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At random: "Like the destroyer, the submarine has created its own type of officer and man with language and traditions apart from the rest of the service, and yet at the heart unchangingly of the Service” -- Rudyard Kipling, The Fringes of the Fleet, 1915

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Pedro

Posted 2021-02-19 1:31 PM (#100181)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 2974

Location: Liverpool, England

Subject: The Moment of Truth

Last month I wrote about a pre-op assessment for cataract eye surgery which was done in my home and I was approved for the procedure on my left eye to be done yesterday (Thursday 18th Feb.) SpaMedica is an optical specialist company that the NHS outsources to deal with all cataract removals in selected local hospitals nationwide. You also have to self isolate for ten days prior to getting the op and your future appointments are arranged for this to take place.

They have a high success rate with these ops but are duty-bound to inform you that there can also be a small percentage of serious complications with some treatments. So when I awoke early yesterday I had a feeling of trepidation should things go wrong as sight is such a special sense so I was concerned. I then thought about the alternative if I didn’t go through with it which would be a rapid decline in your eyes sight and the loss of the ability to be able to read. Deciding it was a no-brainer, I jumped out of bed showered and shaved and got ready to hit the road. My son, Steve, picked me up and drove me to the facility. After enquiring how long the session would take (2 hours) he confirmed he would be available to drive me home once reception contacted him by phone.

I must say they were a highly professional team in every regard. Everything is geared to prepping you for the procedure this includes local anaesthesia, and eye drops to dilate the pupil and time for them to take effect. During the assessment, you are asked to complete a series of questions but they are challenged as you go through the treatment and double-checked. Irrigation is used heavily during the procedure so a tight-fitting facial mask is applied to ensure your upper clothing is not soaked. So one question was, are you claustrophobic? When I replied no he asked how I was so sure. I replied that on completing the questionnaire I had answered that 19 years of service in submarines would confirm my answer. His response was that he didn’t know much about submarines but a fellow surgeon replied that he did as he had served in boats himself and that I was certainly not susceptible to enclosed spaces.

The rest of it was unbelievable. Less than 10 minutes on the operating table and it was all completed. Cataract removed and a plastic lens inserted in its place. Later issued with eye drops to stop irritation and any pain problems and a protective eye patch which I thought might make me look like Captain Jack Sparrow but it turned out to be a transparent plastic cover instead. This was only required to be worn the first night and then discarded to progress with eye drops four times a day for three weeks. The vision took a few hours to stabilise but this morning with no irritation or pain my eyesight was substantially improved. Early days yet but I am just glad I took the right course of action for my peepers.

Pedro

Coyote

Posted 2021-02-19 3:15 PM (#100182 - in reply to #100181)

Great Sage of the Sea

Posts: 997

Location: NE Florida

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

Always good to hear a success story. I'm eligible but haven't signed up yet.

Coyote

Ric

Posted 2021-02-19 5:20 PM (#100183 - in reply to #100181)

Plankowner

Posts: 9164

Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map.

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

Yep, I had both eyes done, (not at the same time), and glad I did. I still need glasses for reading but anything over 4 feet don't really need glasses for but I got bifocals anyway. I was in and out in under 20 minutes.
Congrats Pedro! The biggest thing I noticed was everything was white not yellow!

GaryKC

Posted 2021-02-19 9:14 PM (#100184 - in reply to #100181)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 3667

Location: Kansas City Missouri

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

(eye test.jpg)

Attachments
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eye test.jpg (181KB - 409 downloads)

JrKrup, Skimmer

Posted 2021-02-20 9:08 AM (#100185 - in reply to #100181)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1323

Location: Oxnard, CA

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

I had my right eye done on 24 Sep last year. Checking in, eye drops, waiting, waiting, waiting, then on the operating table and 15 minutes later, done! The improvement was immediate and dramatic. It took longer to fill out the paperwork than did the operation. I had to wear the plastic eye patch only at night to prevent scratching the eye, and then for only as long as it took the incision to heal - about 10 days or so. Eye drops for a month, and now bifocals - no distance correction, but for reading only.

Congratulations on having your vision returned to you.

Runner485

Posted 2021-02-20 1:47 PM (#100187 - in reply to #100181)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 2672

Location: New Jersey

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

I agree with everyone here. Easiest operation I ever had with very little to do except for drops. But the best thing was an immediate ability to see things in technicolor. It was an amazing transition. I couldn't wait for my second eye to be done....I had lenses put in each eye during the procedure to alleviate the need for glasses. I only use reading glasses now...

Gil

Posted 2021-02-20 2:10 PM (#100188 - in reply to #100181)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1602

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

Had both eyes done separately the year before last. I went from 20-80 to 20-20 both eyes. I couldn't believe the change when I was driven home. Colors were great also.

Holland Club

Posted 2021-02-20 2:32 PM (#100189 - in reply to #100182)

Master and Commander

Posts: 2490

Location: East Coast of Wisconsin

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

Wonderful!! Sounds much like mine. Same thing. Called an intraocular implant. Both eyes done. As soon as I opened the first eye done, I could see the grillwork on the light in the ceiling. Better than 20-20 today and still don't need glasses for reading. I use them for jigsaw puzzle work but that is mainly because I'll sit there working for 8 hours at a stretch. Good show, Mate, Nobody should hold back!! Go for it!.

Holland Club

Posted 2021-02-21 11:26 AM (#100195 - in reply to #100184)

Master and Commander

Posts: 2490

Location: East Coast of Wisconsin

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

No glasses needed here. 2 freckles on right, 3 on left.

Edited by Holland Club 2021-02-21 11:28 AM

Ralph Luther

Posted 2021-02-22 5:00 AM (#100200 - in reply to #100195)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 6180

Location: Summerville, SC

Subject: RE: The Moment of Truth

Had mine done a few years ago. Great job!!
Really don't need glasses but since I do a good bit of reading glasses do help.

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