A MOTHER has received an early Christmas present after having an eye operation that allowed her to see her family clearly for the first time in 18 months.

Lesley Whelan, 57, had a cataract operation at the new eye unit at York Hospital last week.

She was told that she had cataracts 18 months ago, following a routine visit to the opticians, but did not go to her doctor about it until six months later.

Mrs Whelan, from Acomb, near York, was expecting to have the operation in April next year, but extra funding has brought down waiting times at the hospital and she was able to have the surgery in time for Christmas.

Mrs Whelan, who has two daughters, said: "To start with, I just thought that my eyesight was going as I got older, but the operation has made a lot of difference to me.

"Just to have it done and be able to see clearly is fantastic.

"As soon as I came out of theatre, I could tell the difference.

"I was not expecting to have it done until April, so to get it done now was really an early Christmas present.

"The staff were all really nice and I have absolutely no complaints. I would give the unit ten out of ten."

The unit opened earlier this year, and increased funding and initiatives is paying off, with waiting times coming down for ophthalmology patients.

The hospital received £650,000 as part of the national Action on Cataracts programme, which is aimed at reducing waiting times to three months.

Funding has also been secured for a sixth consultant ophthalmologist specialising in diabetes-related eye problems, who will be appointed by April.

George Wood, deputy chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are pleased that extra investment is starting to result in quicker treatment for patients waiting for cataract operations.

"We hope that we will be able to treat more people like Lesley faster and make their lives much better as a result."