Cataract operation

[Geoff S]

I went for an eye test this morning.  It was the first since before the lock-downs and, as my old optician has retired, I went to Specsavers where I get my hearing aids.  It revealed that I have cataracts in my left eye and the optician has started the procedure for an operation in approx 2 months time.  My eyes can't be too bad because I had no difficulty flying yesterday (though the light was very good) and my right eye is ok.

 

Just wondered if anyone else here has any experience of such an operation and its outcome.  I admit I'm a bit nervous about it.  My eyes are very valuable to me for all sorts of reasons (like most) and losing good sight would restrict my activities a lot - not only aeromodelling related.

[Steven Curry]

I had a cataract removed a couple of years ago. Like you I was apprehensive, after all we only have 1 pair of eyes. In the grand scheme of things there are hundreds of these operations every day and relatively low risk. The clinic I went to (Newmedica), were very good and efficient. I was in and out in about 45 minutes, and no (medical) side effects. The main problem for me was that as I wear glasses the prescription for he eye was obviously wrong and you have to wait several weeks before you get new glasses but your eyes will adjust temporarily. If you don't wear glasses, you should be fine. Because the "fogginess" will have been cleared bright lights can be a nuisance for a few days until things settle down.

BTW remember you will need a chauffer  on the day, you may have an eye patch for the day  & this invalidates your insurance. I'm not going to tell you whether to go ahead or not, just to discuss it with Specsavers & the clinic as there should be an appointment with a surgeon before the op to check what has to be done and a chance to talk everything through.

All the best

[Colin Carpenter]

Had both eyes done 21 yrs ago at 52. Worn glasses since 7. Ops were fine ! Got lenses that precluded wearing glasses to walk about and use cheapo to read. Now wear sunglasses all the time as it still seems bright. Can see as well to fly as when specs wearing. Colin 

[John Muir]

I had one done last year. The actual operation is completely painless, takes around ten to fifteen minutes and is a walk in, walk out deal. Anaesthetic eye drops used. Afterwards you have to take a pill to reduce the risk of increased intra-ocular pressure and use eye drops for some weeks. You also have to avoid bending down too much and lifting heavy things for a while. Mostly, they get rid of your distance prescription, if you have one, while they are at it, by incorporating it into the implant and your vision will be pretty decent after a day or two. It takes a while to settle completely though. It doesn't always work out perfectly and in my case I was left a little short sighted and with a bit of astigmatism, but nothing a new pair of specs didn't sort and my standard of vision is now excellent. It's certainly nothing to be apprehensive about and well worth doing before the cataract develops enough to affect your vision badly.

Edited June 16, 2023 by John Muir
spelling

[Geoff S]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys.  I do wear glasses both for distance and reading and use varifocals most of the time but my workshop safety glasses are just slightly stronger reading lenses.  In fact, it was because I'd somehow got some glue (cyano, I think) on one of the lenses which acetone refused to shift, that I decided I may as well have an eye test. I also opted to pay an extra £10 for an OCT test, which I think was money well-spent (I'm 83 so standard eye tests are free).

 

 

[john davidson 1]

My sister had this done a few weeks ago , in and out in 25 minutes , no problem. Her daughter is an optromatist and knew the surgeon who waived his fees so m y sister only had the hospital fees. Not bad!

 

spelling is wrong , I know can't be bothered to look it up.

Edited June 16, 2023 by john davidson 1
bad spelling

[Mick Cass]

My father, who is 91, had the cataracts removed from both his eyes a couple of years ago, (they left a few months between doing each eye), and he now can see without his glasses, which he had worn since he was about 30. So I would say get it done, and enjoy your improved eyesight.

[Eric Robson]

My right eye has always been weak 25 year ago I had a cateract operation on my left eye, I think they gave me a bionic eye as it was better than winning the lottery. Since then I only use reading glasses for small print, this weather I am flying everyday. At my last eye test I was told my left eye would pass an American jet pilots test, I was a little apprehensive of that knowing the record of friendly fire incidents. I will be 88 this year and enjoying life thanks to the operation. 

[Brian Sweeting 1]

Just to add that the NHS outsources a lot of cataract work to the private sector so do ask to be referred outside of the NHS to ensure prompt action.

[Geoff S]

6 hours ago, Brian Sweeting 1 said:

Just to add that the NHS outsources a lot of cataract work to the private sector so do ask to be referred outside of the NHS to ensure prompt action.

 

Yes, the optician did mention a clinic in Derby called Spa Medica which I guess is a private operator.  Apparently the waiting time is only around 2 months.

[Brian Sweeting 1]

7 hours ago, Geoff S said:

 

Yes, the optician did mention a clinic in Derby called Spa Medica which I guess is a private operator.  Apparently the waiting time is only around 2 months.

Yep, my wife had both eyes done via SpaMedica and had no complaints at all, also a plentiful supply of tea or coffee plus biscuits.

