I have always been very sensitive about my eyes. Can't stand any thought of damage or injury. Never have been able to watch people put contact lenses in or take them out.
About 6 weeks ago I went to bed one night after reading a small-print paperback book, no eyeglasses and no problems. Woke up the next morning unable to read the banner headlines of the newspaper. It was like my eyes were filled with clouds, fog, or smoke.
Went to see the doc, referred to an eye specialty clinic. Seems like I have a relatively fast-growing variety of cataract, right eye worse than left eye but both affected. Scheduled for outpatient surgery and spent several weeks alternatively looking forward to the prospect of restored eyesight and dreading the thought of someone slicing and dicing my eyeballs.
Yesterday had the right eye done. Checked in at 1:40PM, multiple eyedrop solutions applied to cleanse and dilate the eye. Blood pressure and everything else monitored closely. About 45 minutes later I was rolled into the surgical theater. Anesthesiologist administered a mild sedative, ophthalmic surgeon talked me through the entire process with no stress or strain. Actual surgery took 15 minutes or less, and 20 minutes later I was on my way home (with a driver, of course).
Multiple eyedrop solutions required several times per day. Slept peacefully through the first night, got up and did the eyedrops, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat on the patio.
Wow! The level of light and purity of colors are amazing! Distance vision is nearly perfect already, and close vision is coming along in bits and starts (as my brain adjusts itself to input from the new lens).
Technology has certainly come a long way in recent years. Tiny incision, then an instrument inserted to the lens applying sonic energy to dissolve the tissue and vacuum out the debris of the original lens, then a new intraocular lens inserted into position. Done deal!
Post-op examination today, everything looking good. Now I am looking forward to doing the left eye in two weeks.
I am very pleased and impressed, and anyone else dealing with such issues is assured that there is nothing at all to cause any concern. Success rates in the high-90% range and very few associated problems.
The other eye was done in the late 80s. Much easier, but still not as slick as today's methods. Implants were not a thing in the 60s and in the 80s I was told I was too you to get one because the implant would slowly pickup proteins and we'd be back to square one. I required the lens capsule to be holed some months after the inital op as it starts to thicken without a lens in there. The 80s eye was done with a laser. The 60s technique was called a "sticking", and we don't need to enquire further as to why it was called that.
