Cataract surgery + severe anxiety

[RoastOrMash]

My 90yo father needs cataracts op but he gets panic attacks/anxiety about anything medical/health related. He quite often has panic attacks.

Other than depression, health/social anxiety and cataracts he is as fit and healthy as one could wish at 90. Him and my mum live independently at home; my mum is visually impaired through Macular Degeneration so needs more help these days.

My Dad has been referred for cataracts but is very anxious about it and unsure whether to go ahead given likelihood that he'll panic in midst of procedure.

Does anyone have experience of cataracts op for people with severe anxiety? Would they lightly sedate him or something? Am sure it won't be the first time they've come up against it. I think he is too old to handle general anaesthetic but wondering what options there are in between.

I live close by so can stay with them and help with post op eye drop treatment.

Be grateful for any advice, thx.

I would ring the place where he's been referred (it's often contracted out to private companies) and ask for a prescription for a one off sedative for him to take on the day.
No direct experience of it with anxiety but my mother had it done and was fine.

This is not uncommon and not surprising given the nature of the procedure. DM had one done a few years ago and has put off getting the 2nd one done so many times I've lost count.
Do ask about sedation if that would help.

Sedation.
I have had it done and for one eye the procedure was quite long. I was fairly relaxed but I can see plenty of opportunities to panic.
Lots of people don't like having their eyes touched so it must be common enough.
As people have said above, check in advance so you are both reassured.

The change in vision for most people is fabulous.

This, but it’s possible they will want his GP to prescribe something.

Thank you everyone, much appreciate for your replies :-)

Ask for sedation . My mum had it and all the other patients had sedation . She said it was OK, no pain or anything . I wouldn't have it without sedation myself !

I'm having cataracts surgery soon and I'm being sedated by an anaesthetist. No one batted an eye and it seemed a standard part of the offer

Do you know where he was referred to have it done? If he is very anxious (I would be if someone was touching my eyes), then he could have IV sedation so he is sleepy but not anaesthetised. He would be monitored by anaesthetist but this isn't offered everywhere.

Or the alternative is as Pp have said, a prescription for something to take orally beforehand but depending on how anxious he is, may not be enough. Obviously it's crucial for the surgery to be safe that the patient can remain still.

@Totaldramallama No one batted an eye 😁

Anaesthetist pov… Discuss it with the team - it’s usually very quick & done with local and handholding but for many reasons that isn’t always possible. Sedation isn’t always the safer option though & sometimes GA is better. Best way to do it will depend on what he’s worried about/what his general health is like. It’s bread and butter stuff for the teams that do this so they’ll be able to make a plan. Don’t just get him ‘something from the GP’.

Good pun!

DM waited for a long time for her appointment, by which time she was in a home with dementia. One nurse talked into staying on the list for the op which I wasn't keen on but wasn't too bothered because I knew that when the time came we could cancel. When she got the date she was very distressed and her favourite nurse rang me and we agreed that it should be cancelled.

Wasn't even intentional 😂

The best ones aren’t!