Cataract Surgery Question

[Onomea]

My wife has decided to have cataract surgery. (I am not far behind. Perhaps next year or so in my case.) In doing a bit of research, she has learned that there is a standard procedure, which insurance typically pays for, and an optional, enhanced procedure, which entails out-of-pocket costs. The enhanced procedure, per her reading, involves inserting prescription lenses.

For those of you who have looked at this, or experienced this, is the enhanced procedure worth doing? We assume the enhanced, optional procedure is to eliminate or reduce the need for prescription eyeglasses, but we wonder if it is as effective as simply wearing prescription glasses. Plus, prescriptions change with time, so we wonder if the enhanced procedure is supposed to fix vision issues forever...

Anyway, for those who have some knowledge or experience, we'd appreciate some informed comments.

 

[s&wchad]

I'm going in to get measured for cataract surgery tomorrow morning.

As I understand it, insurance will cover lenses that correct nearsighted or farsighted vision. You can pay extra ($4K-6K) for specialty lenses that correct for both. Think of it as concentric bifocals.

 

[JeffD607]

I just had both eyes done with the standard procedure covered by Medicare. The total cost out of pocket for me with my secondary insurance was $95.00 per eye for outpatient surgery because my doctor did the surgery in a participating hospital. The outcome was fantastic! I now have 20/20 vision (for distance) in both eyes. I still need glasses for reading, which I am okay with. The only bad part, so far, is that I can now see things like the dust on my dashboard.

 

[Frailer]

I don’t have any answers, but I’ll be following this with interest. Having spent too many years in deserts without wearing sunglasses, I’m on this path as well.

 

[spricks]

I had the surgery with the corrective lenses over 12 years ago. I think my out of pocket cost was $4,000 per eye. Well worth the money if you don't like glasses. I do wear sun glasses when needed though. I still have 20/20 vision.
It kinda P'D me off that the insurance considers it cosmetic surgery and won't pick up the tab.
If I could do it over, I would go the same route.

 

[Thiokol]

I had both eyes done in March 2023. I'm 78 and had been wearing glasses since I was 7 primarily for myopia with astigmatism. My ophthalmologist gave me a couple of options regarding the implants. I opted for the Vivity lenses which eliminated the need to ever wear glasses again. The out of pocket cost was about $2,500.00 per lens.

Since then, there has been a new lens introduced that can be adjusted after being implanted.

 

[Bobby Fett]

Shop around for insurance. I had mine done (both eyes) with corrective lens in one eye in 2018. Out of pocket was $75.00 for each office visit. (You can have both eyes done in one visit, but I was too squeamish for that!)

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have had both eyes done twice. The second was when I developed secondary cataracts.

I had the regular procedures done with near field lenses. A truly marked improvement.

If I could afford it I would have it done again just for the Versed sleigh ride and the light show

 

[ladder13]

I had both of mine done about four years ago. My vision drastically improved and I threw out about a dozen readers. Basic cataract procedure worked for me, one eye at a time.

 

[Autonomous]

My non-typical experience had serious problems.

First, I was born with bad near-sightedness (-15.25, many of the optics chain stores only grind lenses to -15) and astigmatism, so I took the corrective lens option with the cataract surgery. That part worked fine.
After the cataract surgeries my eyes filled with blood and my vision was very poor for a bit. Then I got ulcers on my retinas, and they couldn't figure out why. There was concern my vision was not coming back. After a couple weeks they healed.
Not finished yet, a few months later I got bilateral shingles on both corneas. There was real concern my vision was toast. I eventually healed.

Again, non-typical.

 

[pasound]

I had both of my eyes done in the fall 0f 2017. I've worn glasses since I was 4 - I too had myopia and astigmatism. My vision was terrible - 20/250 in one eye and 20/200 in the other. I got the AcrySof lenses and my distance vision is 20/20 (past the end of my arm) and I wear reading lenses which I don't have to take off, as they don't affect my distance vision.
The biggest change was becoming slightly farsighted, with or without my glasses. Prevents me from doing close up work, such as soldering and making network cables. I keep a set of really strong cheap readers that are basically magnifying glasses for the close work.

 

[minconrevo]

I did the advanced (and more expensive) multi-distance focus length implants. Both surgeries were uneventful, as was the recovery. Surgeon warned me that, due to my astigmatism, I had about an 8% chance of issues. Several months pass, with vision getting better noticably for the first few months. Settled in at about 20/20. With a special eyeglass prescription for close work, I could get 20/15. Without the surgery, I would have been destined to a grey-green foggy world. All went great until at about 2 years in, a partial retina attachment at edge of retina pops up in one eye. I got myself into cataract surgeon's office as soon as I noticed. They did a emergency referral, for the next morning, to an excellent eye surgeon. Two days later, he repaired and sent me home for the tedious, near month long recovery. Back up to 100% again. For the first time ever, I could pass the drivers license eye test. I did just that, because I could.

 

[lureman]

I had cataract surgery 6 years ago. I opted for mono vision. Talk about liberating, I don’t even own a pair of reading glasses!

My wife had LAL (light adjustable lenses) replacement procedure used in March. Talk about state of the art! They tweaked the vision almost perfectly! She’s happy.

 

[damienph]

I had both eyes done about 6 months apart in 2021. I opted for the advanced procedure with some out of pocket expense. I had my right (dominant) eye done with a “near” lense and my left eye done with a “far” lense. The improvement in vision was immediate. My right eye especially was just fantastic, better than I ever remember my vision being. My left eye is certainly an improvement but not to the extent my right eye was. However I renewed my DL this past February and had no problem passing the vision test.

In my opinion having the corrective lenses inserted in addition to the cataract surgery is well worth the out of pocket cost.

 

[KAC]

My wife is currently going through cataract surgeries. A week ago tomorrow, Wednesday, she had her right eye done, her left eye will be done next month. She opted for the multi-focus lenses. Total out of pocket for the right eye was around $3,100. Included in this cost is repair of her astigmatism. Her distance and midrange visions have improved greatly with the reading portion lagging slightly behind. For the left eye she will do the same as far as lenses go. She has worn contact lenses for over 50 years and is very excited to leave them and glasses behind. She highly recommends the multi-focus lenses, if you can afford them.

 

[Quiet Wyatt]

My wife wasn’t so fortunate. She had cataract surgery a few years ago, by a
highly-rated ophthalmologist. In addition, we paid $3000 to correct astigma-tism in both eyes. Her eyes have never been the same. She can longer read novels, due to burning and itching eyes. And she still has the astigmatism. I demanded a refund, but did not receive it, nor an apology. Explaining this to two other eye surgeons brought the same reply, “It happens.” I suggest reading some negative experiences before selecting a surgeon.

 

[Onomea]

This is very helpful. Thanks, fellas.

Am I'm understanding correctly that if one is only near sighted, or if one is only far sighted, the standard, non out-of-pocket, non optional/enhanced procedure is sufficient for good eyesight?

 

[STCM(SW)]

Had it done on my left eye in 2005, right eye 2007. Cost me nothing.
But this year my left eye was blurry. The new eye Dr checked me out and gave me a prescription for wearing glasses.
With using both eyes I can see well to pass a eye test.
My wife was not that lucky. She had to wear glasses all the time.

 

[Thiokol]

This is very helpful. Thanks, fellas.

Am I'm understanding correctly that if one is only near sighted, or if one is only far sighted, the standard, non out-of-pocket, non optional/enhanced procedure is sufficient for good eyesight?

With the standard lenses, if you needed glasses before the cataract removal, you will still need them after the surgery.

 

[pasound]

It can be. Check with an opthamologist to be sure.