Early onset cataracts and terrified of OP

[effingcataracts]

As I very much feared would happen, I have just been diagnosed with cataracts, at exactly the same age as my mother - mid 40s
One of them is quite advanced - I didn't realize it was that bad as apparently the other eye was compensating.
I need to have both eyes operated on. The doctor said I can let her know when to make the referral to the hospital (I'm in a different country so it's a slightly different procedure to get referred). Basically she said that it's not urgent and that I can decide when I want to have it done, depending on how happy I am with my current visual acuity.
However, I would like to have it done sooner rather than later because the symptoms which alerted me to the possibility of cataracts are annoying - light sensitivity and poorer sight when it's too bright. Sight is good with prescription sunglasses and in less bright light without.

Problem is I'm needle phobic and I'm terrified of medical interventions in general. She said some surgeons only use drops to numb the eye and you get some kind of tablet to calm you down before hand. But I'm really scared I'd end up having a panic attack and moving my head or something.
Has anyone had a cataract operation and can advise? Can it be done under sedation and if so what is that like`? My worry about that is that I'd still feel panicky but have lost all control of the situation because I'm sedated.

It's a right nightmare to be honest!!

I also had early cataracts. I asked for general anesthetic and I had it for both eyes. The only needle was the one into the hand to put you out. Please don't worry.

Thanks for replying. Did you have both eyes done at once or two separate operations?
For me the flipping blood test I will have to get done at the GP to allow me to have sedation or general is bad enough... though I am sure I can pull myself together for that.
I do think it would be better if they just knock me out and have done with it.

I had two separate operations. One deteriorated first and then the second one joined in. I was the only one in the waiting area who was having a general anesthetic. All the old people were much braver than me! I told the doctor that I was far too nervous to have it without and he just agreed. The sight deteriorates quickly so try to have it done as soon as possible. I was terrified as well but there's no pain after. You wear an eye patch for a few days. Insist on the general anesthetic. Best of luck x

I had drops and sedation, I was terrified but it was genuinely ok. No pain, no needles. Talk to your surgeon so they can reassure you. Good luck!

Honestly, it's nothing to be concerned about. I had mine done (each eye separately about four weeks apart).

I was nervous as hell. If a needle was used, I didn't see it. The light the surgeon needs to perform the operation was so bright, I didn't see a thing.

They put something in my eye about half an hour before the op, about the size of a grain of sand, but not as annoying. The whole thing took about 10/15 mins tops.

My Mum could, and frequently did, make a song and dance about taking a paracetamol, but even she said it was a doddle.

Oh this is very reassuring thank you!
Yes, I do want to have it done asap. Well I don't "want" to have it done at all.. but it has to be done!
I have to go in and chat to my GP first - I haven't been near the surgery for 14 years as I've had nothing wrong with me - so I need to go and talk to them because they have to do part of the pre-op examinations.
And then I'll get the eye doctor to refer me.
The average waiting time for the hospital I would go to is 13 weeks though the eye doctor said they rush through anyone who is still working - you get priority over pensioners.

Supposing you are sedated, or just have the valium plus eye drops option, how do you keep your head still for that length of time?

I had lens replacements (no cataracts but wanted to ditch specs) a week apart. No needles. Eye drops and sedation. Absolute doddle. No needles and didn’t feel a thing. Go for it, your vision is so important.

I second all the encouraging posts - -it really is that easy. When it's over you'll sit up and get the surprise of your life. The world is suddenly brighter and clearer and edge's are sharper. Good luck!

I didn’t have a problem keeping my head still tbh. It’s a fairly quick procedure and a little surreal, probably due to the light sedation.

Recently had my first. Generally, I'm outwardly compliant & calm in medical situations, but actually, that's thanks to counselling and anxiety meds, so get some of that started.
Then to the operation.
Honestly it's amazing!
I had my preoperative and actual on consecutive days so I didn't have to get worried/hyped up twice.
The first day was just like a very thorough trip to optician's.
The second day was
12:30 eye drops and anaesthetic tablet in the lower eyelid that I could never even feel was there
1:55pm second eye drops
2:10pm operating theatre: answer all the identifying/confirmation questions then three different people confirmed who you were and what lens was going in to prevent mistakes. lie down face swabbed & covered by sterile cloth with opening for eye and plastic frame holding your eyelids open (again don't feel it)
2:15 stare at a light, surgeon cuts, pulls out lens, replaces it, puts a clear plastic patch on your eye. Felt nothing!
2:30 walk to a treatment room- talking to nurse about two steroid & antibiotic eyedrops 2-4 times a day, no heavy lifting or bending for two weeks, what to do with complications.
2:40pm dh is driving me home and I can see through the clear patch
Next morning, take off the patch, start the drops, take the lens out of that side of glasses.
2 days after in the afternoon I took a little drive (1mile there and back) to check I was comfortable and have been driving normally since. Only thing I missed was swimming and no makeup.
4 weeks later I've had my eye test and ordered new specs (from -5.25 to -0.50)
It's magic!! Seven minutes on the table to hugely improve your life.
Do whatever counselling etc necessary to get you to the op.
My other eye is in about 20 weeks thank you NHS.
Go for it & good luck!!

