Cataracts - in younger person

Shropshirelass

I've had various problems with my eyesight since I was 58, they don't seem to be cataract-related, but I find reading for more than a couple of hours very tiring to my eyes now. I really take advantage of listening to books and drama on BBC I-Player (which is free), and various book recordings, which I subscribe to.
I'm rather hoping that as I recently turned 70, which seems to be another NHS milestone, I may be eligible for some helpful treatment..... but won't hold my breath.

GlasweJen

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I know what you mean about reading and it's become all the more important to me personally now I no longer live in a city. One has to be more "self sufficient" in other ways (quite apart from foodgrowing etc "Tom and Barbara Good" stuff) if living in a more country-ish type location (particularly one where some social events are inaccessible for some reason - as here). My friend is also a big reader and the same range of social events are inaccessible to her for the same reason.

I do think sunglasses wearing helps. Yep...yesterday my friend duly got quizzed as to just how much she wears them:rotfl:

No point in trying to get her to eat more healthily - I'd be wasting my breath....

I've established she has mentioned she needs to be able to see well enough to drive to try and hurry treatment up. I'm guessing that that does hurry things up because some people will continue to drive regardless of their health - with the attendant risk of rather a lot more cost to the NHS (ie from accidents). Though my friend is someone who self-censors and won't drive in circumstances she feels unhappy about - and I expect she's been assessed as "second in line - after those that would keep driving regardless of whether they should or shouldnt" iyswim. (Hastens to add people should be responsible and not drive if their health isnt up to it - even in these circumstances of "not their fault they're having to wait").

Does wonder how people who cant say "I'm a driver" manage to hurry things up....:cool:

No you actually have to fall below driving acuity, you won't get anywhere pretending you can't see well enough to drive except land yourself on a waiting list for another specialist to work out why you're not able to see as well as we all know you should be seeing and with your license suspended and probably your place on the cataract list suspended as well. No one is going to touch eyes that have undiagnosed low acuity.

Yes we know when you're faking it, really we do. No seriously just cut the crap and read the line. Oh look here's a different version of the test that you've never seen before and oh look it's a miracle you can see the 6/12 image on this chart but not on the standard snellen. Diagnosis atititis, we'll see you again in 6 months.

teddysmum

As mentioned above, I found I had the beginnings of cataracts at 66,having had no signs at 65.My internet friend had hers done at about 66 and a friend on the same forum had hers done at least 4 years ago and she still isn't of retirement age.


My gran died at 79, when I was 19, so her cataracts had advanced to the almost blind stage before 60, as her ops were to have been before my birth. (This was in the 1940s and she had two ops cancelled at the pre-med to theatre stage, due to emergencies, so bottled out, preferring to stay blind),so her cataracts were well developed by 60.


Something not mentioned, and I don't know how true the findings are, is that there is a larger than normal risk of developing or advancing dementia after GA,for older people (60+).


We are old at 60+,but in better condition than our counterparts of 50 years ago. In photos of baby me, with my gran, she looks really old (80+),yet was about 61 .

bubbs

pollypenny wrote: »

Just turned 70, money. And very fit and healthy.

I'm a big reader; my life would not be worth living if I couldn't read. I wear reactolite lenses in my glasses, so I'm always protected against strong sun, which can be worse in the winter as its low and in the eyes. I think the previous generations would wear sun glasses rarely. I'm hoping this was a factor.

My husband was "young" 49 and he has ALWAYS had reactolite and still does since his cataracts have been done

peachyprice wrote: »

After my Mum had her first eye done she was amazed that everyone in the street didn't in fact have the same colour car and after the second one she had to throw out most of her lipsticks :rotfl::rotfl:

She said it was amazing to see the world in glorious technicolor again, she hadn't realised just how dull everything had become over a period of time.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: i know how strange he said it is

bouicca21

Something not mentioned, and I don't know how true the findings are, is that there is a larger than normal risk of developing or advancing dementia after GA,for older people (60+).

My mother certainly deteriorated rapidly after an operation under GA and the subsequent (lengthy) stay in hospital. I think the reason was that she no longer had to work at life - before when she was living at home even with lots of support in place she had to try and work out what to do. Being in hospital meant giving in to the dementia, iyswim.

moneyistooshorttomention

teddysmum wrote: »

Something not mentioned, and I don't know how true the findings are, is that there is a larger than normal risk of developing or advancing dementia after GA,for older people (60+).


We are old at 60+,but in better condition than our counterparts of 50 years ago. In photos of baby me, with my gran, she looks really old (80+),yet was about 61 .

I wonder a bit about increased dementia risk with GA's. My father had a heart bypass operation many years back now. Now I swear his mind was "normal for him" before it - ie a very intelligent and logical mind that he was proud of (though it was so many years ago - ie over 15 years ago - that its more difficult to recall how "he" is). I do rather trace his mind reverting to first the level of "average person in the street" and now his short-term memory has just gone back to those hours of being under GA back then. I read something somewhere about being under GA for literally hours (as one is with a bypass op) as being a noticeable risk factor for this - followed by a decision never to have an operation like that myself. I didnt think a small amount of time under GA was a risk factor???

Re the "how fast we age" thing. I think some things havent caught up with "us personally". A noticeable proportion of us Boomers don't do "getting elderly". I admit to amusement at noticing the difference with some of my own age - as they look for teashops to have a cup of coffee out in and wear "elderly" clothes - whereas I'm looking round for the newest/most fashionable place I can see to try out and something interesting on the menu and my definition of changing way of dressing is "I guess I'd better add a few inches on the hemline/a couple of inches up on the neckline and not wear black so much - but what's fashionable and I still want it close-fitting across a taut stomach ".

Add that the Government clearly thinks everyone under 70 isnt elderly - as, after all, they clearly think we're all fully fit enough to have the energy to continue a full-time job and a Life until 70 (with the way they keep upping and upping the State Pension Age). So - if they don't think we're old until 70 - then why would we?

elsien

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I've established she has mentioned she needs to be able to see well enough to drive to try and hurry treatment up. ........
Does wonder how people who cant say "I'm a driver" manage to hurry things up....:cool:

If I were a non-driver I'd be extremely miffed if a driver were prioritised over me purely for that reason. You'd be forever getting pushed to the back of the queue. It's just as important for quality of life for non-drivers to be able to see properly. If you can't see well enough to drive, then don't drive (- spoken as someone who needs to drive to do my job.)

GwylimT

elsien wrote: »

If I were a non-driver I'd be extremely miffed if a driver were prioritised over me purely for that reason. You'd be forever getting pushed to the back of the queue. It's just as important for quality of life for non-drivers to be able to see properly. If you can't see well enough to drive, then don't drive (- spoken as someone who needs to drive to do my job.)

Drivers aren't given priority, it is based on clinical need.

hunters

This thread shows exactly why people should speak to the experts, doc and/or optician, rather than a rather critical friend who doesn't even drive and has to consult the internet regarding cataract operations.

teddysmum

elsien wrote: »

If I were a non-driver I'd be extremely miffed if a driver were prioritised over me purely for that reason. You'd be forever getting pushed to the back of the queue. It's just as important for quality of life for non-drivers to be able to see properly. If you can't see well enough to drive, then don't drive (- spoken as someone who needs to drive to do my job.)

To be deemed capable of driving because of sight, you need to be able to read a car number plate, whose letters are quite large, at a specified distance away.


It looks like the decision for cataract surgery is made if the sight goes below the standard required to perform this task and will be a specific prescription, so no need to actually refer to whether or not someone drives.