Forum Topic

Cataract Surgery

I was on my way to Specsavers the other day and guess who I bumped into? Everyone!Joking aside, I'm having cataract surgery tomorrow and I'm absolutely terrified! I keep thinking about the scene in A Clockwork Orange and the torture that Malcolm McDowell endured when his eyes were forced open!Any reassurance you can give me would be much appreciated!

Jill Merrett ● 11d23 Comments

Good that you concentrate on your driving James !!

Janice Evans ● 1d

I had both eyes done with a 2 months gap in between at Kingston Hospital.  No glasses required for either eye.Although I needed reading glasses for close up workIt was so nice to be able to drive without glasses and to see pretty girls clearly at any time.

James Roy ● 4d

After the surgery, did you have to wear specialist glasses, if no what did you wear? TIA

Elizabeth ● 5d

I have had cataract surgery done on one eye at Moorfields Hospital in Ealing. I was very nervous before I went in but I needn't to have been as it didn't take very long and I didn't feel a thing. Now am on waiting list to have the other eye done. So please do not worry at all about the op and your eyes are not forced open, you will be fine.

Barbara Dudley ● 5d

No need to worry.  I felt the same before I had mine done, both at same time.  It was a doddle, doesn't hurt and all over pretty quickly, just a bit of tugging when they are putting new lens into correct position.  You'll wonder why you worried so much.

V Killick ● 5d

Well done Jill - it will be worth it xx

Helen Bamberger ● 9d

Thank you to everyone, I shall give feedback. Excuse any typos as I'm typing with only one eye! Luckily I'm a medical secretary with very good touch-typing!I had the op yesterday and I have to say it was a very uncomfortable experience! No pain at all, but most unpleasant and scary. Having your head clamped, eye forced open and water being sloshed into your eye constantly, and not being able to blink! A bit scary, to be honest. I'm very glad it's over!The surgeon, Nick Glover, who is apparently one of the top surgeons, talked me through the procedure. I had it done at Optegra in Hounslow, who were great. I was referred by Vision Express and my surgery was done about 3 weeks later. Next eye due in about 4 weeks.One really good thing is that as of this week there is no need for the post op eye drops, which will be applicable across all of the NHS now. Good news, as I was told they were a right pain to administer for about a month 3/4 times a day.My eye is sore and red, a bit painful and very blurry. Ibuprofen is helping.I've proof read my message and no typos!Here's looking at you, kid!

Jill Merrett ● 9d

Hope it went well, Jill.

Claire Moran ● 10d

Good luck with your op Jill.

Janice Evans ● 11d

A red bus? A red telephone kiosk? A red ant?Thank you so much for all your feedback, I really appreciate it. I will update post op!

Jill Merrett ● 11d

*bus

Ben Halloren ● 11d

*bus

Ben Halloren ● 11d

Zero pain, slight discomfort and you will not believe how joyfully red a London is.

Ben Halloren ● 11d

Any kind of surgery is scary. I had a knee replaced in 2016 and I was absolutely terrified ahead of it.Good joke, btw, about bumping into everyone.

Susan Kelly ● 11d

I was amazed at how bright colours were after surgery. It was a bit of a shock but a lovely one. Good luck tomorrow

Helen asunters ● 11d

I had this done in both eyes a few years ago, and it was the most transformative experience of my life! As well as clearing the cataract, they took the opportunity to implant lenses with prescriptions to correct my otherwise poor vision.  That meant I no longer needed to wear glasses, though my family thought I looked 'funny' without them so I got bifocals that were blank at the top with reading at the bottom. If only they could have all done this when I was six rather than waiting until I was sixty and it would have made my life so different!The actual operation is a bit like being at the dentist, with much up close whizzing and whirring, and only a local anesthetic as you need to 'look up, look sideways' as requested!  It doesn't take long, and you leave with a patch over the eye to protect everything until whenever. But while that morning's group was waiting to leave, none of us could resist sneakily peeling the patch away at the edge to see the result - at which point the room was filled with multiple exclamations of amazement at such genuinely miraculous transformations.  'Everywhere is so bright! I can see again!'

Peter Evans ● 11d

I really appreciate your feedback. I’ve asked for oral sedation, not sure what that entails but should help. I’ve bought some Rescue Remedy today which is meant to help in times of stress. I’m tempted to glug the whole bottle!

Jill Merrett ● 11d

Jill  just to echo what previous posts have said .There is absolutely nothing to worry about and I think you will be amazed at the result.I have worn glasses for distance since the age of fourteen  after cataract surgery I now have what it seems is 20 20 vision.Maybe not quite but that is what it feels like.

David Burke ● 11d

You'll be fine Jill.It's not a dreadfully painful procedure and I don't look back on it being one.I attended the Moorfields Clinic at Ealing Hospital some 10 years agoon two separate occasions. Although one tenses up during the 10 minutes(?) ...it's not disturbing as a dental operation mind be.One has to deal with a variety of"eye drops" for maybe a week afterwards and I recall that being a bit of a fag.So be positive ... the outcome will be great ... and then you can fly a flag!

Jim Lawes ● 11d

Thank you all. I really like Robert's reassuring post. Still scared though!

Jill Merrett ● 11d

Absolutely nothing to be concerned about, Jill. The local anaesthetic (drops) means you have no sensation in the eye. You can't see anything because they put a cloth over your face, with just a tiny hole for the instruments. They use ultrasound to break up the natural lens, and then vacuum/wash out the bits. At that stage it's like looking into a child's kaleidoscope. Quite beautiful! Then it takes just a few minutes more to slip in the new lens. Job done in not much more than half an hour! You'll find it interesting rather than frightening.

Robert Fish ● 11d

I had the surgery and then laser treatment later -  it worked so well and it wasn’t painful- good luck.

Helen Bamberger ● 11d

Jill, I had inter-ocular lens replacement surgery a few years ago, which is similar to cataract surgery, one eye in the first week and the other about a week later, and apart from bumping into people when wearing a temporary patch immediately after the surgery, it went off very smoothly. It will be a wonderful operation and what you need to give it the perfect ending is a bit of the old Ludwig van.

Richard Greenhough ● 11d