Life-changing eye surgery opens new world for Sylvia

A Birmingham woman who was facing the prospect of blindness because of her extreme fear of eye surgery has praised the clinic that saved her sight.

Sylvia Summerfield’s vision was getting progressively worse because of cataracts in both eyes, with the world around her becoming increasingly blurry.

However, a life-long dread of anything being done to her eyes meant she was reluctant to have her vision corrected by lens-replacement surgery.

Eventually, her sight became so bad, she had to face her biggest fears by going to Newmedica Birmingham for surgery to have the cataracts removed.

The eye health clinic and surgical centre, based at Aston Cross Business Village, provides specialist eye services across the region, including Birmingham, Solihull, Edgbaston, Sutton Coldfield and the surrounding area.

Sylvia, 68, said: “I hate my eyes being touched at all. I tried contact lenses in the past, but I couldn’t even do that. Because of this fear, my eyes gradually got worse because I left it and left it.

“The thought of anyone going near my eyes for surgery was horrendous. It was bad enough getting my eyes tested, so the thought of someone coming at my eyes with a knife, and the pain that’d go with it, it was all too terrible.”

Cataracts are when the lens of a person’s eye develops cloudy patches. Over time these patches usually become bigger.

Although cataracts are relatively common and treatable, they cause blurred vision and eventually blindness if untreated.

Sylvia added: “My sight was getting so blurry, I had to get them sorted. When I went to the clinic I was shaking like a leaf, but everyone at Newmedica couldn’t have been better.

“They were talking to me the whole time and putting me at ease – and then the surgery was finished before I knew anything about it. It was so quick and there was no pain.

“It was totally amazing. I just couldn’t believe it could be that painless and that quick. I can see so much more now than I could before. My sight is 100% better than it was. It’s brilliant.

“I didn’t realise my granddaughter had so many freckles on her face – and now I’m decorating the house because I didn’t realise how bad it was before.

“I put the operation off for so long, and now I think, ‘Why?’ I missed out on so much. I can play with my grandchildren now and we laugh about how bad my sight was.

“It really has been life-changing. Being able to drive means I’m more independent and I feel safer. I can drive my grandchildren around and interact with them. To be able to do all this is fantastic.

“I can barely explain how incredible it is to be able to see so well. I can see the old photos of my parents much clearer now. Before my surgery I’d thought the pictures were fading, but it was my sight.”

“Having had the first eye done, I was fine about having the second eye done a couple of months later. I was confident and chatty – totally different to how I was for the first one.

“Knowing what I know now, I’d certainly encourage anyone to have their eyes done if they need it. Don’t hesitate. Don’t put it off. Just go and have it done. It’ll be the best decision you make.”

Newmedica Birmingham is led by consultant ophthalmologists Mr Sai Kolli, Mr Aaron Ng, Mr Ash Sharma and Mr Velota Sung, alongside operational partner Rachel Hill.

Professor Sai Kolli, consultant at Newmedica Birmingham, said: “Mrs Summerfield was a wonderful patient. She was nervous to begin with, but when she realised how straightforward the surgery is, she was fine for the second operation.

“She’s absolutely right about people having no need to be nervous about the surgery. With cataracts, the procedure is very quick, carried out under local anaesthetic via eyedrops while the patient is awake, and it’s painless.”

For further information, go online at www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/swindon www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/birmingham