Cataract Surgery, part two.

Hi all,

It seems that my right eye has survived cataract surgery – wait a sec while I touch some wood. I had it done on Tuesday and went and saw the ophthalmologist, or Dr Nick as he is called (no relation to Dr Nick in the Simpsons), yesterday. He said everything is fine. When he removed the eye patch there wasn’t the big transformation in my vision that had occurred after I had the left eye done. Its cataract had been more substantial and when it had been removed my vision became much clearer, with textures more prominent and colors more vivid, especially black. This time my vision only slightly improved, with perhaps a few more freckles becoming visible. It will probably be a week or so before I have an idea of what effect it has had on my reading ability.

My right eye isn’t as red as the left was and there is no red splotch near its centre as there was with the left eye, no bruising around it either. In fact, two days after the surgery the right eye is giving me such little trouble I am in danger of forgetting about depositing eye drops in it four times a day.

I was first cab of the rank on Tuesday morning. After hearing two nurses saying that the doctor was waiting, my name was called and I was taken into the side room for eye drops, they stung like last time. Instead of waiting twenty minutes or so for the next lot of eye drops I only waited around five this time before being wheel chaired into the operating theatre. Unlike last time, I was aware of the injection being made below the eye, as the anaesthetist told me he was about to do it. Last time I couldn’t remember it happening. The weight they put on my eye didn’t seem as heavy this time, which probably accounts for the lack of bruising, maybe because the right eye wasn’t as cloudy as the left it meant lesser weight needed to be used.

I was much more aware of what was going on this time, and I was only kept in post op for a couple of minutes before being wheeled out to the tea room. I don’t think they gave me as much anaesthetic, perhaps because last time I probably looked like I was ready to bail out of the operation at any moment.

As of this moment, I can say that it was well worth all the worry and expense and I can now start looking forward to a much more productive year in writing.

Now I better splash in a few eye drops.

Graham.