"(These boxes contain one comment..."

What I liked

(These boxes contain one comment including both positive and, especially, negative aspects).

Although my previous experience at Western Eye several

years ago was excellent, the most recent occasion ended

problematically. I was about to have a cataract removed. As I

am a life-long myope whose research and leisure moreover

entail frequent reading of fine print and the like, my

pre-assessments suggested that each IOL be corrected to near-

sightedness with spectacles for distance vision and driving.

On the day of the first scheduled operation, however, the

consultant declined to provide anything other than the more

common distance-vision IOL which would have required that I

wear spectacles for reading and other close work. I am not

complaining about the clinical judgment of the consultant. I do,

however, feel that two aspects of the outcome were less than

professional:

(a) It was not until immediately before the scheduled

operation, with the anaethetist already to hand, that the

consultant in effect changed my treatment plan, making it

clear he was not prepared to provide the near-sighted IOL

(earlier on the same day he had merely said that he would not

recommend it). Surely this matter should have been resolved on

an earlier occasion in order to avoid wasting NHS resources.

(b) With the operation about to take place, he told me

that I had only two choices and must decide immediately:

either to have the distance-vision IOL or not proceed at all

(implying, in effect, that I would have to live with my

cataracts permanently). It was only when I asked what would

happen if I chose the latter, that he said that I could simply

go back to my GP and be referred elsewhere for the cataract

removals. This explanation should surely have been offered

without my having had to ask.

Anything else?

My own subsequent eye treatment experience elsewhere

under the NHS has hence been excellent!