"Care after post eye-surgery complications"

A few hours after my second NHS cataract surgery performed at ACES Clinic, I started feeling very ill, rapidly developing a violent headache and experiencing persistent vomiting. My partner phoned the ACES out-of-hours help number and spoke with my surgeon who advised that I should go to the RD&E A&E department to be seen by the on-call Ophthalmologist there.

On arrival I was treated very kindly, provided with a wheelchair and vomit bowl and examined by the Triage nurse. Very soon the on-call Ophthalmologist Dr Cowan arrived and set to work on diagnosing and treating my condition. She found that my eye pressure was dangerously high. She explained that this was a ‘crisis’ reaction and was the cause of how very ill I was feeling.

Dr Cowan explained clearly to me and my partner how she was going to treat me, asking a nurse to insert an IV cannula through which was administered pressure-reducing drugs plus anti-emetics to help stop my vomiting. She remained with me for the next few hours, constantly checking my pressures and explaining what would happen next, until she was satisfied that it was safe for me to go home, and she provided me with pressure-reducing tablets and various eye drops, explaining that I would be seen at the Emergency Eye clinic in 2 days time. It was such a relief to be treated so quickly and so kindly and efficiently by Dr Cowan.

I duly attended my appointment with Dr Van Cleemput at the Emergency Eye Clinic and after a thorough eye examination was given numerous additional eye-drops, the doctor kindly writing out a 2 hourly regime for the 12 doses of drops per day for me to follow as it was all somewhat complicated!

My next appointment was at the Glaucoma Clinic, to check whether any permanent damage had been sustained due to the rapidly increased eye pressure, and there, after a range of tests, I was seen by Nurse Practitioner Stephano who again was patient, kind and efficient, reassuring me that there did not appear to be any permanent damage to my optic nerve despite the period of very high eye pressure. He gave me a new regime of eye drops and advised me to make an appointment for 6 weeks.

At my next Glaucoma Clinic appointment I was seen by Nurse Practitioner Marco. Marco was again very caring and efficient and he reassured me that the pressures in both eyes were now normal and that there was no need for further follow-ups, but advised me to have an annual check-up with my optometrist.

After each visit to these hospital departments, I was sent a thorough explanatory letter via the My Care app which I appreciated very much.

I cannot thank all these skilled specialists enough, as well as the A&E staff who helped me when I felt ill, the staff I encountered at the Emergency Eye Clinic and those who performed the various tests at the Glaucoma Clinic. I could not have wished for better care, everyone was so kind and reassuring. I am a caring retired nurse myself and feel I was treated by everyone just as I would have treated my own patients. Thank you so much!