Lancashire eye clinic celebrates landmark patient
A retired NHS midwife is delighted to have become a landmark patient at her local specialist eye clinic and to have received the same high level of care as she gave to many patients during her 40-year long career.
Barbara Parkinson, 78, from Walton-le-Dale near Preston, was told after her cataract surgery at Optegra Eye Clinic Preston that she was the 1,000th procedure to be performed at the specialist centre, which opened in summer 2024.
Optegra Preston Clinic Manager, Sohail Bhula, said: “We were aware that this milestone was approaching and I was delighted that Mrs Parkinson was the one! Her treatment has made such a difference and I am delighted that she agreed to be part of our celebrations and that we were able to make her feel special.
“It’s incredible to think that since opening last year we have helped so many people to improve their vision and quality of life thanks to our partnership with the NHS. We will continue to provide a five-star service to local residents and hope to help many more people live life to the full, free of cataracts.”
Barbara was referred to Optegra by her optician and was surprised at how quickly she received her appointment. She said: “Within just a few weeks of my referral I was at the clinic for my consultation. I chose Optegra because Bamber Bridge is five minutes down the road from our house so it was very convenient.
“The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, they really made me feel at ease. It was such a positive experience all round and I have already recommended Optegra to several friends. I’m really delighted with the outcome and my new improved vision has helped with my crafting hobbies – card making, long stitch and cross stitch.
“Throughout my career I was always told that if you treat patients as you would like to be treated yourself then you can’t go wrong. That was exactly the experience I received at Optegra and I am very grateful to the whole team for taking such good care of me.”
Optegra Eye Health Care is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services. Established in 2007, it has completed over one million eye procedures from its 78 eye hospitals and clinics across the UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Holland.
As well as providing private vision correction treatments – from lens replacement and laser eye surgery to implantable contact lenses – Optegra treats cataract surgery both privately and through its partnership with the NHS. Optegra also treats medical conditions AMD and glaucoma; and has launched the first ever treatment for people with the Dry form of AMD.
Optegra brings together leading-edge research, medical expertise and state-of-the-art surgical equipment. It performs more than 170,000 treatments annually, both private and publicly funded. Its top ophthalmic surgeons are renowned for their areas of expertise, offering excellent clinical outcomes and great patient service.
www.optegra.com