Patient Stories

I was nervous but my experience was wonderful

Duration 2:52

Stu was finding that his floaters were making every day tasks very difficult, and taking the enjoyment out of life. He was treated by Professor Andrew Luff at Sapphire Eye Care and believes it was ‘one of the best decisions’ he’s ever made. He explains that although he was very anxious beforehand, the Sapphire Eye Care team made it a very relaxed experience and provided him with information to support him in his decision.

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Stu was finding that his floaters were making every day tasks very difficult, and taking the enjoyment out of life. He was treated by Professor Andrew Luff at Sapphire Eye Care and believes it was ‘one of the best decisions’ he’s ever made. He explains that although he was very anxious beforehand, the Sapphire Eye Care team made it a very relaxed experience and provided him with information to support him in his decision.

• Transcript

  I’d had floaters in both eyes since I was about 25. They were just massively frustrating, epically frustrating, really difficult to focus and concentrate, very difficult with computer screens, affected my enjoyment of doing things outdoors. They had a significant impact on my life. I did some research online and found some local eye surgeons, and then I started calling them. I got called back by Sapphire Eye Care and went along for a consultation with Professor Luff, and he told me that actually Vitrectomy for floaters was something that would help, would probably help in my case. So, I made the decision to go ahead with, proceed with surgery and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I would say that everything is explained to the level of detail that you want. As a, as a scientist, you know, I tend to be a bit more, I wanted more detail, but I think I had two or three consultations before actually having surgery on the first eye, and then after that I didn’t need any further explanation. I backed out of surgery at least two times and in the end, it was the Sapphire team that managed to calm me down and once I’d done the right eye it was, I mean I’ve had dentist appointments that are worse, so it was a very relaxed experience really. Post-surgery, no pain, you know, no pain at all. Just have to put eye drops in for four weeks. And great, when I was concerned about effects, I could get somebody to contact me very quickly to let me know that actually it was all fine. They came, you know, I was invited up, so they had a look, and it was all, all good. So, the aftercare was excellent. The relief of not having floaters is amazing and you get used to it very quickly, not having them. They’re very good because I was a very anxious patient and probably quite challenged to manage somebody that anxious and it affected me, you know, my mental health a bit. So, it was wonderful that they could, you know, get me through the procedure. Obviously, I had to make the decision to have the surgery, but it was good to be supported by the team before and after. So, that was a wonderful experience really.