Cataract Blindness ?

GlasweJen

I work for Specsavers so I know there's a good chance your regular opticians will have a prescriber in the practice as it's very much encouraged for us to do courses and career development. Ask next time your in if there's an optician who can write prescriptions and ask if they will look at your dry eyes for you.

If you're really dry and go through the drops with no success and the dryness starts to affect your cornea you could get referred to the hospital of go private to have plugs put into your eyes. It's just a local anaesthetic drop and the process is over in minutes but really helps stop tears draining away. Only problem is it can cause streaming so it's held for very dry eyes only.

mumps

GlasweJen wrote: »

I work for Specsavers so I know there's a good chance your regular opticians will have a prescriber in the practice as it's very much encouraged for us to do courses and career development. Ask next time your in if there's an optician who can write prescriptions and ask if they will look at your dry eyes for you.

If you're really dry and go through the drops with no success and the dryness starts to affect your cornea you could get referred to the hospital of go private to have plugs put into your eyes. It's just a local anaesthetic drop and the process is over in minutes but really helps stop tears draining away. Only problem is it can cause streaming so it's held for very dry eyes only.

Thanks for all the advice. I tried the hot compress last night and this morning and I think it did help. It was very soothing and certainly made me more comfortable, I had a great nights sleep.

I have had this problem for over 20 years. I was originally living in a different part of the country and got prescriptions without a problem. Since I moved it just hasn't happened. I think it has got worse over the years but it is hard to be sure. I don't mind paying if I can get something as good as on prescription. I have an underactive thyroid so have had free prescriptions for years so I feel I have had good value and don't mind paying.

Bradfield

From Wales

In December 2011 I went to local opticians for an eye test and was told there were cataracts in both eyes. I was referred to the local eye hospital and after a wait of eight months I had cataract surgery on the right eye.

Initially I was told both eyes would be done but was discharged after just the one. There had been huge cuts reported in hospital budgets and I imagine that is the reason why.

About a year later the vision in my right eye (which had the new lens) was deteriorating and I went back to opticians for an eye test. The optician referred me back to the eye hospital with a recommendation that I be seen urgently within a couple of weeks.

Two months later I received a letter from the hospital to say that I had been placed on the waiting list and would be seen in 40 weeks time.

Following a re-referral from my GP the hospital examined me a couple of weeks ago and diagnosed posterior capsule opacity. This will be corrected with laser treatment and hopefully my vision restored to normal in that eye.

For anyone seeking advice on cataract treatment I think it is important to make a few points. First of there appears to be a great deal of regional variation in the treatment offered for patients. A post-code lottery if you like. You may be lucky and get seen very quickly but there are a lot of people who are put on waiting lists for a very long time.

The criteria used may also vary. No one asked me how my reduced vision affected my quality of life.I formed the impression that the issue was decided solely by clinical criteria.

Also, I don’t think it is possible to generalize from particular cases. Some people have found it very difficult to cope with only one eye treated. In my own case I found it not to be a problem.

The over-riding feeling I get is that the NHS is under immense strain in some areas and the hard-working staff are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the demand. The tendency is to put people on long waiting lists and hope that they do not complain.

Richie-from-the-Boro

The People's Republic of Wales is a dismal 'bottom of the tub' for NHS in general and waiting times in the particular, along with other 'taffia' supplied services. Not so much a post code lottery but a 'localism' choice as is the case with Jens country mentioned in an earlier # post. In June last year patients in some areas of your country, particularly your northern area - Bangor were waiting 25% and 50% past their target date.

So not so much a post-code national lottery but a decision taken by your government #65 and Jen's government #32 contrasted with my government. Its wrong, it should be a level playing field, but it isn't, but it isn't merely a post-code issue its a series of choices made by those who govern the three countries.

