[Misc] Cataract operations - old codger thread

[Flounce]

What are your experiences?

I had one that went well until about a week later when it seemed as though someone had drawn some net curtains over the eye. Turned out I was getting a detached retina and had immediate surgery which needed about 12 laser welds, that was fecking unpleasant. I refused to have the other eye done for about 5 years until the optician told me that if I didn’t have it done I’d eventually lose the sight in the eye. Spa Medica agreed to send me to a specialist unit in Southampton given the previous experience. All went well other than hearing the sawing of the very thick cataract. Few days later all good and chuffed to be able to night drive with confidence again.

However three people I know have had major problems on recent and past operations, one lost the sight in one eye shortly after the operation and the another still has sight problems two months on. Another has just started having problems four years after the op.

I was under the impression that complications were few and far between, what is your experience if you’ve had cataract ops?

 

[kevo]

I also used Spa Medica for this recently and it was absolutely fine. Not a pleasant experience at all - but no worse than having a tooth out. Will have to get the other eye done soon.

One thing I would say though - not enough attention is given to your prescription. Think of it like getting a permanent contact lens set to a fixed distance. Once it's done, you can't change it.

I opted to remain short-sighted (which is quite unusual, as the default is to give people perfect distance vision). However, I wish I'd gone for the 'monovision' approach - which is the idea of being short-sighted in one eye and long-sighted in the other (your 'dominant' eye). The brain then learns which eye to use in different situations, giving you near-perfect sight. Unfortunately, the eye I had done isn't short-sighted enough for this to work (it is almost 'intermediate' vision). So I will just opt for the same prescription for my other eye when I get it done.

 

[torchieboy]

Nearly 5 years now since both eyes were done within 3 months of each other. Had prescription lenses put in both eyes as I was shorted sighted before. Went private through work. Cost me £100 each eye. Bargain !! Only downside is that after about 4 years the cells grow in the back of the eye, so I needed q0 minutes of laser treatment to clear them. Get it done privately if you can.

 

[Flounce]

I also used Spa Medica for this recently and it was absolutely fine. Not a pleasant experience at all - but no worse than having a tooth out. Will have to get the other eye done soon.

One thing I would say though - not enough attention is given to your prescription. Think of it like getting a permanent contact lens set to a fixed distance. Once it's done, you can't change it.

I opted to remain short-sighted (which is quite unusual, as the default is to give people perfect distance vision). However, I wish I'd gone for the 'monovision' approach - which is the idea of being short-sighted in one eye and long-sighted in the other (your 'dominant' eye). The brain then learns which eye to use in different situations, giving you near-perfect sight. Unfortunately, the eye I had done isn't short-sighted enough for this to work (it is almost 'intermediate' vision). So I will just opt for the same prescription for my other eye when I get it done.

I was short in the most recently operated eye and long in the one done previously, meant I did not need glasses for reading. I noted they plumped for long in the info on the recently done one without asking me. Result is I have much better long vision without glasses than I had before but I now need reading glasses for PC or reading, so I have two sets of glasses now. Slightly annoying but not unhappy about it, just think I should have been involved in the decision.

First op was private, second on the NHS, only difference was how quickly the testing was done. Another thumbs up for the NHS from me.

 

[Chicken Run]

My mother and MIL both had first eyes done at Spa Medica Sayers Common, then the second ones at a facility in Hollingbury near Asda, Optima iirc , they both said the Hollingbury experience was better

 

[Gazwag]

I also used Spa Medica for this recently and it was absolutely fine. Not a pleasant experience at all - but no worse than having a tooth out. Will have to get the other eye done soon.

One thing I would say though - not enough attention is given to your prescription. Think of it like getting a permanent contact lens set to a fixed distance. Once it's done, you can't change it.

I opted to remain short-sighted (which is quite unusual, as the default is to give people perfect distance vision). However, I wish I'd gone for the 'monovision' approach - which is the idea of being short-sighted in one eye and long-sighted in the other (your 'dominant' eye). The brain then learns which eye to use in different situations, giving you near-perfect sight. Unfortunately, the eye I had done isn't short-sighted enough for this to work (it is almost 'intermediate' vision). So I will just opt for the same prescription for my other eye when I get it done.

With my personal experience, I would re-consider the remaining short sighted option. I am short sighted and this puts pressure of the retina, as it is stretched tighter than it should be, leaving it at risk of tearing. In 2019 I had a torn retina and had to have laser surgery to fix it, however the tear was on a blood vessel which then burst in June 2020 (not the best time) and I ended up in Brighton eye hospital having a very unpleasant op. Further issue since then and over a dozen injections and I still only have 1/3rd vision in my right eye, which will never improve.

If I had my life over again I would 100% get laser surgery when younger to correct my short sightedness.

