Ann Jewell

My name is Ann Jewell. I live in Sidcup in South East London and I came to Benenden to have both of my cataracts removed. It was a recommendation from my optician. He told me about three years ago that I had cataracts starting. I started having problems about two years ago. It's not so bad reading, but driving I found it was like looking through a fog. And headlights, when I was driving at night, were like starbursts. It was really uncomfortable. And the last time I went to see the optician, he said, no, I've definitely got to refer you.

From June, when I had the first operation, through until August, when I had the second operation, the time just went. But it is such an easy operation. I was talked through everything from beginning to end. I was terrified. I hate people touching my eyes but they couldn't have been nicer. And every step of the way I was told what was going to happen and what this would do, and what that would do. And by the time I came to have the second operation, it was really quite easy.

I did have the choice of having them removed so I wouldn't wear glasses or removed so that I could carry on wearing glasses. And I chose to carry on wearing glasses because I've worn them since I was 12. And they're part of me. Once I was discharged from the operation, I was given drops that I had to put in the eye starting four times a day, gradually weaning it down to once a day over a period of a month. Well, I must confess that the first time the drops went in my ear. Everywhere but in my eye. But by the time the four weeks were up, I had it mastered. I knew just what I was doing.

As for the staff here, they are absolutely wonderful. To them, you're a person, you're not a number. They explain everything. If you've got a question, they will answer it. If they can't answer it, they will find somebody who can answer it. It makes life so much easier. You tend to relax a lot more. I would describe Benenden Hospital as a hotel with medical facilities. It is absolutely beautiful.

Nowadays, things are so much clearer. Yes, I'm waiting to go back to the opticians to have the correct lenses put in my glasses. But everything is just brighter and lighter and driving is a pleasure. And I love driving! Anybody who's got any doubts come to Benenden. It's probably the best place on earth and especially for cataracts because your eyesight is so important. Get it done as soon as you can.

Delia Worth

Hi, my name's Delia. I'm a Benenden member. I had my cataract removed in February and March. I have severe astigmatism which was corrected over the last year. I've really struggled with reading. I couldn't read very small print and driving was a real problem, a real struggle, so much so that I had to give up driving at night.

I chose Benenden Hospital because two years ago, I had my gallbladder removed and the treatment then was exemplary. I also tried another hospital for cataracts, but they weren't able to offer me the options that Benenden Hospital could. I was offered toric lenses to correct astigmatism. And I chose to have one lens for distance and one lens for reading, which has been mind-changing because I've now been able to totally dispense with contact lenses and glasses.

Mr. Lake was my consultant from the outset. He was clear, he explained all the options available. He explained what the risks were during the actual operation. I was absolutely terrified. I was shaking, but all through, he just explained really carefully what he was doing and what would happen and he completely put my mind at rest. The procedure was really short, about 15 minutes and nearly painless.

There was really good follow-up after the operation. I was given a phone call 24 hours afterwards. I had a booklet given to me. I also had a droplet chart to help me put the drops in. And there was also a 24-hour helpline provided as well. Each and every member of staff ranging from reception to the people working in the Eye Unit, to the consultants to the nurses were friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, warm, and welcoming.

Benenden Hospital is set in stunning countryside. The grounds are beautifully maintained. There's a spacious and airy Atrium area where you can sit and wait for your appointment and also take your partner or whoever to sit there comfortably. There's a café with reasonably priced food and drinks and there's plenty of seating.

In the 3 to 4 months since I've had the procedure, it's been life-changing. I've been wearing glasses and, later, lenses since the age of 11. I can now drive at night. I can read. I can swim without worrying about water getting in my eyes. It's an absolute miracle. The world seems a brighter place and the colours almost jump out at me.

I would 100% recommend Benenden Hospital. My treatment has been exemplary from start to finish. It couldn't be bettered. Having the cataract procedure was the best thing I've ever done. Every day I wake up, the world is a brighter, clearer place and it's just a miracle for me. I can't stop talking about how wonderful it is and how good it is to see clearly after all these years.

Mick O'Leary

My name's Mick O'Leary and I was lucky enough to have both of my cataracts removed here. And being a member of the Benenden Healthcare, it was obviously done under that scheme. It probably started a few years ago, you know, I went to the optician, and he said, “Oh, you've got a cataract starting.” Yeah, alright. And I suppose because it's so gradual, one doesn't notice they get worse and worse.

I was getting to the stage, yeah, I'm an avid Telegraph crossworder and even with my glasses, I was struggling to read the clues and driving at night wasn't enjoyable anymore to the extent that I tried to avoid it as often as I could because it was really, really uncomfortable. You know, the lights were really, really at you. And then obviously when I went to the optician my last optician's trip, he pointed out that, you know, he said to me, do you drive? And I said, yes. He said, well, your left eye is just about legal and I thought, well, I think I'd better get something done about this.

The first consultant I saw, the initial one, was a guy called Godfrey Borg and he was brilliant. He sort of bent over backwards to accommodate me rather than the other way round. And then, obviously, the first op was done in December, and that was by Sayid. He was very, very good. Again, knowing I was very panicky. And then the second one was done on the third of March. And that was the lovely Sarit. Absolutely brilliant. As I say, from the first minute you walk through the door here and see the first receptionist on the reception desk to going through downstairs to the Eye Unit and everybody you meet there. I'm not the best person in the world, I'm not the bravest person in the world in hospitals. You know, my blood pressure goes through the roof but everybody I met, everybody who done anything for me was just absolutely "Don't worry, you'll be ok." And, you know, it was just brilliant to have that and also they had the time to spend with you. You know, you didn't feel that you get out, get on, come on, I've done you. Now, off you go.

You know, I'm standing in this absolutely gorgeous garden. It's beautiful. It's a wisteria, I think, behind me, I think it's called the Sensory Garden and looking around and you can see why, you know, this beautiful hospital's set in acres of countryside. You know if there's something, you know, if you're in it, I should think, you know, if there's anything that's gonna put you on the road to recovery, looking at this sort of vision, it's got to be that, isn't it?

It's nice now because I'm quite happy driving at night again, which I wasn't before, which again has opened up because as I say, if I do anything it's the evenings I go out, I Morris dance. So most of the dancing round here is pubs out of the district. So, you know, you're usually driving back in the dark and, you know, last year doing it, I wasn't happy driving back in the dark, but, you know, it's made a lot of difference in that attitude. You know, you feel confident now again, you can't fault anybody here from staff, everybody. You're made to feel welcome. You're made to feel at home. You're made to feel important. It's an absolutely brilliant place. I can't fault the place.