Cataract Surgery:

[MikeK]

Has anyone here had cataract surgery. If so I'll be interested in your thoughts on the subject.

 

[whitehall]

Scary at first but well worth it. No pain but a little discomfort and of course you are awake but mildly sedated. Seemed like about 15 minutes for the procedure and you are good to go with a brand new lens. Eye drops for a week or so and that's it.

 

[MikeK]

Scary at first but well worth it. No pain but a little discomfort and of course you are awake but mildly sedated. Seemed like about 15 minutes for the procedure and you are good to go with a brand new lens. Eye drops for a week or so and that's it.

Thanks!

 

[Luissa]

The eye drops are expensive, and the gel some use afterwords is a bitch to put in when it gets low.


FYI, I give people the eye drops a lot and the gel. If you need a trick for putting in the gel let me know, I have gotten pretty good at it. Good luck!

 

[Mr. H.]

I had a cataract, but traded it in for a Rincoln Continental.

 

[MaggieMae]

I had a cataract, but traded it in for a Rincoln Continental.

Some of those Japanese knockoffs are a ripoff.

 

[MaggieMae]

Has anyone here had cataract surgery. If so I'll be interested in your thoughts on the subject.

I had my right eye done about 10 years ago; left eye five years later. No problems with either. It's in and out in a half a day, and for me the only irritation was itching from the patch which has to stay on for 24 hours. Thereafter, just the eye drops to fight off any potential infection, but I could see just fine immediately. My prescription glasses had to be changed, though, as they were useless once I had new eyes.

 

[MikeK]

Thanks to all for your responses. It is most appreciated.

 

[Foxfyre]

I've worn thick glasses since I was five years old. I had become so night blind I could not drive at all after dark. I had little or no depth perception.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes--right eye first and left eye two weeks later--a little over a year ago. Both were done as outpatient procedures. They put you under enough that you aren't aware of the surgery at all but will follow instructions. I was home within a couple of hours after the surgery. Insurance paid for the necessary post operative eyedrops which are a pain to remember but are no big deal otherwise.

I now see better than I have been able to see my entire life. Will pass my driver's license eyetest without glasses. I see pretty close to 20/20 out of both eyes now--still have prescription lenses to correct an astigmatism that doesn't bother me but my eyes will get tired more quickly without the correction. You can get new lenses that correct astigmatism in your cataract surgery, but insurance would not pay for that and I couldn't afford it. The night blindness and depth perception problem are no more.

But if you need the surgery don't hesitate. Make sure you have an opthamologist of good repute and look forward to seeing much better than you did before.

 

[MaggieMae]

I've worn thick glasses since I was five years old. I had become so night blind I could not drive at all after dark. I had little or no depth perception.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes--right eye first and left eye two weeks later--a little over a year ago. Both were done as outpatient procedures. They put you under enough that you aren't aware of the surgery at all but will follow instructions. I was home within a couple of hours after the surgery. Insurance paid for the necessary post operative eyedrops which are a pain to remember but are no big deal otherwise.

I now see better than I have been able to see my entire life. Will pass my driver's license eyetest without glasses. I see pretty close to 20/20 out of both eyes now--still have prescription lenses to correct an astigmatism that doesn't bother me but my eyes will get tired more quickly without the correction. You can get new lenses that correct astigmatism in your cataract surgery, but insurance would not pay for that and I couldn't afford it. The night blindness and depth perception problem are no more.

But if you need the surgery don't hesitate. Make sure you have an opthamologist of good repute and look forward to seeing much better than you did before.

What I remember about the actual surgery is that spooky stuff that floats on by that you can "see." Never could figure that out, except it must be just the brain "seeing" these weird images like watching cells and protein and neurons under a microscope. (I had that same thing happen during a PT scan too.)

 

[MaggieMae]

But if you need the surgery don't hesitate. Make sure you have an opthamologist of good repute and look forward to seeing much better than you did before.

Especially if someone wants to continue driving at night. Before long, all the lights become brighter than they really are and distorted, so judgment becomes impaired.

 

[Foxfyre]

I've worn thick glasses since I was five years old. I had become so night blind I could not drive at all after dark. I had little or no depth perception.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes--right eye first and left eye two weeks later--a little over a year ago. Both were done as outpatient procedures. They put you under enough that you aren't aware of the surgery at all but will follow instructions. I was home within a couple of hours after the surgery. Insurance paid for the necessary post operative eyedrops which are a pain to remember but are no big deal otherwise.