[Geoff S]

I have an initial appointment at SpaMedica in Derby on Friday afternoon.  There are a couple of options from what information I've read.  The free NHS option is for a fixed focus lens which I would opt to be for distance and, presumably, would use corrective lens in glasses for closer needs (I currently have varifocals but fixed close lenses for my workshop safety glasses, which I also wear for reading).  I could have a variable focus lens fitted privately, which I assume (I'll ask on Friday) will act the same as my original lens and refocus automatically controlled by the muscles and my brain via the optic nerve.

 

Just wondered if anyone here has experience of either option. Is there a problem with a fixed focus lens?  Will a variable focus lens work the same as my eyes did before or is it less efficient? 

 

Because my optician retired just before lock-down I hadn't had my eyes tested for a while and I'm shocked how my left eye has deteriorated since I was last tested.  I'd gone for years without needing to change my prescription.  I've temporarily stopped flying but I seem OK driving (models get quite small).  I think I'm merely nervous just because I learned one of my eyes is bad. I'm 100% sure I still meet the vision requirements to drive.  My right eye is still fine.

[John Muir]

The variable focus lens is a form of multifocal lens designed in the same way as multifocal contact lenses. It is usually of a 'simultaneous vision' type with concentric circles of alternating power (distance and near) or a blended design which changes power progressively across the lens. These lenses do not change focus in the way that the your natural crystaline lens does, they try to emulate natural vision by letting you see near and far at the same time and letting your brain sort out the images. Results may vary. The most common side effect is persistent glare and a reduction in the best achievable clarity. I believe if they work they can be very good but you have to be willing to accept compromises and some people just don't like them. What happens then I don't really know.

I stuck with distance only as I felt that having the best possible distance vision was most important to me. I'd been using reading glasses for years anyway and didn't mind carrying on.

[Geoff S]

3 minutes ago, John Muir said:

The variable focus lens is a form of multifocal lens designed in the same way as multifocal contact lenses. It is usually of a 'simultaneous vision' type with concentric circles of alternating power (distance and near) or a blended design which changes power progressively across the lens. These lenses do not change focus in the way that the your natural crystaline lens does, they try to emulate natural vision by letting you see near and far at the same time and letting your brain sort out the images. Results may vary. The most common side effect is persistent glare and a reduction in the best achievable clarity. I believe if they work they can be very good but you have to be willing to accept compromises and some people just don't like them. What happens then I don't really know.

I stuck with distance only as I felt that having the best possible distance vision was most important to me. I'd been using reading glasses for years anyway and didn't mind carrying on.

 

Thanks, John.  That's very useful.  I suppose that would have been the answer when I ask on Friday but it's good to know in advance.  Like you, it's distance vision that I value and I'm happy to continue wearing glasses for reading etc.  I'll stick with the single lens option and save my money.  The only disadvantage of wearing glasses is that I can no longer park a pencil behind my ear when doing jobs 🙂

 

[RedBaron]

It is worth remembering that whilst an artificial lens may be an excellent fix for the symptom it does not fix the cause.

Scanning the internet gives answers that say consistently that there is no cure for a cataract other than the operation.

I am always a bit suspicious of such a uniform absolute opinion and I do not fancy the operation for the problem in my right eye (for a whole load of reasons) so I have been searching for a better answer for a number of years.

Recently I fell across a whole new approach using Collagen and Glycine (the smallest amino-acid, that there should be a lot of it in the eye lens. In my case after only a weeks experimenting not only has the cataract definitely improved for the first time ever, but the power of focusing in both eyes has improved a lot. One may read-up on this subject in a very interesting book on Amazon

As well as these benefits one may find that ones skin becomes less wrinkly, any age spots disappear and many other benefits mentioned in the book may happen

I am not recommending anyone else tries this, certainly not without doing their own research on the subject I am just reporting my own experiences and a different point of view.

[Cuban8]

With the very greatest respect RB, if the answer to solving the problems caused by cataract were hiding in a book on Amazon or simply a case of popping a few vitamin pills, I think we might have heard about it by now and the NHS and other health systems would be closing their eye clinics PDQ. Blindness caused by cataract is widespread in many poor countries and only through the efforts of some wonderful charitable foundations and surgeons giving their time and skills for free is years of blindness caused by cataract cured on what amounts to a production line process. If an alternative really existed, a lot of the work done by the likes of Sightsavers would be unnecessary.

Good luck and I hope you find what you're seeking - I've been told that I have the beginnings of cataract in both eyes but to be honest I don't notice any problems as of yet. My wife has had both eyes fixed for cataract and my mother-in-law foolishly left it until she was almost blind until she admitted there was a problem and had what has become simple and routine day surgery for nearly all patients.

 

[RedBaron]

1 hour ago, Cuban8 said:

we might have heard about it by now

An excellent question, the answer to it raises a whole load of other questions as well.

[Geoff S]

Of course many cures treat the symptoms rather than the cause and are successful.  Ordinary spectacles, hearing aids and insulin are good examples that work well.

 

My father had a hip operation nearly 100 years ago which resulted in his having one leg considerably shorter than the other. The cause, osteotuberculosis, was partly cured by streptomycin and he had a relapse when I was about 11. So I was raised well aware of disability. 

