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Cataract Surgery in August

silver minion

silver minion

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
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Some of you may be aware I have been awaiting cataract surgery for a few months. While my diabetes hasn't caused the cataracts in both eyes, the opthalmic surgeon thinks it may have contributed to the rapid decline since September 24.
I got a letter today confirming day Surgery is booked for 23rd August. Much quicker than the 2 or 3 month wait I was advised. Very happy.but apprehensive too. I need to go for a few pre- op tests next Friday. One of which I presume will be my HbA1c.
Wish me luck!
 
silver minion said:
Some of you may be aware I have been awaiting cataract surgery for a few months. While my diabetes hasn't caused the cataracts in both eyes, the opthalmic surgeon thinks it may have contributed to the rapid decline since September 24.
I got a letter today confirming day Surgery is booked for 23rd August. Much quicker than the 2 or 3 month wait I was advised. Very happy.but apprehensive too. I need to go for a few pre- op tests next Friday. One of which I presume will be my HbA1c.
Wish me luck!
Click to expand...
Good luck SM and very best wishes for your surgery.
 
I've had one eye done but that was under a general anaesthetic because it was so bad, so that doesn't count, but my wife who is a mega wimp has had both eyes done (not at the same time) and said it was no problem at all.

Good luck and enjoy the new vision you get, it's amazing
 
Alan44 said:
I've had one eye done but that was under a general anaesthetic because it was so bad, so that doesn't count, but my wife who is a mega wimp has had both eyes done (not at the same time) and said it was no problem at all.

Good luck and enjoy the new vision you get, it's amazing
Click to expand...
Thanks Alan. I am having the left eye done first under local anaesthetic. At the moment I can't see anything clearly that's more than six inches (15cm) away if my right eye is closed. Looking forward to being able to see properly again and being able to drive.
 
Had both my eyes done under local anaesthetic - no pain - no problems...Good luck.
 
silver minion said:
Thanks Alan. I am having the left eye done first under local anaesthetic. At the moment I can't see anything clearly that's more than six inches (15cm) away if my right eye is closed. Looking forward to being able to see properly again and being able to drive.
Click to expand...
When I had mine done colours were so vivid and my wife said it looked like I had a new eye
 
Do I tell you about my sister? She had a cataract op and the eyedrops didn't numb her eye. You hold the hand of a nurse and my sister said she almost broke the nurses hand. However she had been told not to move or say anything. Nurse extracted herself and left my sister. My sister is a real Stoic. She said one of those waiting was really nervous and moved her head and it looked like most drops missed, in fact Liz wasn't convinced any drops had gone in, but the people who went in before including nervous lady and few who came back after her all were really happy. The operation initially was a success but it has clouded over. The same happened to a friend of mine [ the clouding over] apparently it is a known problem but requires a laser ie no surgery a machine to remove growth on other side, very quick. I was nervous when my pre op came up given what had happened to my sister. I asked if it was genetic and the consultant said we'll see. She put some drops in my eye, got me to wash my hands and touch my eye - numb!
Because I have uveitis eye inflammation and over the years my pupils have stuck down I had the op as a day patient at the hospital. It was wonderful. It was 8 months after I had been referred. Everyone was lovely. The nurse explained if I was unhappy about anything to touch her hand and she would get the surgeon to stop. I knew I had student doctors watching. At one time the surgeon asked ' are you OK down there?' My op took longer than a normal one because he had to unstick the pupil. I got a taxi to the hospital and booked into a hotel for a few days so I was near the hospital. However I felt fine afterwards and got a bus back to the town centre. You have an eyeshield on and instructions about how to clean it. My left eye is weaker than my right. They did the left one first as am I am short sighted I had a lense that allows me to read without glasses. I used my glasses afterwards. I was on steroids a week before and a week after to deal with a probable uveitis flare. Unfortunately I had a macular oedema afterwards. It was minor and eyedrops sorted it but they delayed second surgery until uveitis had cleared. I had second surgery in March. The surgeon was as relaxed and lovely as before though he and his colleague were deciding on their Metallica playlist. I've now got new glasses. The cataract was at front of eye making me appear more shortsighted. My new glasses are a much lower prescription and my white wardrobe doors are now sparkling white.
 
