Cataract operation
I’ve been told by an optometrist last month that I need a cataract removed. I was hoping it would be done under general anaesthetic but was told my doctor will try very hard to talk you out of it. So it looks likely I’ll be awake during the procedure, (perhaps age is a factor, I’m 76).
I would like to hear from anyone who has had the op – were you awake or not. I live in NSW, perhaps different states have different rules.
I'm a devout coward and shake like a leaf whenever I go to the dentist and the thought of being awake for this procedure scares me to death. If I have to be awake, I'll need to get some valium from somewhere.
Toot I was the same as you -- but I had to have my cataracts done and so went and did the 1st one, after putting it off for years --I was nervous as I hate anyone doing anything to my eyes or teeth, like you --yet I can bear other things with no trouble.
Honestly, it was no trouble at all I never felt a thing and I have 20/20 vision in my long sight now and am having the left eye done this month.
Let us know how you went and try not to worry
But were you awake or out of is PB
Toot - I'm a big scaredy cat as well. Have had 3 major surgeries in the last 10 years but shake like a leaf when it comes to seeing the Dentist. I think it stems from when I was a little girl and had to have a tooth pulled when I was 12. I too will need Cataract surgery by the end of the year and both my sisters have had both eyes done. They said they were not put to sleep and although you can hear people talking felt nothing. So chin up and face your demons.
Will try Hola, when I was about 12, the brute of a dentist my parents sent me to pulled a tooth with an abscess, I was a tough little kid but boy did it hurt the memory is still there, tucked away in my brain. He didn't believe in giving needles either and hit the nerve every time. I noticed lately with my current dentist that he will try to convince me to go without a needle but I never do, trouble is it costs a fortune. Vets and dentists charge like a wounded bulls.
No toot, I was wide awake and talking to the Dr. never felt a thing
Maybe they will give you a bit of a relaxant if you ask, why not ring them and ask.
I had cataracts removed in both eyes over the last 10 years. The procedure is simple and I felt no discomfort during the op. You are given a gentle sedative to keep you calm and awake so the surgeon can talk to you and reassure you. I now have 20/20 vision in both eyes. Just make sure you take good care of your eyes and get them checked regularly with your Ophthalmologist who performed the surgery.
I am now 70, fit, eat good healthy food, and meditate every day which helps me to heal my body and soul.
Toots, don't be concerned. I.m a 74 yr old male and a typical male coward when it comes to most medicals.
I had cataract and glaucoma surgery simultaneously on both eyes and I was awake. The first eye was done by a trainee under supervision. I heard the surgeon giving instructions. There was a little bit of pain with the first surgery, such as I felt the new lens being inserted but my reflex response was monitored and my anaesthetic (local) was used. I told my specialist I did not want a trainee for the 2nd surbery so he did that himself. It was brilliant. My glaucoma is well under control with pressures in single digits, there is no really noticeable change in my vision, the specialist says it is 20/20. The big improvement is no more dry eye pain.
Just make sure, post op, you follow the surgeons advice, to the letter. If in doubt get it in writing.
Toot sounds like we went to the same Dentist. Mine was in Granville. I must admit the last time I went to a Dentist - 2 years ago now, he was so gentle and I think the needles are so much more thinner, I never felt a thing, the only thing that hurt was the bill as I had to have a root canal done and a cap plus x-rays. I was numb for a week. I am lucky though as I still have all of my teeth less 3., and I'm 77.
You lucky thing Hola, wish I had all mine.
I had one done 2 weeks ago. I asked if I could have Valium & was told NO! However I was given an IV relaxant plus the deadening drops & then a needle which I didn't feel. So far so good.
Many people told me that it is all a breeze & will be no trouble. BUT they are not ME with a very weak other eye (since childhood). So it was impossible for me to read anything or see close up without giddyness & strain etc. So partly solved by strongest cheap chemist glasses until I can get a new prescription in 5 weeks. They sit on the end of my nose so people are a bit amused!
Thanks Polly, most helpful.
I had cataracts removed from both eyes, nurse injected me with a sedative, felt just pressure. After a year my eyes are still sore, i got second opinions and after many different eye drops my eyes are still sore. They are not red, nor do they water. Some of the eye drops made my eyes extremaly worse. I was diagnosed with blocked oil ducts, so now I only use hot pads on my eyes, wear dark glasses and they are not as sore, but not perfect.
Public or private Jan?
Jan, get your GP to refer you back to the specialist. Sounds like you have dry eye or you may be picking up infections from the environment. I tend to pick up infections after gardening (weeding). Hot compresses really help I also use a lubricant gel prescribed by my specialist. It's great. Don't buy over the counter products and don't self-diagnose. Your specialist knows best.
As for the dark glasses, yes, me too. My eyes are sensitive to light and with large windows facing east and north in my lounge, I often sit watching TV wearing sunglasses. Not an issue worth worrying about.
So how much was the cataract surgery for one eye...without medical benefits? Is there a pensioner concession?
If you are a pensioner and go on the waiting list, it is free.
I had one eye done 4 weeks ago. Not a problem at all as a sedative is given and local is given in the eye, Did not feel a thing and now waiting for the other eye to be done.
Both eyes were free. I am a pensioner and had a GP referral to Launceston Eye Hospital. I was a public patient.
there was no wait time for me, I guess because of the glaucoma component. Pressures in both eyes were very high.
Follow up visits have been free but again I think that is because of the glaucoma. I had my left eye surgery in Oct 2019 and the right eye Easter 2020. I went from checkups several weeks apart to monthly, 3 monthly and now 4 monthly.
