White stick or Labrador or …?

As we get older our bodies gradually wear out.  Particularly true of the knee and hip joints, but there is another sign of wearing out.  Gradually finding problems with our sharpness of vision. Problems include:

• Cloudy or blurred vision, slowly getting worse
• Blurred vision in the light but clear vision in the shade
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye
• Seeing halos around street lights, for example

Surgery is the only way to treat a cataract, but the end result is spectacular (I speak from experience, having had cataract surgery carried out here four years ago).  Before I had the surgery I was using contact lenses, but contacts do nothing towards correcting cataracts. Cataract surgery involves liquefying and extracting the affected lens (called phacoemulsification) and replacing it with a ‘plastic’ lens of the correct strength.  Good news!  The replacement lens lasts for ever! Another rather amazing feature, is that the operation can be done under local anesthesia (drops in the eyes is all that is needed).  Each eye takes about 45 minutes to remove the old lens and insert the new one. There are basically two types of Intra Ocular Lenses (IOL’s).  The first is the fixed focus type where you discuss with the ophthalmic surgeon what focal length you will need.  Do you mainly use your long sight or is it your close vision or both?  The second type where you need to change focus you will need a multi-focus lens, and again this is something you will need to discuss with the ophthalmologist. My surgery?  I remain delighted with the results (I chose the SuperSight lens as much of my work is close-up, as well as being able to see distance).  My only regret was I should have had the surgery years previously!