sure tbh, but I am considering this surgery..But am nervous about it and the results . Did you have it done privately? ( Was it any chance in the Southampton area?) .
How long ago did you have it done? I would imagine though that your usual optician would look at it for you.

I would absolutely go to my optician for a checkup if I felt I needed to; you can't mess about with your eyesight, whatever the professional etiquette might be.

I was told that it would be about 4 / 5 weeks recovery..

Phone the optician and ask.

I work in a healthcare field. Absolutely make an appointment. Clinicians are unlikely to say “hey he did a terrible job” but they will absolutely say “I think there could be a concern with x,y or z” and give you a plan. The plan might be something they can help with directly or it might be something like advising you to bring your appointment forward.

Or it might be that they say everything is fine, which would hopefully reassure you.

They won’t refuse to examine you, and they won’t hide from a problem if they identify one.

Thank you! I'd best make that appointment with my optician then. To answer questions: I had the operation about 3.5 weeks ago so I know not everything would be back to normal yet but I thought it was just the disappearance of the whole of the gas bubble that would be the thing I was waiting for by now (it has reduced so that I only have a dark area at the bottom of my vision. It is what I am seeing above that that I am concerned about as, whilst it is becoming clear in the distance (which is great), I do have the issue with loads of floaters and what look like fine scratch lines! I did have it done privately, yes (I doubt I would otherwise have had the hospital say the consultant would call me). No, it wasn't in the Southampton area though! Laska2Meryls you can PM me if you want to know anything about my experience of the surgery although everyone's experience is probably a bit different.

hi @Getbackinthebox Thanks I have pmd you. No rush x

@Getbackinthebox
I have PM'd you also.

100%, my optician are clear that they will see me for any eye-related issues. If they won't for any reason, contact your GP, ours can refer you to an optician as all eye concerns are outsourced to them in our area.

@Getbackinthebox
I wonder if the floaters and bits you can see are actually small gas bubbles forming as the main gas is replaced by fluid and which will clear? I have read that can happen..

I've had both cataracts done recently ( less than 4 weeks ago for eye 2) and my surgeon is very insistent that I see my optician if I need to...and definitely 6 weeks post op for a checkup and vision test.

No floaters but no vitreous exchange either, so I can't comment on that bit. My eyes still get sore and tired towards the end of the day, but it's all improving and my distance and colour vision is whizzo! And there's a huge improvement in my astigmatism too.

I mentioned it to the hospital who said they would get the surgeon to phone me but he didn't so I figure he isn't too concerned.

Sorry if I've missed this, but why aren't you contacting the surgeons secretary about the issues and fact no one called you and asking for a check up with them??? Don't assume its not an issue, just because no one called! Messages get lost and there is no harm contacting them again. They have all your medical notes about the surgery and history.

I'm not an optician and not trying to discount anything they do at all, but do you realise the difference between an optician and an ophthalmologist who would have performed the surgery? By all means, ask the optician, but I wouldn't be surprised if they just say contact your surgeon!

Ring and ask them