Cataract surgery

@Zuleika You will have a appointment to have a eye examination and you’ll be asked if you can lie still for 20 minutes, then you will find out. They might sedate you instead, you will have another appointment for that, that’s what happened to me.

Yes , that’s going to be told at my next eye test this week if they say "it’s time "

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Thankyou ,I’m sure there are other ways to do this op.

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Yes that’s right and your welcome :slightly_smiling_face:

I had a private eye test this afternoon after I’d used my NHS free one earlier this year and wasn’t satisfied at being told no change since last year while I knew there must be judging on what I was experiencing .
Today my suspicions were confirmed when I was told the worst eye cataract was almost covering the lens and it was time to act .
I have elected to go through Spa Medica,the nearest having a 6-8 week’s waiting list.

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That’s great news,

our opticians used to be covered by the NHS for eye test but not now and we have to pay for the test that looks at the back of the eyes.

Logan yes that test. The equipment seemed far superior to the previous optician’s place .
I was very impressed by the thoroughness and willingness to answer all the questions I thought up off the top of my head .
I have to take a list of medicines …which have been proved I’m allergic to …with me next week for the eye drops examination at the opticians .
One of my relations had drops in at the same optician and her eyes just ran and ran and ran .

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That’s good, yes the eye drops affects different people in different ways.
I had all the tests done at Spar Medica all at the same time, i don’t drive so hubby took me and waited in the car.

How did you convince your optician that you wanted the drops putting in at Spa Medica .
Mine said they do it to save time for the latter .

I didn’t it was all done there at the same time.

it can’t be any worse than having a “stent” placed behind the eyeball where the eye is actully removed which is what i had done to one of my eyes

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Someone told me that he had his eye removed to get a metal splinter out, but he’s eye was ok afterwards.

Having the drops put in my eyes wasn’t very bad, in fact it only stinged for a while and then i was fine.

I have had a reply from an enquiry to the SpaMedica clinic nearest to me where it was intended I would go for this cataract removaL
They have informed me that if I cannot lie flat on my back ( I explained why not in detail ) for 20 minutes

then I would not be suitable for the op via the eye drops method and I should consult my GP in respect of having a general anaesthetic at a hospital if I want to proceed .

Sorry to hear that, because I know that this will delay the time you are able get it done. Let’s hope they can keep you in overnight if you have a general anaesthetic !

Sorry to hear that,i hope that it will be soon.

I’m pondering on asking to see a consultant in this field privately initially .

As far as I am aware, a private consultation could confirm what you have been told & you would have to pay for that. If you then have to have the operation done privately that will cost considerably more. If I were you, I would ask what the cost would be for each & how quickly it could be done if you paid for both.
My sister checked and on the NHS it costs between £1500 & £4000 for the op, but I suspect you would also need to pay more, if private & maybe the cost of an anaesthetist & hospital bed till you are alert enough to be sent home.
It could well be the same Opthalmic surgeon that does the op, so I would try to establish how much longer it would take via the NHS!
You don’t want to be spending that sort of money if it doesn’t dramatically reduce the time!

Pondering over at those kind of prices!

Better news in one way , because I’m forgetting about going privately altogether .
Made enquiries directly to hospitals and found out that at one I would be put on the NHS waiting list for assessment there ,once the referral was received . There’s probably a 3 months waiting list for that
If it was found I needed to have a general anaesthetic it would most likely mean another year’s wait and at any of several hospitals of my choice unless needing urgent treatment . Anyone not having someone to look after them is kept in overnight .
At the other there wasn’t such a long wait , maybe next year March or April. for the actual straightforward procedure.
Don’t know if I mentioned I’m not a driver . It crossed my mind wondering how many are and are driving with cataracts either known about and waiting or not known about . The latter a neighbours’s son .Found out but didn’t tell his family .5

That’s good in a way, i know i would have had to wait a year if i went to my local hospital and would have had a needle in my eyes instead of drops. Some people can drive with cataracts, it all depends on where it is. With mine i could see normally with my glasses, just made me more shortsighted.