Colin had cataract surgery with Mr Nicholas Glover. Read his story...
They say you don’t appreciate what you have until you lose it and, in the case of my sight, that is true! Until I began to lose my sight, I had never really valued it and I believe that it is something we all take for granted.
My eyesight before the surgery was so poor, I had trouble seeing colours and driving at night. I knew this was something I had to fix, for both my sake and the sake of others!
Previously, I had never really thought about surgery but my optician suggested the treatment to me as my sight continued to worsen. As I am 74, the internet isn’t really something I use regularly so I didn’t look at any reviews online. I was, however, fortunate enough to know a few people who had already had the corrective surgery and they had nothing but positive things to say about it, which really reassured me.
On the day of my procedure, I arrived at The Westbourne Centre and was very impressed with the service I received from the ladies at reception and the nurses. Like most people, I’m not a fan of hospitals but luckily, The Westbourne Centre didn’t have the typical hospital vibe which helped to make me feel at ease.
When my name was called, I headed into the consultation room to speak with my surgeon, Mr Nick Glover. He explained the procedure and aftercare to me in a clear and concise manner.
The procedure itself took around 15 minutes – which always seems to shock people! It was seamless and I could not fault Mr Glover or the team in anyway.
For a week after the procedure, I was required to wear an eyepatch to bed to protect my eye. Additionally, I was given drops which I had to apply seven times per day. I could not see for three days after the surgery but by the third day, I could see perfectly! It was such a difference.
Once the first eye had healed, I decided it was time to get my other eye done as I was finding it difficult to focus. Again, the procedure was quick and simple. My total time at The Centre did not exceed more than one and half hours per visit and caused little disruption to my day.
Within days of my second eye operation, I could see clearly. It’s made such a difference to my life and I now no longer worry about driving in the dark – this has been particularly handy of late as my son has recently moved house so I have been able to help with that.
Following the procedure, it’s worth noting that you are unable to drive again until you are signed off. Luckily for me, my lovely wife was able to chauffeur me around. You also can’t do anything too vigorous and are asked to refrain from lifting anything heavy which to my dismay included my golf clubs. I felt no pain at all and the aftercare wasn’t too troublesome at all. All I had to do was ensure my eye remained clean by using a cotton wool pad and some sterilised water.
Now that both of my eyes have healed, I am pleased to say that the surgery has improved my golfing skills! I can now see the length of the fairway meaning I can see exactly where the ball has landed after I’ve taken my swing. It’s saved me a fortune in golf balls!
The procedure has completely changed my life, it’s like everything is in HD and playing with my grandchildren is now much easier. Now that I can see her clearly again I’m also able to appreciate how truly beautiful my wife is. I would recommend cataract surgery to anyone struggling with their sight or who is fed up of wearing glasses.
