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THE WIRRAL EYE SURGEON WHO MAKES EVERYTHING CLEARER
Wirral Life talk to Miss Alison Rowlands , Consultant Opthalmologist at Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and Miss Alison Rowlands , who is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Spire Murrayfield Hospital , Wirral has certainly looked into enough eyes to say whether this is true .
Miss Rowlands sees a lot of patients suffering with cataracts and , using the latest techniques , can replace the lenses of the eyes , restoring sight and even making it better !
We asked her what that entailed – and did this mean we could lose our glasses forever ?
How did you become an eye surgeon ? I ’ ve been fascinated with eyes for 25 years ! I always knew I was going to be a surgeon I just didn ’ t know which area , and I considered a few options including vascular and neurosurgery , but it was eyes that really interested me .
People are always nervous around cataracts , but I look at it this way - you ’ ve lived long enough to get them . It ’ s often an older person ’ s problem but anyone from the age of 60 can get cataracts and it ’ s just something that comes with age , they ’ re not really preventable .
Exceptions to this would be some diabetics , or people who take steroids for example , they can be younger , but there are hundreds of different types of cataracts so no one case is the same .
How would you know you had a cataract ? Cataracts give you glare . We all get a little bit of glare especially while driving , but if you have a cataract and are driving at night , the streetlights and headlights will glare to the extent that it ’ s difficult to see . That ’ s one of the common reasons for seeking medical help . The other , particularly in Wirral , is from the golfers who can ’ t see where the ball has gone !
Should you seek advice as soon as you notice anything like this ? We generally say the sooner the better . Gone are the days of waiting for a cataract to be in a terrible state before it would be removed .
We can replace the lens in your eye which means you would never get a cataract and we often do this now for people who aren ’ t tolerating their contact lenses anymore , or who would like to be spectacle-free .
This is different to laser treatment to correct your eyesight .
How does this work ? It ’ s become a popular option in the over 40 ’ s . The benefits are that you don ’ t have to wear your glasses or contact lenses anymore and you won ’ t then develop cataracts later in life .
We have an array of lenses which we can implant in your eye to correct both long and short-sightedness and astigmatism .
But it ’ s not just the straightforward distance and close-up lenses . We can implant bifocal or trifocal lenses , we can mix and match , so you have one lens as near and one for distance and the brain naturally adjusts your vision . We can even do toric lenses which correct astigmatism .
That is so advanced – how much difference does it make to people ? I see so many patients who are at the stage in life where they are taking their glasses on , then taking and glasses off and can ’ t decide whether it ’ s better with or without ! So , these techniques can really make a substantial difference to quality of life .
It ’ s not a one size fits all type of situation , we have a detailed consultation that goes into your lifestyle , whether you drive , play sports , or read a lot . This all determines what best fits your needs and of course - you will never get cataracts .
What kind of reactions have you had from patients ? I ’ m sure a lot of people don ’ t believe how well they will see afterwards , so we ’ ve had a few pleasant surprises and I did once receive a lovely letter from a patient about how her improved vision had made such a massive difference to her life .
Cataracts are certainly an older person ’ s problem but it ’ s extremely rewarding to work with techniques where not only are we able to remove your cataracts and give you good vision back again , but we can also improve your sight , tailormade if you like , to give you a better quality of life .
It ’ s a win-win situation as for younger people in their 40 ’ s , it means no future cataracts and no glasses or contacts either .
At Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral , our consultants have wide experience in the latest techniques and innovations and our inclusive prices and access to 0 % finance options make the process easy and more affordable . For further information on our broad range of procedures , and to find out more about our team of expert Consultants , search ‘ Spire Wirral ’ or call our specialist advisors on 0151 929 5408 .
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