Get Your Cataracts Treated!

[Engineer46]

Age-Related Macular Degeneration sufferers experience a gradual deterioration in their sight due to changes in the macular. Most sufferers are, of a certain age!

Another common age-related eye condition is the development of a cataract, so it is not unusual to suffer from both conditions simultaneously. However, when under treatment for AMD it can be difficult for a patient to tell which condition is contributing most to poor vision.

In my case, with wet AMD detected 13 years ago at the age of 65, I was treated with injections for a year and then the condition stabilised, as confirmed by regular check-up scans. However, my sight continued to deteriorate and over the last ten years I have spent thousands of pounds on spectacles trying to keep my vision at an acceptable level for driving, believing that the AMD was the cause of the frequent changes.

At each AMD clinic I was always told that "you have cataracts, but they are not bad enough to require surgery". However, last year at my high-street optician eye check (and regular spectacle prescription change!) the optician said that she believed that my frequent change in prescription was nothing to do with my AMD and was more likely to be related to my cataracts. She explained that, as they develop, cataracts have the effect of changing your prescription.

For the last three years I have not been able to drive at night due to oncoming headlights making it hard to see the road and I have found it hard to read in dim light or when the printing is light grey on greyish paper (a favourite colour way in modern typography!).

To cut a long story short, I eventually managed to convince the doctor at the AMD clinic that my quality of life (driving and reading) was being adversely affected by the cataracts and in the last six months I have had cataract operations on both eyes.

The results are nothing short of miraculous! My right eye is now back to 20/20 (6/6) and although the left is much poorer (as I expected) night driving is now easy and I can once again read crossword clues and don't need to close my left eye to read (the poor left image was interfering with the better right image but now both are sufficiently good).

My replacement lenses are set for distance and I no longer need spectacles for driving or generally getting around, just reading glasses.

I have also devised a simple test to see whether your cataracts are affecting your sight and will put that in another post.

Don't take "your cataracts aren't ready for removal" as gospel. Consider what effects they may be having on your quality of life and the frequent need for new spectacles.

Best wishes,

Paul

[Koalajane]

I have macular oedema and was offered a steroid implant instead of injections. I was told that a downside was I would get cataracts. I am on oral steroids long term so said I already have cataracts. The opthamologist looked in my eyes and said she would refer me to her cataract clinic. One month later a pre op appointment and a month after that my first cataract op. I have had them both done now and it is wonderful.

[Engineer46 in reply to Koalajane]

I can only assume that the reason for delaying cataract operations is the hope that we won't be around for much longer - so saving the NHS money. I'm pleased that you had yours dealt with.

Best wishes,

Paul

[tallyho]

just letting you know that guidance has changed as to when cataracts can be treated it used to be only when they were ripe but more recently they have found that they actually can be treated much earlier. So probably both were right at the time.

Also it’s good to hear that your cataract surgery was successful some of us ( I have DMO) have to be really cautious about cataract surgery as like me you have other eye issues that actually make cataract surgery complicated and for me very high risk with a guarded prognosis. I guess you had no such complications going into surgery.

I wish you well. For me I won’t get much vision back they have said but it will help prevent glaucoma as my cataracts are causing high eye pressures.

[Engineer46]

I've never believed in the "not ripe" idea. I thought that it was simple caution, in that all surgery carries risk, so if your sight is good enough for daily living then why take the risk that you could lose your sight (I think that the risk of sight loss due to cataract surgery is estimated as 1:1000).

My surgery was uncomplicated - I only have wet AMD in both eyes, treated with anti-VEGF injections for many years. I was once sent for glaucoma tests since my eye pressures were thought to be high, but it turned out that I have thicker corneas than average and you need to deduct 4 from the standard readings.

Is DMO itself a reason to be cautious over cataract surgery or is it the high eye pressure? I recall reading one of your posts in which you mentioned thick corneas giving erroneous readings. I assume that you've had intravitreal injections for the DMO (VEGF or steroids can be used I believe).

One interesting note is that post surgery my eye pressures (standard puffer) are lower than previously and in the normal range without taking 4 off, so your note that your cataracts are causing high eye pressure makes sense.

I wish you all the best,

Paul

[fed13 in reply to Engineer46]

Commenting on general about cataract. Mine got so bad SpecSavers wouldn't treat me, and actually rang my orthopaedic consultant. I was having to read with a magnifying glass.

The cataract op. revolutionized my life.

[Seamus1]

goodness me, I was reading your comment and thought this is exactly what happened to me. Despite having injections for years for AMD and being told it’s under control, my comments regarding vision were ignored, having been a clinician myself I asked about cataracts, the response ‘ they are insignificant’. However like you my optician agreed with me and I was referred to a different hospital, where the consultant confirmed‘significant’ cataracts. The procedures were carried out over 3 months, my vision is excellent. Why, I ask was I fibbed off by the so called specialists treating AMD?