Cataract Surgery

A week before the operation date a pre-operative assessment was carried out which involved checking previous medical history, current medication and a measurement of the eye to calculate the strength of the artificial lens which would be implanted.

When the BIG day arrived we had to be at the eye surgery unit at 7:30 am. To start with I had three lots of eye drops followed three repeat lots at ten minute intervals - all carefully noted on my records by the nurse.

Then a final consultation with the consultant which included confirmation of which eye he was operating on and the marking of the eye with a felt pen 'arrow' above the eye - very reassuring.

There was a volunteer at the unit, a retired nurse I think, who offered to come into the operating theatre with me and to hold my hand during the procedure. I gratefully accepted.

My name was called - first on the list, is that good or bad? - and I clambered on to a trolley and was 'wheeled in'. Too late to back out now.

Firstly, yes more eye drops. Then apparently a clamp to hold my eye open which I couldn't feel. There was a bright light from the microscope and it started. An incision is made in the eye and the lens capsule is cut open. Next, the old lens is broken up ultrasonically and the debris sucked out. The new lens is inserted and I assume the lens capsule was closed. All done. The only thing I felt was a slight pressure on the side of the eye from time to time which I assume was when they were inserting instruments. Amazing.

After a while recovering back in the waiting room we were given more eye drops to take away and we were back home by 10:15 am.

I have antibiotic eye drops and steroid drops four times a day for the first week, steroid drops four times a day for the next week and then steroid drops twice a day for two more weeks. More complicated than the operation!

If anyone has stumbled upon this blog while searching the internet for information about the operation i.e. 'does it hurt' - as I did, I hope this helps...a bit.