Cataract operation

[silentsquirrel]

As you say confusing information.
One thing says throw the eye shield away after the first night, elsewhere say to wear at night for 2 weeks.
O H had only been given the one lot of drops (the steroid ones) although the booklet says to use dry eye drops but at the preop assessment they said antibiotic drops also.
He will have to ring to check.

I had the usual 2 kinds (blue and red!) after the 1st eye but after the 2nd they decided to add the black ones (antib., keep in fridge) as well, I think for just 2 weeks, as a precaution. Back to just the blue and red for months and months after the frequent post ops checks showed oedema - but I count myself lucky as a couple of appointments they were muttering about injections the next time, but in the end the drops did the trick.

 

[EMcKT]

I had first eye done 5th January this year before diabetes diagnosis and second on 3rd March. Both at the local Spa Medica. Absolutely fine, as others have said, the waiting and thought of it is the worst. Drops for both and it's all fine. Check up done as is diabetic check. Difference is amazing but do wear sunglasses if you have need advised to, I find the brightness a bit annoying. The unbalance bit when one eye is done and the other not is a pest. So too are glasses with only one lens......husband took the done eye lens out but nobody seemed to notice. Best of luck. You will be fine.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Just catching up with this Northie, glad the recovery is going okay. Sorry about the pressure in your other eye, hope the magic pills do their magic! Sorry to hear about the Yorkshire marathon.

 

[Northerner]

I have my cataract op coming up on Wednesday, getting a bit nervous, even though I know both my parents had them done, but looking forward (please pardon the pun) to being able to see better, second one is booked in for 10th July.

Good luck on Wednesday! I hope everything goes smoothly, as it did for me I'm still having problems breaking the habit of reaching for my glasses al the time - I don't need them! 10th July seems pretty rapid to have the second one done, I'm not expecting mine until some time in August, but there seems to be such variation in everyone's waiting times.

 

[Northerner]

As you say confusing information.
One thing says throw the eye shield away after the first night, elsewhere say to wear at night for 2 weeks.
O H had only been given the one lot of drops (the steroid ones) although the booklet says to use dry eye drops but at the preop assessment they said antibiotic drops also.
He will have to ring to check.

I would have thought the antibiotic drops are essential to prevent infection, the steroid drops are to reduce inflammation - definitely inquire

 

[SB2015]

I hope all goes well on Wednesday @Grannylorraine .
Look forward to some lovely colourful sights.

 

[Grannylorraine]

Good luck on Wednesday! I hope everything goes smoothly, as it did for me I'm still having problems breaking the habit of reaching for my glasses al the time - I don't need them! 10th July seems pretty rapid to have the second one done, I'm not expecting mine until some time in August, but there seems to be such variation in everyone's waiting times.

I hope all goes well on Wednesday @Grannylorraine .
Look forward to some lovely colourful sights.

Thank you both. I am sure I will be back re-reading this thread so I get my drops right. I know my mum had 2 different lots of drops, but beyond that I can’t remember how many times a day she used each type. I know it will all be explained before I leave the hospital.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Thank you both. I am sure I will be back re-reading this thread so I get my drops right. I know my mum had 2 different lots of drops, but beyond that I can’t remember how many times a day she used each type. I know it will all be explained before I leave the hospital.

I hope so! It does vary - so for me usually 4 times, but sometimes twice and one month it was 6 times for one sort.

 

[Leadinglights]

I would have thought the antibiotic drops are essential to prevent infection, the steroid drops are to reduce inflammation - definitely inquire

He rang them this morning and they said no need for the antibiotic drops just to use lubricant drops if needed which is a relief as trying to get the drops into his eye is like trying to put something into the mouth of a snapping turtle.
The eye shield only needed to be worn for the first night which again is just as well as we struggled to get the recommended tape to stick it on. However no miraculous improvement in vision yet.

 

[Northerner]

He rang them this morning and they said no need for the antibiotic drops just to use lubricant drops if needed which is a relief as trying to get the drops into his eye is like trying to put something into the mouth of a snapping turtle.
The eye shield only needed to be worn for the first night which again is just as well as we struggled to get the recommended tape to stick it on. However no miraculous improvement in vision yet.

Surprising - does he have an allergy, pehaps? I'm allergic to penecillin and the drops are a relative, but my allergy isn't bad so I guess they considered it safe for me. He'll be pleased though if he has problems, as they sting much worse than the steroid ones - you definitely know when they've gone in! I also had stents put in for the glaucoma, perhaps an additional reason.

As for sight, I was told it can be a few days before you notice the improvement - for me it was immediate Hope he discovers the wonders of clear, sharp vision soon!

 

[Grannylorraine]

He rang them this morning and they said no need for the antibiotic drops just to use lubricant drops if needed which is a relief as trying to get the drops into his eye is like trying to put something into the mouth of a snapping turtle.
The eye shield only needed to be worn for the first night which again is just as well as we struggled to get the recommended tape to stick it on. However no miraculous improvement in vision yet.

My mum had one eye that took a few days before she could see well again, her first eye was an almost immediate effect, but the second eye she woke up the morning after the op with no vision at all in it, she regained a bit of vision during the day, slowly over the next few days it got better each day,

Hopefully in the next few days I can tell you all how my eyesight is.

 

[Grannylorraine]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

 

[grovesy]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

Hope it goes well.

 

[PhoebeC]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

Hope it goes smoothly today. Let us know how you get on

 

[Northerner]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

Hope all goes well I found that idle chatter with the other people waiting helped me to forget my anxiety a bit

 

[SB2015]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

I hope all goes well and look forward to hearing of your reaction when the patch comes off.

 

[rebrascora]

@Grannylorraine Hope you are/were one of the first to be done this morning so your waiting time was minimal and that it all goes/went very smoothly. Keeping fingers crossed for you.

 

[Deb_l]

It is op day for me, got to be at the hospital at 7.30, hospital is a 45 min drive bit we are allowing extra time. Feeling nervous and anxious now, didn’t sleep very well, but it needs to be done, and if my mum who refuses to go to the dentist can get through it I am sure I can.

I’ll let you know later how it goes.

You will be fine - it's worth the anxiety to be able to see properly again.

By far the worse bit for me was the wait between having my eye dilated and the actual procedure. I should have taken a book or at least taken my phone with me. I had foolishly left that in the locker with the rest of my stuff. It was very boring staring at four white walls. I went to the loo twice, just to pass a bit of time

 

[Grannylorraine]

Hello All,

Thank you for your thoughts, op went well, I was 3 rd down at just before 10am, hubby was able to stay in my room with my and we had a telly we could watch if we had wanted to. As you all said it didn’t hurt just a weird sensation looking at the light. Was given a lovely lunch before I left not very diabetic friendly but honestly one of the best ham sandwiches I have ever had. Got home about 12.30ish, sight took a few hours to come back, I had some stinging for about 10 mins and then it was very watery for the rest of the day.

Just put my first lot of drops in for the day, eye is very blurry and watery still. Like @Leadinglights husband, no immediate improvement in sight, but I know from my mum it can happen, at the moment my vision is on a par with how it was with the cataract. I just want to be able to knit and crotchet again, looking at this screen is still difficult.

Follow up is on 5th July followed be second on on 10th July, sadly like @Northerner - I have had to pull out of an event I was due to run in September, with not being able to run the last few weeks due to my vision being so bad, and now not being able to run for a few weeks I have had to pull out of the the Great North Run, which I had got a ballot place in and one run I had really wanted to do, and just to add insult to injury got another rejection for London Marathon ballot yesterday.

 

[Northerner]

Hello All,

Thank you for your thoughts, op went well, I was 3 rd down at just before 10am, hubby was able to stay in my room with my and we had a telly we could watch if we had wanted to. As you all said it didn’t hurt just a weird sensation looking at the light. Was given a lovely lunch before I left not very diabetic friendly but honestly one of the best ham sandwiches I have ever had. Got home about 12.30ish, sight took a few hours to come back, I had some stinging for about 10 mins and then it was very watery for the rest of the day.

Just put my first lot of drops in for the day, eye is very blurry and watery still. Like @Leadinglights husband, no immediate improvement in sight, but I know from my mum it can happen, at the moment my vision is on a par with how it was with the cataract. I just want to be able to knit and crotchet again, looking at this screen is still difficult.

Follow up is on 5th July followed be second on on 10th July, sadly like @Northerner - I have had to pull out of an event I was due to run in September, with not being able to run the last few weeks due to my vision being so bad, and now not being able to run for a few weeks I have had to pull out of the the Great North Run, which I had got a ballot place in and one run I had really wanted to do, and just to add insult to injury got another rejection for London Marathon ballot yesterday.

Glad to hear it went well I hope that your sight improves very soon and that all goes smoothly with the recovery Very sorry to hear you have had to pull out of the GNR, given how difficult it is to get into it in the first place - can you defer to next year?

Good luck getting those drops in!