Has anyone had cataract surgery?

[IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece]

DMum is having it done next week and is nervous-a friend of hers had it done and when she asked what happens and recovery was told “ooh no I’m not telling you, you’ll only be scared” so obviously she’s now terrified!

She has problems laying flat due to her neck which she’s worried about-how long should the surgery take

She knows she’ll be awake but how scary is it

How is recovery?

Any advice would be hugely appreciated

OP I had both eyes done at the same time and was sat in a chair like a dentist's chair. It was reclined a little bit but I felt like I was sitting in it, not lying back. I went privately as I had implanted multifocal contact lenses which aren't offered by the NHS so it might be a slightly different experience. Regardless of that the staff will be very used to nervous patients and will help her through it.

Firstly I had two lots of anaesthetic drops in each eye, 15 minutes apart I think. I was sceptical that they work, we're used to oral or injections aren't we, but the first lot felt cold and the second I couldn't tell, so knew they were working. I had to alert the surgeon that I could feel something as he started the second eye, but it wasn't painful. He put more drops in and it was fine., so tell your Mum to speak up if she feels the need, or even if she needs reassurance. There was absolutely no pain at all despite all my fears, possibly just a mild pulling sensation in one eye. The strange thing was that despite one eye being covered, I could still 'see' through the operation, nothing horrible, just very pretty colours and shapes. That was a surprise. I was in the theatre about half an hour in total.

Because I'd had both done I didn't have a shield and I walked out into a world brighter and clearer than I've ever seen. I could read within hours too.

My eyes did feel dry and gritty for a few days, a bit overly tired if you like and I couldn't go without some good wrap around sunglasses. Screen, TV and reading time has to be limited at first and the post op drops used diligently. She should increase hand washing and avoid touching her eyes over the days afterwards to make sure she doesn't pick up any infection.

I'd say the most difficult thing about it all was the unnecessary worry beforehand, hair washing afterwards and remembering not to bend or lift things, basically do nothing that adds to pressure on the eye. Your DM's friend is vastly over egging the pudding and her comment is mean. I tell you honestly I've had more painful beauty treatments and besides that the benefit afterwards is amazing.

My mother had them done 6 weeks apart. She was naturally v short sighted from childhood. The surgery also corrects the short sight and for the first time in 75 years she could see without specs.

Only issue was that during the 6 weeks her specs were v imbalanced and the nhs nurse told her she'd manage with patches etc to avoid the expense. So she refused to spend £100 on adjusted specs for 6 weeks.

Now both are done for the first time since she can remember, she can see without specs. It's that brilliant.

I'm very short sighted (-9) and had first cataract done a month ago.

I had to pop the lens out of my glasses on the side they did as I couldn't see with the new fixed lens which gives me distance vision without glasses.

I can't read with new eye which has been the most difficult thing as I work with computers and I have found it tiring doing all the reading with my old eye (where reading is difficult anyway due to the remaining cataract). I got a sick note for 2 weeks but was actually only off work for 3 days. Worked at home rest of the week - at this stage I found it easier to put a makeshift cardboard patch in my glasses so the new eye wasn't trying to do anything.

I can still drive as the distance vision is ok for reading number plates at requisite distance.

I didn't really have any pain. It was slightly gritty the first couple of days and only used the eye patch first day and night.

After 4 weeks I had optician check up. Because I'm due to have second eye done (in 9-12 weeks) I've got cheap single vision readings glasses (a mere £39 compared to the usual £500+ of ultra thin varifocals) on order which I hope will make life easier at work until 2nd eye is done.

It's a revelation being able to walk around without glasses , but not so keen on seeing my wrinkles clearly in the bathroom mirror.

I'm only in my 50s -was the youngest at the clinic by 20-30 years!

LadySybilPussPolham thanks so much! Wonderful to hear you mum is doing so well so soon after!

Thank you all so much! This is unbelievably useful!

Shes now going to talk to them tomorrow armed with a list of qs

Biggest concern is probably the vision being so improved in one eye but being unable to just take a lense out the glasses, she is sometimes a little unsteady on her feet and I worry this’ll make it work as her vision will be wonky!

Thank you all so so much

So they cancelled it twice and now tomorrow is definitely the day, she’s absolutely terrified about it.

She’s worried about the procedure itself but also afterwards that she won’t be able to see properly because her glasses are wrong and she can’t pop a lens out as people have suggested (rimless glasses).

LadySybilPussPolham how was your DMs recovery?

What does your mum's dispensing optician suggest about her glasses?

Can they be sent back to the company that made them to have a clear glass lens be put into the operated side?

I am sure it would be quite a common thing to happen as not everybody has both eyes done

My own glasses has a protective film over and when it gets scratched the optician sent them back and had the protective film replaced

Hope all goes well for your Mum tomorrow

BTW my DH is extremely pleased with the result of his cataract surgery on both eyes

I have had both eyes done (ops three months apart) and have been very pleased with the results. My husband also. Please tell your mum not to worry as her optician will help re her needs if one eye has been done and a temporary change is necessary before her second one. 🍷

I had both eyes done about 6 weeks apart. I was short sighted but my vision was so amazing after the first eye that I never wore my glasses again!

I did feel a bit seasick at times as there was such a difference between my two eyes, but was still completely able to function, work, drive etc

It is a gruesome op if you think about it but it's all over so quickly and the results are life changing:)

My mum had one eye done about 4 years ago & the second eye done about 6 weeks later. She was terrified when she went for her first eye done about having the rest of her face covered up & was worried that she would have a panic attack & be unable to breathe. The staff were brilliant & put her at ease, a nurse held her hand while it was being done & in under an hour had her sight restored & was on her way home. I saw her about 2 hours after she had it done, her eye looked a bit red, sore & puffy, she said it felt a bit gritty & was watering, by the next morning all the discomfort had gone, she took paracetamol for the first 24 hours & said she had been through worse at the dentist.

Thank you. Optician said she can get some other glasses but obviously that could take a week or so to come and she’s worried about the meantime. She can be a little unsteady on her feet and is worried about this making it worse because she definitely needs glassses now and will do for her other eye but is worried her vision and balance will be off

Perhaps if she wears a patch over her ok eye (if she doesn't feel confident about her ok eye seeing fuzzy world without the glasses) and so the operated eye does all the seeing iyswim OR just doesn't wear any glasses at all and let good eye do all the work that the brain will use just the good eye

The time (which was about 2 - 3 months) between my DH 2 eyes being done he didn't wear his varifocal glasses at all cos the good eye was so amazing it took over the power of the eye that needed the glasses

His were varifocals and the difference with just one eye was amazing, he could see everything, much brighter, clearer and colours more vibrant

She will have a brand new eye with perfect sight (if she has varifocals then she might need reading glasses sometimes) but moving around she will have perfect sight with her new eye

I therefore think she won't need to wear her glasses at all after tomorrow and that she will hopefully be safe moving around

How is your mum?

Hope she is ok and the operation went well