I now see better than I have been able to see my entire life. Will pass my driver's license eyetest without glasses. I see pretty close to 20/20 out of both eyes now--still have prescription lenses to correct an astigmatism that doesn't bother me but my eyes will get tired more quickly without the correction. You can get new lenses that correct astigmatism in your cataract surgery, but insurance would not pay for that and I couldn't afford it. The night blindness and depth perception problem are no more.

But if you need the surgery don't hesitate. Make sure you have an opthamologist of good repute and look forward to seeing much better than you did before.

What I remember about the actual surgery is that spooky stuff that floats on by that you can "see." Never could figure that out, except it must be just the brain "seeing" these weird images like watching cells and protein and neurons under a microscope. (I had that same thing happen during a PT scan too.)

I was completely unaware of znything during the surgery. Just remember waking up feeling wonderful. You have to tape this guard thingee over the eye at night for the first three nights so you won't damage the eye while sleeping, but you can see through the mesh and it wasn't uncomfortable. I was apprehensive for the first one but after it was a piece of cake looked forward to the second surgery which was also non traumatic and quite comfortable. There was no pain during or after.

 

[HenryBHough]

I had used glasses for reading since I was a boy but did not need them for walking or driving until I was just over 60. It wasn't long before I was having new prescriptions every 6 months. Then an eye doctor (a real doctor, not an optician) suggested trying cataract surgery. One eye was worse than the other and I would not sign on for doing both until I found out how the one worked.

She told me that I had always had one eye good for closeup and the other for driving and even watching television at a good distance. The eye that was worst was the one she said had been doing all my reading. So I got a choice. I could have that eye fixed to be good for reading or for the other things. It seemed right to keep it the way it used to be and I let her do that. I felt more curiosity, I have always been curious, than angst and it was quick and painless. Not only would I recommend it to others, I recommended it to myself and signed up to have the other eye fixed too.

For this one I asked the doctor to make it work like it always had, best for driving and watching movies and TV. She did that. Again there was no pain and this time not even a little anxiety. In the end I could read, walk, drive, all without glasses. But when I go to the store I tuck a pair of half-glasses in my pocket. It has a corrective lens only in the distance eye so I can read the fine print on the shelf labels where they tell you how much things cost per ounce or per unit. My sunglasses, we do get some sunshine on this damned island, are set up to make both eyes work for driving and it does seem to make it easier to stay on the road especially when there's got and I have to watch for cars and bicycles coming at me on one side and find the road edge white line with the other eye.

Only thing I think is important is to make sure the eye doctor has done more than one or two even if he or she offers to do yours free just for the practice.

 

[DiAnna]

I echo what others have said. I had 20/2400 (yes, that's right) vision since childhood. Blind as a bat without thick glasses. Suddenly even the glasses wouldn't correct my vision and I found out I had cataracts in both eyes. I was scared spitless, but damn. Numbing eyedrops, a saline drip, a mild sedative if you want it, and 15 minutes later I had 20/20 vision in that eye. After the second surgery, I had 20/40 vision. I can see without glasses for the first time in my life!

Almost no after-surgery discomfort. I'd be willing to bet you'll be thrilled with the results! Let us know how you're doing afterward.

 

[whitehall]

I had 20/15 vision as a kid and excellent vision well into my adulthood. Past 55 years my baby blue eyes started to notice a haze around lights as I was driving at night. On a visit to Arizona I could hardly read street signs in the harsh daylight even with dark glasses. The cataracts progressed so fast that my Dr. said I was a couple of diopters from being legally blind. I'm back to 20/20 after two surgeries a month apart. What a Country.

 

[bayoubill]

bumping the discussion...

I'm considering having the procedure...

 

[Mr. H.]

Thanks for the bump. I've had one developing in my right eye for a few years now. Some days are good, some days the vision is quite blurry.

When the eye doc initially made note of it, he said they'd forward the visit record to my insurance company. I said I don't have vision coverage, but was told it's a condition that will be covered under the policy (as a disease?)- don't remember exactly why.
Anyhow- still early stages. OVC eyedrops help on the blurry days.

Good luck with yours, bayou.

 

[auditor0007]

My father had both eyes done. He went from being nearly blind to 20/20 vision, no more glasses. Him not wearing glasses bothered my mother so much that he had to buy a pair with clear lenses (no prescription) just to satisfy her, lol.

 

[strollingbones]

my night driving is getting worse....but so far they havent mentioned anything...but everyone i know who has had it...is glad they did it

 

[editec]

Has anyone here had cataract surgery. If so I'll be interested in your thoughts on the subject.

Friend of mine had it.

His vision improved stupendously.