Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Dec 19/05) - Annie Mathewsie of Iqaluit had cataract surgery in Ottawa two months ago after waiting about "two or three months" to have the procedure.

Mathewsie said although she "was in so much pain," she did not mind waiting.

"I just thought about the end result," said Mathewsie through translator Dennis Shappa.

Mathewsie was not a high-risk patient while waiting for surgery. If she had been, according to the department of health, she would have been medevaced to Ottawa immediately.

Mathewsie can't say whether the wait times for surgeries should be reduced, because in her experience, the end result was the only thing that mattered. However, her eyes are acting up again.

"Now she's having more pains on the eye and she does not know why," said Shappa.

She is waiting to see an eye doctor again, but doesn't know when that will be.