It is estimated that over 800 people suffer from cataracts in Poland. people, and this number will only grow from year to year. Currently, medicine has very effective methods of treating cataracts, but patients are blind in queues waiting for the procedure. Is it worth paying the costs of the procedure out of your own pocket?
Cataract, also known as cataract, is an eye disease that mainly affects the elderly. Its essence is the clouding of the eye lens, which is most often the result of the natural aging processes of the organism. The disease most often begins to develop after the age of XNUMX and the course of the disease varies from person to person. For some, the opacification of the lens takes years to develop, while for others, the disease significantly reduces visual acuity over a period of several months. Left alone, it can even lead to complete blindness.
In the early stages of the disease, especially when the patient also suffers from visual impairments, the first symptoms of cataracts may not be noticeable. Images are less clear, blurry, colors fade. There is sensitivity to light, double vision or problems with night vision. The quality of vision deteriorates, often so much that it makes it difficult to function independently.
Cataract surgery
Surgical replacement of a cloudy, natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens is the only way to cure cataracts. The procedure is painless. It is performed under local drip anesthesia, and the patient experiences only discomfort during the procedure. The operation lasts on average 15 to 30 minutes and on the same day the patient’s condition allows him to return home.
It is worth carrying out annual check-ups with an ophthalmologist in order to detect cataracts at an early stage and to start effective treatment quickly. Cataract surgery is fully reimbursed by the National Health Fund, unfortunately you have to wait a long time for it, and this is not the only reason to get out of the queue.
Cataract surgery under the National Health Fund or privately?
The undoubted advantage of cataract removal under the National Health Fund is the lack of costs for the patient. The treatment is fully reimbursed and the patient does not have to pay extra for anything. Unfortunately, in Poland, over 300 people are eligible for cataract surgery every year. people, and a total of about 540 thousand are waiting in the queue. sick. The waiting time for surgery varies considerably across the country and is usually over two years. However, there are also facilities where a record 10 years are waiting for the procedure!
It is a very long period, and during this time the disease continues to progress and the quality of vision deteriorates more and more, making it difficult to function normally, perform basic activities, read or drive a car. These are the following months when the quality of life is significantly reduced, often to such an extent that we have to use the help of other people. It should also be remembered that during this time, the lens becomes harder and more difficult to remove, which increases the risk of postoperative complications and the recovery time.
For procedures performed under the National Health Fund, only single vision lenses are implanted as standard. They allow you to obtain sharp far vision, but unfortunately they do not limit the need to use near or intermediate distance glasses. When deciding on a procedure reimbursed under the National Health Fund, we also do not have the option of choosing a lens, even if the patient would like to cover the additional costs out of his own pocket.
It is also worth adding that the procedure performed under the National Health Fund usually involves a one-day hospitalization, which is not actually necessary. For the patient, this simply adds to the discomfort.
The situation is different when we decide to undergo cataract surgery in a private clinic. We have an influence on the selection of lenses that meet our needs. During the procedure, we can additionally correct such vision defects as: myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia. This often allows you to get even better eyesight than before the onset of cataracts.
It is also important that private facilities allow patients to return home on the same day, after the observation, which lasts about an hour. This is possible because the techniques used today do not require sutures to be applied to the wound. The patient’s condition is later monitored at follow-up visits.
Of course, when deciding to have a procedure in a private facility, we bear the full costs of both the procedure and the lenses, but the procedure is performed almost immediately, and this time is the most valuable. The cost of such a procedure ranges from 3-10 thousand. PLN and depends on the facility, but also the lens itself. Most clinics meet the patients’ expectations and divide the treatment costs into convenient installments.
Regardless of whether you decide to undergo the procedure under the National Health Fund or for a fee, do not postpone this decision. The sooner you pick it up, the sooner you will be able to enjoy the effects of the operation.
Read also: World behind the fog – cataract