Cateract surgery - Healthcare and medical advice in La Marina - La Marina forum - Costa Blanca forum in the Alicante province of Spain
interior building work
Blacktower Financial Management
Espana Dream Properties
Expat Services
Gentlevan Removals
Car Key Solutions
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Costa Blanca Building Specialists
Thy Will Be Done
Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
AA Free English TV
James Spanish School
Gran Alacant Insurances
ASSSA Insurance

Join the La Marina forum

Join the La Marina forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about La Marina in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Healthcare and medical advice in La Marina and much more!

Cateract surgery

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 2:07pm
30 replies712 views8 members subscribed
brian1781

Posts: 63

31 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 2 Aug 2017

Hi 

I am 71 years old and have national health care in Spain being a resident,

I am waiting to have one cateract done, and to date after 1 year I am still waiting, I was told 2 months ago by Torrevieja hospital that their waiting list is now up to a three month wait for this opp,

but they would pay for me to go private and therefor a lot quicker,

After a month I received a call from the private hospital to say that I have an appointment in 1 month to assess my eye again, when I have already had this done at Torrevieja hospital, I feel like I am being pushed from pillar to post, as by the time I get the opp done it will be longer that the original wait àt the state hospital,

Just wondered if anyone else had experienced the same,

Thanks Brian.

Paolo51

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:12pm

Paolo51

Very helpful member

Posts: 512

533 helpful points

Location: Orihuela

Joined: 10 Nov 2017

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:12pm

Just bear in mind the wait you would have in the UK, I waited years to be offered the op and it never came.

I had almost no clear vision when I left the UK and booked at a private clinic in Spain, the care and service was second to none so my advice is just take the easiest option that suits you.

brian1781

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:46pm

brian1781

Original Poster

Posts: 63

31 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 2 Aug 2017

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:46pm

Paolo51 wrote on Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:12pm:

Just bear in mind the wait you would have in the UK, I waited years to be offered the op and it never came.

I had almost no clear vision when I left the UK and booked at a private clinic in Spain, the care and service was second to none so my advice is just take the easiest option that suits you.

Thank you for your very helpfull information,

Brian.

Stevec2x

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:56am

Stevec2x

Super helpful member

Posts: 1816

1040 helpful points

Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 23 Jan 2020

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:56am

Hi 

My wife had waited exactly 6 months for her (2nd) cataract operation when she got a phone call from the hospital offering her the private option. She said no because it wasn't urgent and we didn't want the hassle of getting to a different hospital. Withing just a week or so, she got another call with an appointment at Torrevieja hospital - bingo!

Read into that what you will!

 The operation was last week, so she can relax now!

Cheers 

Steve 

brian1781

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:16pm

brian1781

Original Poster

Posts: 63

31 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 2 Aug 2017

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:16pm

Stevec2x wrote on Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:56am:

Hi 

My wife had waited exactly 6 months for her (2nd) cataract operation when she got a phone call from the hospital offering her the private option. She said no because it wasn't urgent and we didn't want the hassle of getting to a different hospital. Withing just a week or so, she got another call ...

...with an appointment at Torrevieja hospital - bingo!

Read into that what you will!

 The operation was last week, so she can relax now!

Cheers 

Steve 

Hi Steve

Thanks for your reply, very interesting,

from your wife's èxperiencei think I also would have been better of staying àt Torrevieja,

I received a phone call yesterday from the private hospital, not for the op but for an appointment with optomalist to have my eye assessed with blood tests ètc, which I already have done at Torrevieja hospital, so very frustrating

Thanks Brian.

Advertisement - posts continue below

John123456

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:04pm

John123456

Super helpful member

Posts: 1431

1041 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 27 Feb 2021

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:04pm

brian1781 wrote on Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:16pm:

Hi Steve

Thanks for your reply, very interesting,

from your wife's èxperiencei think I also would have been better of staying àt Torrevieja,

I received a phone call yesterday from the private hospital, not for the op but for an appointment with optomalist to have my eye assessed with blood tests ètc, which I already have done at Torrevieja hospital, so very frustrating

Thanks Brian.

