To be a 60+ female and fed up of assumptions.

I had a laugh with my similar aged works colleague and we both agreed that a qualified nurse in her 30s who only needs to work a couple of days a week must’ve bagged herself a decent consultant hubby on a good salary 😂

Is that meant to be a joke? Because otherwise it's a bit pot/kettle. You've made a huge assumption about her there. There are loads of reasons she might work part time as a nurse. Maybe she cares for her disabled child. Maybe she has a passive income of her own. Maybe she inherited after losing someone important to her.

I'm in the same position: cataracts developing, one eye more developed than the other. First noticed by the optician 8 years ago and they still aren't ripe enough to be operated on and they aren't actually affecting my life much at all , as yet.

Consultant told me this is a myth. Used to be told your cataracts had to “ripen” before removal. The lens is clouding and can be replaced on day 1 or day 101, the result will be the same.
I asked consultant when mine could be removed. When they’re impacting on your life he replied. They are now I said. The waiting list is still two years minimum here. ☹️

If you have cataracts they need to develop to a certain point before they will operate ti remove. Thus happens slowly.

It's possible that you actually have nothing to worry about for a good few years.

I’m 60 and experience this occasionally but it’s worse when it’s friends or acquaintances
I was a lone parent from when DC were quite young and consequently always struggled with finances and improving my career as had no help
The area I live in is rural and quite middle class it’s more common for women to not work or only work PT - friends say “why don’t you just retire” especially if I say something like I’m tired or got to get up in the morning if I leave a social event before 11/12
I will be working full time for another 7 years and even then will have to carry on 2-3 days a week doing something to supplement my meagre pension
Ive just applied for a new consultancy role which I’m really excited about - the only response I got was - I don’t know why you bother! I think I need new friends!!!

I had a weird one at the dentist the other day.
I am 39 for context. He asked me what my plans were for the rest of the day 'Going back to work ' I replied.
'Oh. You work?!' He replied.
Thought that was odd.

It gets worse OP as you get older: people automatically start assuming you must be somehow stupid/ don't understand anything/ aren't capable of doing anything just because of your age.

Tbh though I expect every generation gets stereotyped by other generations.

its always a pity when people don't see others as individuals rather just a job-lot with their peers.

similar age - went for an eye scan recently - the scanner operator said I have cataracts (two opticians have subsequently said v early, nothing to worry about for a good few years). My immediate response was 'only old people get that'; the look on the 30ish scanner operators face was a picture.