Mrs J Wordsworth

Hello Janet,  when I had my cataract done, it was done under a general anaesthetic, so I can't advise you there but a friend has just had both of her eyes done & she said it was much easier than she had expected,

I was going to say, though, you could always go on the waiting list now & when they offer you an op,  perhaps you can make your decision then.

Did they give you any indication of how long the list is?

 

Like you I don't like being held prisoner!

I had the same offer as you now or wait a bit. I had worn glasses since I was 12 and did not get on with contacts so I jumped at the now choice as I was 79 and wanted to see the world as it really is before it was too late...

It is a nothing procedure, painless and over in ten to fifteen minutes. With the first one I had to wear a pad over the eye overnight as they had injected the numbing agent into the eyebrow. With the second it was just drops into the eye and I wore a clear eye shield until bed time.

Speaking for myself each procedure was pain free afterwards. My only problem was with the first eye where the cheapo antibiotic eye drops caused dryness, The next time they gave me the better ones.

First morning was a revelation when taking the dressing off as the clarity was quite amazing. I could cope with the computer screen distance but had a problem  reading books or newspapers and I bought a cheap pair of reading glasses to suit the new eye. I was told that it would be six months before getting the second operationbut  once when I phoned the ward with a query about my dry eye a helpful nurse got ne a cancellation that reduced it to two months.    

My wife had her eyes tested last week and slight cataracts were mentioned again and she was asked if she wanted to be referred to the consultant now or wait. She also said now. 

 

I had a cataract done at the end of last year. You don't see anything and it's in your own interest to stay still! The op takes minutes, mine was about 15 to 20 minutes. I had a white plastic sheet over me. My cataract had got very distracting, especially when driving, so I asked for it to be removed. Now I don't need to use a contact lens in that eye. I agree that colours are far brighter and now I realise that the other eye will need doing in due course. What I was not told is that a minority of people get a shadow that shows at the side of your eye. If it happens the brain normally eliminates it in the same way as eye "floaters" are ignored. In other words, don't worry about side effects like it but always mention to your eye surgeon, if it happens.