About cataracts

[Jamie345]

Hi there can anyone advise when I can expect to be referred to the hospital to get my cataracts done only I went to specsavers although not due eye test or new glasses ! I was told by the last examination that only my right eye is ready and I have to wait for the left eye to also be blurred, I went last week because it is also same! They said I have to wait until I cannot see through my glasses then they are ready, the where not happy as I was not having new glasses etc.?attitude abit off, obviously I worry because of GCA . so can anyone help me is it true that it has to be that I cannot see thru my glasses, it ok with them on, right eye seems abit cloudy nothing to worry about still see good enough,

Thank you for any help please x

[SheffieldJane]

What a nightmare! Is your GP sympathetic? I would want a referral to the eye hospital and the opinion of an eye surgeon. Someone posted about their Specsavers missing something crucial. It seems very harsh that you should have to endure such a deterioration in eyesight before they’ll act. I don’t think GCA presents like this Jamie, but no harm in the eye hospital having a thorough look. Good luck ( moan more). Try another GP if this one is the stumbling block.

[Jamie345 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thank for a positive reply I did ask my go he says he needs a letter from specsavers optician he is a lovely GP but always seems to past on to other consultants and treats me for the small things like a rash etc.,I wonder if I can go to a different optician and get a second opinion ? Should I ?

[SheffieldJane in reply to Jamie345]

Definitely! Several until you get the right answer.

[Thomas45]

I would get a second opinion from another eye practice.

[Jamie345 in reply to Thomas45]

Thank you I've just seen your reply I'm going to do just that!

[Zofitmogelijk]

Hi Jamie, I am in the Netherlands, and things may be different here. But it puzzles me, the advice, to wait until you can no longer see through the glasses. Did they inform you about the percentage of deterioration? If this blurry vision is caused by pred it is a fast one. No harm to ask for a referral, what is against having one eye done and the other later on? Let the specialist decide. Had two new lenses recently, and it was not half as scary as I thought and the results are fabulous, have the eyes of an 18 year old so to speak.

[Jamie345 in reply to Zofitmogelijk]

I would if I could but we have to get a referral to see the specialist first that I can't seem to get, but I was told on my last visit the optician said you have to wait until your eyes are blurred with my glasses on! They they are ready ! But the one same company specsavers before said as soon as I noticed the left eye was blurred as well it ready nothing to do with me not being. Able to see thru my glasses? Two different I opinions or what??

[Jackoh]

Hi Jamie. I don't agree with this advice at all. You don't have to wait until you can't see out of both eyes ( or cataracts are "ripe") I was the person that unfortunately wasn't happy with my branch of specsavers. It also is in most areas a very long wait for cataracts to be done on the NHS. Because my sight had deteriorated quite badly certainly in one eye I am having one eye done privately and then will reaccess to see if I need the other one done quickly or can wait to have it done on the NHS. I would either go to your GP and get a hospital referral or go to a good independent optrometist ( spelling?) on the high street and say you are very concerned , could they check the back of your eyes and possibly refer you to a NHS source for a cataract operation. They can check the back of the eye to make sure there is no problem re GCA and as an optician/ optrometist they might have access to other sources where the cataract operation could be done. I know my private Clinic does accept NHS patients but these certainly seem to be referred via the independent optician and not through my GP. Specsavers for me did not dilate the pupils and were unable to see the extent of the cataracts which were at the back of the eye. My Consultant Ophthalmologist says that these cataracts are often caused by / aggreviated by the steroids. I would say act now before it becomes a bigger problem. My cataracts certainly progressed very quickly and it is really disconcerting to have your vision totally blurred especially if like me you know there is a 6 month waiting list for this operation on NHS. Also wear sunglasses in bright sunlight as this doesn't help the development of the cataracts , I've been told. Let us know how you get on. Jackie

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Go to your doctor and discuss it. The guidelines are that you should be seen at the eye specialists when it is affecting your day to day life - and I think only then will they put you onto the list for cataract op. However, if both eyes are affected then they don't do the ops at the same time usually, they do one and wait a few weeks to be sure it has healed well and is working. It also varies from place to place because of waiting times. But if I had to wait until both eyes were so bad I couldn't see with specs I'd be housebound if I couldn't drive.

