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Thread: Cataract Surgery

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Northern Oregon
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    Cataract Surgery

    I found a surgeon I like. He says my left eye has a cataract that qualifies for removal. My right eye has a cataract that can wait, but I'd probably want it done 2 weeks after the left.
    I asked can I wait a year for surgery. My Dr said "a conservative approach would be OK to wait a year maybe more, but call us if you want it done sooner"

    I can still see OK with my current glasses. I see signs better driving than my younger family members. I'm OK driving at night, but now that I know my vision can't be improved by new glasses I'm considering getting surgery sooner. Basically I have trouble with glare from sun or direct lights. Now that I'm aware that the cataract is a "cloud" in my eyes lens it bugs me.

    I have 2 friends that are older than me that won't drive at night at all. One was told he'd benefit from cataract surgery the other hasn't been to eye doc in years but from what he tells me surgery might help him too. Both of them say" let me know how yours goes", but I feel like a guinea
    pig.

    Anyone here avoiding surgery and have cataracts they "live with"? Anyone had the surgery? Please share your experiences. Thank you.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Northeast Ohio
    Posts
    582
    I have NOT had cataract surgery but my wife had one eye done in July of this year. She chose to have it done with laser (more expensive than the traditional approach). She was quite pleased with the surgery and results. Only down side is 3 types of drops 4 times a day for a month. Overall the surgery was very uneventful. She will have the other eye done when it qualifies for insurance coverage.

    She had the surgery because she was no longer able to read as it was blurry. She can read perfectly now.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Fredericksburg, TX
    Posts
    2,576
    I had cataract surgery 10 years back and had lens implant (10 and 11 O.D) to eliminate need for corrective glasses other than reading which I do with over the counter cheapo. I do have a pair of trifocal safety glasses to use in shop since you work at distance greater than reading and I was used to the trifocals earlier. I had worn strong glasses for 57 years when I had surgery and the change to reading only was dramatic. I did have to have one lens "cleaned" about 2 or 3 years later but that was a minor laser procedure. I am extremely happy with my cataract surgery and results. I was getting to point of not wanting to drive at night, and needed to travel as part of work.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    3,789
    I'd love to have cataract surgery, but they say I have to wait about 5 years.
    People I talk to on the ski lift (I wear prescription goggles that facilitate conversation...) tell me they haven't seen as well in 50 years.

  5. #5
    Everyone I talk to who has had cataract surgery says it's great. You can see again. My wife had both eyes done and can see better than me.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  6. #6
    Got both eyes done w/ laser surgery, six weeks apart, about 18 months ago. Outstanding results! No problems, no pain, very little inconvenience, in-out one day procedure, wore eye mask for overnight the first night, otherwise went along like nothing had happened except I could see again, night and day. I chose distance vision for both eyes, so I wear reading glasses for reading (duh!) and dovetailing, no reading glasses for computer work/sawing/marking out work, etc. I can now read highway exit signs at close to half a mile. No night problems. I'd say go for it if you've checked out this doc's record and are happy with him.

    Note that the laser surgery is more accurate than manual knife work, but costs extra. Check it out.
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  7. #7
    I had both eyes done 2 weeks apart about 4 years ago...traditional surgery..about 15 minutes per eye...implants as well.. best thing I have ever done. Colors are much brighter now as well as perfect vision...I, too, use reading glasses. I was waiting because I'm a wimp and the thought of being awake while they cut away on my eyes wasn't something I was looking forward to but it turned out to be no problem at all.... if you need it then go ahead..you will be glad you did...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Hot Springs, VA
    Posts
    763
    These days cataract surgery considerate to be minor procedures. It is safe, very low risks for any complications. Patients tolerated very well. Very good outcome.
    Your work - find right doctors to do it.

    Ed.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    I haven't had the surgery but my wife had the surgery on both eyes, two weeks apart about 3 years ago. She is amazed how much better she can see. In general, things are brighter.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #10
    I may be the youngest, here, but I've had one done.

