All eyes are on the prize!

WHEN Northside hairdresser Adrienne Moore won free eye surgery little did she know that her mother, who was recovering from bowel cancer, would also benefit from her prize.  

Adrienne (48), from Balbriggan, underwent lens replacement surgery at Optical Express’s clinic in Clane, County Kildare, in May 2014 after winning an online competition to receive free treatment.

Impressed that Adrienne could apply make-up without wearing glasses for the first time in years, her mum Kathleen (72), from Donaghmede, booked a consultation with the company.  

After being determined suitable for the same procedure, Kathleen also underwent lens replacement surgery. It has enabled her to pursue a more active lifestyle as part of her recovery and wear her first pair of designer sunglasses.

“I was never able to get the sunglasses I wanted with varifocal lenses so during my first check-up I treated myself to a pair of Ray Bans,” said Kathleen. 

“I’m really enjoying my improved vision – even though I can see all my wrinkles for the first time.”

The grandmother-of-nine, who had previously been told by another optician that she was developing cataracts, had noticed that her vision was increasingly cloudy. She was keen to find out how lens replacement surgery could help her situation. 

“I was worried about driving because I love driving and rely on my car to get out and about,” she said.  Kathleen was also determined to become glasses-free after a brush with poor health.

“After retiring, I was pretty unwell for a year with bowel cancer,” she explained. 

“When I recovered, the first thing I did was join a bowling club and go swimming regularly to keep active. 

“But I couldn’t wear goggles in the pool because I needed my glasses on and I was always pushing them back onto my face while playing bowls.”

At her Optical Express consultation, Kathleen was told that she was an ideal candidate for lens replacement surgery, which is used to treat both cataracts and presbyopia – age-related vision decline.

“I can’t believe the difference,” she said. “Having my eyes done has changed my life. I can now knit, bowl and swim without my glasses on. 

“I’m also able to apply eye make-up for the first time in years. My younger grandchildren hardly recognise me as they’ve never seen me without glasses.”

Adrienne, a mother-of-two, is also delighted with the result of her surgery. The part-time hairdresser began wearing varifocals three years ago as her near vision began to decline. She didn’t wear contact lenses as they irritated her eyes.

“I hated wearing glasses,” said Adrienne. “I felt they got in the way when I was doing things around the house.

“Applying make-up was also difficult because I couldn’t see when I took my glasses off.

“Now I wake up and look at my watch and phone without having to fumble about to put my glasses on. It’s brilliant as I used to wear my glasses for everything.

“I’m also wearing make-up again. I feel 10 years younger – even if I don’t look it!”

Lens replacement surgery involves the insertion of a small lens into the eye. It functions in a similar manner to a contact lens except that it is left in the eye permanently and cannot be seen or felt.

Each eye is treated on a different day, typically one week apart and patients experience little discomfort during or after the procedure. 

It is one of the quickest surgical procedures, with many people returning to their usual daily routine as soon as 24 hours later.

Kathleen praised the “fantastic” staff at Optical Express. 

“It’s amazing that I was putting up with cataracts and now I’m glasses-free and wearing the designer sunglasses that I’ve always wanted,” she said.  

Adrienne said: “We’re enjoying a new lease of life, especially mum. It’s hard to describe how great it is to be glasses-free.”

Kevin Harrington, senior refractive optometrist with Optical Express in Ireland, said: “Lens replacement surgery is one of today’s most commonly performed elective surgery procedures for correcting vision. 

“It involves either replacing your natural lens with a synthetic lens, much like a contact lens, or inserting a custom lens to correct your vision, typically taking less than 10 minutes to perform and offering fast visual recovery.

“Over 16 million people worldwide benefit each year from the visual freedom achieved following lens replacement, which offers excellent vision with the additional benefit of acting to prevent cataracts in later years.”

Mr Harrington added: “As demonstrated by Kathleen and Adrienne, lens replacement is guaranteed to have a huge impact on the lives of patients, allowing them to live a glasses free lifestyle.”