Seeing Life Clearer Following Cataract Surgery – Barbara’s Story

“At first it was like having scratched glasses. I was also using eye drops for my dry eye, so that masked the condition for a little bit too. Gradually though I noticed my vision was deteriorating.”

As time passed, her symptoms became harder to ignore. Barbara found it increasingly difficult to read signs and her distance vision worsened, making her more reliant on loved ones.

“I had to ask my grandson, the number of the bus that was coming. And I thought the block of flats on top of the hill we live across from had been knocked down – but that was the deterioration in my sight. I was kind of gradually becoming, should we just say, disabled, as I could see less and less.”

During her routine eye exam, Barbara’s optometrist discovered the cataracts were situated directly in her central line of vision. With this diagnosis, she turned to The London Clinic for specialist treatment, where she was already under the care of Consultant Ophthalmologist Miss Saw for her dry eye condition.

Miss Saw recommended cataract surgery which involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure involves removing the cloudy lens in the patient’s eye and replacing it with an artificial lens implant to restore sharp, focused vision.

“It was very quick – 10 minutes per eye. I just went into the clinic, and then it’s all done with local anaesthetic eye drops. A tiny incision was made in the cornea, and then using ultrasound the clouded lens was broken up and removed and then replaced with the artificial lens implant.”

“I was shocked that I could see perfectly when I left The London Clinic. I remember seeing in clarity and all the bright colours, it was kind of like being at a fun fair.”

Although nervous before the procedure, Barbara felt reassured by Miss Saw’s clear and confident approach.

“Miss Saw talks science and for me she instilled confidence by giving me the information. She also convinced me that it would be an improvement, to get back to living my life to the fullest. I think she’s probably the only person I would have trusted with my eyeballs.”

Since the procedure Barbara has rediscovered joy in life’s simple pleasures – especially in being in nature.

“We’ve recently been on holiday in France and we went up a mountain, and through a wildflower meadow with fields drowned in wild orchids. Before my surgery it would have been a blur of colour, kind of like an impressionist painting. Now I feel like I can see with telescopic vision. I can see all the beautiful details in nature that I was missing before.”

Reflecting on her journey, Barbara describes the experience as life changing.