"An ophthalmology examination"

I had a retinal detachment in 2003, resulting in six operations over that year and an almost complete loss of vision in the eye. In recent years my treatment has been limited to an annual check up by the ophthalmology team at my local hospital just to make sure the eye is stable. At last month's consultation high pressure in the eye was diagnosed, so pressure-reducing drops were prescribed. At the follow-up visit yesterday, the pressure was back to normal. The same thing had occurred a few years ago and I had stopped taking the drops to see if the pressure stayed down which it did. This time, however, the drops were prescribed for another year.

The doctor was brusque and dismissed my suggestion that we try stopping the drops for a period, telling me what damage high pressure in the eye can do - which I am perfectly aware of.

This struck me as a good example of a doctor not listening to a patient and being too eager to reach for the drugs.