Mum had a cataract operation back in November 2013. It didn’t go so well. She’s now had one cataract and two entropion operations, with the prospect of a cornea transplant and a second cataract op to follow. She’s been in constant discomfort for over four months, frequently flaring up into excruciating agony. And this is in spite of being treated in a private hospital, at great expense, by one of the top consultants in the country.
Before the op, everyone she knew had been saying for years that their cataract operations had been roaring successes, with miraculous improvement in vision after a very short time. I have subsequently found out that 60% – 70% of these ops are that successful: 20% or so show slow, little or no improvement; and 10% actually make things worse. Unfortunately, Mum’s a 10%-er. I feel like I’d like to be a 1%-er and introduce someone to Mr. Mayhem.
So be warned: cataract operations, even with all our current advanced medical knowledge, can go horribly wrong. It’s not a sure bet.