Suffering from cataracts in both eyes, Robert requested to be put on the NHS waiting list for cataract surgery but had been waiting nearly two years to receive a confirmation. Finally deciding to make further enquiries, he found that due to the NHS being overwhelmed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it could take up to 3 years for the first eye to be operated on.

“The first time I mentioned it to my optician she said ‘Do you want me to put you on the list?’. I said ‘Yes of course, because I need my eyesight’. That was 2 years ago and I haven’t had a letter of response or any kind of information to say that you’re on a list,” he explains.

Being fond of walking in the local countryside, and owning a caravan near the coast, Robert grew increasingly frustrated with the way his cataracts were preventing him from enjoying his surroundings. “You look out over the Clyde Valley and you’re looking at wildlife. It’s amazing, but with your eyesight, everything just becomes a blur,” he says. Not wanting to suffer from blurred vision any longer, as well as not wanting put himself at risk of severe trips and falls due to his visual impairment, he decided to look into possibilities for private treatment and came to Optical Express in Glasgow for a free consultation.

Robert was glad to find that Optical Express can treat both eyes on the same day, and booked in for Lens Replacement Surgery at our state of the art clinic in Glasgow city centre. While he was slightly apprehensive when he came in for treatment, he was highly impressed with how well everything flowed on the day, experiencing no long waits or delays: “Everything was just flowing perfectly. You were in, tended to immediately, sat down. I don’t think I sat for any longer than five minutes at any given time.”

Enjoying clearer and brighter vision in both eyes within less than 24 hours after surgery, Robert is over the moon with his results. “I began to feel euphoric at about two o’clock in the day, saying: ‘Oh my god, things are back to the way they were’. It’s just amazing, like waking up with a new lease of life again.” He spent the following morning in front of his window, trying to spot local wildlife in his garden: “You get the squirrels and stuff you usually see. I’ve not been able to see any of that for ages!”

When asked if he would recommend lens replacement surgery to others, Robert commented: “I would absolutely have no problem recommending the surgery to anyone. The service with me has been A1. I can’t imagine any better service.”