Managing Treatment Appointments

(It's all in the planning!)

Visudyne is a multi-course therapy requiring an average of 6 to 7 treatments over a period of 2 to 3 years. For some Visudyne patients and their loved ones, scheduling rides to and from these appointments can be the most challenging part of Visudyne therapy.

It doesn't have to be. With careful planning, even people with a limited support network can usually "stay the course" of Visudyne therapy to maximize their chances of treatment success. And support-givers can help those they love in a way that works for them as well.

Keeping track to stay on track
The following are some suggestions for successfully managing your (or your loved one's) treatment appointments:

1. Schedule the next Visudyne appointment well in advance—while you're still in the doctor's office if you can. Visudyne treatments are usually scheduled about 3 months apart. With 3 months' notice, even the busiest support-giver can usually find time in his or her schedule to take a loved one to receive treatment.
   
   
2. Look into senior services in your area. Many larger communities offer transportation services to older or disabled residents at no or a nominal fee. Ask your local community center, American Red Cross chapter, or eyecare professional office staff about additional resources near you.
   
   
3. If you must take time off from work for a treatment appointment, let your supervisor know with plenty of time. This is more than "just" a courtesy: if a conflict arises, you can reschedule the appointment without letting too much time lapse between treatments.
   
   
4. If you're a support-giver, find a colleague to cover for you at work and let your supervisor know to maximize the chances you'll be granted time off. If you're a patient, find a friend or neighbor who can step in for your support-giver if he or she must cancel on short notice.
   
   
5. Enroll in mySight™, the FREE program just for Visudyne patients and their loved ones! Among the benefits you'll receive as a mySight member: a FREE treatment appointment tracker with additional space for recording eyecare information and questions for the doctor. You'll also get an Amsler Grid for at-home testing of vision.
   To learn more about the mySight program, click here.

Related pages on this site:
How Visudyne Works
Preparing for Treatment