Retiree Qing Landsborough, from Godalming, has always had a very strong prescription for her eyesight, and was surprised to learn that her eyes were continuing to get worse.
At the age of just 56, she was diagnosed with cataract.
Qing describes the symptoms: “I have been used to wearing glasses or contacts for the past 40 years and go to the optician once a year to keep check on it, but over recent times if always feels as though my glasses need to be cleaned. My vision was cloudy. Even with new glasses it was blurry, I felt I still could not see properly.
“I was surprised to be told at my last optician appointment that my prescription was going up still, I thought that by this age I would need reading glasses and it would start to balance out.
“I was going back to China to visit family and I have a lot of connections there in the medical community. My mum was a hospital matron and my Dad was a doctor. I had my eyes examined again and was told I had cataract – I had no idea! So that on top of a +13 prescription was really affecting my sight!”
When she returned to the UK Qing visited her GP who referred her for treatment. Her local hospital had a long waiting list and so she was referred again and secured an appointment at Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire.
She says: ”I felt very lucky to get there as some of my friends, who are older than me, and have cataract have been waiting for such a long time for their treatment. I was due to have the operation in March, but then lockdown happened, but I was able to go in June as soon as the hospital re-opened.
“I felt very safe at Optegra, I trust them to do the right thing. The nurse and consultant were very good, but I was surprised how nervous I was! I am normally very good with eyes, as I had to have an operation more than 10 years ago for a hemorrhage at the back of my eye. I was trying not to blink, which kept me focused! I was not as nervous for my second cataract operation as I knew what to expect.
“Since the operation, my long-distance vision is really good, I just need reading glasses and seem to have a pair in every room. But as for the blurriness, that has all gone and really there is no comparison!”
Qing had her treatment at Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire with ophthalmic surgeon Andrew Turnbull, who said: “Mrs. Landsborough was an interesting case because her eyes are very unusual in size, which explains why she had such a high glasses prescription before surgery.
“This can make both the surgery and lens implant calculations more challenging. It would also have caused a huge imbalance between her eyes after the first operation, so we arranged to treat Mrs. Landsborough’s second eye very soon after. I am delighted that she has had such an excellent outcome.
“Optegra is working very closely with the NHS across our hospitals to support patients who are on the waiting list for cataract operations. We know that this procedure can make a huge difference to quality of life and are working to support as many people – both NHS and privately – as quickly as possible.”
Having run an accountancy business with her husband, Qing is now retired and enjoys going to the gym several times a week, as well as joining an art class to learn a new hobby of drawing and painting.
Optegra Surgeon, Andrew Turnbull
