THE days of waiting up to a year for cataract surgery to improve eyesight and quality of life are a thing of the past at Leighton Hospital, according to chief executive Simon Yates.

The longest anyone will have to wait between the decision that surgery is needed and the operation to remove a cataract will now be just three months.

The Department of Health wants all NHS Trusts to reduce waiting times to three months by August this year, but Leighton Hospital's eye care centre in Crewe has achieved it well before the deadline.

Mr Yates, chief executive of Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This is a tremendous achievement made possible thanks to the sheer hard work and dedication of every member of staff involved in ophthalmic care.

"A 12-month wait can be distressing, so we are delighted to have reduced waiting times for this operation."

In order to reduce waiting times to three months, an additional 350 patients have had operations since October last year.

This was made possible, according to the trust, not only by the hard work of staff but also thanks to £230,000 funding from the Department of Health.

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens, the part of the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear, sharp images. During surgery the affected cataract is removed and replaced with an implant lens.

One patient who has benefited from this procedure is Elaine Barber, a great grandmother from Middlewich.

She said: "The surgery has given me a new lease of life and I am so grateful to the staff who treated me."

In addition to the reduced waiting time, patients will now be able to choose a convenient date for their surgery.

phennessey@guardiangrp.co.uk