Bradfield

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

The People's Republic of Wales is a dismal 'bottom of the tub' for NHS in general and waiting times in the particular, along with other 'taffia' supplied services. Not so much a post code lottery but a 'localism' choice as is the case with Jens country mentioned in an earlier # post. In June last year patients in some areas of your country, particularly your northern area - Bangor were waiting 25% and 50% past their target date.

So not so much a post-code national lottery but a decision taken by your government #65 and Jen's government #32 contrasted with my government. Its wrong, it should be a level playing field, but it isn't, but it isn't merely a post-code issue its a series of choices made by those who govern the three countries.

Yes, it is a political issue. You have to feel for the staff of the NHS here who have to deal with huge demand and have not the resources to meet that demand.

mumps

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

The People's Republic of Wales is a dismal 'bottom of the tub' for NHS in general and waiting times in the particular, along with other 'taffia' supplied services. Not so much a post code lottery but a 'localism' choice as is the case with Jens country mentioned in an earlier # post. In June last year patients in some areas of your country, particularly your northern area - Bangor were waiting 25% and 50% past their target date.

So not so much a post-code national lottery but a decision taken by your government #65 and Jen's government #32 contrasted with my government. Its wrong, it should be a level playing field, but it isn't, but it isn't merely a post-code issue its a series of choices made by those who govern the three countries.

Well I am in England and can't get on the waiting list and it is 4 months plus when they agree to add you, some people saying they got treated in 6 weeks I think you quoted so there is a postcode lottery in England from where I am standing.

Richie-from-the-Boro

mumps wrote: »

Well I am in England and can't get on the waiting list and it is 4 months plus when they agree to add you, some people saying they got treated in 6 weeks I think you quoted so there is a postcode lottery in England from where I am standing.

from where I am standing

- I asked you which county you lived in, you posted, then edited out the county so we have no way of checking real facts against your stated opinion
- I and most of the others in England posting in this thread with recent real world experience have quoted figures around 6 weeks
- I and most of the others in England posting in this thread have had the intervention, and know from experience, not quoting others

Consultant said not urgent so no point going on the list

- in which case you are not in need as far as the 'system' is concerned

They won't even put me on the list as I am not "bad" enough yet

- in which case you have decided you are ready, they, the medical profession have decided you're not, so you wait .. .. or
- it's your money, pay the £7k and have the intervention against the advice of the specialists - private surgery will always always take your money

Your own posts repeatedly say you have sought free NHS support for your opinion, the medical profession has decided that you are not 'ready' for NHS treatment and your personal opinion does not fit their clinical guidelines / 'needs based' quality of life criteria for NHS help to restore or maintain vision. Its your right to have any operation any surgeon is prepared to provide, exercise your rights, pay to go private 6 weeks and all done.

The original post by EycplUK for advice has been answered with lots of good advice from most posters, the thread in danger once again of being dragged wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy off subject. Best of luck in your quest mumps, but I for one am out of here.

mumps

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

- I asked you which county you lived in, you posted, then edited out the county so we have no way of checking real facts against your stated opinion

I edited out my loation? Really? Your eyesight is so good you see things that aren't even there.


- I and most of the others in England posting in this thread with recent real world experience have quoted figures around 6 weeks
- I and most of the others in England posting in this thread have had the intervention, and know from experience, not quoting others

- in which case you are not in need as far as the 'system' is concerned

My optician would disagree with you, he has told me that a couple of years earlier and I would have been on the list. Preventing people from getting on the waiting list helps with their figures.

- in which case you have decided you are ready, they, the medical profession have decided you're not, so you wait .. .. or
- it's your money, pay the £7k and have the intervention against the advice of the specialists - private surgery will always always take your money

Again you seem to be able to see more than the optician looking in my eyes.

Your own posts repeatedly say you have sought free NHS support for your opinion, the medical profession has decided that you are not 'ready' for NHS treatment and your personal opinion does not fit their clinical guidelines / 'needs based' quality of life criteria for NHS help to restore or maintain vision. Its your right to have any operation any surgeon is prepared to provide, exercise your rights, pay to go private 6 weeks and all done.

