Cataracts - Sheffield waiting lists are very short - you don't need to delay action

People we see for eye tests are getting cataract surgery just a short number of weeks (most recent was 3 weeks) after we referred them. This sounds unbelievable when waiting lists in some parts of the UK are measured in years (just spoke to a Scottish friend who was very jealous). It’s good news as people with cataracts can start to struggle with everyday tasks in their work, rest and play. The use of the word “work” there is deliberate, as many people associate cataracts with old age, but referrals for people in their, for example 50s, are not unusual. These people are often a bit surprised when we tell them cataracts are the problem and usually need a bit more help in getting their head around it - than the average 78 yr old, who knows a lot of people who have had thier’s “done”.

If you are diagnosed with cataracts that need operating on, then you should be offered choice as to where you are referred. To quote the NHS website “If you're referred for your first outpatient appointment, in most cases you've the right to choose which hospital in England to go to”. Therefore from our point of view, it makes sense to pick one with shorter waiting times. There are often choices of going to the local NHS hospital or a private location, that provides services for the NHS - you don’t pay for either.

So, are there times when you might consider paying for cataract surgery - even if waiting times are short? There are and it relates to the type of artifical replacement lens that is used to replace the lens in your eye (that is no longer as clear as it was, to the extent it is reducing your quality of vision). NHS procedures (i.e. ones you don’t pay for) will only use single vision replacement lenses. Generally these will leave most people afterwards needing specs for close work task, like reading/looking at phone, but not much prescription in the distance - for tasks like driving/watching TV. Wheras a private provider can offer multifocal lenses, whihc aim to give you good viison at all diatances witohut the need for any spectacles (Budget £3-4K per eye for this).

Related to this, is the fact that one of the postive things about needing cataract surgery, is that is you have had a lifetime dealing with a high prescription (myopia/short sight / hyerpopia/long sight), then after the procedure you will no longer hae that high prescription anymore. That can be an amazing feeling for some poeple, who for decades have reached for their specs first thing every morning and then suddenly can wake up and see! This explains why you might know people who have had lens replaement surgery (privately), even though they didn’t have cataracts - just to eliminate their need for glasses …. (useful for people who are unsuitable for LASER surgery).

So, if you or a relative/friend/colleague who mentons cataracts make sure they know that the surgery works brilliantly, they might not need to wait as long as they were worried and that recovery is quick with great vision within hours of having the 20 minute op done.