How many eye doctors?

[Rebecca Petris]

How many eye doctors have you visited since you were diagnosed with dry eye? Include both optometrists and ophthalmologists.

[np1981]

Good question.

[Scout]

. . . and primary care physicians, endocrinologists, rheumatologists, allergy specialists . . .

[Rebecca Petris]

Don't forget to vote!!!

[Reggie]

For me, about 15. Since I live in Canada I really only paid for the few I visted in the states.

[indrep]

This is confirming a study done in the mid 1990s that said the average dry eye patient has visited 8 eye care providers before finding some relief. It also confirms the number one reason a patient leaves a practice is for lack of treatment for Dry Eye issues.

The key terms being "eye care providers" and "some relief". This leaves out the other MDs, rhuematologists, OBs, Urologists, etc. that could have had some reason to offer suggestions.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Reggie

For me, about 15. Since I live in Canada I really only paid for the few I visted in the states.

I'm a Canadian living in Sweden. (Hi Toril! We should get together sometime, we're almost nearby!)

After getting really piss-poor assistance with my new dry-eye problem (now pretty much identified as blepharitis, posterior, MGD), I was also asking my optometrist if he had any suggestions (while he was replacing my glasses). He listened to what the opthamologists had said (not much) and quietly hissed at me that I should see a better one on my next trip home to Canada. He said frankly that there's a very poor standard of eye care here in Scandinavia.

Total so far here:
1 optometrist
2 emergency opthamologists
1 appointment opthamologist - 3 visits, minimal info, maximal hostility

[Adriana]

Dear Rebecca,

see my first post in the Welcome zone. Adriana has seen over 10 ophtalmologists in the past 4 yrs. Some of them did notice the blephartis but others really were unhelpful or even insulting. I finally realize that i have 3 conditions which create a interlocking triangle or viscous circle: mild bleparitis, dry eyes and blepharospasme.

An ophtalmologist cannot diagnose my condition since, i feel that the cause lies not within my eye but deeper, rooted in unknown neurological condition leading to blepharospasme and dry eyes.

[Tarah]

Originally Posted by Reggie

For me, about 15. Since I live in Canada I really only paid for the few I visted in the states.

I live in the Toronto area as well and find there are very few opthalmologists. They seem to be very busy and are more into surgical cases. I've been pretty much on my own. I'm now going to U.S. and I have my fingers crossed.

[AccutaneJay]

I have stopped pursuing eye doctors at this point. I always end up leaving disappointed because I get my hopes up that they may offer me something new or more effective, but all of my doctors have basically run out of ideas/options for me, so I've stopped "breaking my heart" and stopped pursuing the doctors and have taken my treatment into my own hands. I wish things didn't have to be this way, but for me it is the best route.

[Rebecca Petris]

Originally Posted by AccutaneJay

I have stopped pursuing eye doctors at this point. I always end up leaving disappointed because I get my hopes up that they may offer me something new or more effective, but all of my doctors have basically run out of ideas/options for me, so I've stopped "breaking my heart" and stopped pursuing the doctors and have taken my treatment into my own hands. I wish things didn't have to be this way, but for me it is the best route.

Jay,

I believe in owning our own treatment (no one's going to be as interested and motivated as we are, are after all), but not to the exclusion of doctors. As a minimum I think it's important to be regularly monitored both in order to get a more objective assessment of progress and to keep an eye out for other conditions. Remember, the tear film is the cornea's protection against disease. When it is compromised, our corneas are more vulnerable.

A lot of our dry eye management is more about plugging away patiently and methodically with unglamorous known therapies, and employing the lifestyle management tools available, rather than getting new ideas and new products. I wish we could all get truly great doctors on our teams but even if we can't, I believe a reliable local doctor is very important.

Pardon the soapbox for a moment but I'm going to quote something from The Dry Eye Zone's "About " page:

What do we see as the role of our website?

We want our website to enhance and complement doctor-patient relationships so as to truly promote patients' well-being.

All chronic dry eye patients need to be under medical care - something we regularly remind all patients of, because of the risks associated with excessive reliance on online resources. At the same time, we are not coy about discouraging patients from blindly and passively relying on their doctor.The driving force behind The Dry Eye Zone is a passionate belief in the importance of the patient's role in his own healthcare:

An informed patient is an empowered patient!

An involved patient is a patient with direction, grit, and most of all hope!

Pair such a patient with an informed, engaged doctor, and you've got a truly winning healthcare team!

We want to help interested healthcare professionals better understand the plight of dry eye patients and serve their needs with increased information, insight and compassion.

We want to help motivated patients better understand the background and potential causes of their disease, research available treatments, and cooperate effectively and graciously with their doctors to identify the best possible treatment plans.

[skygoddess]

It seems to me , that one problem , is the extreme measure of specialization in Medicine today.
My current Opthamologist (#2)" The CORNEA guy," sent me to the " LID Guy, "
Who knew there even was such a thing ?
When I jokingly asked the receptionist "Did they also have upper and lower lid specialist?" she said YES!!
I never asked which one I was seeing.

After hearing stories similar to my own on this web site, I suspected I had Occular Rosacea. So I wanted see a Dr. who had a particular interest in the area, but I was told I could not have an appointment, without first receiving a diagnosis of Occular Rosacea. Which my Dr. had not provided, since he was "The Cornea guy." Besides, he had already passed me on to "The Lid guy."
The Lid guy did at least agree I had Occular Rosacea, however, he referred me to the "Lid surgeon," who thought a different lid surgeon should do my surgery maybe he is the lower lid surgeon? or maybe upper??
Who knows?

After the surgery, I hope I am not to groggy to remember to get the referral,
I just hope he does not suggest I see a Dermatologist, who I suspect would tell me to see a Opthamologist...
And around we go again....

[kakinda]

Hard to tell, certainly more than a 100 including those before the DE diagnosis but at least 50 since diagnosis (including emergency ophtalmic aisle doctors for every ulcer I had... at one point i was a "regular patient" at the emergency aisle).
Of those, 8 were helpful to some extend, about 4 were very helpful. I'm not including helpful docs from the Internet.

[Aaron77]

>10

3 Opthamologists
7-8 Optometrists
and my GP a whole bunch of times

something like 25-30 visits since the lasik just ove 9 months ago, it has basically completelt taken over my life

[irish eyes]

An indefinite number.

Too many.