 

I think I'll go for a fixed-focus distance lens so that I can hopefully enjoy what are inevitably my closing years (I'm 83) with good eyesight and enjoy a little flying and reading 🙂

[Martin McIntosh]

I had my eyes done at Ultralase 13 years ago to give me stereo distance vision without varifocals at £500 a pop every two years. Great until about 9 months ago when my right eye totally failed for distance but I could easily read a paper with it without specs! Contacted Ultralase which gave a lifetime guarantee only to be told that the original company had gone into admin. in 2013. How convenient for them to not honour warrantees any more, despite still trading under the same name.

Went to Specsavers where I was pleased to get two pairs of distance and two of reading glasses at £69 per two pairs. However, they said that cataracts were stating to form but come back in twelve months for a check.

I am now fairly confident to resume flying.

[Geoff S]

Martin, was that laser eye surgery rather than a replacement lens as I believe is on offer to me? 

[John Muir]

The symptoms of cataract are reduced visual acuity, sensitivity to bright lights and glare and loss of colour vision. The cause is a cataract i.e. a clouded and sclerotic crystalline lens. A cataract operation addresses the cause not the symptoms and, unusually, provides an almost instant and often perfect cure. It is one of the most successful operations of any kind performed regularly with fantastically good success rates and very few complications. It's not perfect, but it is the only option proven to work. You can give vitamins a try if you like but I'm willing to bet you'll be dead of old age long before you see any measurable improvement. 

 

[John Muir]

Hi Geoff, that's laser surgery Martin's describing. A laser re-shapes the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, to reduce or eliminate your prescription. It was flavour of the month for a while but seems to have fallen out of fashion a bit in recent years. Nothing at all to do with a cataract though.

[Erfolg]

About 6 months back I had both my eyes done, separately.

 

Jim Muir has covered all the details of how cataracts affect you. In my case, I did not like driving at night, with oncoming vehicles being the main issue, headlight glare. After the operation I was surprised how much brighter colours were. Also the sharpness of what I saw, is in a different league.

 

I also was referred to a NHS contractor. The assessment process was very thorough. The treatment process was longer, as it was a continuous production line of patients. Assessed at each stage, with multiple eye drops. I found the process traumatic, as I am a total wimp. My face was covered with a cloth. There was plenty of what I think  is water, and a machine telling the surgeon various bits of information. I understood it all took approx. 30 minutes.

 

My daughter told me that the clinic is better than the local hospital, where it is a full anesthetic operation. With greater risks from the op and infection. Also far more expensive to the NHS.

 

As to after the op, I would not trust myself to drive. I did use antibiotic eye drops for 4 weeks, after each op. I do use reading glasses. I was advised to wear proper sunglasses for at least one year after the op, when outdoors, to avoid UV damage, that apparently can occur, in sun light, even on a dull, or wet day. Apparently clustering of something can occur at the cut site. I also refrained from gardening, bending down, swimming, any dusty atmosphere (which I try to do as a given). I did not really shower, such was my paranoia. 

 

Now all that can sound horrific, but it is a wimp writing, who can now see model aircraft clearly now, sharply, in full colour, it seems at up to a mile away. I can see what the model is doing, no desperate need to anticipate, what it was supposed to do. I now see what it actually did.

 

All in all a good decision to have the opps, quality of life improved considerably. Plus I avoid some things I do not want to do, on the basis, my eyes are now very, very, important to me. Washing the pots seems risky.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Erfolg

[Geoff S]

Thanks, Erfolg.

 

I hate wearing sunglasses and very rarely do, though I wear glasses for cycling.  I only ever wore them for sailing because staring at white sail almost continuously for over an hour (with glances to keep an eye on competitors - and the marks, of course) is tiring on the eyes.  I have some polarised clip-ons to wear after my check-up tomorrow. As we replaced our bath with a proper shower several years ago (and never regretted it) I think I'll need to continue with showers!  How long did you refrain from driving?  My wife can drive but doesn't like our current car because she thinks it's too big (an Astra estate that takes a lot of models.)  As I'm the family dishwasher, I guess that will continue, too.

[PatMc]

Got my left eye done September then the right in December 2021. I was terrified before the first op. I couldn't imagine how I would not make some involuntary eye movement but in fact the whole thing went very smoothly. Due to Covid a special unit was set up in the grounds of a near redundant old hospital my son dropped me of at the car park about 10 mins before the appointment time. I had to enter the unit through the front entrance & was being operated on within 15 -  20 minutes. After the op when it was decided I had recovered OK a nurse rang my son then escorted me to a side exit where he took me back to his car.

During the prep time the surgeon told me that it was the second most common medical operation worldwide.  

One of the things that struck me most in the period between the two ops was the difference in brightness and colour hues each eye perceived. A pair of trousers that looked charcoal grey to my right eye were now navy blue to my left eye. I'd thought some white doors in the kitchen & bathroom were overdue in need of repainting but now realised they were actually quite bright.     

Geoff, I was driving again within two weeks after each op.

Edited July 6, 2023 by PatMc