Cataract Surgery Today

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HankG

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Had a cataract removed from my right eye today and a new lense installed. Thought I'd outline what happened in case anyone out there was contemplating having the surgery done.

Both my eyes have cataracts but my right eye had deteriorated far faster than my left. Driving at night had become a real test since the reflections of the oncoming headlights drove me nuts. This is also my "strong eye" when it comes to shooting, so I decided to get the problem solved.

I went into the day surgery room at 0730 this morning. Left under my own power at 1030 with a patch over my eye which will be removed tomorrow if all goes well. Had the simple lense installed. There is a more complex double lense available that enables the wearer to do away with "cheaters" for reading. They cost an additional $2000 per lense.

Virtually NO pain involved with the operation. It took 30 minutes from the time I entered the operating room, until they wheeled me out. I was awake at all times. They gave me a shot that allowed me to relax and move my eye when the doctor asked me to. Felt like I had 2 or 3 glasses of wine. Tried to get a quart of the stuff to bring home but the doctor wouldn't give it to me...no hangover.

Will see what happens when I see him at 1100 tomorrow. Can't bend over or due any heavy lifting for a week since there isn't any stiches in the eye but should be able to drive after he takes off the cover. I'm supposed to wear the cover when I take a nap or hit the rack in the evening. Picked up a pair of polarized sun glasses that will fit over my own glasses because the sun can cause problems until the eye completely heals. Colors are supposed to be extremely vivid.

Am looking forward to tomorrow.
 
Thanks! I'm glad it went so well. Looking forward to hearing more as you heal up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hope yours goes better than mine did, good luck to you I hope yours does like 99% of the ones done every year goes. Jeff
 
I had just had both mine done a month apart. You might want to take it easy for about a month after each eye is done as the lense can move.
 
You will be the happiest man on the forum at 11:05 tomorrow. Please post tomorrow and let us hear how unbelievable it is. I had it 4 years ago. Awesome. Pine trees really still do have pinecones in them. I thought almost all birds had turned a grey/Brown. Really a great improvement for me. Hoping for best for you.
 
Had my left eye done in Nov. 13. Developed macula degeneration after the surgery. Only have 2000 vision in the left eye. Had 5 shots in 5 months in white of the eye to stop further degeneration. Have an appointment with Dr. on 5/19.
Good luck.
 
I'm having a cataract removed and a new lens put in next Tuesday on my dominant eye. I hope my surgery goes as well as yours. It sure is heck getting old!
 
HankG: thank you for the report. I hope your recovery is uneventful. I'm due for cataract surgery on my left eye very soon, so it was good to get a first hand report.

Best of luck,

Dave
 
Great. My spouse had both eyes done last year and is still tickled...............20/20 in both eyes!!! If she wants to do a lot of reading she bought a couple of pairs of 1.5 reading glasses but most of the time goes without.

It is a fantastic addition to mankind!
 
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After wearing glasses for 53 years I had the corrective lenses put in when I had my cataract surgery 3 years ago. Had the left eye done on a Monday right eye on the following Thursday. The only glasses I have had on since are off the rack sun glasses and shooting glasses. One of best moves I have made in my life, no regrets. Hope you have the same outcome.
 
Congrats and hope all goes well at the follow up and for years to come.

I worked as a surgery tech for a eye surgeon and saw many hundreds of patients improve their eye sight. Most almost came to tears being able to see without glasses or the effect of the cataract.
 
Glad it went well with you, I did not have a good outcome myself. Always had 20 20 vision until I let the VA due the cataract surgery. Medical university of South Carolina sent a young female resident to operate.
she removed the cataracts ok but when she inserted the new lenses she did not like the way the lens went into my right eye. She tried to move the lens and ruptured my eye and all the fluid ran out and the the eye collapsed. Well major panic set in and in desperation they called the university and had the head eye surgeon come to the VA hospital. He stitched up my eye and somehow pumped fluid in to the eye, I was on the operating table 3 hours with only a local anesthetic. They said I would have to wait 2 years for the eye to heal and then have a cornea transplant. After 2 years had the transplant and told wait 2 more years before the could insert a new lens. Two years later had the new lens implanted by the head surgeon, and still have very limited sight out of my right eye. Thankfully my left eye turned out 20 20. The young female surgon was so embarrassed she never came to see me after the operation. Im 80 now and went through a lot worce when I was wounded in Korea. I hold no ill will towards the VA or the surgeon, s--t happens and I am still relatively healthy
 
I had both eyes done 3 or 4 years ago and have no complaints. After 55 years, I no longer wear glasses. I also find I can shoot much better as I can now see the targets.
 
Thanks for post. I am also having it done next Tuesday (May 20) Now I have a better ideal on what to expect.
 
