Patients tell the story
Hear about the experiences of patients waiting for appointments and treatment
We carried out research with 498 Macular Society members who have required medical treatment for their eye condition in the past two years.
Hundreds of respondents shared their experiences of waiting for appointments including Andrew Battye and Pam Perceval-Maxwell who feature in our video.
What others have said
“The staff say ‘see you in six weeks’ but it doesn’t happen.” (Patient A)
“My vision deteriorated to such an extent that I went around armed with three different magnifying glasses. I really worried that the achievements of the previous years in maintaining my sight would be lost permanently.” (Patient B)
“I’ve had no communication from the NHS, since my optician found the hole, and referred me four months ago. The success window is six months. I’m now faced with paying £7.5k privately, which means going into debt.” (Patient C)
“[I am] so worried that I have to constantly phone to get an appointment ie a cancellation, as no appointments have been sent out for over two years.” (Patient D)
“It’s so scary when you know that getting rapid treatment is essential to prevent scarring and permanent sight loss, yet when you ring for an appointment, you’re told the next available date is months in the future. You feel totally helpless”. (Patient E)