Cataract Surgery.

[Gladaven]

Please can anyone give me reassurance about Cataract Surgery very very anxious, I have AF and take Warfarin. Will I be given sedation during the procedure to help my anxiety reviews please. Gladie!

[Physalis]

Hi Gladie

I am having eye surgery next week, a vitrectomy. Had a pre-op last week and I asked the nurse which anaesthetics they would be using and she just said about the knock-out drops while they get set up. I asked about the sedative and she said they just gave it to people who were nervous and anxious. I’m neither but she said I could have it if I wanted it. When I asked her whether she would take it, she said she would so I am down for a sedative.

Warfarin was on the form I was sent. If you are concerned I think you should ring the hospital and ask about it. They haven't told me to stop taking the apixaban.

My mother had a cataract operation and she said that afterwards it was like fairyland with all the colours. She had no worries about having the second eye done and I expect you will get a lot of reassurances from this forum about the operation.

[Hatten28 in reply to Physalis]

I have crossed from AF forum to yours as I am waiting for a vitrectomy operation and have no idea what to expect, I have a few issues with my health at present but I am concerned about what to expect. I was given a leaflet which said you have to lie face down for ten days after the operation.Can you give me any reassurance please.

[Physalis in reply to Hatten28]

I had my vitrectomy last November and it was a piece of cake. I'd said on my pre-op visit that I'd like a sedative but when it came to it, I didn't have one but it didn't matter at all.

My op was a vitreous peel where they removed the thickened epiretinal layer. Whatever it's for, I don't think there is anything to worry about. They inject round the eye with a local anaesthetic so you don't feel a thing. They make very very tiny incisions in the white of the eye for the light and the instruments . As with cataract operations they cover your face with a thin piece of fabric so there is only your eye visible. I suppose this is to keep the area clean. It isn't claustrophobic.

Once they got started I found it quite interesting to try to work out what was going on, I could hear them talking. My operation was mainly carried out by a trainee and the surgeon was guiding her. It must have taken about 50 minutes to an hour - longer than for a cataract op. I stayed for a half an hour or so afterwards and then they let me go home.

I guess it depends on what you are having done but I didn't need to lie face down as I didn't have a gas bubble inserted in my eye. I should imagine this is not much fun, especially for old people.

For four or five weeks I had to put drops in my eyes and I had a check up a month later. Because of the bright lights they use inside the eye, most people need a cataract operation a year later. If I do, I won't feel at all apprehensive.

As others have said, having dental work done is more uncomfortable. Nowhere near as uncomfortable as it was when I was young when there were no injections and the drill catching the nerve was pretty awful. Looking back, I think I was quite brave to keep on going to the dentist. I'm sure a lot of people didn't.

[Hatten28 in reply to Physalis]

Thank you so much for the information, I feel so much more relaxed about the future, you are the only person I have encountered to have this done.I certainly hope I don’t have to lie face down as that would be very uncomfortable for me.

Thank you once again for giving me a boost, hope I don’t have to wait too long before I hear when the work can be done.

[Buffafly]

Dear Gladie, I had my first cataract surgery on Saturday. I was a quivering wreck on the day but in the end it was a bit of a non event. Some people do have GA but I wasn’t offered or told why. You lie on a comfy bed, face covered and eyelids fixed open so you can’t blink, eye numbed, bit of buzzing noise and lots of water splashed in your eye, bright lights flashing in your eye, job done. The actual procedure is really quick, the whole thing including the trip to and from theatre took about 25 minutes max. I was asked if I could lie still for 45 minutes so maybe some people need longer. The only bit I didn’t like was the lying flat because I have reflux so if you do maybe there is some medication you could take if you ask your GP.

My eye was burny and poured tears for the rest of the day but a couple of paracetamol sorted the pain easily.

The lights in our house are dazzling and colours look different! My brain is a bit confused because it is getting different messages from my eyes - as the right one was worse I think it had given up a bit on that eye.

Best wishes, big hug 💖

[Buffafly in reply to Buffafly]

PS I was asked if I take warfarin but when I said no, Apixaban, the nurse said that was OK, so maybe you need a test if so, I did see someone having a finger blood test.

