cataract surgery

I had cataracts removed from both eyes. The first cateract surgery was in May and the second in August. Both on the NHS. I was only diagnosed in March so there was very little wait. I am very pleased with the results. Although my distance vision is now fine my near sight has worsened, although it is not really a problem. I believe if cateracts are done privately a more flexible lens is inserted and reading glasses may not be necessary but I'm not sure . Distance should be fine whether operated on privately or by the NHS.

I am in the North West, Truman. I don't know if waiting times are longer in other areas.

I went privately because although my experience of my father having NHS cataract surgery was excellent, he lived in another part of the country.

However after several people I know had very poor experiences at my local hospital I decided to go privately. I am/was very short-sighted and the surgeon discussed all the options. They can now fit prescription lens, and while I couldn't be brought up to 20/20, Instead ofbeing -8.5 and -5.5 I am now approximately -2.0 in each eye and he was able to manipulate the prescription so that I could choose between using glasses for driving or glasses for reading. I opted for glasses for driving and distance and as a result, most of the time I do not wear glasses. After over 50 years of glasses this is wonderful.

Since I had my eyes done I understand you can also get varifocal lens.

I went private with optical express in January this year . I had lense replacement . I wore vari focals for years . I was told after my 2 month check up that I now have 20/20 vision . It cost me £6000 in total for both eyes to be treated. I can read the tiniest of writing & my distance is now perfect . Yes I believe going private is best because nhs will only treat you for cataracts not eye corrections where as private give you optical lenses for cataracts to correct your vision too

My DH had both done this year. In our area, he was able to have them done on the NHS but in a local private hospital. It was excellent from start to finish. He has had no problems. It is worth asking if this is possible in your area.

It depends entirely on who does the surgery. There is no guarantee in the NHS that the consultant will do the surgery. If you are having it done privately I would research the surgeon.

It is not something I would rush into having done because as always things can go wrong.

The problem is that ataracts limit your vision. Eachc of mine were making driving and reading difficult. So that dictaated when I had them done.

My surgeon's mantra was, when they start causing you problems, you get them done.

Of course things can go wrong. Name me anything in life that cannot go wrong, but the probability is not high. I had to have laser treatment a few months after each op, but that is more to do with how my eyes responded to the operation, than how the operation was conducted.

The problem is that ataracts limit your vision. Eachc of mine were making driving and reading difficult. So that dictaated when I had them done.

My surgeon's mantra was, when they start causing you problems, you get them done.

Of course things can go wrong. Name me anything in life that cannot go wrong, but the probability is not high. I had to have laser treatment a few months after each op, but that is more to do with how my eyes responded to the operation, than how the operation was conducted.

Monica My prescription is very similar to yours. I wear varifocals for reading and distance. My choice for new lenses would be to have distance vision be restored to as good as it can be, and just carry a pair of reading glasses with me. This would mean for most of the time I could walk about without glasses and drive without feeling I was partially blind. I am curious as to why you chose to have it the other way round.

Vanity. It means that on an ordinary everyday basis I can walk round without glasses on. I only need to wear them when I need distance vision: driving watching tv/cinema etc and in supermarkets.

My SIL went private as the NHS said her cataracts weren't bad enough to operate but she felt she could no longer drive or read or sew. She was also able to have her short sight corrected so no longer needs glasses.
Mine are now bad enough to make reading difficult and they do affect watching TV. If I was a driver I definitely would not be able to drive. I don't feel desperate enough to pay that much for private, but things could change. I'm due another eye test soon (and my migraines are getting worse again) so I may get referred then.

Does anyone else suffer from migraines caused by the glare caused by cataracts? This is what could make me consider going private.

Has anyone had varifocal lenses inserted when they have had their cataracts done?

Millions of cataract operations are done successfully every year. I had my only useable eye done a year ago, under GA because I was so anxious.
My implanted lens was not centred and after five months of terribly distorted sight I needed another operation to replace it.
I still need two pairs of glasses - varifocals and reading ones. I still can’t bear sunlight.
I’ve never heard of anyone else having my problems so NHS treatment is almost always excellent.

Varifocal lens have only been introduced quite recently, so not many people will have experience of them.

I had mine done on the NHS. The consultant (who also did both operations) explained well and listened. I had used contact lenses for many years and, aided by the fact I have a slightly lazy eye, used one eye for reading and one for distance. The operation managed to replicate this arrangement with the prescription of the implants. I now only wear glasses for driving and cinema/ theatre. Not for everyone but it worked for me!

I had both eyes done privately in Aug 2020 and had multifocal lens fitted at a cost of £6,000. I longer need glasses at all. One of my main reasons for having it done was being able to drive with confidence at night. The surgeon told me I needed to practice driving in the dark after the operation and acclimatise my brain to get used to the bright lights coming towards me at night. Of course we went into lock down so I never really practiced sufficiently, so this year now we are back into dark nights I need to start practising again. I glad I had the op as the freedom of not wearing glasses again is a real plus also I hadn't realised I had cataracts forming on both eyes so this was also pre-empted.

As someone who had really bad sight, cataracts are one of the best things that ever happened to me.

After 50 years of my first action every morning being to reach for my specs and my invariable answer to those if the house is on fire what is the one thing you would grab questions, being 'My glasses, so that I can see to get out'. it has opened a whole new world of answers.

DS is -10 in both eyes and I am constantly suggesting that he develop cataracts so that he too can see where he is going without bottle glass specs.

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I have a cataract in one eye only. It is not bad enough to have it done by the NHS and fortunately I do not have a problem with paying privately. My optician has suggested it might be a good idea to get it done because it is affecting how my good eye works. I know he is right BUT I'm terrified. I'm not a squeamish person in the slightest except when it comes to eyes. I also understand that it is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the world. So, do I have anything to be terrified off? I suppose it is the anaesthesia that I am worried about. I would love to hear the views of Gransnetters who have had it done.

I am technically blind in my left eye and my right eye is 13.5 so not good at all. I am on the list to have cataract surgery I imagine they will only do the right eye but I’m not sure yet.. there is absolutely no way I could afford to go private

Yangtse1007 Nothing to worry about at all. You are not aneathetised. Just local anaeasthetic and posssible mild sedation.

My father had the operation when he was about 90. He had the operation at 11.30. By 1.00 we were in his favourite restaurant enjoying lunch and we spent the afternoon walking the local countryside.

Yes, I had an eye done on each (privately & NHS ). This was some years ago and they were a few years apart. I can honestly say that (for me) there was nothing in it between them, other than (at that time) having your own room at the private hospital - though I'm not sure this happens nowadays. (This was day surgery so one's own room not really an issue.) I had the private option simply because of long NHS waiting lists at that time. I would definitely opt for an NHS cataract operation if doing this again, and it was available.