Cataract Surgery Yesterday

[DocB]

Many of you have already had this done while some are probably still debating over when/if to have it done. It's no picnic, but it is also not bad. I had to give up 20-15 close uncorrected reading vision to get 20-20 uncorrected distance vision. My distance vision before surgery could be corrected to only 20-60 on a good day. The cataract was about as big as they can get. My other eye has never had much vision, so it was strictly a one-eye operation. I can now understand how some of you have trouble shooting with iron sights after surgery. I won't be messing with new glasses for over three weeks, but will consider a progressive lens for shooting. If you have cataract surgery in your future and are sort of putting it off (like I did), there are a few things to consider. The surgeon, of course, is one. I got the best in the State. He did 33 procedures the morning he did me. . .over 6 per hour. Boy, he is good and very practiced. Make sure to pick a surgeon who does no needle, no stitches, no patch! You walk out of the hospital wearing sunglasses in awe of what you can now see. If you are not diabetic and free of glaucoma and macular degeneration, go ahead and get it done. It's ten minutes well spent.

 

[paulh]

What's being diabetic have to do with it?

 

[gman51]

My brother just had both eyes cataracts done and supposedly has 20-20 vision now. My other brother had lens replaced in both eyes and now has 20-20 also. It's amazing what they can do with eyes now. I just can't understand how they can do what they do for eyes now.

I used to be near sighted but I noticed my far sight prescription glasses now made my vision blurry. I now needed reading glasses for very small up close vision.
I went to optometrist and she said I no longer needed glasses except light magnify for reading some print. I went back to DMV and took the vision test again and I no longer have to wear glasses for driving.
I don't know how/why this happened but I sure enjoy not wearing glasses.

 

[NYlakesider]

Many of you have already had this done while some are probably still debating over when/if to have it done. It's no picnic, but it is also not bad. I had to give up 20-15 close uncorrected reading vision to get 20-20 uncorrected distance vision. My distance vision before surgery could be corrected to only 20-60 on a good day. The cataract was about as big as they can get. My other eye has never had much vision, so it was strictly a one-eye operation. I can now understand how some of you have trouble shooting with iron sights after surgery. I won't be messing with new glasses for over three weeks, but will consider a progressive lens for shooting. If you have cataract surgery in your future and are sort of putting it off (like I did), there are a few things to consider. The surgeon, of course, is one. I got the best in the State. He did 33 procedures the morning he did me. . .over 6 per hour. Boy, he is good and very practiced. Make sure to pick a surgeon who does no needle, no stitches, no patch! You walk out of the hospital wearing sunglasses in awe of what you can now see. If you are not diabetic and free of glaucoma and macular degeneration, go ahead and get it done. It's ten minutes well spent.

I'm diabetic and I had both eyes done, (2 separate occasions)
Easiest surgery I ever had and hyper happy I had it done. FWIW I was 68 at the time.

The worst was putting in a bunch of eye drops for a couple weeks. In other words A piece of cake.

 

[pawngal]

I'll be having my first eye done a month from today. My vision has never been really bad but distance vision has gone downhill the past several years due to the cataracts. Not being able to read highway signs is not a good idea!

 

[DocB]

Diabetes does introduce some risk considerations, but I would sure have it done anyway.

 

[crazyphil]

Thank you for that DocB. Thats something I will need before too long.
They tell me I'm pre-diabetic. Wonder if that is a problem?

 

[Rustyt1953]

Glad it went well, Doc.

I was recently diagnosed with early onset cataracts. I'm not quite at the "looking through an oyster" stage yet but I'm sure I'll get there.

The surgeon that did my mom's cataracts will do mine. Mom can now spot tail numbers on news choppers.

 

[fiasconva]

Just make sure you follow the directions they give you and if they gave you drops to use by all means use them as directed and as long as directed. No short cuts here.

 

[snuffy51]

Wife is having cataract surgery on her left eye 19-11-18 and her right eye on 12-6-18. I will be very busy for a while. She is pretty tough, I think she will do just fine, I hope.

 

[LVSteve]

I wish the surgeries had been that easy when mine were done.

 

[Hawker800]

I had to do both eyes this summer to keep my FAA medical. Otherwise, could have waited for years. Some improvement in distance vision but had to get glasses to get back my 20/20 near vision.

 

[rockquarry]

I had cataract surgery and lens implants on both eyes three-four months ago. At sixty-nine, I don't wear glasses for reading, distance, shooting open sights, etc. I tested my closeup vision by threading a needle and I was amazed.

However, there was no improvement in my night vision; it may have worsened slightly.

 

[wood714]

My 84 year old dad had one eye done a couple weeks ago. Couldn't believe how much better he can see now. He's getting the other eye done in a couple weeks.

His doctor charged his insurance company over $8K, and also does multiple procedures a day.

Imagine the gun collection that dude could/might have.

 

[LDM]

I'm seeing the opthal tomorrow to figure out what to do with the one in my right eye. Both my parents had it done with good results. Hope I can see clearly through my scopes again afterward.

 

[LVSteve]

His doctor charged his insurance company over $8K,....

What he charged and what he was paid may not be congruent. Wife#1 was a medical biller.

 

[Roadtrash]

Had my right eye done last week, the left about three years ago. Two weeks ago had a little laser done to clear the left eye and the doc told me I would probably need the same done to the right eye in a year or two. The new lens they put in tends to "fog" a little after a year or so but it takes about a minute or a little less to fix it with the laser thing. The laser thing is a breeze just look at the little red light while it is blinking, you don't feel anything.

Now that both eyes have been done I don't need the glasses for distance any more but due to astigmatism I will need them for reading at least small print. I'm typing this on the PC without glasses and it's clear as a bell. Of course I'm not real sure just how clear a bell really is.

 

[Hawker800]

^^^^*
That's good to know.

 

[shouldazagged]

I had cataracts ("advanced", they called them) removed and lenses replaced in both eyes, a week apart, in June of this year. Didn't have to use any drops afterward. I'm getting glasses to correct astigmatism in both eyes so I won't see objects double at middle or very long distances; but I can read anything except very small type without glasses.

The surgeon was the best in the state. Each procedure took fifteen minutes. The Medicare co-pay was $300 per eye, or I could never have afforded it.

They have found that I have some macular degeneration, but it's fairly early stage. I'm about to turn eighty-one and have a lot wrong with me, so I'm fairly sure I'll croak before it blinds me. Hope so, anyway.

 

[ddixie884]

Had cataract surgery on both eyes 3 years ago. It is truly a modern miracle. Hope you heal well and quickly........