The first woman to have cataract surgery at a new Gateshead clinic has explained it's made a "glorious" difference to her vision - and she's now set to head back to have her second eye done next week.
Mary Scott, 73 and from Swalwell, had noticed her vision deteriorating over the years - and knew she had cataracts - but hadn't appreciated the difference surgery would make.
Eye procedures are among those with the longest NHS waiting lists - and the health service is working hard to get as many people operated on as quickly as possible.
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The new Optegra clinic in Team Valley - which takes NHS patients - is now open and helping to tackle the backlog.
Mary - a retired civil servant - was the first person to have the operation there, having been referred by her optician.
She was seen just weeks after being referred.
Mary told ChronicleLive about the experience.
"It was not knowing what it would be like that was the hardest," she said. "The issue I had wasn't so much about the operation but I'm the type of person who likes to know what the lay of the land is. But they were fantastic with me. It was obviously a little bit frantic, being their first operation, but even on that first morning for them it went extremely well.
"The operation was 100% better than I had imagined it would be."
She said that the op took just ten minutes, and though her eye was clamped open during the process, she added: "It's not scary by any means, in fact I found it quite interesting, but I am a person who enjoys watching operations on TV!"
Around five years ago, Mary first saw medics about cataracts - but at that stage she was told hers were not "mature enough" to be removed - and that she'd face a lengthy waiting list anyway.
Last autumn she went for another check-up, having felt her eyesight deteriorate - "but I think I put it down to old age," she said - and was swiftly referred for treatment at Optegra's new clinic.
"When I had the operation and I came out, when I eventually took off the sunglasses they give you, it was as though someone had switched on a massive lightbulb," she said. "The sky was suddenly what I would describe as a proper blue.
"The difference was incredible. I am dog mad and love to walk and look after my children’s dogs - when I do, the sky is now an incredible shade of blue whereas before it always looked a sepia photo, slightly browny-cream colour.
"If I stand at my window and look out with my good eye, it's glorious. If you'd told me the difference it'd make I'd not have believed you.
"I would recommend the clinic, and of course the NHS, to everyone."
Mary's operation was carried out by consultant Usman Mahmood. He said: "It was a delight to welcome Mary as our first ever patient at the Newcastle clinic. Such a pleasant and enthusiastic lady!
"And we are so pleased to hear how the treatment has improved her vision and quality of life – as with Mary, patients often do not realise how poor their vision becomes as cataract develops so gradually.
"Optegra opened in this region because of the extensive NHS waiting lists – we are proud to be supporting the NHS and to be able to work with local opticians, optometrists and GPs who can refer their NHS cataract patients to us and be treated within weeks rather than months."