Congratulations, and I hope everything goes great. I had the same procedure done in November/December. There was a quantum changed in the way my vision changed. I had astigmatism corrected with a toric lens.

The "new" view is phenomenal. The colors are more vivid, Everything is clear and sharply defined; and night vision is vastly improved.

Just insure you wear good sunglasses outside all the time during daylight. The effectiveness of UV filters in implants is nowhere close to that of your natural lens, which is now gone.

To others contemplating having the procedure done, or scheduled; its among the most common surgical procedures in older adults. The only regret you'll have is not having it done.
 
OK...Back from the ophthalmologist's office. Had the aluminum shield removed from over my eye. The Doctor checked it out and gave me another prescription to pick up plus a bottle of drops from his office. He said to wait a minimum of 5 minutes between applying the drops to my eyes so the eye had enough time to absorb the chemicals. One chemical, 1 drop a day. The other two, 4 drops each a day equally spaced out throughout the 16 hours I am awake. The aluminum shield goes on whenever I sleep to negate me from poking myself in the eye.

Everything is much brighter now. My right eye is still not 20/20 but close to it. He said I could remove the right lense in my glasses if I wanted because it's prescription is to strong. I will receive a new prescription for glasses in two weeks, once more healing takes place. He said I could cut the grass on Saturday if I wore eye protection. He doesn't want any dust in the eye yet. Still can't lift more than 50 lbs or bend over since both puts to much pressure on the eye. Sorry to hear about the problems some of you men have had. This is my sixth operation over the last 40 years. I don't take an operation lightly.

All in all, vision is much better and much, much, brighter and clearer. Still no problem with any discomfort. Next visit next Wednesday. Picked up a pair of polarized clipons in case I need them.
 
HankG said:
He said I could cut the grass on Saturday if I wore eye protection. He doesn't want any dust in the eye yet. Still can't lift more than 50 lbs or bend over since both puts to much pressure on the eye.
Click to expand...

Oh, no, no, no. You clearly misunderstood the doctor. You should tell the wifey the doctor said you COULD NOT cut the grass on Saturday because he doesn't want any dust in the eye yet. You are not to lift anything more than 16 oz. or bend over to do any houswork. Let me know if you need me to provide a "profile" - yeah, I think I can still remember how to do that. You know, for a Marine, you ain't too bright, are you? :) Kidding, of course, best of luck to you in your recovery.

Regards,

Dave
 
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Had both my eyes done a month apart last fall. After the first, I couldn't waitto get the second done. Everything is so much clearer and brighter now. Only use store bought readers for close work now. You definitely will have to use sunglasses more often to counter the brightness. I can't stand to walk to the mailbox without useing mine. Almost wish it could have been done years ago but the Dr said "they weren't ready yet".
Good luck with yours.
 
Mine were both done in the past couple of months. Still using some eye drops. So far, really good, but I don't have the brightness issue that some report.

I am looking for good clip-on sunglasses. It's hard to locate some that fit. I may have to buy prescription sunglasses.
I do need new prescription eyeglasses.

The doctor set my vision for normal reading distance. For long range vision, I'll still need glasses.

My brother had his eyes done a couple of months before mine. He got the toric lenses. He constantly has to get out reading glasses to see close up.

My doc warned that in most cases, some 80 %, patients need laser surgery to clean up regrowing cells in the eye that'll cloud vision. This within three years. An additional 10% need that after a couple of more years.

My surgeon and the other docs in the practice did NOT warn me that the replacement lenses filter sunlight less well than natural lenses and that I'll need sunglasses. I'm glad to see that here!

My surgery was done by a firm that advertises VERY heavily on TV and at times, I felt a little like I was just a product being processed as rapidly as possible. I had to wear a device that told how long they took to see me, including the surgery. And some of the staff seemed a little inefficient and condescending. I'm not sure I'd recommend them. But the surgery was painless and I didn't have the swelling that my brother did.

I'll know more after getting my new glasses, but all seems well now. Vision is FAR brighter and clearer. My uncorrected vision went from 20/400 to 20/150, a real improvement. Glasses will achieve 20/20, I expect.

One of my amusements is using a binocular to observe colors on cars and on birds after a rain, with a still overcast sky. Colors are especially bright and vivid. I'm looking forward to that.
 
I also had the lazer surgery done on both eyes about 2yrs ago. I got so bad it was like driving in a fog and couldn't see a traffic light till I was right up on it. I see just fine these days and no longer need reading glasses. Only hitch to my deal is they put in blue lenses and my eyes are really sensitive to bright light and sunshine now. Have to wear sunglasses.
 
