‘I would recommend cataract treatment in Southampton’
One of the first cataract patients from Guernsey to go to Southampton under the new arrangement between the island and Newmedica has said she would recommend it to anyone capable of travelling.
Catherine Lenfestey, 86, was diagnosed with cataracts about three years ago. A year later she decided to ask for surgery and so joined the list of patients in the island.
As of November she was one of 92 people waiting for the operation, and that was when Health & Social Care announced the agreement with Newmedica, which is part of the Specsavers group.
Mrs Lenfestey said she received a letter not long after that.
‘It was very short notice,’ she said.
‘They said it’ll be in about three weeks’ time.’
She took up the offer to go on 9 December, joining eight other islanders on the flight to Southampton. She had not been keen to travel previously, but her son offered to accompany her and that made her mind up to go. While her son had to pay for his trip, all of Mrs Lenfestey’s visit, apart from food, was covered.
The treatment was at a clinic and she said that it took about 15 minutes and was painless.
‘It’s very strange. It was a bit like your eye being put into a sort of cold washing machine. That’s how it felt. A very extraordinary experience, actually.’
After having dinner at the hotel and a night’s sleep, she went back to the clinic for a repeat of eye tests from the day before.
‘They repeated the test, which I found terribly interesting, because suddenly I could see the letters, and that was rather magical. And as the days have passed, the vision is vastly improved.’
Although there was a bit of waiting around, she said the team was ‘helpful, competent and professional’.
‘I’m grateful to HSC and the Medical Specialist Group for the arrangements they’ve made with Newmedica,’ said Mrs Lenfestey.
Max Dorfner, 78, was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes in September last year. After opting to go to the UK, he was among the second group of patients to fly to Southampton the week before Christmas.
‘You have to stay overnight and then go back to the clinic in the morning and then a lunchtime flight back,’ he said.
The only negative element was having to catch the early morning flight, he said.
‘That’s a bit of a pain in the neck. And the return visit to the hospital is the next morning and you have to be there for 7am.’
Speaking four days after the treatment he said he was pleased with how it had gone.
‘Today for the first time I’ve been able to drive without my glasses on.’
He needs to have his other eye done, too, but was hoping that he would be able to get this treatment locally.
The MSG said the Newmedica arrangement would significantly reduce waiting times after demand pressures led to delays between a patient being referred by their doctor and having an assessment.
It said that waiting times for surgery on island was generally six to eight weeks, if a referral for surgery had been made.
