Identical twins Bill and John Bowdler from Birmingham have amazed medical staff after both required cataract surgery on the same eye within weeks of each other. The 82-year-olds, who have spent their entire lives together—from sharing a home and job to dressing alike—found their medical needs were just as synchronized.
Born in Great Barr, Bill and John have long been inseparable, and when one needed cataract surgery, it seemed only natural that the other would require it as well. Their operation took place at Newmedica Birmingham, a clinic where the staff expressed surprise at treating both twins for the identical procedure in such close succession.
John reflected on their experience: “We’ve always been identical in most things we do, so I suppose it seemed natural to us that when one of us needed cataract surgery, the other would as well. The staff at Newmedica Birmingham were very professional, and I’ve noticed a vast improvement in my sight—everything is clearer and sharper now, and the TV screen looks so bright.”
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The twins are avid sports fans and season ticket holders at Villa Park, making good vision particularly important to their daily enjoyment. They plan to return to Newmedica Birmingham for surgery on their left eyes and encourage others not to fear the procedure.
Bill shared, “We enjoy bingo, and some of the players who had undergone the surgery reassured us it was painless and straightforward. There’s really nothing to be apprehensive about. I would definitely advise anyone needing the surgery to go ahead—it can make a huge difference.”
Newmedica Birmingham, located at Aston Cross Business Village, offers a range of eyecare procedures and helps reduce NHS waiting lists. Consultant Professor Sai Kolli praised the brothers: “Bill and John were wonderful patients. They are the first twins we’ve treated here, and having them both undergo the same procedure on the same eyes is quite rare.”
Professor Kolli also emphasized that cataract surgery is quick, painless, and performed under local anaesthetic via eye drops while patients are awake. Cataracts, which cause the eye’s lens to become cloudy, are a common condition that can lead to blurred vision and blindness if untreated, but the surgery is highly effective.