Five years with GCA and all the usual side effects of pred. One eye diagnosed in need of a cataract operation. That filled me with all sorts of fear and panic for months, even though I was assured that it was painless.
Came the day last Friday at Whipps Cross Hospital in East London. It could not have gone smoother, an excellent surgeon and supporting theatre team. No pain and minimal discomfort, topped off with tea and biscuits at the end! I have a blood shot eye for now and have to put in four eye drops a day for four weeks and wear an eye shield at night for two weeks. After just 48 hours I can already see(!) the difference. Sight clearer and colours more vivid.
The point of this post is to let others know that it's worth going for. I've been told that in the fullness of time my other eye will need treatment. All my fears and panics have gone. Think positively
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Roy46
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Thank you for sharing your positive experience. I have always felt instinctively that this little op would be a good thing. I do have pre-cataract signs in both my eyes and need to have another check.
Enjoy your new vision of the world in full technicolour.
It does seem odd to most people that we would want the op but if youve worn glasses most of your life for short sightedness the idea of seeing clearly without is like winning the lottery.x
I had contacts for a long time but the a/i bit of PMR was probably what put paid to that - I developed an allergy to a new recipe lens solution and we couldn't find one I could use. So I had dailies for a long time and then developed dry eyes. That was it. With cataracts I could go back to that: monovision (different strength lenses in each eye) and top up specs to drive. No permanent sore nose ...
I have mono contacts but over the last couple of years they have never given me the good vision i used to get from them. I would settle for contacts again if vision was back to what it used to be. Chances are though i could just get away with reading glasses if the short sightedness was sorted. As i am a -9 in both eyes i would settle for reading glasses onky!!
Glad its going ok. I have worn glasses for 45 years and i am extremely short sighted (-9) so am looking forward to getting my cataracts removed when they get to the right stage. Keep us up to date on your progress please.x
Not sure what you mean by getting to the right stage. The ophthalmologist said that the wisdom is now to remove cataracts ASAP. Previously it's been to wait until they cloud the eye, which means a possible difficult op. Now it's remove soonest as that's a relatively simple procedure.
That's because the old technique required the cataract to be "ripe", modern techniques don't. However, in the UK the waiting is a way of reducing pressure on the service.
Must admit just assumed it was stilll wait until they have progressed but seeing opthalmic guys soon so will ask about getting them done asap. I would be very scared DL if in the same positionxx
As I’ve said before mine was done a bit earlier than the surgeon would normally do it - as he advised me! But I did impress upon him that if it came to the point that I couldn’t drive it would be bad for my overall health as I’d recently lost hubby and had arthritis in knees/hips so need to be able to get out and about!
I love the countryside and in an ideal world would live in the middle of nowhere but not ideal when you start adding in medical problems!! Mind you knowing my luck OH would probably just bury me in a local field!!
It is...we chose it about 20 years ago as it was being set up.. just a few farmers fields originally on a slope so probably not good for arable farming.. so sold to burial company.
Himself chose the plots on the top of the slope - looking straight towards a pub! So in his element - a pub and the countryside. What could be better.
Has a nice modern meeting place to hold services and afterwards if wanted - which we did - none of the family religious, so we arranged it all ourselves, my son’s best friend (a school headmaster) conducting proceedings. Glorious August day.
Everyone said afterwards - what a lovely, happy funeral!
I went to a cremation last year of a friend and her brother and father did all the speeches rather than vicar. I will drop names here but it was bill roaches daughter vanya who died and her dad and brother did the whole service between them and it was so much more relaxing than normal services and very personal. I have never particularly liked her dad as a person or actor but did change my mind slightly after the service. Its the type of "do" i would like.xx
Yes, and the people doing the talking actually knew the deceased.
At both my brother’s funeral 6 years ago and my sister’s recent funeral a vicar did the spiel, and you tell they really had little idea of the person concerned.
We had that when we had OH's mums service and the vicar forgot to mention OH's sister and got loads of details wrong. It was really hard sitting listening to his speech. Whereas with Varns service we were listening to tales of her youth and even her delinquency in adult life which meant somehing to everyone who knew her. Unless you go to church no vicar is ever going to know you properly and we arent religious so the type if burial your hubby had sounds ideal.x
I did the talk for my mother - the priest (blasted woman that she was) couldn't even get mum's name right and my cousin who had come all the way from the Midlands to Scotland for the funeral thought she was in the wrong church! Mum had been at the church longer than the priest. I was standing talking to my brother after the Sunday service (I had gone elsewhere to a church where a friend was the priest) and this woman came up to me and asked quite rudely who I was! I pointed out that since I was speaking with my brother and am the spit of my mother surely she could have worked it out!!!
Mum was known at the WRVS as Margaret because that was her first given name. Nowhere else had called her that - she'd been Rene to the rest of the world all her life. But isn't the funeral for the family first and foremost?
Yes, at my sister’s the vicar kept calling hers Mags- no one in the family or friends ever called her that in 80 odd years - she was always Margaret.
But apparently at work she’d been called Mags - so that what this stupid woman kept repeating. First time she said it, every just looked at each with a raised eyebrow!
It would be like calling me Debra rather than the Debby or Debs i get called by family and friends. Work is different all together and shouldnt creep into something like a funeral.
I was so freaked out by the thought of it that in a panic attack I tripped at home and split my ear, needing 12 stitches. That's the state that I was in. Now, when the other eye needs "doing" I'll have no problem with it. No more freaking for me, I'm converted!
I keep hoping for cataracts, like YBB it would mean at least part of life could be without wearing glasses! They go on in the morning before getting out of bed and are the last thing put away at night unless I'm reading in bed - that at least I can do without specs!!
I gather the worst thing is that you see the dust even better ...
