Paphos People

2020 VISION

Ever since I first met my wife, some forty five years ago, she has worn glasses. When we moved to Cyprus the fact that glasses were very cheap over here compared to the UK spurred her on to visit an Optician. Sure enough the service was first class and the glasses were very reasonably priced.
Regular visits to the same Optician invariably led to a change of prescription and of course a new pair of glasses, at least one pair every year.

Over the last year she began to worry that the sight in her right eye was not as good as the left one. Back to the Opticians to be told quite curtly that it was an age related condition and stronger lenses were required. That obviously meant another pair of glasses. Hmm not working out so cheap after all.

Gesy the new health system in Cyprus which was set up in 2019 seemed to be working very well, for us anyway, so off we went to our GP. After an examination, she gave my wife a referral to an Ophthalmic Surgeon.
We took a visit to the eye clinic and a very thorough examination by Dr Sofia. The date was 29th October 2019.
Her conclusion was that the right eye had a cataract so dense that she only had twenty per cent vision and recommended an operation to remove it.
The left eye also had a cataract not as dense but she would deal with that one after treating the right one. There was a waiting list and also Christmas was approaching so a date was agreed on January 11th 2020 for the first operation in an eye hospital in Limassol. Total cost of the consultancy six euros!

Very nervous and apprehensive we drove to Limassol for our nine o clock appointment, setting off at seven fifteen to give us plenty of time. We arrived at eight forty five to a packed waiting room about thirty people all with a nine o clock appointment! They took our name and were told to wait.
It slowly dawned on us that most of the people in the waiting room were relatives of the patients. The noise of all those people talking very loudly together gave us the feeling of pandemonium and disorganisation.
We were wrong, the patients were called in batches for pre op and slowly the amount of people got smaller. At last at eleven fifteen she was beckoned through the door for treatment, emerging a few minutes later to sit and wait to go upstairs for the operation. Up we went to join other patients in the theatre waiting room. Blood pressure was taken then she was dressed in a gown and cap and led into the theatre.
About quarter of an hour later she returned with a patch over her eye and a little traumatised! After a short rest, we went down to reception and paid the grand sum of six euros!
The ride back home was a quiet one, as my wife didn’t know how it would turn out.
Next morning a visit to Dr Sofia’s surgery in Paphos to have the patch removed. An explanation of “OH WOW - I CAN SEE!”

Dr Sofia just smiled and assured my wife that everything was well and after the second operation there was a strong possibility that she would no longer have to wear glasses all the time.
The appointment for the other eye operation was 29th February 2020.
Knowing what to expect, the second visit to Limassol was far less traumatic, and once again the cost for the operation was just six euros.
Following the same procedure the following day her vision was restored. Truly a case of 2020 vision!
The Gesy health system really does work I only hope that over time it doesn’t go the same way as the UK National Health System!