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As a part of catching up with general maintenance that I'd let slide during the past year, I made an appointment with a new eye doctor. My previous guy retired so I picked out a group nearer to us. I don't wear prescription glasses, but use over-the-counter readers for close work. After cataract surgery and a lens implant five years ago, my vision has been not perfect but quite adequate for my needs. Lately though I've noticed blurring and having to squint to read some text.
After the routine tests for glaucoma and macular degeneration (I don't have either, thank goodness,) the doctor told me that the implanted lens has a film growing over it. She said it happens in about fifty percent of implants and is easily dealt with by laser surgery.
I'm not thrilled but it could certainly be worse. The doctor said the cataracts in the other eye could wait a bit--but I know that's something in the future,
Then she talked about Dry Eye--which I've had in the past but it had seemed to be better. She begged to differ and suggested warm packs on my eyes four times a day and some prescription eyedrops.
Okay, I said and they called in the prescription to the grocery store that was going to be a stop on the way home.
When I asked for the prescription, the pharmacist told me that for a 90 day supply--which was what the doctor had ordered, the bill would be $2,ooo. Did I still want the eyedrops?
Uh, no. I have Medicare and a Blue Cross Supplement but I don't have coverage for prescription drugs. I think I'll go with the warm packs and some OTC drops and see what happens.
I remember being shocked at the price of the eyedrops I had to use after the cataract surgery. No doubt there'll be something equally outrageous to accompany the laser surgery to clean off the implant.
The thing is, I have a real feeling that my friends in Canada, France, and the UK wouldn't be paying this exorbitant price.
Big Pharma is a disgrace. These particular eyedrops aren't critical to me at the moment--not like insulin and other meds that folks depend on to live.
But the Right's fear of the bogeyman Socialism will ensure that Big Pharma continues to rake in profits while ordinary people suffer and die.
Disgraceful.
10 comments:
True that!
Socialism, or Marxism, is the boogeyman invoked for anything that pushes back against unfettered capitalism or white supremacy. National healthcare? Socialism!! Teaching accurate history? Marxism!! And the most unfortunate thing is, it works.
We who lived through the cold war and McCarthy-ism, know that Americans had choices then to be Red or Dead, if we should lose the cold war. Our blood may be red but we were taught to be afraid. I wonder what our parents and grandparents considered to be the boogie man?
I have Dry Eye and use over-the-counter aids. Look for Systane. I have drops for daytime and an ointment for nighttime. They both last for more than a month and can be purchased for ~$10-15. No one has ever suggested anything different.
OMGs, super GRRR. I'm so sorry. I'm hating this dang country more and more. Hugs, Mx. Lane. And I promise that review is coming soon, maybe after the dust settles from my move. I haven't forgotten you <3
This must be a mistake in pricing. My eye doctor prescribed Sodium Chloride Ophthalmic Drops, 5% for night use for my extreme dry eyes (actually he prescribed Muro-128 but I found an item with the EXACT ingredients for half the price on Amazon and it works just fine - no more fuzzy vision). I was told to use the drops at bedtime, then use regular dry eye drops a couple of times during the day. I use TheraTears. The sodium chloride drops (about $12) last for more than a month. I use the TheraTears vials - 30 cost about $9 (actually my newspaper regularly has coupons so they only cost me $6). Under $90 for 3 months is a LOT different than $2k. Or - you could ask the eye doctor for a less expensive option. Surely she doesn't expect that her average patient can pay that much.
I've sent her an email, expressing my surprise that she didn't warn me of the cost and offer some options. Meanwhile, I'm using OTC drops.
I was prescribes Restasis for dry eye. It is extremely expensive but the drug company offers a card which greatly reduces the cost. Also, you might get a better deal if you go online and download GoodRX. I saved about $500 off a prescription for my daughter by filling it at a participating pharmacy that agreed to accept what Medicare would pay. ( she has a disability ) I also had cataract surgery about 20 years ago when I was still teaching. ( I think it was all those years using an overhead projector) I had that film develop and had the laser treatment. It was a piece of cake, over in minutes and I've had no more problems in the intervening years. Good luck on all acccounts!
I was prescribed Restasis for dry eye. It is extremely expensive but the drug company offers a card which greatly reduces the cost. Also, you might get a better deal if you go online and download GoodRX. I saved about $500 off a prescription for my daughter by filling it at a participating pharmacy that agreed to accept what Medicare would pay. (she has a disability) I also had cataract surgery about 20 years ago when I was still teaching. (I think it was all those years using an overhead projector.) I had that film develop and had the laser treatment. It was a piece of cake, over in minutes and I've had no more problems in the intervening years. Good luck with everything!
Thanks, Gwen. That's useful information. I'll look into it.
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