Dad is 73 years old. He has been told to have surgery to remove the cataract in this eye. Dad has dementia and is a very stubborn man, set in his ways. We are afraid that after the cataract surgery, he might rub his eyes continuously if he feels uncomfortable and makes things worse. I read about drops available online to help remove cataract. But since it is not the popular and widely recommended option, I have my reservations against that. My question being, if the cataract remains untreated, will it get worse to the point where he won't be able to see again? Dad does not drive or is expected to do anything that requires a great deal of clarity in vision.
The MD also wanted her to have a colonoscopy. She spit out the prep drink and poured it down the sink. Frankly, I don't blame her.
p:s I am really in awe of everyone who replies on this website helping out one another. I believe in karma and I hope every single soul is blessed in turn for what they do to help someone, small as it may be.
As for drops, there are drops that help glaucoma, but not for removing cataracts. There are supplements that prevent cataracts, but once you have them, neither drops nor pills will clear them.
I've found, in the past, that asking my mother's doctors "what would you do if this was your mom?" has produced good advice. One GI doc, who described extensive testing that he needed to do to figure out why my mom's food was getting stuck in her gullet, asked if he would proceed this way with his 90 yo mom said "h*ll, no". We needed to hear that; as a family, various members thought that we were being neglectful by not treating swallowing issues.
I'm much more complacent now. This is so out of our hands.
Sending good thoughts your way. b
I repeatedly encountered this with my LO, with her medical conditions, which did not include eye problems. Doctors would wrap her fractured hand, arm, etc. and then be confused that she would unwrap them. I had to explain her dementia behavior to them over and over. I had to do the same thing with ER staff, dentists, physical therapist, etc.
I don't think that they get just how a person with dementia may not be able to process and reason that they must not touch the eye, must lie still, etc. And even if they are able to understand, they FORGET and have no idea they are hurting themselves. So restraint is the only option. And that is tricky.
I might see an eye surgeon who has experience with dementia patients and be very specific and go into detail about what ifs. I've read a lot of stories about how with the cataract surgery, complete compliance with aftercare is required and being able to guarantee this is quite risky.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I sincerely wish you and your LO a world of health and happiness going ahead.
My mother had vascular dementia. The first cataract operation was a success, though keeping the plastic eye shield on (to prevent contamination, as well as stop her rubbing) involved being mean and tyrannical, and heavy-handed with the surgical tape. You also have to administer eye drops for a week - ? think it is - post-op, which can be difficult with an uncooperative patient. I was sufficiently ruthless to ignore the squealing and wriggling and use main force to prise her eyelids apart (cruel to be kind, and not crueller than absolutely necessary), but your mother and sister likely won't have that option. During the op itself, though, you can rely on the expertise of the surgical team - the surgeon will be assisted by experienced nurses, and bearing in mind their patient demographic they're pretty good at coaxing and calming elders.
The second operation was abandoned; partly because it just happened to be a bad day in the ophthalmology department - mother's slot kept getting 'bumped' by emergency admissions, it was late by the time they got round to her, and she was too tired and stressed out to comply with instructions - and partly because the potential improvement just wasn't worth the risk.
I'd suggest that your father and mother talk again to the surgeon, with your mother explaining her concerns about post-op care. If the surgeon still thinks it's worth having a go, then give it a go. Your mother can back out right up until the last moment; and there are all kinds of tips and wrinkles for aftercare, from plastic eye shields to boxing gloves.
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