A second opinion on your retina

The retina does not regenerate, and many decisions about it cannot be undone. Wanting to be sure before going ahead is normal. These are the situations I see most:

• You have been advised to have retinal surgery (vitrectomy for a macular hole, an epiretinal membrane or a detachment) and want to know whether now is the time and what to expect.
• You have been having injections for some time for macular degeneration or diabetes and are not sure whether they are working or something should change.
• You have been given a diagnosis you do not fully understand, or told that nothing can be done.
• You are due to have cataract surgery and have a retinal problem. Not every lens is suitable in that case, and it is best decided beforehand.
• You have had surgery and the result is not what you expected.

If your problem is urgent (a spreading shadow, sudden loss of vision), do not wait for a second opinion: call and we will see you straight away.

The more information I have, the more useful the visit. Bring what you can from this list:

• Your ophthalmologist's reports, especially the most recent one.
• Any tests you have had: OCT scans, angiograms, fundus photographs or visual fields, on paper or on a memory stick.
• If you have had injections in the eye, how many, which medicine and roughly when.
• Reports of any eye operations you have had.
• Your regular medication and the glasses you wear.

I set aside more time than usual. First you tell me what is happening and what you have been told. Then I examine you with the pupil dilated and take an OCT scan here, to compare with the ones you bring.

Afterwards I show you the images on the screen and explain what I see, what the options are and which one I would choose in your place, with its benefits and risks. If I agree with what you have been advised, I will say so just as plainly.

You leave with a written report of my assessment.

We organise the visit so that one trip is enough, with the examination and tests on the same day. Let us know when you book.

• The clinic is at Paseo Sagasta 12, escalera izquierda, 6º B, in the centre of Zaragoza.
• With your pupils dilated, your vision will be blurred for a few hours. It is best to come with someone, or not to plan on driving back.
• Bring sunglasses: light is uncomfortable after the drops.

If you live far away and the trip is difficult, I can assess your case from the tests you have already had. In retina, much of what has to be decided shows in the images: an OCT, a fundus photograph, an angiogram and your ophthalmologist's report.

It works well for questions like these:

• Whether an epiretinal membrane or a macular hole should be operated on now, or can wait.
• Whether the injections you are having are working.
• Which lens is reasonable for your cataract if you also have a retinal problem.

It has a limit, and I would rather tell you now: I cannot examine your eye. I review what reaches me. Sometimes that is enough for a clear opinion, and sometimes the answer will be that I need to see you in the clinic.

To ask for one, leave your name and phone number and write “remote second opinion” in the message. We will call you, check whether your case can be assessed this way, and explain how to send us the tests and what it costs. Please do not attach or paste reports into this form.

A second opinion commits you to nothing. You can stay with your own ophthalmologist, and the report is usually useful to them too. If you would rather I treated or operated on you, we can talk about it.

I do not pass judgement on other colleagues' work. I assess your eye and tell you what I would do.