I have found glasses to be help as well as a hindrance over the past +20 years. Post the op I'm finding that I have less need for glasses, even after only two days. Today I found my self trying to take off my glasses (I keep them on my forehead) only to find that I wasn't wearing them! I'm hoping that continues. Surgeon said that I must get eyes tested and new glasses. Another expense.
Like pro says i would just go basic lens for now until you know what you will need re reading etc. Interestingly i read with my glasses on my head as i just cant get the clarity i want even with one contact lens for distance and one for reading.
After my ops 7 weeks apart OH said I could spot a dust speck at 100 paces 😂😂. I'd worn specs since age 4, so seeing so clearly without them was amazing...
I have asymmetrical ears, hence a permanent sore nose made worse now as skin has thinned so much since Pred...
I'm on 7.5mgs currently (started on 50mgs five years ago) and am coming down by 0.5mgs every six weeks. Seems to work for me, though with a chest infection in December I went up to 20mgs. That didn't seem to bother the specialists. No one has questioned with me pred vs cataract op. +48 hours after the surgery I'm still happy that I went with it. Good luck to you
Roy, I had a cataract op last Thursday and things are going well, still a bit blurred but it is clearing and I can’t believe the difference! clear and sharp with a blue tone rather than a yellow tinge as in the other eye. I have had cataracts in both eyes but the steroids accelerated the need for surgery. I will be at the opticians in 3-4 weeks and then they are going to do the other one, yey😳 naturally one is hesitant about the op but honestly it is quick and a bit like the dentists, a bit of pressure but no pain, I recommend it if you get the chance.
I should also add, I looked into the mirror yesterday and couldn’t believe how many lines I have got on my face😱 thing is though I can now see everyone else’s haha. Just. To also add, I am down to 3mg pred but they didn’t even ask what dose I was on. I think it’s a case of being sensible and taking it easy after the op.
Congratulations on getting your operation done I’m facing that surgery probably soon and have a lot of fears too as I’m one of those who has been scared of doctors and medical procedures my whole life, and my mother was a nurse!
I’m currently on 10mg pred, 2 years PMR/GCA. Age 76, I’ve been very nearsighted and worn glasses since age 10 or so. I wore contacts and used reading glasses but for the last few months haven’t worn my contacts.
In the last few months my sight has really deteriorated, it’s difficult to draw, read, or watch TV. I have an appointment with my opthamologist tomorrow.
My question is, I understand that with cataract surgery you must choose to either have distance vision or near vision corrected and that you will still need either reading glasses or glasses for far vision. Or is this incorrect.
Which did you choose and how does that work in your daily life?
Mstiles, I don’t know about Roy but I wasn’t asked to choose. I was told I would still need reading glasses due to my age (73) but I am happy with that, only one pair of glasses to lose! The clarity in the altered eye is great, can’t wait for the other one to be done. Tested driving at night and what a difference. I can honestly say please don’t worry about the op, I was told to focus on 3 white lights throughout the op, which is what I did, little bit of pressure, washing out, new lens, no pain,. Took about 6 mins👍🏻
Thank you! I’m a worrier and squeamish about medical stuff.
And I’m an artist also so worried about seeing clearly of course. I’ll see what the doctor says today, my left eye has gotten dramatically worse in the last few months.
I was so scared that i tripped at home, bashed my ear and had 12 stitches. The cataract op is a walk in the park by comparison. My right eye will need treatment, but not yet. I shall have no hesitation in going for the op again. Aftercare consists of a drop in the eye every 4 hours for 4 weeks. Its a nuisance, but not painful or difficult. Colours now are so vibrant.
Scared, yes! I’m such a big baby when it comes to medical things. I’ve been researching a little on cataract procedures but I avoid looking at any photos of eyeballs during the procedure.
Sounds like the operation is so worth it though. It will be great to be able to paint again without trying to shut the left eye to see my colors.
I found I needed pain killers for 2 days, strong ones. Took my eyeshield off on Friday morning after the op on Thursday morning, think I should have not been so hasty as I felt a bit nauseous and unsteady. I have drops 4 times a day for 3 weeks but half have gone on the floor, have got the hang of it now👍🏻 I think you need someone with you for a couple of days so you avoid bending down, can do that now but keep eyes straight ahead. Drove myself on Monday during day and at night, can’t believe the difference. You seem to get your confidence back a bit more each day, actually I feel fine now but my other eye needs doing as if I don’t wear my glasses the eyes don’t match up in vision anymore. I will be seeing my optician at the 4 week anniversary. I only have steroid drops but have been scrupulous with washing my hands and using sterile cloths to clean my eye. Have washed my hair first time today, ensuring no soap goes in eye. Honestly, please trust me, you will be fine, I did as I was told and just focused on the white lights throughout the op, never saw another thing
Me too, 73. I'll see what optician says about glasses. I'd given up on night driving, too dangerous for me to be on the road in the dark. Maybe that will change. For the moment, no driving for the next couple of weeks. Today, bright sunny colours but i can't clearly read a number plate on the other side of the street. My legs will get a lot of exercise the end of the month. No bad thing
I'm booked to see a consultant end of May regarding a cataract op and was concerned about whether I could have it done whilst on Prednisalone.
I'm assuming you're on steroids and it didn't stop you having the op?
I also have AMD in that eye and he's already said I have a lot of scarring from the thirty plus injections I've had so that may influence the decision too.
I'm on 7.5mgs of pred. Surgeon wasn't concerned. Post the op I have to take two types of eye drops. One is antibiotic and the other is steroid based. The literature doesn't say which steroid. But I'm taking it (dropping it!) and there are no adverse affects. One week after the op my sight is clearer and I'm glad that I went with it. Hope that helps
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