Cataracts \ Eye Surgery

[ChrisJ]

Had my second eye done a month ago, and the follow-up opticians appointment this week.

20/20 vision, not need for glasses except for reading. PC is fine. Can play sport without them, so all is good.

However, I did find out the there is a replacement lens that will fix both short and long distance vision, but this was told to me 5 minutes before the 2nd operation, after being prepped for it, and that it isn't available on the NHS - so no choice. I'm not sure if I'd have selected this if I'd known about it before, but would have liked to have been informed that this was an option - along with the choice of going private for it.

@Sparky hates me - he's already told me so

 

[Sparky]

Sure do.  My right eye remains blurry, and things seem to have changed as my expensive varifocals can no longer correct it as well as they did.  Most disappointing!  Seeing my surgeon for a follow-up in April; let's see what can be done ..

[exeterjeep]

Wife had both eyes done privately a couple of months ago, operation performed by the consultant who oversees the team at the local NHS hospital. She also knew one of the other members of his team. The consultant even gives her his mobile phone number in case she has any queries/problems, he does drive a Porsche (not a very new one though).Was still waiting for her NHS appointment, and was thinking it could be over a year wait. By which time she may have had to stop driving.

 

[ChrisJ]

@jep - I was told by the NHS hospital that did my annual eye scan that there would be an 18 month to 2 year wait for mine to be done, so started to investigate going private. However the place I was referred to by Vision Express - CHEC (Community Health & Eyecare) - did my first one within 3 months.

The only downside for me was that I didn't find out that there is a lens that will correct both short & long vision until after I'd had my first eye done - but only available privately. I'd have liked to have known this before surgery, and so as to have had a choice. When I heard this, I thought oh bugger, I'd have liked that, but now I am not sure which route I'd have chosen - I'm typing this without glasses, but I need reading glasses for a book.

[exeterjeep]

As you say NHS just restore your vision but not correct the short sight etc, at our first appointment he explained the difference, so for a small (relatively) amount extra she should not need glasses for 15 years or so. She gets the cheap reading glasses from ebay/local shops. So she has saved the costs of getting new prescription pairs every couple of years, that would have totalled up more than the extra operation cost.

It is taking a long time for me to get used to her not wearing glasses as she has had them since before I knew her, around 50 years....

She went in around 9:15 and came out 2 hours later, with both being done, had to drive her home, but it was not long until she could see so much better than before. And was driving again less than a week later after her check up - again with the consultant not an assistant.

Would have thought that as you have had one done 1 way then the other would be done in the same way, otherwise the brain might find things confusing?

[Bibs]

The brain adapts very quickly and well to optical changes. Different vision in different eyes takes a short time to adapt to. 

As with all lenses, the back of the eyes sees an upside down image that our brain corrects very shortly after birth, babies see upside down for a short time! If you wore some very weird glasses which flipped everything upside down, in a few days your brain would flip it back the right way around for you! 

[Chillidoggy]

Or, if you want to duplicate the effect, you could just go down the pub with Bibs.

[Sparky]

No, that only adjusts by 90 degrees.