Eye op has mum blinking worried

Sep 23 2007 DR GARETH SMITH

Q MY mum is to have cataract surgery and is terrified. What exactly does the op involve?

A CATARACT surgery is one of the most common procedures performed by eye specialists.

The doctor makes a tiny cut at the side of the cornea, removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens.

It is done under local anaesthetic, only takes about 20 minutes and she will be home that day with some eye drops.

Q I hear a terrible whooshing noise in my ears when I lie in bed at night. It often keeps me awake, what could be causing it?

A THE internal carotid artery runs through the ear on its way to the brain and at night when it is quiet most people can hear the blood running through it, which sounds like a whooshing noise.

Ask your GP to have him listen to your neck with a stethoscope to see if he can also hear it, just in case it is being caused by a narrowing in the artery. He should also check your blood pressure.

Q I'M considering being sterilised and my GP has told me to diet first. Will surgery be a problem if I am overweight?

A THE heavier you are, the more of an anaesthetic risk you are and the more likely it is for the surgeon to have technical difficulties with the procedure.

They may have to convert from keyhole to open surgery if fatty tissue gets in the way. You should be a healthy weight before surgery. If this is unlikely, consider asking your partner to have a vasectomy instead.

Q MY sister suffers from mild depression but refuses to see her GP for medication. Is there an over-the-counter solution?

A MANY cases of mild depression don't need prescriptions. I tell my patients to take Omega 3 supplements every day, which help in the prevention of depression.

Pumpkin seeds are high in tryptophan, which is a precursor of the brain chemical serotonin - the happy chemical. I also recommend Paul Gilbert's book Overcoming Depression.

St John's Wort is a mild antidepressant but I don't recommend it due to the side effects.

Q I WANT to be an organ donor but want to know how doctors know you are brain dead if your heart is still beating?

A GOOD question. Many tests are done before it is confirmed someone has experienced cortical death - death of the area of the brain that controls thought.

The brain also controls heart beats and breathing but these can still function, which is why some patients still have a pulse. Also, two senior doctors must confirm death, not just one medic.