Cataract Blindness ?

fed_up_and_stressed

cattermole wrote: »

Yes exactly which is what I originally said about making sure they were properly qualified Eye Surgeons. Not everyone would think to check something with the GMC!!

Absolutely outcomes depend upon many things not just price.

...but you don't need to as in the UK all clinics are licenced and inspected ...

Anyway fed up of stating the obvious now :wall:

I mentioned about lasek FOR ME not making sweeping generalisations about the quality for others.

Glad you had great outcomes for you and Dh Margaretclare I wish you continued good sight and thank you for bringing the thread back on topic . X

mumps

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Sorry for you and your patients, must be frustrating for everyone and its usually the interface, ie, you, opticians and other front line humans who get it in the neck when its totally out of your control. I confess the last time it was that dickensian for ultrasound here in England was the Thatcher era. With this gang in even with an ageing population I've no doubt with the same political DNA we will return to the day when PCTs will need to restrict intervention to (1) only when you can no longer see to drive and (2) we can only afford to treat one eye situation etc, we had last time.

NOTE : Ultrasound works for most of the needs of the public the NHS laser should be for the preserve of that very small % of failed [PCO etc] ultrasound, everyone else who wants a 'rolls royce' priced intervention should exercise their rights to the treatment by emptying their own pocket not the taxpayers pockets.

I don't understand what ultrasound has to do with it? I might just be having a Friday evening moment. Oh interesting, I just looked it up, I didn't realise that was how they removed the cataract.

On the NHS site it says up to 50% of people who have cataract surgery have PCO, is that right? I thought complication rates were low with cataract surgery. Here is the link http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cataract-surgery/Pages/Risks.aspx It does say it can be dealt with in 15 minutes but I was surprised that it was so common.

I am assuming they are "gatekeeping" by not letting people onto the list until things get really bad so that they can say the waiting times are only whatever when if they put people on the list as soon as they know they need the op they would have to admit that it is really alot longer. With an aging population I can only see this getting worse and more people will be driven to pay for private treatment. I will certainly only be paying if this happens, not for the Rolls Royce treatment.

GlasweJen

Everyone we refer direct to the hospital gets ultrasound, "complex" patients go through a different pathway via their GP (we assess, fill out a form and send it to GP who rubber stamps and sends it to the hospital) and they are likely to get laser but as this is only available at Gartnavel in Glasgow (outwith Lanarkshire) it's only people who have underlying problems who have a hope in hell of getting it.

If you push to go through the "complex" pathway and don't qualify for laser according to our "tight as a ducks bottom" health board you get a letter to go back to the optician to be referred through the correct pathway which means the 13 week wait for ultrasound. If you're borderline they are nice enough to punt you sideways onto the correct list.

When my time comes I'm going private and having multifocal lenses put in, if I'm having surgery and losing all of my accommodation anyway then I want to not need glasses at all afterwards.

GlasweJen

50% PCO seems very high, my own experience says about 20% based on people I see in practice but it is fairly common. It's also dealt with really easily.

The most common problem I see is dry eye, no amount of telling people they will have it for life sinks in and I see some people every 2 months who tell me they've finished the drops and still feel dry. Every 2 months I explain they have this for life and I've written to their GP to get the drops put on their repeat prescription and then it repeats. I could bang my head off a wall sometimes.

mumps

GlasweJen wrote: »

50% PCO seems very high, my own experience says about 20% based on people I see in practice but it is fairly common. It's also dealt with really easily.

The most common problem I see is dry eye, no amount of telling people they will have it for life sinks in and I see some people every 2 months who tell me they've finished the drops and still feel dry. Every 2 months I explain they have this for life and I've written to their GP to get the drops put on their repeat prescription and then it repeats. I could bang my head off a wall sometimes.

Hope you don't mind me asking a question. I have dry eyes already, have been using drops for years. Is that likely to be a problem? My doctor won't prescribe drops, he just tells me to buy them, would prescription only ones be better?

If I have to go private I would like the multifocal lenses, I agree if you are having it done it would be nice not to need glasses. I just find it hard to come to terms with spending that much on myself, I have spent 40 years putting my children first and it is a hard habit to break. Maybe I should just go for it.

Thanks for any advice.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Most are ultrasound, and why not .. most are more than excellent outcomes. Laser tends to be used by the NHS for 2nd interventions after unsuccessful ultrasound. Common or garden eye drops are U/S in my view get 'Lumecare' gel if you must get anything its much better, anyone in need of eye lubrication should really see a doctor or optician ref blocked ducts /blepharitis first.

margaretclare

I am not too worried about using reading glasses because they are so much thinner than the glasses I was used to over many years. We both use sun-glasses for driving - I find that the light is much more 'glarey' without them. Just being able to lie in bed and see a distant star is a treat. How many decades was it when I couldn't even see the stars at all? The first thing we ever did in the morning was reach for our glasses by the bedside.

mumps

Thanks for the info. My optician and Dr both agree I have dry eyes but no blepharitis. I will try the warm compress, I have been doing the opposite and having a cold flannel on my eyes as they often feel hot but maybe that wasn't such a good idea?

I normally get my eyes tested and glasses from Spec Saver but like my doctor I have just been advised to buy drops. I will have a try to get a prescription, I am due a test soon.

Relieved that it shouldn't be a problem with surgery.

mumps

margaretclare wrote: »

I am not too worried about using reading glasses because they are so much thinner than the glasses I was used to over many years. We both use sun-glasses for driving - I find that the light is much more 'glarey' without them. Just being able to lie in bed and see a distant star is a treat. How many decades was it when I couldn't even see the stars at all? The first thing we ever did in the morning was reach for our glasses by the bedside.

I'm not really bothered about reading glasses but I just feel that if I have to pay for the op I might as well have the bells and whistles.

margaretclare

mumps wrote: »

I'm not really bothered about reading glasses but I just feel that if I have to pay for the op I might as well have the bells and whistles.

I agree. I didn't know at the time that this was even possible.