A woman from Altrincham has described the impact of her recent eyelid surgery, which has restored her vision and allowed her to continue enjoying her hobbies and independence.
After noticing that her vision was becoming increasingly impaired, Val Heywood visited her optician who referred her for further treatment at Newmedica's Manchester eye clinic. The diagnosis was bilateral eyelid ptosis – a condition where the eyelids droop over the eyes, obstructing sight.
‘I initially thought there was a fingerprint on my lens due to a previous surgery, but it turned out to be my eyelids were gradually folding over,’ Val explained.
Consultant ophthalmologist Mr Young at Newmedica Manchester confirmed she could have the procedure through the NHS. Within a month from her appointment at the optician, she underwent surgery on both her eyelids and was able to go back to her everyday life.
Val shared: ‘I wasn’t nervous at all, I’d previously had cataract surgery elsewhere, and I was more nervous then because it involved touching the eye. But Mr Young was very reassuring. The whole process was extremely professional and efficient.’
One of the standout aspects of her experience was the free transport provided by Newmedica, which made attending appointments stress-free.
Val added: ‘They sent a taxi for me each time, which was such a relief. They even rang in the morning to confirm, and I felt like a film star being chauffeured to my appointments. After surgery, they sent me home in a taxi too—it took all the pressure off and made the whole process so much easier.
‘The surgery itself only took 30 minutes, and the care I received was first-class. The worst part was just remembering to take the eye drops afterwards.’
Before the surgery, her sight was increasingly affected by her drooping eyelid.
‘It felt like looking through a dirty mark on a lens,’ she recalled. ‘Had I not had the surgery, I would have eventually lost my sight, so I’m extremely grateful that I was able to have an appointment so quickly.’
Now, her vision has been fully restored, improving both her day-to-day life and her confidence. ‘Cosmetically, I can see a difference in before and after pictures, but more importantly, my vision is back to normal.’
A keen calligrapher and cross-stitch enthusiast, Val is thrilled to be able to continue creating hand-made cards for friends and family. Val also enjoys an active lifestyle, attending Pilates classes, learning Italian, and participating in local church activities.
She said: ‘I’m careful about driving at night, but otherwise, everything is back to normal. I’m able to continue driving which is so important to me as I love to be out and about doing things for myself.
‘With three children and seven grandchildren, Val also cherishes spending weekends supporting her grandchildren playing sports. ‘As long as I can get there on my own, that’s what matters.’
In addition to ptosis surgery, Newmedica Manchester provides eye care services such as cataract treatments and other advanced eye care services to help people regain their sight and quality of life.
The clinic is owned and run by Mr James Young alongside fellow consultant ophthalmologists Mr Raj Bhayani, Mr George Moussa, Mr Vinod Sharma and Mr Bhamy Shenoy.
Mr Young, consultant ophthalmologist at Newmedica Manchester, said: ‘It’s always rewarding to see the positive impact this surgery has on our patients.
‘Ptosis can significantly affect daily life, from vision impairment to a loss of confidence. We’re delighted that this procedure has restored her sight and independence, allowing her to continue with her hobbies and social activities. At Newmedica, we strive to make eye care as accessible as possible, and our free transport service is just one of the ways we support our patients throughout their journey.’
For further information about Newmedica Manchester, which is based in Cobra Court, visit our clinic page or telephone 0161 516 4604