 

[Flounce]

With my personal experience, I would re-consider the remaining short sighted option. I am short sighted and this puts pressure of the retina, as it is stretched tighter than it should be, leaving it at risk of tearing. In 2019 I had a torn retina and had to have laser surgery to fix it, however the tear was on a blood vessel which then burst in June 2020 (not the best time) and I ended up in Brighton eye hospital having a very unpleasant op. Further issue since then and over a dozen injections and I still only have 1/3rd vision in my right eye, which will never improve.

If I had my life over again I would 100% get laser surgery when younger to correct my short sightedness.

Would that work once you had cataracts though? The Laser surgery when younger?

 

[Gazwag]

Would that work once you had cataracts though? The Laser surgery when younger?

No, sorry I was on a tangent, cataracts is totally different and not linked at all - my post was with regards to choosing to stay short-sighted

 

[kevo]

Slightly annoying but not unhappy about it, just think I should have been involved in the decision.

Yes - exactly. They barely mention it! I'm glad I did my research and didn't end up long-sighted (I can cope with things in the distance being a bit blurry but annoying to use glasses every time you want to read something or look at your phone). The only downside is I need glasses for watching the Albion - and I'm always worried about getting them knocked off or smashed (although luckily I'm in East Stand Upper, so this is unlikely to happen!!!)

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I had both eyes done at the same time on the NHS at the RSCH two years ago, short-sightedness corrected at the same time (I was given the option of staying short-sighted).

Life-changing. No problems as yet, although I believe that some laser treatment will be required at some point.

The new lenses are fixed, so I need reading glasses for close-up work, but I believe you can get flexible ones privately, although it costs a lot more than fixed ones.

It's the most-performed operation in the NHS, so they must know roughly what they're doing by now.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Wife had both hers done privately by Mr Loo(?) at RSCH. Previous both her parents and my mum had it done. Had the triple ringed variety that give long, short and medium sight, and included filter for UV. They have been fine. As said above, sometimes a film develops in front, usually after a year or so that needs a simple job to laser it off.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Mrs KZN has just been diagnosed in one eye. Initial appointment at the end of the month.

 

[Lord Charles]

I had surgery a year ago for a torn retina and then to clear the resulting scar tissue. Not very pleasant. Surgeon said I will develop a cateract quite quickly so I've got that to look forward to... Interesting comments about vision correction at the same time... I'm long sighted, can this be rectified at the same time on the NHS or would I need to go private?

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Had both done last year in the space of 6 weeks. Wasn't planning on getting them done as one was very mild and the other was only just starting to become noticeable. My optician told me that they could be done for free, at that time, by Optegra who are a private company employed by the NHS to get the waiting list for NHS operations down. Each surgeon was carrying out 25 operations per day, so it was a bit of a conveyor belt situation. Probably 30 mins getting four lots of eye drops and then 8 mins on the table where you are told to look at a light, with your face covered. Couldn't see anything other than the light and couldnt feel anything other than the water flushing out my eye. Out and off home within another 15 mins. Seven days wearing the plastic eye shield at night and four weeks of eye drops and all done. My long sight is now 20:20 but still need glasses for reading.

 

[BNthree]

Both my parents have had both eyes done with no complications at all.

 

[kevo]

I had surgery a year ago for a torn retina and then to clear the resulting scar tissue. Not very pleasant. Surgeon said I will develop a cateract quite quickly so I've got that to look forward to... Interesting comments about vision correction at the same time... I'm long sighted, can this be rectified at the same time on the NHS or would I need to go private?

You will have a choice to remain long-sighted or become short-sighted. There are more expensive multi-focus lenses - you have to go private for them.

 

[Weststander]

Wife had both hers done privately by Mr Loo(?) at RSCH. Previous both her parents and my mum had it done. Had the triple ringed variety that give long, short and medium sight, and included filter for UV. They have been fine. As said above, sometimes a film develops in front, usually after a year or so that needs a simple job to laser it off.

Mr Liu, he fixed my myopia in 2008.

 

[Weststander]

My mother and MIL both had first eyes done at Spa Medica Sayers Common, then the second ones at a facility in Hollingbury near Asda, Optima iirc , they both said the Hollingbury experience was better

My Dad has his cataracts procedure there too, very efficient, subcontracted by the NHS I assume.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I had my right cataract done in Aug 2020 when things were opening up again, at the Eye Hospital opp the RSCH, 20 mins done & dusted, 4 weeks of drops.
My left eye was done Feb 2022, but took longer (40 mins) at the same place, because it was a 'sticky cataract' but no problems afterwards.

I still have to wear glasses because I have astigmatism in both eyes.

My optician said a little clouding is appearing again, which will need laser treatment soon.

 

[Gazwag]

I had surgery a year ago for a torn retina and then to clear the resulting scar tissue. Not very pleasant. Surgeon said I will develop a cateract quite quickly so I've got that to look forward to... Interesting comments about vision correction at the same time... I'm long sighted, can this be rectified at the same time on the NHS or would I need to go private?

I was told that as well after my surgery but 4 year's on still nothing