Cataract Two

As an unreconstructed hypochondriac my initial euphoria at getting past the operation soon gives way to the jitters. This is mostly fuelled by a combination of:

• Too much time on my hands as I am off work recuperating.
• Access to medical sites on the Internet.
• Sometimes conflicting information on these sites.
• A little knowledge but not enough.
• A fertile imagination.

So by mid afternoon yesterday I had concluded that my continuing blurred vision (which can be quite normal) was evidence of a problem. This view was reinforced by the fact that my pupil appeared to be refusing to return to it's normal size. Susan, my wife is used to my health panics looked bored and told me to ring the hospital. Probably on the grounds that this might stop me going on to her all night rather than because of any real concern. I rang the hospital.

"Is your pupil stuck or opening and closing even though it is wider than the other one?" asked Staff Nurse Lucy.

"I'll check it out and ring back" I said. Then followed half an hour of trying to get into alternative light and dark places, shining a light in my eye and panicking, all whilst looking in a mirror.

I rang back, "Can't tell" I said in a quavering voice.

"I'll speak to the eye doctor and ring you back".

Ten minutes pacing and the phone rings, "David?"

"Yes"

"Lucy here, I've spoken to the doctor and she says it's nothing to worry about at this stage, ring again tomorrow if there is no change or you are worried".

Woke up this morning, anxious dash to the mirror, removed fetching plastic eye protector provided by the hospital. Pupil seems to be returning to normal. Phew. Of course I was never really worried.

Oh by the way, it is quite difficult delivering eye drops accurately to yourself.