[Jamie345 in reply to PMRpro]

Exact same as me it's my only way of getting out as I cannot walk far at all, my car makes me feel I'm in the land of the living again, if I could I'd go private but it's quite dear and I have already spent on seeing s back specialist and a new rheumatologist so I'm holding back on spending more of my savings! Plus I've worked all my life and feel it's not right that I should have to pay again so heard hoping them must over completely and I can at least get on the list .

[Cally55]

As far as I can make out steroid induced cataracts are of a slightly different form. Mine came on very quickly, after optician said I was developing them last spring by the end of August I felt it unsafe to drive and by October could only see about 3 yards and read with a magnifying glass. Fortunately got referred quickly and had first one done at beginning of December, had to wait until end of this July for second. This is on the NHS. I think that not being able to drive was a factor, it is very isolating. I think waiting times may have got longer this year but obviously vary from place to place. The GP can refer you although some opticians have an arrangement with local hospital, I live on the boundary of two trusts which can cause problems. If you think the cataracts are getting worse and are steroid induced I would go to your GP and get on the list as soon as possible.

The good thing is that the operation is quick and painless and sight is immediately restored!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cally55]

They aren't always the posterior form that are pred-induced. Pred can also make ordinary cataracts deteriorate.

[marigoldb]

Jamie, I think you will know yourself. In my case Specsavers said they had given me the strongest lens in my glasses. Then I knew I probably wasn’t safe driving, as could only read street names and signs when almost up to them. So I was referred and had both cataracts removed within 3 weeks of each other. Brilliant, need glasses for reading, but that’s ok. Good luck.🤓

[SnazzyD]

It’s not up to Specsavers; I’d ask the GP for referral. The classic GCA eye problems are not just blurriness that doesn’t go away with nothing else. But given you are having problems and have this condition I think it reasonable to have an ophthalmologist opinion.

[Jamie345 in reply to SnazzyD]

I did ask him but he said I need the referral from specsavers who say when I can't see out of my glasses then they are ready! If I take them off everywhere is blurred I never used to have to wear them all the time but I now do?

[SnazzyD in reply to Jamie345]

Hmm, what about just asking them to send a report to your GP to update them, then go to your GP and tell them how you feel? Then you’ll have the proof that there are cataracts there but the GP can hear how it is affecting you already and the waiting list could be long. It’s isn't just Specsavers who can refer.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jamie345]

I would find a good local independent optometrist - my opinion of Specsavers and VE is not high!

[SusanEleven]

I’m in the US and my blurry eyes are supposedly not “ripe.” The cataracts started before pmr and prednisone but seem to have sped up after that. Apparently I’ll need to remind the eye doc that in addition to being a writer I’m a photographer. Hello I need my eyes! Between the blurring and the dulling colors, ugh! I did manage to photograph my daughter’s beach wedding on Prince Edward Island three weeks ago. I resorted to auto focus since I felt I couldn’t trust my eyes.

[Zofitmogelijk in reply to SusanEleven]

Hi Susan. Congrats with your daughter's wedding,. And yes, treasure your vision. 😍

[Jamie345 in reply to SusanEleven]

I have always been interested in photography but I have great granddaughter who 11, and has taken up the fascination and beauty of photography , she's already taken some lovely shots, so encouraging her all the way, the photos she took are also of my granddaughter in the cape/South Africa wedding in black/white with her baby sister as well, I really hate these cataracts to distraction hopefully they will cover the eyes quickly and I can get them done so I can appreciated more of the same.

[Nannyj54]

I went to Specsavers and they didn't pick up on my first cataract a few years ago before I was diagnosed gca. I now go to boots opticians. They sent me to my doctors with a letter requesting an urgent referral to eye specialist when the second one started as I had problems with blurring too. Would suggest moving to different opticians and see what they say.

[Lee1945]

Cataracts can only be removed when they are 'ripe' so only your surgeon can decide but your optician should be able to advise!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lee1945]

That is no longer the case - that was for the old techniques of cataract surgery:

visionaware.org/info/your-e...

[Lee1945]

Specsavers seem to only want to sell glassware and their eye tests are only with a view to selling glassrs