@Firsttimecaller

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that detailed explanation. That's really helpful. I wondered what happened about the glasses after the OP. I am also 5.25.
I'm in another country and apparently they organize it so you only have 2 weeks between both eyes.
Another problem I have is that I am alone here with no family and no partner. I'll have to call on friends to pick me up from the hospital which is quite a distance away. On the next day I have to go for a check up with my eye doctor who is 1 hour away in the other direction - couldn't get an appointment with anyone nearer and had to go private (but thankfully the operations won't have to be private).
Did you have any problems in day to day life afterwards that I might need to know about and plan for?

I'm glad to help! I was pretty much recovered in the two weeks in terms of lifting etc but I did notice on a very sunny day that when I came into the house colours were extra bright for an hour or so.
Mine was done 90 minutes away from home because my Welsh health board contracts to an English provider over the border. So relying on family & friends as drivers would be standard, I'm sure you'll find someone. I could have arranged free hospital transport (they take a bus load up and down on the day) I'll do that for the second op I think. Do they have anything like that where you are?

I was terrified and almost changed my mind at the door. As I walked into Reception the song on the radio was 'First Cut is the deepest'!!!

I had drops in my eyes, no sedation, no needles and the whole procedure was brilliant. I had one done and then the specialist asked if I wanted to have the other done. I said 'yes' and they all scrubbed up again and new instruments to prevent any infection and I had the second one done.

The result is amazing, no more contact lenses or glasses - fantastic. I would have it done again tomorrow. Drops in for four weeks, driving after three days and I now have excellent sight.

Best thing ever.

There's no hospital transport here. I'll have to get picked up - but only on the OP day. On pre-op day I can get the bus but am not allowed to drive because of the eye drops. I can get to the hospital with one change of bus.
I'll have to go backwards and forwards on the bus (1 hr 20 mins) to the check ups with my own eye doctor.

I was out tonight with friends and there was someone there who had had cataract OPs a couple of years ago so he explained all about it. He was high as a kite on the sedatives apparently. He said that here everyone gets an IV port in the back of the hand (that'll be fun with my needle phobia) - even the people who are going to have it done with just tablet sedation, it's in case they need to administer drugs at any point during the op. He said it was quite nice actually - he can remember chatting to the doctor about something they have in common and then he was away in dreamland on some kind of trip with fancy colours and then he was back in the recovery room.
Second eye was done 10 days later. He couldn't drive for about 4 weeks because he had to wait for the eyes to adjust to get the glasses he needed for driving, so he said to plan for that.

I think I will have to take a few weeks out - I'm self-employed and I need to drive. Don't really know how I can get round it to be honest.

Next step is to go to the GP for a chat about it and take it from there.

@FiveShelties
Thank you!
Such a positive post.

No problem, hope it goes well for you. I had my op around 18 months ago and have met lots of people who have had the same op all with excellent results. No-one I know had sedation or drugs during the procedure or had to wait weeks to drive.

My husband dropped me off at 10.00am and collected me at 1pm and I had dark glasses on as my eyes were very light sensitive, no other problems at all. I was working on my laptop by 3pm the same day. Honestly having my teeth cleaned at the dentists is about 50 times worse than my cataract surgery.

I still find being able to read without glasses is amazing.

Hi, I didn't have an IV port I the back of my hand for just the cataract op. I did have that when my retina detached.
I used to be needle phobic but am okay now, think it helped that the alternative to surgery was to go blind.
I had 2 and half hour surgery when my retina detached, was awake, had injection in eye itself and kept head still throughout. Trust me you absolutely don't want to move your head when having eye surgery. You just automatically keep still.
The cataract surgery was fine, very quick and painless, try not to worry x

I'm in a different country and apparently the IV port is standard practice. It's in case they have to intervene with additional drugs at some point. I didn't think I'd have to have one but this guy told me today and it's also on the info sheet from the hospital I would be going to.

How does the driving thing work if you've had the op and haven't got new glasses yet? Or are you able to see adequately for driving without glasses after the surgery?
I'm a bit confused by that aspect of it.

I don't wear glasses at all, either for driving or reading. I could not have done either before surgery without glasses/lenses.

It all sounds so positive. Thank you all so much.
I was dental phobic too and didn't go for 30 years but 2 years ago I went and it's all turned out really well in the end. I had a thread on it here a while back but under a different username. I now go to the dentist fairly happily every 6 months and I'm not bothered by anything. (She hasn't used a needle on me yet though...)
I'm not going to worry about this. I will chat to the GP. Then I'll contact the eye doctor again and ask her to make the referral and then I go on the waiting list - average of 13 weeks waiting time.

Good luck, I hope you have the same outcome as me - not faffing about with lenses every day is wonderful. I live in NZ so unless you are almost blind with cataracts you have to have the surgery privately. It was worth every penny!

I had mine done . Late 40s. You just had loads of drops to numb the eye. It was fine. Was in and out. Rung hubby afterwards and we went out for lunch. I was obviously wearing my eye and got some funny looks..but I was starving. You will be fine.

Just drive with the glasses you usually use but with only one lens! I've only just ordered my new specs so 5 weeks on I'm still going around with one-lensed specs. New ones ready next week. (And the joy of not paying a fortune for high strength varifocals: new single vision ones are £50 all'in and old ones were £200!) once I've got those I'll send a current pair for reglazing at about £30 for a back up against breakage.