Cataracts - in younger person

powerful_Rogue

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Wow! That is horrifying quick progress:eek:

Can you clarify please as to why it had to be under general anaesthetic due specifically to your age? (Admits I'm such a coward that I'd need it under general anaesthetic anyway if ever I had to have it:eek:) - but I am wondering what difference age makes to treatment.

The surgeon said because of my age (32) it would have been painful for me to have the operation under local. Apparently the younger you are, the more sensitive your nerves are.

wondercollie

I've worked Ophthamogy for nearly a decade, a lot of it spent in the Cataract Clinic.

I even have bilateral Cataracts. Mine aren't ripe enough to be done.

Never heard of any of our patients being a GA because they were young. Usually it's those having both eyes done at the same time because of dementia, Downs, severe anxiety.

Cataracts are caused by aging (60 is considered early elderly), sun damage, previous trauma, diabetes, and getting old. A cataract is just the lens of the eye thickening which usually results by aging!

The patients I work with have ranged from mid 20s to 104! We didn't understand the 104 year old being done, as she suffered from dementia, diabetes, lived in a care facility, bed bound and deaf. Her family wanted to improve her quality of life was the reason given.

You have to remember this surgery is considered elective. Forty years ago it required a week in hospital to recover with restricted head movement.

If your friend is that impatient to have this elective procedure performed, she could have it done privately.

moneyistooshorttomention

Yep...I've pointed out to her that she could have it done privately if the NHS would make her wait too long for it and that that's exactly what I would do in her position (though I cant afford it....I'd pay first and worry where the money was going to come from afterwards personally):cool:

She has rejected that thought.

So we are considered "early elderly" then by medics - though we're late middle age. So I guess that means they will be growing at standard rate, rather than at a "speed of light" rate.

Retrogamer

I've had cataracts since before i was a teenager, They seemed to have appeared at some stage during my growing up, but then they stopped growing for some reason.~

Seems to be genetics as virtually all of my dad's side of the family, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews (literally dozens) have them at some stage as well.
I can't see 20/20, but i an see enough to meet the minimum driving standards, so the NHS are reluctant to operate on them.

I've looked into private costs if they start to develop and would probably go that route. That way you get bi-focal implants rather than the NHS mono-focal

Hedgehog99

They has a phone-in on Radio 2 at lunchtime, but I only caught the end of it. Try listening from about 1pm.

oystercatcher

I had cataract surgery 3 years ago aged 52. They appeared quite quickly, the optician noticed them before I did and referred me to a specialist eye hospital as I was relatively young. At the eye hospital they decided they weren't bad enough to operate on. However, about four months later I was really struggling to see and needed both glasses and a magnifying glass to read normal sized print so I asked for another referral.

At the second referral they said the cataracts were quite dense and agreed to operate, the worst eye first and the other 4 months later.
The effects were instant and life changing, I could suddenly see clearly again . It was amazing and wonderful.

There are several different types of cataracts , there is loads of information if you search on-line. Some caused by the normal aging process , mine were slightly different and they didn't know why they had occurred but later I heard of two other family members who have had cataracts in their 50's so there could be a genetic link somewhere. The treatment is the same for all types though. There is no such thing as a ripe cataract, they just wait until it is affecting someone's life. I said I couldn't read or sew easily and these things were important to me.

Persuade your friend to see an optician and they will test and then ask the GP to refer her to a hospital eye specialist. Round here the waiting lists are only a few weeks but it could be different in other parts of the country. If your friend is finding important parts of her daily life are affected by her cataracts then she should be eligible to have them treated. It is such a quick simple operation , why suffer when you don't need to?

ibizafan_2

A few months ago, I noticed that the vision in my left eye wasn't as good. I am short sighted, so just thought that my contact lense prescription needed adjusting. You can imagine my shock when my optician said that I had the early signs of cataracts in both eyes. I am 64 but assumed this was something that happened when you are much older. The optician said that this was common at my age and that he had them himself, and that nothing needed to be done unless it really began to affect my life. So that's what I am going to do, as at the moment it's not really affecting me. My parents are 86 and 90 and neither have had cataract surgery so far, although neither have been shortsighted, so I wonder if there's a link somewhere.

moneyistooshorttomention

Retrogamer wrote: »

I've looked into private costs if they start to develop and would probably go that route. That way you get bi-focal implants rather than the NHS mono-focal

I gathered there are two levels of treatment - decent level and NHS (much more basic) level. I hadnt realised exactly what the difference was. This explains it. Thank you.

During private cataract operations - is there two levels of operation there? - ie decent level (bi-focal) and basic level (ie mono-focal)? Or are all operations done privately done at the bi-focal level?

(Certainly a thought to bear in mind - in view of the fact my friend has those special lenses - Zeiss maybe? - that cost a lot to look normal. Otherwise she'd have to have those "bottle" lenses anyway - due to the strength of her prescription).

I must say my own personal decision (if it ever came to it - and fingers crossed it wont) would be to think "If they need doing at some point - then get it over with and have it done immediately" and then carry on with life as normal asap.

wondercollie

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I gathered there are two levels of treatment - decent level and NHS (much more basic) level. I hadnt realised exactly what the difference was. This explains it. Thank you.

During private cataract operations - is there two levels of operation there? - ie decent level (bi-focal) and basic level (ie mono-focal)? Or are all operations done privately done at the bi-focal level?

(Certainly a thought to bear in mind - in view of the fact my friend has those special lenses - Zeiss maybe? - that cost a lot to look normal. Otherwise she'd have to have those "bottle" lenses anyway - due to the strength of her prescription).

I must say my own personal decision (if it ever came to it - and fingers crossed it wont) would be to think "If they need doing at some point - then get it over with and have it done immediately" and then carry on with life as normal asap.

There are not two levels of treatment. There are different types of lenses used for different circumstances. The basic lens does 99% of the patients I've seen over the years. There are different lenses out there but not all eyes are suitable.

I know my health system charges you if you pick above the basic lens. Personally the Torik type wouldn't work for me because of my astigmatism. So, there is $1700 minimum saved. The are usually offered to people who lead active, sporty lives.

I know my Mum had to go private to do a complete balls up by her provincial health system for her first surgery and the second was covered. If you want/need to jump the line, you pay for it big time.

But hey, one patient told me about his friend who spend $5500 to get his dogs cataracts done.

bouicca21

I also have early cataracts. I find it difficult to cope with glare so now have photochromatic lenses in my glasses; I don't like driving at night (I think related to the glare problem). I cant read small print without bright light. I've been told it will probably be some time before they need to be removed.

I'm happy to accept the advice that they don't need doing yet. The impact on my life is limited, so I can wait. Writing and the ability to read obscure manuscripts is pretty central to my life - when I can't do that I'll be shouting. Rumours about the NHS only doing one mean I've put aside the money to go private if I need to.