I have a r.v. for cataract ops. Being told of op. time the night before, need to be in the town that night as am over 3 hrs drive away. Cannot drive back until 12 hours later. What are criteria for a taxi to and from rail station, 45 mins away.
You ask your doctor for a “bon” for the transport and give it to a medicalised taxi driver.
When I spent night in hospital i went there by public transport and the hospital took my bon and organised the taxi back home as mo way of knowing in advance what time I would be let out .
Yes but make sure the doc signs for an ‘aller-retour’.
1 Like
Thanks guys.most helpful.
Happy Christmas
Welcome to the forum UBAC! Hope your op goes smoothly…
Good luck. I had two done within three months in 2021 and never looked back. Was driving again in a couple of days too. Don’t forget you may have to return the following morning to have the patch removed and the work inspected, it was the norm for me and others.
Thanks Chris. Reassuring to see that folks care. Happy Christmas
Thanks Shiba. Have scheduled check up 5 days later. Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas 
, I imagine even if it’s something very straightforward nowadays, there must still be a bit of apprehension, I know I’d be terrified - so bon courage!
Thanks Vero. It hasn.t sunk in as yet. It is the means of getting there. Living in the sticks with no transport to the train station has to be sorted. As its 3 hours journey need to go there the night before anyway as they only phone between 3-7pm the eve before op.
Whereabouts are you based? Perhaps someone on Survive France could help?
Thanks. Lot et Garonne area 47.
Ooh. At 350km that’s a bit far for me to be able to help but with luck there will be someone closer.
I’ve had cataract surgery in both eyes and have been delighted with the outcome. Relax and it’ll go very quickly and smoothly - the more you relax, the better it will go.
Bon chance, mon ami… 
I’m glad to hear the surgeon got the eyeball direction right. 
3 Likes
Good luck. At least you’ve planned getting there step by step so you can have a (relatively) calm night before the op.
I hope it goes well and by others’ reports on here who’ve had the same, it isn’t scary and the outcome very good.
Please let us know how it went when you’re back.
I think you need to talk to your assistante social, they can help with these sorts of issues. If it’s cataracts I’m guessing you might be over 60? And if you live alone or with a non-driving partner they should work out how you can get there. And back.
If the distance is over 150km them will need prior approval from your Caisse, on top of the bon. But this us all very common as issues in rural France .
1 Like
Love it! Actually I was and am still able to drive without glasses as they insert the lenses to your prescription but the reading is getting a little harder now. You get a wonderful light show whilst being operated on, so many colours and squiggles and absolutely no pain apart from the tape being pulled off your eyebrow next day to remove the patch.
That seems very odd to me as the surgeon needs to see his work next day and give you a coque for you to wear for two weeks in bed to protect the eye from getting rubbed. This sounds like you have to wear the patch for the five days whereas mine was removed next day and not needed plus you need your prescription for eye drops twice per day too. I was not allowed to leave until someone collected me and had to sign a form saying I was not going to be alone for the first night, even though I was but the neighbour who transported me back and forth lived across the garden so very close.
VG - lens replacement seems to be the way they sort things nowadays… There’s a guy who attends our business networking group who represents Eastern European eye clinics in the UK - he used to promote a clinic in Prague but now works with a bunch in Budapest as the first lot decided to do their marketing themselves.
He is full of praise both for the process (he’s had his own lenses replaced so is not just a salesman) and also for the skill and lower cost of getting lens surgery done in Eastern Europe.
Apparently an op that costs around £7000 in the UK can be done for £3500 in Budapest including flights and hotel. They do the two eyes on consecutive days.
As a photographer I am not keen on having anyone poke around with my eyeballs - I know it’s a very safe and straightforward operation but I’ll put up with wearing glasses for now I think!
A couple of years ago I had phaso emulsification and a lens implant in the UK at a Spire Hospital and the cost was £2600. Plus £6.65 for the sandwich and coffee supplied as a compulsory lunch…
A UK friend who had the same procedure recently paid about £2500.