~5 Tips for Advocating for Yourself as a Glaucoma Patient~
Dealing with glaucoma can be frustrating. It’s especially difficult to manage this condition when you feel like your doctors aren’t listening to you. That’s why you’ll need to learn how to be your own best advocate. Connecting with an organization like The Glaucoma Foundation can help you learn these valuable skills. Furthermore, here’s how to stay on top of all of your medical paperwork, research your various treatment options, and even seek out a second opinion when appropriate.
Keep Track of Your Paperwork
When you’re dealing with a medical condition, you do not want to lose any important documents. In order to keep up with your treatments, you’ll have to get in touch with your healthcare providers on schedule so that you can book appointments without delay. If you’re seeing your doctor, ensure that you obtain copies of any crucial records and forward them to other specialists you’re working with.
Should you need to share files with your doctor, it’s a good idea to send copies of PDF documents rather than Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. If you have documents in any of these file formats, you can convert them to PDFs by using a drag-and-drop tool – just click here for more info.
Read Your Insurance Coverage
Do you ever get confused while looking over your health insurance policy? Unfortunately, you’re not alone – comprehending what your insurance actually covers isn’t always clear. If you have questions about your coverage for different glaucoma medications and treatments, you may want to call your insurance company to speak with a representative. You can ask them any questions you may have and get clarification about your coverage.
Understand Your Treatment Options
If you were unfamiliar with glaucoma before receiving a diagnosis, you might feel like you have a lot to learn about this condition. Take the time to ask your doctor any questions that may come to mind. Furthermore, remember that if a particular treatment protocol isn’t working for you, it’s okay to ask about alternatives. You might want to spend some time looking up recent medical research and talking to your doctor about new options that seem promising.
Bring a Trusted Relative or Friend
Sometimes, going to appointments by yourself can feel overwhelming. You might not always understand your doctor’s explanations, or you might feel frustrated by your poor vision. Bringing one of your loved ones with you can help you make it through appointments with your head held high. Health in 360 states that a friend or family member can decipher complex information for you, and you can even ask your doctor if it would be okay to record the conversation so that you can listen to it again later for reference.
Ask for a Second Opinion
What if you’re not satisfied with your doctor’s explanation for a particular symptom, or you’ve been frustrated with their treatment recommendations so far? If these scenarios sound familiar, you may want to start looking for a second opinion. MediFind states that getting a second opinion can be important because millions of adults are misdiagnosed by their doctors every year – and even if you’ve received the correct diagnosis, you’ll learn more about your options for treatment, including choices that your original doctor might not have suggested.
Life with glaucoma isn’t easy. But if you understand how to advocate for your needs in healthcare settings, you can drastically improve your quality of life. With these tips, you’ll be able to manage your medical paperwork, learn more about your various treatment options, and enjoy the benefits of having a trusted loved one with you at appointments.
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Article written by Camille Johnson