"Excellent surgery treatment received for a..."

Anything else?

I was referred by my optician at 8 pm (many thanks to Boots at Lakeside) and seen first thing the next day at the eye clinic at Orsett Hospital and then operated on the following morning at Southend Hospital, on the 29.8.2013. I was very happy with the pre-surgery examinations, procedures and explanations. The ward was clean, dusted whilst I was there, and thoroughly inspected by ward staff afterwards - very impressed. The ward comprised 4 beds and there were 3 men in the ward, including me, getting treated that day. I was given a choice of having the operation under a general or local anaesthetic - I opted for a local anaesthetic. The operation was undertaken whilst wearing my own clothes, albeit with hair and shoes covered over. Apart from some doubts in the first minute of the operation - no problems after the local anaesthetic fully kicked in. The one hour long procedure seemed to go very quickly and, before I knew it, I was back on the ward with a cuppa and a biscuit. One hour later I was being discharged with a letter for my GP and some eye drops and driven home by wife. I had to keep the head facing down for the first 24 hours to allow a gas bubble inserted to push against the wall of the eye, sleeping on my right side at night with a plastic shield, provided to me, taped over the eye. I managed to sleep pretty well. After a couple of days I started to get some vision back at the top of the eye as the gas bubble started to descend downwards. Gradually over the days the bubble descended downwards until after 2 weeks it disappeared altogether. Once the eye has settled (still a bit sore 3 weeks later) and I have got an updated prescription lens for my glasses, I am expecting to be able to see very well out of the affected eye. The Hospital saw me the day afterwards for a check up and again 2 weeks later - very good to be reassured that everything had gone to plan and was recovering as expected. After just over two weeks I was back at work, albeit taking it fairly easily and wearing my purchased eye patch. I found the movement of the inserted gas bubble less distracting when wearing the eye patch. I highly recommend the Ophthalmology Department - it seems to me to be very well organised and the staff very attentive and professional. I could not have asked for more. Many thanks to all involved - a real credit to the NHS.