A Gloucestershire woman whose prescription steroids are believed to have caused early-onset cataracts has urged others to get their eyes checked regularly.
Caitlin Miller was in her 20s when she was diagnosed with uveitis, an inflammation at the front of her eye. The condition can be serious, sometimes leading to permanent vision loss.
To combat the uveitis she received steroid injections, and it’s thought that this course of treatment caused the cataracts.
Cataracts can result in blurry vision and lead to blindness if not treated, but it’s extremely rare for them to occur in someone Caitlin’s age.
Years later, as the cataracts got worse, she had the cataracts removed from both her eyes, with the most recent surgery taking place in July at Newmedica Gloucester, where she is training to be a scrub technician, working as a part of the team delivering surgical care.
Caitlin, now 45, said: “Over the years my eyes got worse. My glasses weren’t working anymore, and I got eye strain and headaches and couldn’t distinguish people’s faces. I even had to stop driving at night because I’d lost my night vision.
“I’ve now had the second cataract removed and my sight is fantastic. My vision is so sharp, I no longer need glasses and I’m not getting any headaches. It’s all made me realise just how bad my vision was. Being able to see so clearly now means I can get on with my career again.
“Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent complications and preserve your vision, so I would certainly urge anyone who’s having issues with their eyes to have them checked.
“Our sight is so important to us all, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. People are living longer and they want to enjoy good sight because it enables them to live life to the fullest.”
Caitlin is sharing her story during National Eye Health Week (23-29 September), which aims to encourage the public to take responsibility for their eye health with regular eye tests to help pick up any issues early.
Newmedica Gloucester is owned and run by consultant ophthalmologists Nigel Kirkpatrick, Adam Ross, Antonis Kaintatzis and Fadi Alkherdahji.
Since it opened, it has been keen to have a strong community presence, focusing on employing local people and regularly giving them training opportunities to support their career development.
With Caitlin training to be a scrub technician, it’s essential that her sight is as sharp as it can be.
She added: “I knew I had to have the surgery, but I must admit that even I was nervous because no-one wants to have surgery on their eyes.
“However, I can quite categorically say that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s quick and painless. I was treated so well – no differently to any of our patients – and I was reassured every step of the way.
“I felt so safe, and now, having been where the patients I help are, I can fully empathise with their situation, so I can give them the exact insights and advice that I know they need.”
Newmedica Gloucester is based at Brighouse Court, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RT. It provides treatments for a range of eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Further information is available at www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/gloucester-brighouse or by calling 01452 223334.