"Cataract surgery"

Anything else?

Very straightforward and pain-free process - no-one should have the slightest concern about the procedure - and the results are fantastic! For more than 18 months I had put up with a cataract in one eye that left me unable to see a Transit van 20 metres away. But, having a bit of a phobia about hospitals, I had put off doing anything about it. Big mistake! I should have had it sorted months ago. The procedure itself couldn't be more simple, a few eye drops every 15 minutes in the hour before the op; then drops to suppress the blink reflex and an anaesthetic drop in the eye to be operated on. In comes the surgeon for a chat (during which he agreed to change the strength of the lens to be put in - I wanted to be able to see at distance and only use glasses for reading) and then into the operating theatre. You sit in a reclining chair, a cover is put over your face with a hole made over the eye, and a little clamp keeps the eyelid open. Then all you feel is a gentle pressure for a couple of seconds at the side of your eye; there's a little bit of noise from the surgical equipment; in goes the new lens and, hey presto, you can see! It really is that simple and trouble free - the op itself cannot possibly last longer than about 10 minutes and the results are immediate. After a cup of tea and a biscuit, I walked to the train station to get home armed with two lots of drops that you have to put in four times a day for a month after the op. I've not yet been for my follow-up but can't imagine there'll be any issues.