Optician eyes up perfect vision and goes from 10 pairs of specs to none
For Jo Gibbons, an optician working in West Parley near Bournemouth Airport, is experiencing excellent vision without glasses for the first time after decades in specs – following a procedure at a local specialist eye hospital.
Jo, 42, who lives in Sixpenny Handley near Salisbury, has a very strong short-sighted prescription. Whereas many people need glasses with a minus two or three prescription, for Jo, one eye is minus 10 and the other is minus 11. She explains:
“Since the age of seven I have been in glasses all day, every day. For decades the first thing I have done, every single day, is reach out to grab my specs! I literally cannot do anything or see at all without them.
“And as a result I have had fun choosing around 10 pairs of glasses – I have one for every outfit so I am colour coordinated! The great thing about working as a dispensing optician is that I get to see all the new designs of frames so that has been fun!”
Now, however, following an Implantable Contact Lens procedure at Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire, she needs no glasses at all!
Having worked in optics for 24 years, starting with work experience at A levels, then later qualifying as a dispensing optician, Jo knew that she was not a suitable candidate for laser eye surgery as her prescription was too strong. However, a work training event at a local specialist eye hospital opened her eyes to a new opportunity.
“As opticians we need to complete ongoing training, called CPD or Continuing Professional Development. We are very fortunate to have an eye hospital in Whiteley – Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire – which provides regular CPD events for all local optometrists and opticians.
“I attended a recent event which was about Implantable Contact Lenses. To be honest it was not a procedure I knew a great deal about, so it was fascinating to hear Optegra surgeon Mr. Alastair Stuart describe the procedure and its outcomes so passionately. And particularly as he mentioned it was ideal for patients whose eyes were not suitable for laser eye surgery! I pounced on the chance to find out more. I knew this may be an opportunity to change my life.”
This training event led to Jo booking a consultation with Optegra where she was delighted to discover, after several eye health checks, that she was suitable for Implantable Contact Lenses.
This is a procedure where an individually-tailored lens is created, and inserted just behind the iris. It cannot be seen and stays permanently in place – working like a regular contact lens, but without all the hassle, cleaning and putting the lens in and out.
Mr. Alastair Stuart, ophthalmic surgeon at Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire, explains: “For many people the desire to live without glasses or contact lenses leads to laser eye surgery, but for people with a prescription as strong as Jo’s this is not possible.
“We have offered Implantable Contact Lens surgery for many years, and it delivers excellent outcomes. This is a permanent procedure, and the new lens sits between the iris and the natural lens of the eye. As with Jo, its impact is immediate and improves further as the eye settles. It is a pleasure to treat a colleague from the optics industry, and great that she can now empathise with her own patients who may also opt for vision correction surgery.
After surgery Jo was very happy with her results and her surgical experience:
“I had complete trust in Optegra having referred many patients to them over the years and having respect for its surgeons; and it was so interesting to be on the patient side of things. The hospital is very calm and just as you would want it to be – friendly, organised, immaculate.
“I was not at all nervous about the surgery, only excited! Having some background knowledge from my career helped but mainly it was the prospect of no longer needing to wear glasses after so many years.
“The procedure for both eyes was only around 20 minutes, it was completely pain-free and I could see well immediately – an amazing experience for the first time since I was about seven years old!”
Jo, who is married and has a 13-year-old son, is a self-confessed bookworm. To enjoy reading free of glasses is a pleasure for her now. She also enjoys coastal walks – now much more enjoyable without rain on her glasses! But it is the day-to-day changes that mean the most to her:
“To be able to put make-up on without a mirror practically hitting my nose, and to grab the right bottle of shampoo or conditioner in the shower, is fantastic. It may sound odd, but if you have never been able to do these things, it makes such a huge difference to me every single day. You cannot put a price on that!”
And as for her 10 pairs of glasses?
“I have recycled most of them – was quite an emotional moment, after having depended on them for so many years! I have held on to a couple, but really it was a pleasure to see them go. I still reach out for them some mornings and then smile when I remember that I can see without them!”
Optegra Eye Health Care is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services. Established in 2007, with its first hospital opening in 2008, it has completed over one million eye procedures from its 40 eye hospitals and over 60 locations across the UK, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
As well as providing private vision correction treatments – from lens replacement and laser eye surgery to implantable contact lenses – Optegra treats cataract surgery both privately and through its partnership with the NHS.
Optegra also treats medical conditions AMD and glaucoma; and has launched the first ever treatment for people with the Dry form of AMD.
Optegra brings together leading-edge research, medical expertise and state-of-the-art surgical equipment. It performs more than 140,000 treatments annually, both private and publicly funded. Its top ophthalmic surgeons are renowned for their areas of expertise, offering excellent clinical outcomes and great patient service.