Along the way I have picked up a few infections, rung the Eye Hosp. and visits were free of charge.
Altogether, I am extremely satisfied.
I should mention: as a public patient, I had no choice on the cataract lens. As a private patient I would have been given a better quality lens which would likely have removed the need for reading glases
I had a general anaesthetic with my first cataract removal but that was because I was having a corneal graft too. My second graft after 52 years with the first one!!
I'll be needing a cataract op on my other eye before too long so I am finding the above comments very useful.. thank you!
I find them helpful too Gammer, but hoping there will be others who will give their personal experience of something that will eventually affect us all, that and hearing loss, another curse of the elderly.
My specialist was happy for me to have mine done under general anaesthetic. Very very myopic with tears at the back of the eye having been previously mended with laser. She knew how 'reactive' I was even when trying ever so hard to stay still. She did one under general and said I should be fine afterward. Instead I had persistant double vision and had to have the second eye done 6 weeks later to try and correct that problem (it would not have been operated on for a few years otherwise). I miss seeing things close up (was still able to thread needles close to my eyes previous. see skin of grnadchildren's cheeks close up. Now that is all gone, but I can see the other side of my bedroom at night etc which had never been the case - just a blurry mess. So I think I now have 'normal' older person eyesight... So advantages / disadvantages). Both ops under general anaethetic as I dont think she trusted me to sit still... Still light senstive, still more 'floaties' whirling across my sight ( a nuisance when working on computer on ms etc) - still need glasses due to astigmatism. And the radiating lines from lights etc are returning almost to where they were 5 eyars ago when I got surgery done. Message: Protect your 'new' eyes from sunshibe - they deteriorate faster than your original natural lenses. Wear granny sunglasses - ie cover at top and sides. My children hate them and say they make me look blind but they really are the only was to see properly - even with new lenses... I read later that they even have lenses now with clear and far sight ... that would be a wonder indeed. Enjoy your better sight after surgery.
I was about 65 when had the surgery. They dont like to use general aneasthetic if they can avoid it, as anaesthetic risk generally increases with age. Chat frankly with your surgeon about risk / fear etc.
Hi Toot re cataract surgery. I had cataract surgery recently on both eyes a month apart No general aneasthetic but given an intravenous sedative which is normal no eye surgery is ever done without ( I am a retired theatre nurse.) You feel NOTHING totally relaxed can speak to surgeon. It was a totalpain free relaxed experience happily went along for my second surgery . The outcome is amazing first time since I was 4yrs old do not need glasses & can see long distance brilliantly.
Please go ahead do not be nervous public & private patients have same experience. Do not worry .
Many thanks for this post littlejen, I have taken your advice on board.
Hello Toot, I too have the same experience as littlejen with regard to my cataract surgery. Had the first done September 22nd. last year and second one 2 weeks later on October 9th. Everything is explained a number of times during the lead up and in the theatre. Best of luck and please do let us all know how well you are seeing the world after your surgery. Yvonne
Thanks Yvonne, It all started when I got a letter for my licence renewal, 5 year licences seem to roll around very quickly. I had to have my doctor sign off on it and she wouldn't because I couldn't read the eye chart. That's when the cataract was found. It's not super urgent because I still drive everywhere, but now I have to wear glasses for long vision, it's on my new 5 year licence. Apparently I have to undergo a driving test when I turn 80. Yuk!
Hi Toot.
My husband is still up and running with Leukemia in remission at the moment but he doesn't go out unless I drive, he has had two operations on his eyes, but they do, with some people need more surgery! There is a film that builds up behind the lens in some people. Why I don't know if it has something to do with his weakness perhaps it has not been explained, but two weeks ago I to drive him to the surgeon again. He told me he would be an hour, so I went away and phoned him 40 minutes later to see if he was ready to be collected. He said the surgeon put the drops into the eye, left it for a few moments then came back and did another lazer at the back of the lens, and he had been waiting for me for 25 minutes it was that quick. I had not heard of that before [the second time]. He just gets on and has things done I am not that relaxed! I am not looking forward to having mine done when the time comes! He refuses to have injections on dental procedures but when the time came for a root canal the dentist refused! LOL he had to have them.
Thanks Celia, your hubby sounds like a very brave man. Are you going to have the jab that's offered?
Toot I had the flu jab on Friday, yesterday I felt I had a mild feeling of flu.
The Astra Zeneca jab is booked in for end of May. However, after what we have been hearing this week I think I will play it by ear, a lot can be discovered between now and the end of May.
My cousin in the UK had his Pfizer injection about six weeks ago, no reaction yet!
His wife has a sensitivity to things like me, she had the Astra Zeneca and has been having issues with high blood pressure ever since, with two trips to the hospital. Doctors do not know what has caused it as she has not had this issue prior to that injection.
My trip in the abulance a few weeks ago was because of some infection which put my bp through the roof! I could not drive myself so my husband called the ambulance. I cannot blame that on any injection! LOL
But I have to have a Prolia injection for my bones at the begining of June, that is a big injection I feel and I need to give the two injections a time gap.
[Denosumab is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis, treatment-induced bone loss, metastases to bone, and giant cell tumor of bone. Denosumab is contraindicated in people with low blood calcium levels. The most common side effects are joint and muscle pain in the arms or legs.]
I'm a devout coward and shake like a leaf whenever I go to the dentist and the thought of being awake for this procedure scares me to death. If I have to be awake, I'll need to get some valium from somewhere.