I never knew how poor my vision was until last week. I literally began the new month with a new outlook on life. This was thanks to my cataract surgery that removed the shield that was blocking my lens, and I got a new one that enabled me to see the world in a new light.

It all began with a fall from a kerb in the middle of January. Of course, the pavement was a foot high ( in the wisdom of our urban planners), the road was dimly lit because the few and far between street lights were hidden in the lush greenery and of course , what I didn’t know then, my poor balance thanks to the cataract.

So I went to the optician’s to get a new pair of glasses. After n just couldn’t get the focal length right and asked me to check with an ophthalmologist. And that led to the discovery of not just one eye but TWO with a cataract. Even though there was no emergency, the ophthalmologist suggested I get them both done as early as possible. Hence I had my first eye done on Saturday last and the second one just yesterday.

Even the smallest cut can throw one’s life out of gear, and two consecutive surgeries meant at least two weeks off. But off from what? From housework, from cooking, from exercise, from socialising.

It turned out to be quite a misconception.

Cataract surgeries today are routine- almost as common as the flu. I remember when my father had his first cataract surgery; it was almost like an event. Since my brother was away, my mother insisted that I be around. I took two days off from my own household and toodled off to Pune. In those days, Medical insurance was only applicable to surgeries that involved an overnight hospital stay, so my dad was admitted the day before. He came out of the operating theatre looking like a pirate with a huge white bandage covering his eye. For the next few days, my mum had to peel back the dressing and put eye drops at regular intervals. A few days later the dressing was replaced by a pair of decidedly unflattering dark glasses. At night, he had to tape a plastic cup over the eye so that he didn’t accidentally touch the eye. This went on for forty days. During this time, he was also pretty much housebound. His movements at home were restricted too – no bending, no going near the fire. Television watching was restricted. All in all, it was a surgery that I hoped I would never have to undergo.

My father-in-law’s surgery a decade later was slightly better. This time round, he didn’t need an overnight hospital stay to qualify for medical insurance. The lens he was fitted with was soft but for the rest of his life, I could see a glint of something shining in his eye.

Fast Forward To Today

My initial visit to Dr. Deepak Garg’s Eye Solutions was unplanned. a no-fuss, routine eye check-up, a slight deviation from my daily walking route. I had stepped in for an optometrist’s consultation, and when she found that I had a cataract, she called in the doctor for a look. He was horrified by the size of the cataract and showed me a pretty picture on the monitor. He immediately called up Anna Shetty and suggested an early solution.

So last Saturday, I went on table for the first operation. I had some pre-op protocols to follow but once on the table, it was done in under ten minutes! The local anesthesia was literally dropped into my eye – no need for any poking or prodding. While both my eyes were covered, I was asked to keep them open and focus on the overhead light. Three, bright shining lights were washed over with a saline drip from time to time. It was like watching through a kaleidoscope. The balls morphed into clouds and fat, white worms dancing in the psychedelic strobe lights that changed from bursts of red, purple, blue, green and yellow. And suddenly all went still as the sharp, bright white lights came into focus. It was done.

Instead of a white eye patch, I was given slick, transparent protective glasses and offered a cup of tea while I changed out of my autoclaved garb and into my streetwear. Since Anna Shetty was accompanying me, I picked up the medication and post-operative care instructions, waited for Prima Donna to pay the bill and went home with a clear eye.

Small steps to Confidence

I didn’t realise this, but before my surgery, I was slowly losing my confidence on the road. There were times when I didn’t realise that someone was so close to me. There were times when I felt wobbly while getting off the kerb. I was avoiding driving at night. I was hesitant to use staircases without railings. I used to squint and frown while reading and had started asking other people to read messages on my phone.

Thanks to my new perfect vision, I can now reclaim my life.

Ciao,