On the Road Again!

Although a mobile phone is a great invention, and the advent of the so called "smartphones" changed the world, I still don't like talking on mine in public. I feel that like many others I am shouting! Dom Joly - Trigger Happy TV So when I had the call from the surgery whilst in aisle 3 in Waitrose doing some shopping I was a little surprised. They asked if I was in any pain. I am not. It was two week since the left eye was done. I mention that there was no date to go back for a check on the eye as there had been for the first one. Apparently there isn't a need to go back. Once the eye drops run out in just under two weeks that's it.  I need to get an appointment at the opticians in Folkestone and have an eye-test for reading glasses. And that's it.  I do get some blurred vision in the day from the right eye and it seems to have some gunge in it. I need to keep a handle on that and see if it persists. Otherwise I am discharged.

It's about 52 hours since I had my left eye operated on. This time I seemed to be under the influence of something strange!  Maybe the local anaesthetic contained some hallucinogen! On the chair and leaning back they put a huge mat over my face, with an air pipe so I could breathe. It was sticky on one side and stuck to my face and beard.  Then the surgeon cut the hole where he was going to be operating.   At this point I had to look straight ahead into the lights on the gantry that was pulled down over me.   For some strange reason the cluster of three lights looked like a face. Two eyes and a larger open mouth! I likened this to an "Angry Chimp". I stared into it and it seemed to move nearer to my eye and then blur and then go away again. Back into focus it lost the angry look. Then it moved in the for kill!  And it was all over. Wow! I sat up as requested and found I had the clear plastic eye guard on. The nurse took me to the ad...

This morning I have had my second eye done. Seemed to take longer than before when I had the right eye done about 6 weeks ago. So here we are. In about a month's time. No more spectacles to wear. Just reading glasses maybe. Left eye done!

Today was four weeks since I had my cataract removed and a new lens fitted into my right eye. I had to go back to the surgery to have an ophthalmic surgeon check that it was all good.  Everything is fine. I was then booked in to have the left eye done. I am booked in for that to be done on March 20th at 0945. Now I am used to it I should be able to recover with no problems. By the end of April I should have perfect distance vision in both eyes. I'll need reading glasses though.  But one step at a time.

Into week 3 since it was done on 7th February.  The drops that I have been using have dropped to two drips each of the maxitrol (from four) and bromfenac per day. So far I have had no problems apart from needing glasses to read small print. As my left eye wasn't as bad and yet to be done, I can use my current reading glasses. At least that eye can read clearly still. Once the left is done and theoretically both eyes should be the same I can get some new reading glasses! The current pair were from the £29 range at Specsavers. It's a shame to waste a good frame.

It's a week since I had the operation to remove the lens in my right eye and have it replaced with a new one. Today I had a follow-up phone call to check on how I was doing. To be totally honest it has been a miracle. As well as everything being brighter I no longer need a prescription lens in my glasses.  I have two bottles of drops to take for a month, four of one and two of the other a day. I have a chart on a pad I tick off each time! It was nice to get a call and I told them how it is progressing. I don't think it is 100% yet but as I have worn spectacles since 1982 for distance vision, do I know what that even is? Three weeks of drops to go and then my checkup at the surgery.

Reporting live from the eye clinic. Awaiting the surgery on my right eye to remove the cataract. Was due under the knife at 1045 but they are running late. I have applied the two different eye drops they asked to be done and hour before..... Waiting.... In the end through the preliminaries by 1130 and in the hot seat  Ten minutes and it's all done. Mr Magoo on the street  Drops for 4 weeks..... No computer working for at least 3 days, maybe 5 ... During assimilation to the Borg.   I am hoping to have almost 20/20 vision in this eye once it has settled down. In a month, March 7th, go back for the opthalmic surgeon to check it over. And then book for the left to be done.  That could be as soon as March 14th!!

Back in September at my last eye test at Specsavers in Folkestone, the optician recommended me for surgery to remove the cataract. I hadn't expected much so soon but this week I had a letter arrive with an appointment for the job to be done. In to the clinic one day, Saturday in February,  to look at it, then if all is good it will be removed the next day. I don't think it is bad enough to remove yet. It hardly affects my day to day life, just the occasional blurry vision in that eye. Fingers crossed.

This morning was a visit to Specsavers.  It's over a year since I last went where I ended up with computer glasses that might fit in Elton John's collection. I wasn't intending buying glasses but simply wanted my scheduled eye test. The optician did all the checks and decided that my cataract was getting thicker  It affects my right eye and makes it difficult to focus and get my prescription right. She said we should fill in the form and she would refer me to the health authorities. To be honest at the moment it doesn't affect my day to day vision at all, a little blurry on occasions.  With Covid around it could be years before I get seen. 

The last time I had an eye-test was two years ago and it was at Tesco in Ashford. I went mad and bought a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses with prescription lenses and a pair of Oakley clear classes.  Cost a fortune but two years later they are fine and maybe even still "fashionable". I don't think that Ray-Ban Wayfarers have even been unfashionable! Ray-Ban Wayfarer RB5814 Oakley OX8026 Currency So today I went to Specsavers in Folkestone for my bi-annual check-up.  As expected I need reading glasses.  Reading the screen at work has become a little more difficult without added blinking and concentrating.  I have had to up the font size on my Kindle too! Claire chose a nice pair for me in the £69 range.  They will be delivered next Saturday. Watch this space.  At least I'll be able to see it more clearly.... What was less comforting was when I did all the tests for distance and mentioned to the optician that I was having a problem with not pe...