My wife had cataract surgery and was playing golf in a day or two. I tried to stop her but she chewed through the restraints. ( Her doc said it was OK. )
 
Went back for my 1 week checkup earlier this week. All progressing OK. Doc took me off of one of the drops I have to use every day. Down to 1 in the morning, a second steroid drop 4 times a day. Will be on these until the medication runs out. Don't have to wear the aluminum eye cover anymore but was warned to wear protective eye covering when I cut grass or get into situations with a lot of air born particles. Picked up a pair of good clip on sunglasses that I wear most of the time when the sun is out. The change in brightness is still unbelievable. Took a new Diamondback .380 to the range yesterday and I could see the front sight without any problems. Almost felt 24 years old again.

Next visit is in 4 weeks at which time he will dilate my eye and give me a new prescription for glasses. It takes six weeks to heal with this surgery so my heavy lifting is still curtailed especially from a bent over position. Still unbelievable surgery with no pain!
 
HankG glad to hear everything is working out great for you. Glad to hear almost everyone else had good results, my mother had it done years ago before she passed. I knew her for the first 55 years or so of my life wearing glasses. After she had it done she never needed them anymore..
 
Talk about pain, had my right eye done two years ago and never went back for the left eye. When he stuck that needle in my eye I just about came off of the bed. And then he did it a second time, good thing they had my hands tied to the side of the bed. Said I could take the patch off when I got home. Big blood spot on the gauge. The first day with the drops just like putting a hot poker in my eye. I am suppose to go for a checkup but it won't be him that's going to do it.

Trouble is shooting long guns left handed so sights are never in focus. Shoot handguns right handed so good to go there.
 
Damn Yankee said:
Talk about pain, had my right eye done two years ago and never went back for the left eye. When he stuck that needle in my eye I just about came off of the bed. And then he did it a second time, good thing they had my hands tied to the side of the bed. Said I could take the patch off when I got home. Big blood spot on the gauge. The first day with the drops just like putting a hot poker in my eye. I am suppose to go for a checkup but it won't be him that's going to do it.

Trouble is shooting long guns left handed so sights are never in focus. Shoot handguns right handed so good to go there.
Click to expand...

This is very suspicious. I was done for both eyes this Spring and am still using a couple of the drops for another two days.

I was mildly sedated and if they stuck any needles in my eyes, I don't know about it. They explained that the old lens was removed in each case by a little machine that sort of eats the lens like a Pac-Man gobbling up stuff on a game board. So they couldn't just remove the cataract and let me see it.

I had NO pain and seem to have healed well, but they cautioned that within about four years, 90% of patients need laser surgery to correct cell regrowth in the area of the new lenses.

BUT a pal here had his eyes done years ago and has had no issues. Maybe he has just been lucky, or maybe a different surgical technique was used.

My brother also had his eyes done this year, with Toric lenses installed. He had considerable swelling and some irritation for awhile. I had none of that, and had my vision set to allow wearing bifocal glasses. My uncorrected vision is set to normal reading distance of about a foot from the eyes. This is much more practical for me than seeing for long range vision, as my brother chose. He has to constantly get out reading glasses for much work. I just look through my glasses to see at distance.

It's lucky that I saw the ophthalmologist. He found that I have glaucoma. If untreated, it causes blindness. They hope to stabilize it via using Alphagan eye drops, to lower pressure in the eyes. So far, so good. My eye pressures seem low.

The glaucoma was probably caused by longtime use of Prednisone for asthma problems or by using an Advair inhaler for same. If you are asthmatic or have COPD, get your eyes checked for glaucoma or other issues. VERY IMPORTANT!
 
My wife was supposed to have her right eye done yesterday but her blood pressure was up and they couldn't do it. They have rescheduled her for next Thursday. I'm not surprised by the blood pressure considering the last time she had surgery, it was supposed to be in one day, out the next. Instead she woke up paralyzed, had a second surgery and spent 30 days learning to walk again. I know that back surgery has no relation to the eye but it's understandable she would have some anxiety. I'll tell her about all the good results you guys had (but not the bad).

CW
 
Hope it went well. I had both of mine done about 5 years ago and I was able to get rid of my glasses (everything but reading) for the first time in about 45 years. I do have to wear sunglasses because my eyes are much more sensitive to sunlight.
 
Had both of mine done, about two years apart. No pain; they put you out when the inject into your eye. I was lucky; had no complications whatsoever, and my vision is wonderful. I can really get along without distance correction, like for driving, and I can read the computer screen at 1 1/2 feet without glasses. I generally use mine for reading, close work or reloading. I couldn't have had a better outcome.

That reminds me; I'd better reload about 400 45 ACPs with cast 230 gr RN bullets, I'm getting low.
 
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