The original post by EycplUK for advice has been answered with lots of good advice from most posters, the thread in danger once again of being dragged wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy off subject. Best of luck in your quest mumps, but I for one am out of here.

The postcode lottery on health care is well known, you seem to want to pretend that the system is perfect in England, some of us know otherwise. Just to add that I work in health care, not eye care, and I know from personal experience that standards vary across England.

Seems the RNIB agrees with me. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2363857/Thousands-elderly-losing-sight-NHS-rations-cataract-surgery.html

nannytone_2

Bradfield wrote: »

From Wales

In December 2011 I went to local specsavers for an eye test and was told there were cataracts in both eyes. I was referred to the county hospital and seen six months later. The consultant said they would remove both cataracts and which one did I want doing first?

Two months later they did the right eye. After recovery the consultant examined the eye and said it was OK although there were some “floaters” in the eye and I was now discharged. No explanation given why they were not doing the left eye. There had been a huge hullabaloo in the press about cuts in NHS services so I pretty much guessed why.

In November of 2013 I found the vision in my right eye (which had the new lens) was deteriorating and went back to specsavers for an eye test. The optician at specsavers said the eye needed to be examined by the hospital and referred me for treatment, with a recommendation that I be seen urgently within two weeks time.

Two months later (early February) I received a letter from the hospital to say that I had been placed on the waiting list and would be seen in 40 weeks time.

I went to my GP and told him I was concerned with the undue wait for examination given that specsavers had recommended that I be seen urgently and within two weeks.

My GP re-referred me to the hospital and they took notice and called me in last week for an examination. The consultant diagnosed “posterior capsule opacity” (a clouding of the new lens) and has listed me for laser treatment to remove it. I am hoping that this will restore the vision in my right eye.

For anyone coming on to this forum looking for advice on cataract treatment I think it is important to make a few points. First of there appears to be a great deal of regional variation in the treatment offered for patients. A post-code lottery if you like. You may be lucky and get seen very quickly but there are a lot of people who are put on waiting lists for a very long time.

The criteria that different regions use may also vary. No one asked me about my quality of life or how my reduced vision affected driving, reading, watching TV or anything else. I formed the impression that the issue was decided only by clinical criterion like the visual acuity test and microscopic examination of my eyes. I think it helped my own case, last week, when I was asked what letters I could see on the chart (with my right eye) and replied, truthfully, None!.

You need to consider also that people are different and it is not possible to generalize from particular cases. Some people have found it very difficult, if not impossible, to cope with only one eye treated. In my own case I found it not to be a problem. Of course when (like me) you have one eye done and it improves your overall performance on the Visual Acuity test then you have less of a case for demanding that the second eye be done.

The over-riding feeling I get is that the NHS is under immense strain in some areas and the hard-working staff are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the demand. The tendency is to put people on long waiting lists and hope that they do not complain.
In my own case, for example, it was only by visiting my GP that I got things moving (and I was ready to stir up a hornets nest if the hospital had continued to ignore me).

No one wants to jump the queue, but if you want your rightful place in the queue then you cannot afford to be passive and just stay quiet.

they wont be using laser treatment to remove the implanted lens.
what has happened in your case is a fairly common issue with cataract surgery, and i had the same issue myself.
when they remove the cloudy lens, the leave behinf the capsule ( the 'bag' that the lens sits in) . they use this capsule to position the implanted lens correctly.
this capsule can thicken and become cloudy with a similar effect on vision as the original catract.
they use laser to remove this capsule leaving the implanted lens behind and vision intact

margaretclare

mumps wrote: »

Well I am in England and can't get on the waiting list and it is 4 months plus when they agree to add you, some people saying they got treated in 6 weeks I think you quoted so there is a postcode lottery in England from where I am standing.

I pointed out that it has also got worse since we had ours done in 2007, according to what we hear from people round about.