[irene75359 in reply to Buffafly]

I was thinking about you! So glad to hear it went well, I had to punch the lens out of my glasses after I had one eye done, and the period before having the other eye done was very strange as a glasses prescription is done taking both eyes into account (and you are right, your brain thinks that way too). I had forgotten about seeing colours clearly too, I am so used to my 'new' eyes. When do you have the other eye done?

[Buffafly in reply to irene75359]

I don’t know, when I went for the pre op they said the waiting list was 18 months so as I’d already waited a year you can work that out. I was amazed and very excited to get the call. I was the only person having my first eye done so maybe it was a cancellation. Sadly the result is not as great as it might be because I have some retina damage but it does make a difference and I’m looking forward to the combo effect.

[irene75359 in reply to Buffafly]

Do hope you hear from them very soon and the combined result is better x

[Desanthony in reply to Buffafly]

That was mainly my wife's experience too - she had both eyes done back in 2012 - not at the same time but with about 3 weeks between the procedures. No sedation because she doesn't react well to some of the sedation given. She had no pain or runny eyes afterwards just had to wear the dressings and eye patch for the rest of the day - had the op early morning. Stayed in hospital for lunch - checked by nurse and allowed to go out until she saw the Doc at about 5pm - we went and had a knickerbocker glory by the seaside as hospital quite near the sea both times. At about 5pm she saw the Doc in out patients and he took dressings off and gave her drops for the next 4 weeks an eye patch to wear in bed and instructions on how to cope with washing hair etc. When she had the last eye done we went straight up to visit my sister as my brother and his wife and family were visiting from South Africa and had 2 weeks away with them. It was a breeze - apparently - I felt nothing!

[bantam12]

The op is super quick and really not difficult to cope with. Because I have AF they gave me a Valium tablet beforehand just to keep my heartrate steady but really I didn't need it. My op took 15 mins maximum !

My brother in law was in permanent AF when he had his cataract done and again he had no problems at all.

Personally l I wouldn't bother with sedation even if it's on offer, wasn't in my hospital, there's no pain or discomfort, you can't see anything that's going on and once done you can go home.

[10gingercats]

I am a bit of a nervous kitten but all went very well.Sedation for the first one but I did not bother for the second.

[irene75359]

You will never regret having this done, truly. The dentist is 10 times worse for me! Good luck.

[Hidden]

Hi there,

Had it done some years ago, just one eye. Pretty much agree with Buffafly ........ all a bit of a non event really. I was and still am on Warfarin that too was a non event. I don't recall being told to stop it ( unlike when I had a CT scan and knee surgery), I was asked my INR and a bit about my INR history and that was that. No GA just a local anaesthetic in and around the eye .......... job done.

At the time I was an outdoor worker ( a bus driver) and was told to stay at home for 2 weeks in as much of a dust free environment as possible. I was sent home with an eye patch which I also continued to use into the two weeks off work.

You have no worries.

John

[Barb1]

I had sedation for my cataract ops and didnt feel a thing.

[Gladaven in reply to Barb1]

Thanks barb I am very anxious and claustrophobic, I can't stand anything over my face makes me feel panicky, will they understand that? Glad ie

[Barb1 in reply to Gladaven]

I am exactly the same. They just need to know and will knock you out more!

[Cha275rL]

If you explain to them how nervous you are about it, I’m sure they’ll put your mind at ease. I’ve had both eyes done, and it really isn’t nearly as bad as you imagine. A nurse sat beside me, holding my hand, and told me to squeeze it if I needed them to stop, eg for a sneeze or a cough. I couldn’t believe the difference it made afterwards. The colours and clarity were amazing. Best of luck with it.

[Gladaven in reply to Cha275rL]

Thank you for your kind reply did you have any sedation Cha?

[Cha275rL]

No I didn’t need it apparently. They only gave it to the people who were extra nervous. They put drops in the eye to freeze it.. must admit I didn’t believe it would really work...but it did, and I felt nothing. In fact, after it was over (about 20 mins) I had to ask if my eye was open or shut. There was very little pain after it wore off. Let me know how you get on with it. 🙏🏾🤞