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Original poster

Cataracts at 55!

62 replies

Mamalicious16 · 29/10/2025 22:00

Went for eye test 4 months ago. Slight cataract in one eye. No impact on vision so no issues. 4 months later cataract has grown so much I have been referred for an operation to remove it and put another lens in. Also other cateract is growing . I'm concerned it's grown so fast. Is this something to worry about. I know I should have asked this at the appointment but was a bit shellshocked by the op needed and I've asked for a callback but he's not in for the rest of the week
Anyone else had similar
I'm.voncerned about the rate it's growing.........

OP posts:
Original poster
Mamalicious16 · 31/12/2025 10:10

Same surgeon. Person went in 10 minutes after me.

OP posts:
bruffin · 31/12/2025 10:20

Mamalicious16 · 29/10/2025 22:49

Thanks for the reply. I'm going in a couple of weeks to have a consultation and drops put in ( I can't drive afterwards) and there is a waiting list of 14 weeks .......

in our area if you go through optician rather than gp but still NHS, there is no waiting list. DH got a referal to satelite Moorfields within a week and they offerred to do the operation on monday! which was too quick, so he had it done the next week.
He needs the other one done at some time, but not ready yet.
They also improved the sight in that eye as he is -8 normally, now -4. They could have gone for perfect sight but felt it was too much of a jump. His biggest problem was waiting to get new glasses for the adjustment.

mamagogo1 · 31/12/2025 10:21

If anyone is close enough, highly recommend new medica Bristol, really quick (4 weeks nhs) amazing staff and dh needed no drugs at all (not sure why diazepam was suggested) just local anesthetic

Laska2Meryls · 31/12/2025 10:34

Also highly recommend New Medica at Whiteley ( near Southampton). I have had two private surgeries there this year ( one was for detached retina and severe floaters - they also put in a new lens, and the other just for a cataract) .They were fantastic, brilliant caring staff and such a contrast to my local NHS opthalmology unit, (who basically said , just live with it .. )
Recovery for the first was about 8 weeks ( though I could see after a week) the 2nd - just cataract - a couple of days ( though drops for 4 weeks) . Eyesight now brilliant. Now only use off the shelf readers but only 2.0 which is fantastic.. I was swimming again after 6 weeks ..

Spidey66 · 01/01/2026 12:53

bruffin · 31/12/2025 10:20

in our area if you go through optician rather than gp but still NHS, there is no waiting list. DH got a referal to satelite Moorfields within a week and they offerred to do the operation on monday! which was too quick, so he had it done the next week.
He needs the other one done at some time, but not ready yet.
They also improved the sight in that eye as he is -8 normally, now -4. They could have gone for perfect sight but felt it was too much of a jump. His biggest problem was waiting to get new glasses for the adjustment.

Show quote history

My optician at the time told me the GP had to make the referral. I was seen in a Moorfields satellite to and was delighted with the standard of care.

bruffin · 01/01/2026 13:25

Spidey66 · 01/01/2026 12:53

My optician at the time told me the GP had to make the referral. I was seen in a Moorfields satellite to and was delighted with the standard of care.

Show quote history

This was July this year so a new scheme

justasking111 · 01/01/2026 13:57

DH was referred by the opticians. My eyesight went from +3.5 to -.5. Which was quite an adjustment.

Hollyhobbi · 01/01/2026 14:25

I had cataracts in both eyes done before I was 50. My mum was around the same age. The difference is great. The only problem I had was that about a year later I thought they were growing back in both eyes! Turned out it was my immune system attacking the new lens. The surgeon said it was because I was relatively young! He sorted it out with a few seconds of laser work. He’s a bit of what we call a plamaser though. And a complete genius as he studied medicine and law at the same time as an undergraduate! And it’s hard enough to study one of those disciplines at a time in Ireland.

Hamiltonfan · 01/01/2026 14:25

I had my cataracts removed at 48 x

LittleStranger · 25/01/2026 23:34

Good to read all the experiences on this thread. @Hamiltonfan I am also late forties and just been referred for surgery on both eyes. Any tips or advice? Am nervous, but also excited about the chance to improve my severe myopia.

I don't know how much they will want to improve my prescription. My optometrist thinks best to leave some short-sight to make close work and reading easier, which sounds sensible.

Severe · 26/01/2026 10:20

@LittleStranger I got mine done mid-forties a couple of years ago. It's been a life-changer. I had lived all my life with prescriptions of -11 and -13. I still haven't got over the novelty of not needing glasses when I get up.

After discussion with my surgeon, I decided to leave one eye slightly short-sighted. It's not short-sighted enough to read comfortably (but I can make out eg a short text message on my phone), but I didn't want to go too short because I'd never had the chance to try out proper monovision (one eye short, one eye distance) when my eyesight was still good so didn't know if my brain would cope. My DM hadn't coped well and got headaches when she tried it with contacts.

I definitely have reading glasses dotted about everywhere now, but I was already going that way before the cataracts, so it wasn't too much of a shock. It just means I now have great vision for distance, so I'm a lot better off than a lot of friends my age who still need distance correction but now are starting to need reading glasses.

tillytoodles1 · 26/01/2026 11:55

I had mine done last week. Absolutely fine, no pain at all, just drops four times a day and wearing a eye shield to stop me touching it accidentally.

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