Need permanent cauterization, but no insurance!

[janny]

Hi. First a little background--my eyes are my main irritating symptom at the moment. My husband was laid off and we have been without insurance for a little while. I have been getting tear duct plugs put in every six months or so (that's how long mine usually last) and paying out of pocket for them. However, I have now apparently built up scar tissue and they will only stay in for a week or so. My opthamologist told me to go home and think about permanent cauterization.

My problem is that I have no insurance now and I am suffering, even with all my eye drops, Restasis and gel. I will have insurance in 90 days, but don't know if I can take it that long! Does anyone here have any idea how much this procedure costs? I am wondering if it is worth it to just pay for it and not wait for my insurance. I think the office manager at my doctor's office is getting irritated with me calling and always asking if I can pay cash for procedures. So, I just thought maybe somebody here would at least have a ballpark range for this. In other words, it is ridiculously expensive or just the usual expensive? lol

Any help or guidance on this would be very much appreciated.

[MaryBee7]

Hi Janny, 

I don't know cost of cauterization, one thing you might do is search the past years discussions here, in the search bar, there may be answers.  It sounds like you're sure about having this done, so your dryness must be awful. 

I recently had temporary plugs put in and will probably get permanent ones in a few weeks.  According to the Restasis website, it does not increase tears in those of us with plugs...so would assume it would be the same case with cauterization?  I was encouraged to find this out as that will be one more expensive prescription I will give up once getting permanent plugs. Will take the website info to opthalmologist, as he urged me to continue with Restasis while temporary plugs are in.  So if you can find a way to get the cauterization done, maybe you won't have to pay for this 'script anymore.  That would be a blessing!     Here's the website:

http://www.restasis.com/default.htm?cid=sem_goo_11_005_007

[gurs]

I had my punctal plugs put in around 8 years ago and they are still in there. My mom also had some put in from our same doc around
8 months ago, and hers are still in..they are not permanant either. I keep hearing stories about everyone losing theirs? wondering if the docs are using the right size, etc?

Im sure these cost alot without insurance too.

To be honest, the only thing that has really helped my dry eyes is a supplement called Hydroeye..

Gursie

[Joe S.]

Place your hands on your eyes and think Reiki On. You should feel a calm warming on your eyes. I do this multiple times per day.

[irish]

I don't know much about this at all, but I do know that we all have bodies that will reject foreign objects and some people's bodies are more active in this particular function.

YOu need to wait---ask your doc what you can do that will help you get through these next 3 months. If he shows no sign of help and seems only interested in the procedure or maybe the money then it might be time to see another doctor.

There are ways that a person can offer cash payment by loan through bank, or just cash payment on a monthly basis and some doctors are more apt to do this than others. The time is coming when docs are going to find themselves doing business more and more this way. Try going to public health and seeing if there is something that you qualify for that will take care of this one time procedure. Good luck. IRish

[gold55]

I believe you will find punctal plugs to be more expensive than permanent cauterization.....a lot of times it doesn't stay permanent...fyi.  So the cost would be normal and not outrageously expensive.  I've  worked for eye surgeons for many years......the insurance price is always outrageous but we charge our cash paying customers the medicare reimbursement rates which is a good deal.  Cash pay should always get at least a percentage discount!

[janny]

Thanks for all your replies! MaryBee7, that is very interesting about the Restasis. I actually am using every little drop I can get out of every vial to save money, but I have to admit that it doesn't seem to be helping at all. I've been on it for about two years. So, I think you are absolutely right that it doesn't help if one has the plugs in. When those plugs are in, it's like night and day with the dryness issue. I don't even think about my eyes. When the plugs fall out, that's all I can think about! So, obviously they are a great help to me. I wish mine would stay longer. The longest I've gone is 5 months. My doctor did seem a little distracted when she put them in last time, though, and I think maybe that's why they fell out so quickly. I feel like I wasted my money. She charges me $205.00 for two plugs in case anyone else is curious what the cash charge is in the Seattle area. I can't imagine that the permanent procedure, since it involves lidocaine, etc. would be cheaper. I think I will call the office manager and just ask. But, thank you everyone for your responses. I don't feel so alone now in this eye misery!

[valene2009]

ive had cautery and plugs--when my ins was billed they were the exact same amount..around $265 or so.. that was total cost.. i paid $40 and now on medicare pay nothing for plugs if they come out.

[gold55]

Our plug price is $408.00 per plug ($220 per plug for cash pay)   Our cauterization does NOT involve lidocaine so there are no excess charges for that??  Cauterization is a cheaper at our office than plugs and as I stated....it doesn't always stay sealed.

[slccom]

Don't be too quick to write off Restasis with plugs. I have both and both work. However, if after 2 years you are not feeling relief, I would try a vacation from it and see if it does or does not work. If it doesn't, the stuff is too darned expensive to waste money on.
Sharon

[janny]

Okay, the office manager called me back and quoted me $210 per eye with cash payment. I have an appointment next Wednesday to do one eye. Apparently they will only do one eye at a time. Now I am getting nervous. Can anyone who has had this done tell me if it is as awful as it sounds. I'm a scaredy cat. Also, they told me no aspirin for 7 days before the procedure. Does anyone know if I can take a klonopin to calm myself down? Will I need it? Thanks.

[slccom]

Aspirin can increase bleeding, which is why they said to not take that. If you are taking fish oil or essential oils, call and ask about them. I find that too much will increase bleeding in me, as evidenced in nosebleeds. Make sure they have a complete list of everything you take.

Acetaminophen should be safe for pain relief.

I'll leave it to others to tell you what it was like for them, as I just have the plugs.
Sharon

[slccom]

Don't worry about the doing one eye at a time. That is standard just in case of the very, very remote chance of something going wrong. And I mean VERY remote!
Sharon