PAUL’S STORY

I went blind waiting for my cataracts to be done then fell and broke my ribs

Paul McCracken went blind while waiting more than a year for cataract surgery.

He was forced to give up his job and, at one point, tripped up, breaking his collar bone and cracking his ribs.

Paul, 53, a retail worker, from Queen’s Park, Glasgow, said: “I was referred to hospital by my optician who said I was an urgent patient.

“At the back of my mind I thought that it would be a few weeks’ wait and three months at the worst.

“But as the weeks dragged on to months I became blind and unable to see much.

“I had to give up my job at a large retail chain and stop driving. My life was becoming more and more limited. I depended on my partner, Anne, to help me get about.

“When I tripped over the cat in the hall and crashed down on the floor breaking bones I realised what a desperate situation I was now in.

“I ended up in A&E and in a sling for weeks after, recovering.”

NHS Inform, Scotland’s national health information service, which says it was set up to help people make informed choices about their own health, admits that cataracts and sight problems can increase the risk of falling.

Meanwhile, Paul’s partner Anne says she sometimes had to work seven days a week to help the couple make ends meet.

Cleaning supervisor Anne said: “That meant 16-hour shifts some days and grabbing sleep when I got home to get ready for the next day.

“It was exhausting and went on for months but I had no choice.

“That’s what it means when your partner is off work sick and trapped in a waiting list for surgery.

She added: “People shouldn’t be put at risk of injury because they go blind waiting for cataract surgery.”

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesperson said: “More than 82% of our patients are seen and treated within 18 weeks from beginning to end.

“We can confirm that there a number of challenges and some of our patients awaiting cataract surgery are waiting longer than we would like. We apologise for this.

“The board has identified a number of actions to increase the available capacity, including additional capacity at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, to help alleviate the pressures for this speciality and to meet the rising demand.”