'Like a heavy fog': P.E.I. man waiting for cataract surgery for months

A P.E.I. man says he has been waiting since April to have a surgery date set to have cataracts removed from both his eyes. 

Lex Pate went to his optometrist in November after developing a cataract in his right eye, and was referred to an ophthalmologist, whom he saw in April.

It's kind of like looking into a mirror after you've had a shower.- Lex Pate

By then he had developed a cataract in his left eye. Pate said when he called his ophthalmologist, he was directed to speak with the hospital about a surgery date.

He said when he contacted the hospital, he was told they couldn't give him a date for surgery and may be waiting until March for the procedure.

"That's a long ways away, and it would be nice to have something done before that," Pate said.

'Like a heavy fog'

Pate said the condition makes it impossible to drive, and difficult to see a computer screen or television. 

"It's kind of like looking into a mirror after you've had a shower," he said.

"Like a heavy fog is what it is. And it makes it very difficult to be able to see anything."

He said he began to develop his second cataract in January and for the past two months his quality of life has greatly deteriorated.

"Right now I'm relying on friends and neighbours to pick stuff up for me, or drive me here or drive me there," Pate said.

"It gets to be kind of a bother for them and for me because I don't have the freedom to be able to, you know, go and do what I want."

Cutting wait times

Dr. Tom Dorran, executive director of medical affairs with Health PEI, said the agency hasn't been formally tracking wait list numbers in the province, but surgeons are "acutely aware" of wait times.

Dorran said he has been working with the surgeons on trying to cut down on wait times.

Being unable to drive for example, that would be a functional limitation, so that raises people up the list.- Dr. Tom Dorran

"What they're spearheading is actually working them with their eye-care professionals in the community," he said.

"They want to better triage the patients that are coming to them."

'Several things in play'

Dorran said with better co-ordination between optometrists and ophthalmologists, wait lists could be cut down and more urgent cases pushed to the top of the list.

"Being unable to drive, for example, that would be a functional limitation, so that raises people up the list," he said.

Dorran also said he has been exploring ways to make the two eye surgery suites at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital more efficient.

He said advances in technology have cut the time it takes for the procedure to about 15 minutes, and options outside of the surgery itself are being considered as ways to increase the number of treatments completed each day.

"Everything from cleaning, a thorough cleaning of the eye surgery suite, to having the appropriate people in place, having the patients ready to go," Dorran said.

"There's several things in play in such a complicated process."

'Can't see well enough to recognize them'

For Pate, a surgery date can't come soon enough. 

He said living with cataracts on both eyes has affected all aspects of his life and in some cases, others that depend on him.

"If a person comes up to me in a store or whatever, I have to recognize the voice ... because I can't see well enough to recognize them," he said.

"And my aunt as well, because I used to go to O'Leary to visit her and help her out with her stuff because she's 90 years old and she's not in the greatest health."

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Premier Wade MacLauchlan wants consultations for tax changes extended

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | 'It was like going home': Pianist finds her way back to the music