Cataract op getting closer - I can't sleep

[Mamalicious16]

I'm so scared. Spoke to someone earlier today , her friend works in a hospital and will happily visit any operating theatre if required ( unsure as to what the role is ) but will not visit the ones if she knows an eye operation is taking place. It's 3am and I've not slept a wink. Help!!

My dad was in and out in 20 minutes. No pain, slightly 'weird' sensation, and amazing improvement in his eyesight.

MIL, FIL and aunt said the same. It sounds so much worse than it is.

My mum had the procedure done about 6 years ago. The very next day she woke me up to tell me she could read the time on the clock on the oven from down the hall. She was gobsmacked.

OP, the procedure is quick and very routine. 🩷

Anyone else have recent personal experience of having it done in their 50's? I posted a few weeks ago and got some replies then but am getting more anxious ( ok bloody terrified) as the dates getting even closer ( before Christmas)

What HeadyLamarr says about the procedure is absolutely true. It doesn't hurt at all, there is only a slight pressure feeling. I sat up on the trolley when they wheeled me out of theatre and I could not.believe how bright and colourful the world suddenly was now the cataracts were gone. You don't realise how they affect your vision until they don't any more.
They send you home with a bottle of eye drops and that's it. All over. And everything so much clearer.
Don"t be afraid, mamalicious. It's going to be fine.

My mum had it in her 80’s. It was very quick and she didn’t feel a thing. She went home wearing a patch and needed eyedrops but felt no pain at all. I work in healthcare, have worked in eye wards and have heard the same from so many other people.
My mum thought it was absolutely amazing that she could see the colour of flowers again and she loves gardening.
Try not to worry. You will be absolutely fine. Try, instead to focus on the positive change you will experience.

The person who told you they would never work where eyes are being done obviously has a “thing” about eyes. Just like some people have a “thing” about feet !

I know. It's just I know the operating theatre will stress me out it's the lights the metal instruments on the trolley the gowns the masks the smells the injections and having something force my eye open AND having to state at a Uber bright light. The time is the least of my worries . It's in less than 2 weeks time and I'm thinking whether to get referred to the hospital and have a GA even if it takes longer.

I'm also told that I'll have to go back after about 6 weeks when the lens goes cloudy. And THEN, I'll probably need the other one doing next year! I don't know what's worse the unknown or the known
It's nearly 6am so time to get up soon and I've not slept at all.

Maybe see your GP and explain this is causing you anxiety and sleep issues.
You might also be able to get a mild sedative like diazepam for on the day of op but it would have to be prescribed by the surgeon.

Can you contact your surgical team / nurse ?

I’m so sorry you feel so anxious about it. I’ve just been through an awful experience and I honestly think the lead up to it is the worst. I think you need to just get it over and done with. If you rearrange for a general you’ll have to wait longer. You will be fine. Can you wear ear plugs to help soften the sounds? You will be so relieved when it’s done. Look after yourself. It’s ok to be anxious but you can do this x

I’m sure they can give you something to make you calmer, OP.
A friend’s husband had lens replacement recently, not for cataract just vision correction, he’s in his 50s and absolutely delighted. I’m considering it for the same reason as my eyes are getting really tricky to correct with contacts/glasses.
You’ll be over it in no time!

Hi there

I'm in my 50's and waiting for cataract ops for both eyes and whilst I've had quite a few ops over the years, am quite squeamish about eyes, so also pretty nervous about it.

My plan is to be very honest with the surgical team, explain I am anxious about eye operations in particular and to ask for sedation. I know I take sedation well, in that it tends to knock me out, so am hoping it will do the trick and I won't know much about it!

Just explain to them that you are very anxious and please can you have sedation - it won't be a problem and fingers crossed you can drift off a bit while it's being done.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

In our hospital cataracts are done in the eye department, not an operating theatre. Good luck, it’s over really quick and results are instant in most cases. I took my father in law, he had both done at same time, 30 minutes later we were having lunch.

I had mine done at 45. I was nervous, but as many have said it was a breeze. It's been over 20 years and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to.

So im in my 50s and had a vitrectomy this month-not the same but more invasive. Was honestly fine and I was very apprehensive. 4 other people on the ward waiting for cateracts inc one who was prob in her 90s and was fine coming out. You walk in and they have comfy chairs to wait in and noone allowed with you. Then they do some blood presssure height and weight and you wait your turn-they also write a massive arrow on your face pointing to the eyento be operated on!

You get a gown to put over your clothes and a hair net/cap thing.you get a pellet in yoyr eye for cataracts-not sure what this was but no one reacted adveresly to it or seemed to find it painful. Then you go to theatre and have numbing drops and an injection of anaesthtic, which is weird but doesnt hurt. You have a finger pulse thing on. Op is v quick apparently. I had someone to hold my hand-think its a thing for everyone as i had it last time too and certainly didnt ask for it!

Everyone walked out after about and hour and having had a cup of tea and a biscuit! Sounds mad as it's something you worry about for ages but it's really so common and not dramatic at all. Good luck!

(Also no pain after at all for me. My dad had the cataracts op and the same for him.

I have had three eye ops in the last 2 years ( I am mid 50s) . One was a stand alone cataract op and I had the other eye done at the time of a more complex procedure.
Me saying ‘you’ll be fine - it’s a painless breeze’ won’t be helpful I know. Agree with the others about the environment - it’s very relaxed; sitting in comfy chairs, radio on in theatre etc. is it possible for you to visit the area before so you know what to expect? I can reassure you that you won’t feel any pain. Happy to answer specific questions.

It's being done in a hospital but by a company contracted by the NHS. New ( something ) - I know what it is 8 just can't think straight or ironically see straight. Think if I manage to get a decent sleep tonight I'll feel less ( even if only a tiny bit less ) anxious tomorrow.is the sedative in addition to or instead of any eg Diazepam I may be able to get from a GP and is is there a certain one / strength

####Update####

Had op nearly two weeks ago, and, even with diazepam it was bad. So bad , the surgeon recommended GA for the other eye - am sure my experience was 1 out of thousands that went well. I still miss type , I still feel like I need to rub my eye ( as I did before) 8 times out of ten my eye sight IS better out of that eye. But I have palpitations even thinking about doing it all over again.

Nb a question for others who've had it done. Did you get given an eye patch? I didn't, just 2 x drops to put in 3 X daily for 4 weeks .