Urgent! Cataract surgery info.

[Ozchick]

I was booked to have cataract surgery this coming Monday and the hospital contacted the surgeon and said because of APS I have to have single use instruments because the eye tissue is delicate?? My surgeon is a skilled man and I have complete faith in him but he said in all his years of doing this surgery he has never heard of this. He has told me they have a high spec machine to use and he's not sure if single use would match this.

Has anyone on here had this surgery and were there any complications-did they use single use instruments?? The surgeon can't go against the hospital in this matter and they are currently trying to source the instruments from Brisbane and Sydney Eye hospital and Melbourne. Knowing the huge distances and bureaucracy involved I don't hold up hope of getting them before Monday.

Any info would be a huge help. Thanks to all.

[Star13]

As with everyone your anatomy is individual, therefore although this is termed as a relatively simple and uncomplicated surgery, with APS you should be always set up for all complications.

I have just had both eyes done. I’m not sure what you mean when you refer to a high spec machine and what that might be. My 84 year old step mother had both hers done a few months before me with no issues.

I’ve had a previous closed angle laser surgery on both eyes so that was the first issue I needed a good surgeon but as I’ve had the same one for 12 years I was not concerned. Unfortunately on the surgery of the right eye the anatomy of my eye (as I said we are all different) plus that previous surgery, plus a reaction to the block anaesthetic caused the pressure in my eye to rise dramatically making the tissue floppy and the surgery then took 1.5 hours instead of the normal 20 minutes or so. I also had to have stitches so recovery was slower than normal.

Knowing all of this the surgeon approached my left eye differently by not using a block anaesthesia but knocking me out, and I had a normal procedure and recovery. I was not at all concerned having the second surgery as I had complete faith in my surgeon and I’d do it all again.

The point is we are all different, our eyes are different, we react differently, we need a good surgeon who does these operations all the time in difficult older glaucoma patients as they are the most difficult to do. My sight is actually now better in the right eye than the left despite a lazy iris but none of what happened was to do with my APS. I did have to have anti-inflammatory drops because of my autoimmune conditions but that’s all.

I hope all goes well for you on Monday.

[Ozchick in reply to Star13]

Thanks for replying. The hospital couldn't source the instruments in time for Monday, so I'm in Limbo until I hear from surgeon and he will rebook me in a fortnights time. I still don't have a decent explanation from hospital as to why all the fuss over a relatively common procedure and as it's Saturday I'll have to wait it out until Monday.

[Ozchick in reply to Ozchick]

The hospital just rang and must have spoken again to the surgeon and the surgery is back on! The Hospital manager told me someone was making a mountain out of a molehill and it was a bit of a crazy decision in the first place. I have now stopped panicking!!

[soul22 in reply to Ozchick]

Hi nice to meet you ☺️ That's great your surgery is going ahead

All best

Sometimes they panic needing reassurance from a colleague who's dealt aps patient before.

Then realise it's fine to go ahead

Stressful for you

[Star13]

Glad everything worked out. Hope all goes well on Monday. Take it easy after!😊

[GinaD]

Good luck! Keep us informed!

[KellyInTexas Administrator]

Lure2 , I believe she can help you here, at least with some of the ins and outs with other questions that may arise.

( if I’m remembering correctly…she had this done.)

[Thick_Blood]

I have had both eyes done successfully in the US and there was no mention of specific equipment to do mine. I saw no additional costs on the bill indicating single use tools.

And now I can see 😀

[Lure2]

I have had both eyes (not both at the same time) done successfully here in Sweden. APS not a problem even if I had amaurosis fugax on my right eye before I started Warfarin. This is around 6 years ago I was operated and I see very good but need glasses for reading only.

Kerstin

[Ozchick in reply to Lure2]

I have now had my left eye done on Monday and so far it's all gone to plan. The hospital manager said perhaps someone had overstepped their authority (?) in cancelling my surgery and fingers crossed, all is going well. No pain and very little redness and according to surgeon new lens is in place. If I follow the post op instructions I should have no probs!

Thanks to all who replied tp my slightly panic stricken post

[Lure2 in reply to Ozchick]

Hope everything will be ok with your eyes. Best wishes

Kerstin

[KellyInTexas Administrator in reply to Ozchick]

It’s very understandable. It’s very common in my opinion to have doctors over or under react. ( I think for patients also.)

Maybe APS is a metaphor for life… ah. The joys of waxing philosophical…. I’ll see myself out now. With just the right balance of self calm…. ( as I trip over the threshold blind as a bat…)

( so happy you got the care you need and are doing well.)

[Ozchick in reply to KellyInTexas]

Probably of all my senses, sight is one I least want to lose. Thanks for that cheery post!!