General Chat

Visited the Ophthalmologist yesterday for my regular (two yearly) diabetes examination.

As far as the diabetes goes everything was fine with my eyes.

However, the cataract in my right eye has progressed to the point where he is now recommending surgery. I'm a coward when it comes to hospitals and procedures, not helped by something that happened years ago when i went in to have the 'snip' done :-(

As far as the diabetes goes, he will see me again in two years, as for the cataract, he has left that for me to decide.

If I do decide to have it done, he doesn't even need to see me again I just have to phone the surgery staff who will then arrange the where and when.

He did say that currently my eyesight still complies with the requirements for a driving licence.

I know that sooner or later I will have to have it done, but I would prefer the later part :-(

I HAVE to have eye test 11 November they refer you to eye clinic for Cataract op as you Allan don't like any one messing with my eyes but hey ho will have to see what happens after 11th Nov .will keep an eye on our situations ;-)

I Have had cataracts removed from both eyes - it was each time day surgery and absolute painless! I don't need distance specs any more - I do need reading specs for anything close (cheap from many supermarkets)
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Thanks, both :-)

Yes they do it as day surgery here and I was told that it only takes ten minutes, but then so did my 'snip', which I still have nightmares about.

I'll talk to some people that I know have had it done and then make up my mind.

My sister-in-law is one of those and here experience was literally fifty fifty.

Her first eye op was perfect, no pain and good vision restored but on her second eye, sometime later, something went wrong and she then needed further corrective surgery :-(

As Elizabeth said, the thought is much worse than the procedure. I have had both eyes done and it was painless.

They put drops in my eyes to numb them and I spent more time hanging around than being done!

The worst bit was the time between eyes, as they couldn't do glasses because my eyes were so different. I couldn't drive for about 6 months and was only using one eye as the two together wouldn't "sync". :-(

Thanks, Andysmum

I'm hoping that when (not if) I should be OK.

My left eye is fine at the moment, its my right one that's giving me grief. I do wear glasses but normally only for driving, although I have found that when I'm tired I need then for reading.

I'm sure you'll be OK. You may find you don't need glasses at all after it has been done. I still need them because I have astigmatism, but I know of several people who had short sight and it was completely cured.

Thanks :-)

I realise that it's only going to become worse, so I might leave it until after Christmas and then bite the bullet :-)

Allan I had cataracts removed from both eyes in late 2000, 6 weeks apart.

I was like Andysmum with eyes that were very different, but my eye man sneaked me in by booking both appointments at the same time instead of waiting (as he should have done) until after the first operation. It helped that he was Director of the Eye Day Surgery!!

Both went perfectly, and I went from being very short-sighted to long-sighted and needing glass for reading.

The first one was done just about this time of year, last days of October.

I was terrified of anyone touching my eyes, always had been even though I had worn glasses since the age of about 5 or 6, and had to have regular eye tests.

No problems ........... they offered me a tranquiliser, which I first refused then asked if I could have it about 10 minutes later.

You do have to wait around for about 20 minute beforehand as they have to put several different eye drops in your eye, some of which numb the eye so you can't feel anything.

The amazing thing was how much better I could see immediately they had finished.

One thing to remember is that things will be much brighter after the cataract is removed, and you really do need to have sunglasses to wear going home, even if it is raining as it was when I had my first one done.

The street lights, and the glare of car headlights, reflecting back from the wet streets would have been really uncomfortable if I had forgotten that little tip.

I would not hesitate to have it done again if necessary.

I'm not sure why you say 'What a choice' Allan?

If it needs doing, book it lad! It won't get better without.

You won't feel it or see it and you only have to stay still for ten minutes.

Trust me. I'm an eye surgery veteran, the lens replacement at the start of my second op was the easy bit. Post op 'posturing' - which is needed after retinal surgery - for 10 days is the difficult bit :-0

Just go for it.

I hope I haven't put anyone off their cornflakes - tough!

I know, Island, it's 'Hobson's choice' :-)

I think that I'm just trying to psych myself up :-)

When I worked at a hospital I watched that being done and I still think it’s marvellous, it really was like peeling an apple also when the patient came back for a check up they said how it was totally painless and they only knew they had it done because they could see so well.

Peeling an apple Zzzz? I don't know whether to laugh or gag :-0
Are you sure?
Which decade/century was this?
I'm sure modern methods are rather more sophisticated these days.

Never mind, I expect you have given Allan the heebee jeebees. :-|

I had both eyes done at the same time in July this year, Nothing to it, no pain, no discomfort.

Both mine done last year no probs, no pain only
need glasses for reading :-D

I wish I was so lucky. :-(

They refused to do mine both at once in case they didn't work!!

The six month gap was caused by the long waiting list - they covered most of the west of Scotland north of The Central Belt. One of the people being done when I was had been flown in from The Western Isles and had to stay the night.

Should have added to earlier - I was after the first op able to drive in about a week. Based on this for after the second - I booked a solo self drive for a holiday, but found my immediate long-term distance sight a bit rocky! So went to local optician who gave me excellent temporary specs, with a warning th at my eyes would keep adjusting and I would then need a newer prescription. I never have! But will have a further check when not self isolating any more. Not driving out much these days anyway!

Hubby has had both eyes done. He was very shortsighted and had fraying retinas. The first was fine but after the second he had to have several laser sessions on the retina but has been ok since. He found it very difficult 'between eyes' with long sight in one and short sight in the other till he could have new glasses. The optician removed a lens in his old glasses so he was fine driving and we got cheap supermarket glasses for reading. Now mine need doing. :-(

Thank you all for your input :-)

I have decided to phone the surgery first thing Monday and get myself booked in :-D

Watch this space (if you can)