Patients are referred to St George's Eye Care from throughout the South Island. You can read some of their stories below.

"When I realised how far my eyesight had deteriorated, I knew I didn’t have time to sit on a waiting list. Once I’d made the decision to have cataract surgery, I wanted to do it as soon as possible before I couldn’t read or drive at all,” says Mr Beswarick.

“I was a little sceptical at first and I was questioning whether it would be worth it. But after having just one eye done, the result was amazing.”

Mr Beswarick often has to remind himself of just how significant the improvement to his eyesight has been.

“I’ve got my confidence back with driving and I can do so many other everyday things easily without glasses. It feels normal now, but every so often I’ll find myself doing something that I couldn’t do without glasses before, and that’s when it really hits home just how much my vision has improved,” he says.

Cataracts, which cloud the lens in the eye and affect vision, are usually related to ageing but can also develop in younger people. Factors including diabetes, smoking, eye injuries and prolonged sun exposure can also increase the risk of developing cataracts.

Cataract surgery is usually done as a day procedure using local anaesthetic.

Dr Baddeley and his colleague Dr Oliver Comyn have extensive experience in cataract surgery, having performed thousands of successful operations. Innovations such as injectable intraocular lens technology, which allows smaller incisions, are routinely used at St George's Eye Care.

“We’re proud of our state-of-the-art facility, which was purpose built with patient care and comfort in mind. Patients often tell us they really appreciate the way we give them a full understanding of their condition, through plenty of interaction time with our team."

Mr Beswarick says his overall experience with St George’s Eye Care was “fantastic”.

“The whole team was great to deal with and I got on very well with everyone. For anyone thinking of having their cataracts done, I thoroughly recommend St George’s. They make you feel special, put your apprehensions to rest and they’re extremely friendly and helpful.”

Linda says the St George’s Eye Care team was “fantastic” in supporting her through the unexpected news that she needed urgent surgery.

“I was so impressed by everyone I met at St George’s, including Dr Comyn, the nurses and the reception staff. Having arrived there with no idea I’d be having an operation three hours later, the team were so reassuring and explained everything, so I felt comfortable the whole way through. I’ve got so much admiration for the St George’s team for how quickly and expertly they handled everything.”

A retinal detachment occurs when the retina (the thin, light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye) comes away from its normal position. If untreated, a detached retina can cause blindness, so it’s very important to address it quickly, says Dr Comyn.

There are several symptoms which can be caused by a retinal detachment. “The classic symptom of a detached retina is a shadow partially obscuring the vision, which might be accompanied by flashing lights or floaters,” he says.

“Sometimes when the detachment involves the central part of the retina (the macula), the main symptom is blurred vision. This can be a really severe reduction in vision or just a mild to moderate blur without noticing a shadow.”

A vitrectomy is a microsurgical procedure that is routinely performed by Dr Comyn at St George’s Eye Care. During the procedure, the vitreous (the clear jelly inside the eye) is removed to allow access to the retina, which is reattached using air and fixed down with laser or cryotherapy (freezing). At the end of the procedure, the eye is left filled with a gas or oil to hold the retina in place.

The modern vitreoretinal surgical techniques used at St George’s Eye Care employ small gauge instruments, meaning a vitrectomy can be carried out under local anaesthetic, often not even requiring any stitches. Patients are usually quite comfortable during the procedure, with most able to return home soon afterwards.

The St George’s Eye Care team is well-equipped to be highly responsive to urgent referrals for retinal detachments, Dr Comyn says.

“We have an excellent team and leading-edge facilities here at St George's Eye Care, which enables us to perform high-quality surgical procedures on an urgent basis. Our patients benefit from access to our modern, well-equipped operating theatres, and the fantastic team in the day surgery unit, which we can access very quickly if required.”

Dr Comyn, who specialises in retinal and cataract surgery, works alongside Dr Paul Baddeley, making up the St George’s Eye Care’s team of two full time ophthalmologists. Dr Comyn and Dr Baddeley are highly experienced in intraocular surgery, having performed thousands of successful procedures.

“The state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities at St George’s are a pleasure to work in and they provide a fantastic environment for patient care,” says Dr Comyn.