Good luck! I managed to get both cataracts done just before Covid. Both sessions were very straightforward, as was recovery. Originally, I was breathtakingly myopic, at about -15 dioptres in each eye!
Nowadays, a cataract operation is regarded as a minor procedure.
 
saffron15 said:
Do I tell you about my sister? She had a cataract op and the eyedrops didn't numb her eye. You hold the hand of a nurse and my sister said she almost broke the nurses hand. However she had been told not to move or say anything. Nurse extracted herself and left my sister. My sister is a real Stoic. She said one of those waiting was really nervous and moved her head and it looked like most drops missed, in fact Liz wasn't convinced any drops had gone in, but the people who went in before including nervous lady and few who came back after her all were really happy. The operation initially was a success but it has clouded over. The same happened to a friend of mine [ the clouding over] apparently it is a known problem but requires a laser ie no surgery a machine to remove growth on other side, very quick. I was nervous when my pre op came up given what had happened to my sister. I asked if it was genetic and the consultant said we'll see. She put some drops in my eye, got me to wash my hands and touch my eye - numb!
Because I have uveitis eye inflammation and over the years my pupils have stuck down I had the op as a day patient at the hospital. It was wonderful. It was 8 months after I had been referred. Everyone was lovely. The nurse explained if I was unhappy about anything to touch her hand and she would get the surgeon to stop. I knew I had student doctors watching. At one time the surgeon asked ' are you OK down there?' My op took longer than a normal one because he had to unstick the pupil. I got a taxi to the hospital and booked into a hotel for a few days so I was near the hospital. However I felt fine afterwards and got a bus back to the town centre. You have an eyeshield on and instructions about how to clean it. My left eye is weaker than my right. They did the left one first as am I am short sighted I had a lense that allows me to read without glasses. I used my glasses afterwards. I was on steroids a week before and a week after to deal with a probable uveitis flare. Unfortunately I had a macular oedema afterwards. It was minor and eyedrops sorted it but they delayed second surgery until uveitis had cleared. I had second surgery in March. The surgeon was as relaxed and lovely as before though he and his colleague were deciding on their Metallica playlist. I've now got new glasses. The cataract was at front of eye making me appear more shortsighted. My new glasses are a much lower prescription and my white wardrobe doors are now sparkling white.
Click to expand...
Your poor sister. I will make sure my eye is numb and prearrange a distress signal. I am a self confessed wimp. Never been in hospital for any operation before.
I am glad your operation went well despite your other eye problems. My left lens is badly clouded on both sides so it should be a vast improvement when it's done.
 
silver minion said:
Some of you may be aware I have been awaiting cataract surgery for a few months. While my diabetes hasn't caused the cataracts in both eyes, the opthalmic surgeon thinks it may have contributed to the rapid decline since September 24.
I got a letter today confirming day Surgery is booked for 23rd August. Much quicker than the 2 or 3 month wait I was advised. Very happy.but apprehensive too. I need to go for a few pre- op tests next Friday. One of which I presume will be my HbA1c.
Wish me luck
Click to expand...

@silver minion, it’s good that you haven’t got long to wait, sending you :thankyou: and good luck, I remember I was very apprehensive prior to my first cataract procedure (at the end of last year)
but needn’t have been as it all went well, mine was under slightly different circumstances than yours, I’m actually this forthcoming weekend due to get my new specs that “normal people” would usually be able to get 3 months post the cataract surgery, this for me was put off due to my retinal swelling as I was also under treatment at DMO clinic.
 
My sight is now better than it's been for years. Im not sure if some of the increased prescription was my then undiagnosed diabetes. My surgeon was a Syrian who was relaxed with a good sense of humour. I think my sister was incredibly unlucky. With a different nurse and surgeon she would have been able to attract attention. I had no pain during the op and very minor discomfort when anaesthetic wore off. In fact the morning after the second op as I was staying in my local city I checked if there was room for the lunch menu at the local Michelin restaurant and there was! I'd left the hospital at 4.30 the previous day so less than 24 hours after the op.
I had had a dvla sight test whilst waiting for cataract op which I passed.

In my area the consultants from opthalmology all do cataract ops at private clinics circling the city many of them are for the nhs.
 
goodybags said:
@silver minion, it’s good that you haven’t got long to wait, sending you :thankyou: and good luck, I remember I was very apprehensive prior to my first cataract procedure (at the end of last year)
but needn’t have been as it all went well, mine was under slightly different circumstances than yours, I’m actually this forthcoming weekend due to get my new specs that “normal people” would usually be able to get 3 months post the cataract surgery, this for me was put off due to my retinal swelling as I was also under treatment at DMO clinic.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reassurance. I do consider myself fortunate that I don't have any other issues with my eyes. I expect I will need reading glasses afterwards, but will probably wait till both eyes are done.
 
Hi @silver minion

I have had both eyes done (not at the same time) and whilst it is weird, and like others I nearly broke the hand of the nurse simply because I was so scared, it is very straight forward. I asked the surgeon to explain what he was doing which he did apart from when he was putting the lens in as needed to concentrate more.

Such a transformation when you first have a chance to use the eye.
Sending you best wishes for the op.
 
Good luck. The op is a piece of cake and, to be honest, a visit to the dentist can be more nerve-wracking and unpleasant.
 
Surgeon who did my first one asked me 'How was it for you?' and I told him it was about the worst experience of my life, so far - however if he now asked me if it would stop me having the other eye done, no it wouldn't!

It's horrible, because you can't see what' happening plus you do not have ANY control of the situation. Horrid, horrid, horrid. But you can (fairly instantly) see so much better after ....... ! Very well worth having it done!
 
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