88V8 wrote:A friend in the village, 85yo, is set to have a cataract op.
His pre-med was conducted in company with a plethora of other oldies.
In three weeks he will have a telephone call from the consultant, who he will not see before the op. Indeed, he has no idea who will perform the op.
He has no notion of lense options and has received no information on the procedure and potential side-effects, or if has he has forgotten it.
He was under the impression that he would be able to read without specs.
He is not on the internet and for dogmatic reasons has chosen to be treated on the NHS even though he could well afford private treatment.
A different world from my Private experience.
V8
The pre-med for my first (NHS) op took place at the hospital. Blood pressure and optical measurements were taken by nurses, and a number of health questions were asked. The cataract op took place two weeks later. The Registrar chose the lens, but he had to alter his choice when I had a capsular rupture and the lens had to be re-positioned. The result is a short distance focus.
The pre-med for the second op took place over the telephone (as I was told it would be), and the op was carried out by the Consultant a few weeks later. Before the op, the Consultant and Registrar spoke to me about the choice of a lens, but I left the decision up to them. It also has a short distance focus - so I can read and use my computer without glasses. I have yet to be tested, but I expect I will require glasses for more accurate distant vision. I chose the NHS , since I had other eye complications which were being handled by the same Hospital. The cost of private treatment was not an issue.
I'm 79, and am reasonably compos mentis. Many cataract patient are elderly, and they may not remember, nor understand, all that they are told. I would have thought that your friend should have been given explanatory leaflets which some younger friend could help them with.
Before the operations the surgeon read out to me the percentage chance of undesirable side effects, and I had to sign a disclaimer.