the Monday Musings column from that consultant bloke

I can’t remember when I was first diagnosed with a cataract in my right eye. I do remember that it was during an eye test in the US, and that it was whilst we had a home there, so it was before 2019, and probably about 2015 or 2016, so that has a significance that I will come to in a moment.

Having my eyes tested in America was done for three reasons; firstly because I wanted to experience the service over there as compared to home in the UK, secondly because of the more attractive range of frames available, but lastly because I knew that I had some sort of issue, and wanted to find out away from risk that the optician would tell the DVLA that I had a problem that would put may driving licence at risk.

The process was different to any that I had experienced in the UK, and I was impressed, both in terms of how they did it and the fact that I could come back a couple of hours later and collect my new glasses. No 2 weeks wait over there. But the news that I had a developing cataract was troubling, even though I was assured that it would take some time before I needed to address it.

It was during a routine visit to my doctor a year or so later that I mentioned the cataract and was told no to worry, that it would be as long as ten years or more before it got to the point where an operation would be considered.

The issue had been on my mind since but it was still a shock when I went for my annual eye check at the opticians in January this year to be told that things were bad enough for an operation referral. Not only that but that I also had one developing in my left eye. My ten years seem to have elapsed as predicted.

We had been discussing the probability of an operation, and that going private might be the best option should the waiting list be too long for one with the National Health Service. However, I had the referral letter by email two days later and, having accessing the web site that day, an operation scheduled for 6 weeks later. I was impressed.

And so there we are. Der Tag is this Wednesday. I am terrified. Hopefully I will be back in action next week to report back on the results.