h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Evadne,

I will be off-line in a minute , until Sunday evening.

The op was painless ( apart from the injection - which in truth hurt, but not too much )- you are awake, and can see through the eye they are working on, although the rest of your head and face is under one of those green cover thingies. They leave you room to breathe!. the op takes about 20 minutes, and you get wet down the bad eye side of your face, not to worry , it isn,t blood, it is the irrigating water they wash the eye with.

Afterward there is a little aching for a day or two, and you have to wear plastic eye patch at night for 2 weeks to stop you rubbing the eye. They make a small cut under the top eyelid and use microsurgical tools, so some times you have a couple of stitches - which can feel abit prickly fo about a week.

You have to put drops into the eye for 28 days, no problem.

After about 2 weeks your eye feels normal, but a little tender if you touch th etop lid. After 4 weeks it is fine.

Best thing is you can see through it straight away, so sfter the dilation drops wear off you can see great.

Nothing to be afraid of , and the best thing I have ever had done!

Regards
Novo

Cheers Novo!

It was the "aftercare" bit I was particually interested in - my mum's not particually "old" as such, but she tends to be very childish and juvenille, and I know if she isn't made aware that I *know she has to put drops in (for example) then she'll not do it (and I know for a fact she'll scrub at her eyes, because if she knows she shouldn't do something, she automatically does! I'll have to threaten her with mittens, or something!)

As I live a good 60 miles away from her, and have lads to keep an eye on, I can't really spend more than a couple of days with her until she gets used to the "after Operation" effects

But thanks to your resume, I can at least now ask the right questions when I phone her up...and tip off her friends and neighbours to tease her into looking after herself properly

Thanks - enjoy your weekend!

Morning vadne,

W/e Great thanks. but one of the couple brought a 'cold' with her - an unusual visiting gift!

EYE & MUM

It is vital that you stress on her that the aftercare is essential.

Our cataract centre issue a little booklet about the do's and dont's, if hers does, and if she follows it, it will be fine

Don'ts

Don't rub the eye
Don't get soap in it
Wash hair backwards to pevent water or soap getting in.
Don't sleep without the eye shield for at least 2 weeks
Don't go out and walk in windy weather - do not want dust or grit getting in!
DO NOT APPLY MAKE_UP

Do's

Put eye drops in religiously. they clean the eye and are antibacterial. They need 4 drops (one at a time) for 28 days. breakfast, lunch, tea and supper are sensible times.

Be sensible. You have a small cut in the top of the eyeball , underneath the top lid, it MUST be allowed to heal , so do keep drops going and DO leave the eye alone. Wipe lids gently with cooled , boiled water, to remove 'sleep'. One sweep from nose to outer egde of eye with each piece of cotton ball which the Centre provide. Soap, flannel etc absolutely forbidden.