A Clear Vision of the Year to Come

As you can see from my profile photo, I have ditched the glasses. No, I didn't get contact lenses. My vision had deteriorated over the last year or so and when I visited the optician in the early Autumn, I was informed that my vision was being impacted by my cataracts. I had been made aware of the cataracts about three years ago, but at the time, they were deemed too small to remove. By this past Autumn, that was no longer the case. I was given a referral to the ophthalmologist who works with the NHS and I waited for an appointment. In the meantime, I also researched having the procedures done privately, as I was afraid the waiting list was going to be too long. I was at a point where I could no longer see the telly or my laptop. I was only able to use my phone because I could bring up to my eyes, but even then, everything I saw was "ghosted."

My research showed that a private hospital in Glasgow offered the services. I had been to this hospital before, back in 2008, for an arthroscopy. At that time, the NHS paid for the surgery because they were concerned that their waiting list was too long. (The pandemic has seriously impacted waiting lists for the NHS, but they couldn't possibly afford to pay for private services at this point.) I went ahead and made an appointment for a consultation with the private hospital. 

During the course of the appointment, I was informed that the NHS wait could be as long as two years. I couldn't possibly wait that long. The ophthalmologist was able to book me in for the surgery in six weeks! Not only that, but the NHS surgery would replace my clouded lenses with plain lenses, therefore I would still require eyeglasses. With my prescription, the cost is ridiculous! With a private procedure, I could opt for replacement lenses that would not only correct my vision, but help to discourage further changes to my vision by using toric lenses made especially for eyes with severe astigmatism. Hooray! It would cost me, and dearly, but I felt that it would make sense to do this. I booked the surgeries. The first would be followed a week later by the second and I would be done.

The first surgery went well. The procedure took all of 12 minutes. Only my eyeball was numbed and I was awake, so I was aware of what was being done. It was not particularly pleasant, but far less horrible than I imagined it would be. It was strange to feel my natural lens removed and the artificial lens implanted. Post-op, I didn't experience anything at all, to be honest. There was no headache, no pain, no feeling of grittiness. Fantastic. Even with only one done, I could see the difference. Every night, I would make the motion to remove glasses that weren't there. Two days after the surgery, I came down with a terrible cold, manifesting itself mostly as horrible coughing attacks. Lying perfectly still is obviously required for the surgery. So, when the coughing continued through the weekend and into the new week, I had to resign myself to not being able to have the second procedure right away. It was before Christmas and the eye care department was moving to a new facility. Oh well.

After Christmas, I got in touch and was able to book the second operation. I am coming up on a week post-op and I can't get over the difference. The second eye took a bit more tugging to get everything in place, and I was a little less comfortable during the procedure. It probably took a few minutes longer than the first. I did experience some headache for the 24 hours after, but nothing else. As far as long-term effects, the only drawback is that I will need reading glasses for reading/phone. I will be picking up generic reading glasses this week and then get a prescription for reading glasses when I have a follow-up appointment with the opticians around four weeks post-op. Using my laptop is not too difficult (hence, why I'm here now), but I think the reading glasses will help there, too.

This has proven to be one of the best decisions and best investments I've ever made. What a remarkable world we live in, where aged and damaged natural lenses can be so easily replaced. I am incredibly impressed.

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