It is normal practice for another medical institution to carry out their own assessments. The public hospital will not have shared any medical information with the private hospital. I had a similar experience but the opposite way around when I had to go to the public hospital to continue my treatment as my private medical insurance would not cover the costs of my medical condition. Before the public hospital would continue with my treatment I had to be reassessed by them even though I presented them with all the relevant paperwork.

Take this great opportunity to have your cataract seen to. I know someone in the UK who has been waiting for 4 years for the same operation.

brian1781

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:26pm

brian1781

Original Poster

Posts: 63

31 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 2 Aug 2017

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:26pm

John123456 wrote on Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:04pm:

It is normal practice for another medical institution to carry out their own assessments. The public hospital will not have shared any medical information with the private hospital. I had a similar experience but the opposite way around when I had to go to the public hospital to continue my treat...

...ment as my private medical insurance would not cover the costs of my medical condition. Before the public hospital would continue with my treatment I had to be reassessed by them even though I presented them with all the relevant paperwork.

Take this great opportunity to have your cataract seen to. I know someone in the UK who has been waiting for 4 years for the same operation.

Thanks for your reply Steve, I only went with the private hospital as was advised by Torrevieja hospital that it would be quicker than a 3 month wait,

I will think twice next time, 

Thanks Brian.

martmat

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:44pm

Posts: 52

7 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 12 Apr 2021

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:44pm

Yes it does seem difficult waiting for eye surgery waits at the moment.  

I have been assessed, had the blood tests, seen the anesthetist  and was all ready for a date for the op some two months ago but as yet not heard any date for the op.  I'm left with the thought should I pay for the the operation at the private hospital which will dig verty deep into what savings I have, or how long is a reasonable time to wait on the Spanish Health service operation.  I can't drive at night time  because of the cateract in my right eye.



brian1781

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:57pm

brian1781

Original Poster

Posts: 63

31 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 2 Aug 2017

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:57pm

martmat wrote on Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:44pm:

Yes it does seem difficult waiting for eye surgery waits at the moment.  

I have been assessed, had the blood tests, seen the anesthetist  and was all ready for a date for the op some two months ago but as yet not heard any date for the op.  I'm left with the thought should I pay for the the operation at the private hospital which will dig verty deep into wha...

...t savings I have, or how long is a reasonable time to wait on the Spanish Health service operation.  I can't drive at night time  because of the cateract in my right eye.



Hi Martmat

Thanks for your reply,

Yes they don't seem to class a cateract as very urgent here, I have been waiting over a year now, 

and there seems a lot of procedures to carry out before having the op,

I had my other eye done in UK about 6 years ago and as long as your blood pressure was not to high they just carried in with the op, no blood test ecg, pain management etc,

and yes difficult to drive at night with more glare and rings around cars lights coming in other directions. 

Brian.

elinspain

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:56am

elinspain

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 3222

4099 helpful points

Location: La Mata

Joined: 4 May 2018

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:56am

brian1781 wrote on Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:57pm:

Hi Martmat

Thanks for your reply,

Yes they don't seem to class a cateract as very urgent here, I have been waiting over a year now, 

and there seems a lot of procedures to carry out before having the op,

I had my other eye done in UK about 6 years ago and as long as your blood pressure was not to high they just carried in with the op, no blood test ecg, pain management etc,

and yes difficult to drive at night with more glare and rings around cars lights coming in other directions. 

Brian.

Hello Brian

 I was at Torrevieja hospital last night for an appt re cataract surgery.  I now have to have the blood tests &  ecg , & the  anaesthetist appt is scheduled for April, then I await an appt.

 I spoke to a lady last night who had one eye done at the Quiron Hospital & it cost €2000 -- for her  2nd eye op it would have been  €1800!  This info might help anyone thinking of having this procedure done privately.

 She is now, waiting for pre op appts &  having surgery at  Torrevieja Hospital .

Cheers

Elinspain

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more Healthcare and medical advice topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

interior building work
Blacktower Financial Management
Espana Dream Properties
Expat Services
Gentlevan Removals
Car Key Solutions
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Costa Blanca Building Specialists
Thy Will Be Done
Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
AA Free English TV
James Spanish School
Gran Alacant Insurances
ASSSA Insurance
Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer