Cataracts

[Dry Rot]

Anyone had their's done and care to share experiences? The mere thought scares me half to death.

 

[Boysground]

Had mine done 3 years ago. The cataracts were so bad that I was on the point of loosing my driving licence, I stopped driving at night for a few months as car lights really blurred my vision I couldnt see anything especially in the rain. It has been a revelation, my distance vision is now very good but i do need glasses to read, I can see colour much better than I had done for years. The biggest issue is that your eyes no longer have the ability to change focus so for close things you will end up moving your head a little to see right. But I dont find that a problem.

The operation is not as bad as you think just a little odd, but it has to be under local anaesthetic, its to do with the pressure in you eyes. So as the surgeon is doing the op you will be talking to him. The most important thing is to listen to what they say, you must do the eye drops after and dont lift anything for a week or so, I was told the heaviest thing was the kettle. Lifting weight changes the pressure in the eyes and where you have an open wound it can push the new lens out. DO NOT go out farming and get an infection in your eye that is a massive problem.

Get on and get it done you will see so much better, and buy a decent pair of glasses after.

BG

 

[Dry Rot]

Had mine done 3 years ago. The cataracts were so bad that I was on the point of loosing my driving licence, I stopped driving at night for a few months as car lights really blurred my vision I couldnt see anything especially in the rain. It has been a revelation, my distance vision is now very good but i do need glasses to read, I can see colour much better than I had done for years. The biggest issue is that your eyes no longer have the ability to change focus so for close things you will end up moving your head a little to see right. But I dont find that a problem.

The operation is not as bad as you think just a little odd, but it has to be under local anaesthetic, its to do with the pressure in you eyes. So as the surgeon is doing the op you will be talking to him. The most important thing is to listen to what they say, you must do the eye drops after and dont lift anything for a week or so, I was told the heaviest thing was the kettle. Lifting weight changes the pressure in the eyes and where you have an open wound it can push the new lens out. DO NOT go out farming and get an infection in your eye that is a massive problem.

Get on and get it done you will see so much better, and buy a decent pair of glasses after.

BG

Thanks for that, quite reassuring as I am also at the "no driving" stage. The trouble is I am a confirm coward! I had to have injections into the eye ball for macural degeneration (sp?) and I was so scared, I nearly blacked out the first time. Then the next time I went to hospital I was sat next to a little old lady in the waiting room who was on her twentieth injection! I felt a total wimp (which I am)!

If vision improves, that would be a major plus and the hope of that will probably encourage me to go ahead. But I think I'd much rather have a general anaesthetic!

 

[Boysground]

No injections as such. Anaesthetic was eye drops over a few hours. Your eye is held open and you can’t really see with it. It’s uncomfortable but not painful takes 45 minutes. You will be fine. A few days after you will see how poor your sight is now.

Bg

 

[Boveyfarmer]

Anyone had their's done and care to share experiences? The mere thought scares me half to death.

I had both eyes done last year, best thing I have ever had, can honestly say I have the long distant vision of my youth back again.
I opted for long distant lens as am used now to reading glasses.
No problems during or after the procedure

 

[Dry Rot]

I suppose having a couple of drams before the op is out. ?

 

[Y Fan Wen]

No injections as such. Anaesthetic was eye drops over a few hours. Your eye is held open and you can’t really see with it. It’s uncomfortable but not painful takes 45 minutes. You will be fine. A few days after you will see how poor your sight is now.

Bg

Before I got my first op on my worst eye, I could see people standing talking to me, but I could not identify them. The morning after I stood outside the door and counted the sheep on the hill opposite.
Do exactly what you are told for aftercare. Mum didn't and paid the price. I went into overcautious mode instead and it worked alright. If you drop a 50 pound note and it is going to blow away, let it!

 

[deleted user 837354]

I suppose having a couple of drams before the op is out. ?

If you are really really that anxious then ask your consultant- perhaps a sedative or similar could be used. I would be the same- the only way you would get near my eyes would be by knocking me out.

There is no need for people to suffer when undergoing procedures, and I don't mean just pain.

 

[Princess Pooper]

@Boysground just about said it all. I had both mine done within 3 months in my early 50's. I was also at the no night driving stage. My biggest issue was I had really bad astigmatism and once I had one eye done my eyesight was so different between my eyes. I was struggling just using one eye (eye patch etc) for driving so I basically was not able to drive for 3 months. They don't do both together in case of any complications. As said, DO obey orders for aftercare and don't rush back farming. I did have an injection. The only bit that hurt was pre-op and I was warned it would hurt for about 30 secs and that was it. The surgical team were chatting to each other during the procedure with an occasional word to me. It's quite noisy. There are videos of the procedure on You tube but I purposely didn't watch until afterwards!

My astigmatism has almost been cured, I could probably drive without glasses now, but my near sight is worse, I can;t ready any book without glasses now - they can't give you perfect sight afterwards but you are asked what the priority is for you, near or far.

 

[Boysground]

I went for distance vision so wear glasses to read. Actually I have varifocals which darken in the sun so wear them nearly all the time. I did try contact lenses but didn’t get on with them so went back to glasses.

bg

 

[JCMaloney]

Mrs M has had both hers done, no pressure but one of my systems was responsible for ordering the lenses!
No gory details but the technology behind it is simply amazing.
We get through about 400 - 500 day case procedures a week at the Royal, procedure is also done as day case at a smaller hospital at Loughborough. Paperwork & pre-op takes longer than the surgery. Follow the aftercare instructions to the letter!
Talk to your consultant and get it done.

 

[Dry Rot]

Mrs M has had both hers done, no pressure but one of my systems was responsible for ordering the lenses!
No gory details but the technology behind it is simply amazing.
We get through about 400 - 500 day case procedures a week at the Royal, procedure is also done as day case at a smaller hospital at Loughborough. Paperwork & pre-op takes longer than the surgery. Follow the aftercare instructions to the letter!
Talk to your consultant and get it done.

Yes, it will have to be done but the logistics are not so easy when you live remotely and live alone with livestock to look after. That was the problem with my prostate and one of the reasons I opted for Green Light surgery as it is so quick and the recovery time so short. I'll have to look into getting someone in who can also drive a loader tractor!

 

[Boysground]

Yes, it will have to be done but the logistics are not so easy when you live remotely and live alone with livestock to look after. That was the problem with my prostate and one of the reasons I opted for Green Light surgery as it is so quick and the recovery time so short. I'll have to look into getting someone in who can also drive a loader tractor!

You must get some help. The lifting and potential for infection can cause big problems. For most of 1 of my ops the surgeon was telling me not to go farming and get an infection. It’s an issue with farmers and cataracts.

bg

 

[puppet]

Anyone had their's done and care to share experiences? The mere thought scares me half to death.

My neighbour had his last week. Bit like you so after drops and injetion he asked when they were going to start, only to be told they were almost finished.
If you can have an injection into your eye then the cataract will be fine.

 

[JCMaloney]

Yes, it will have to be done but the logistics are not so easy when you live remotely and live alone with livestock to look after. That was the problem with my prostate and one of the reasons I opted for Green Light surgery as it is so quick and the recovery time so short. I'll have to look into getting someone in who can also drive a loader tractor!

I`ll give you that as a big old mountain to get over.
You certainly can`t do any bending, lifting etc for a good while or the pressure knackers the job.
Tough place to be but you only get one set of eyes, I`m sure someone would be willing & able to help you out.

 

[Dry Rot]

My neighbour had his last week. Bit like you so after drops and injetion he asked when they were going to start, only to be told they were almost finished.
If you can have an injection into your eye then the cataract will be fine.

Can i get something for the injection though!?

 

[JCMaloney]

Can i get something for the injection though!?

You can get a sedative, combined with the dilation/anaesthetic drops all you`ll feel is a bit of "pushing and shoving". I won`t tell you why, but you won`t feel pain as such.

 

[Dry Rot]

You can get a sedative, combined with the dilation/anaesthetic drops all you`ll feel is a bit of "pushing and shoving". I won`t tell you why, but you won`t feel pain as such.

Yes, but I shall still be terrified! Being a confirmed coward is a hard cross to bear.

 

[Boysground]

Yes, but I shall still be terrified! Being a confirmed coward is a hard cross to bear.

But at the end of it a coward with bionic eyes.

bg

 

[Boysground]

You will be fine @Dry Rot go for it.

bg