‘I got my life back after cataract removal’

A County Cork pensioner has urged anyone suffering from cataracts to use a cross-border scheme for treatment.

Brendan Brennan, (74), from Macroom says he has got his life back after taking the decision to travel to Belfast’s Cathedral Eye Clinic to have cataracts removed from both eyes.

The retired taxi driver, the primary carer for his wife, says he can drive again, read his favourite books and get on with his life after the surgery.

Mr Brennan recalled how he was told by his optician about worsening cataracts five years ago and he was placed on a waiting list. When he was finally seen in later 2019 he was told his cataracts weren’t serious enough and he was placed on another waiting list.

“I needed to care for my wife as we do live in the back of beyond and we cannot do without a car,” he said.

“My optician wrote to my GP and then I heard about the cross-border scheme where I could travel to the Cathedral Eye Clinic for treatment and the HSE would reimburse my costs.

“I had never heard of the scheme before. I had train times organised and the plan was to go to Dublin and switch for the train to Belfast but someone in Michael Healy-Rae’s office then contacted me and offered me a seat on a bus. It was brilliant.

“I went to Belfast twice on the bus and it was a great experience. Deputy Healy-Rae’s team was wonderful, and we stayed over at the Ramada Hotel right beside the clinic. The care I received at the Cathedral Eye Clinic was five-star; the staff were phenomenal.

“I’ve had both eyes done. I am a bit old-fashioned so I still like to read the teletext for my news in the morning and I can now read that without glasses. I didn’t realise how bad my eyes were until I had my cataracts done. It has made an amazing difference to my life. I had books I couldn’t read before and now I can.

“The whole cross border scheme and experience was wonderful. I got most of the money back from the HSE and they were very very good. The money came back to me in about three or four weeks. They couldn’t have been more helpful, and it was all very straightforward.”

Mr Brennan, originally from Castlebar in Co Mayo, returned to Ireland to live with his Cork-born wife more than 20 years ago after a career with British Telecom.

After two decades as a taxi driver in Cork, he says he’s glad he made the decision to travel north.

“I think you just have to tackle things head-on. I have had cancer four times and I have beaten cancer four times so a wee op in Belfast was no bother to me,” he said.

He admits to one downside to the experience – watching with clear vision his beloved Mayo lose yet another All-Ireland football final this September.

“It took me 24 hours to get over it. I was knocked,” said Brendan.

“But Tyrone were the better team so that’s that for another year. I was a child in 1951 the last time Mayo won the All-Ireland and I remember all the excitement in Castlebar at the time. I remember my dad and my uncles and their bottles of Guinness. They were all very jolly.

“The game was followed on the wireless and I just remember everyone being very very happy.”

Gary McArdle, General Manager at the Cathedral Eye Clinic, says an increasing number of patients are travelling from the south to see his team of experts in Belfast.

“The current cross-border scheme is very attractive to anyone suffering with cataracts as we can arrange an appointment in just a few weeks,” said Mr McArdle.

“We are definitely seeing more patients from Cork, from across County Cork and the South West generally in the past few months. We were delighted to help Brendan because we know the difference it has made to his life, being able to care for his wife and to do normal everyday things which he couldn’t do before.”