    Uneventful. Major improvement.

    Only downside is to consider how it will effect your focusing. If you are nearsighted, they can implant a lens with some correction to avoid the need for distance glasses. You may also require reading glasses for near vision, though. Definitely think hard about this. Because I only needed one done, I don't use reading glasses, but essentially rely on one eye for near vision, which makes delicate work quite challenging (no depth perception).

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Northern Oregon
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    1,820
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    I may be the youngest, here, but I've had one done.

    Uneventful. Major improvement.

    Only downside is to consider how it will effect your focusing. If you are nearsighted, they can implant a lens with some correction to avoid the need for distance glasses. You may also require reading glasses for near vision, though. Definitely think hard about this. Because I only needed one done, I don't use reading glasses, but essentially rely on one eye for near vision, which makes delicate work quite challenging (no depth perception).
    Thanks Dan. Could you have glasses made to improve your near vision?

    I've worn glasses for 58 years so I'm used to them. In fact I'm glad I always have them on for the eye protection.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Joiner View Post
    Could you have glasses made to improve your near vision?
    Maybe. There are interesting details that are worth discussing with your ophthalmologist. I was quite nearsighted, before, and since they were only replacing one lens, they couldn't fully correct my nearsightedness with the implanted lens (because it would be too much of a correction relative to the eye they weren't touching - my brain wouldn't be able to "piece" the two images together). So I still have glasses to correct nearsightedness (in both eyes - although less severe in the eye with the implanted lens), and would need one bifocal lens if I wanted near-vision correction. That gets complicated, so I'm happy with how it is (for now).

    If you do both eyes, you may need reading glasses (or even bifocals, if you end up with some nearsightedness), although they do now have some multi-focal lens implants.

  13. #13
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    Northern Oregon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    Maybe. There are interesting details that are worth discussing with your ophthalmologist. I was quite nearsighted, before, and since they were only replacing one lens, they couldn't fully correct my nearsightedness with the implanted lens (because it would be too much of a correction relative to the eye they weren't touching - my brain wouldn't be able to "piece" the two images together). So I still have glasses to correct nearsightedness (in both eyes - although less severe in the eye with the implanted lens), and would need one bifocal lens if I wanted near-vision correction. That gets complicated, so I'm happy with how it is (for now).

    If you do both eyes, you may need reading glasses (or even bifocals, if you end up with some nearsightedness), although they do now have some multi-focal lens implants.
    Your feedback really helps, thanks Dan. My Dr told me almost word for word what you said--

    "it would be too much of a correction relative to the eye they weren't touching - my brain wouldn't be able to "piece" the two images together"

    Your situation sounds a bit like mine Dan. I wear glasses(bifocals) for near and far vision, but for reading closer than 10" I remove my glasses . I probably need trifocals.

    At my age I qualify for cataracts in both eyes to be removed even though the right eye could wait a few years. Thus my Dr said "I'd probably want my right eye done 2 weeks after the left"


    I'm sending the copy below to my Dr to learn more:
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Hi DR,
    I've worn glasses for 58 years so I'm used to them. In fact since my hobbies are windsurfing and woodworking I'm glad I always have them on for the eye protection. I'm guessing that makes the implant choices easier?

    Do you have a questionnaire you can send me to help me choose? I'm hearing people rave about not wearing glasses and like to know my options, since I prefer to wear glasses.

    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  14. Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Joiner View Post
    Your feedback really helps, thanks Dan. My Dr told me almost word for word what you said--

    "it would be too much of a correction relative to the eye they weren't touching - my brain wouldn't be able to "piece" the two images together"

    Your situation sounds a bit like mine Dan. I wear glasses(bifocals) for near and far vision, but for reading closer than 10" I remove my glasses . I probably need trifocals.

    At my age I qualify for cataracts in both eyes to be removed even though the right eye could wait a few years. Thus my Dr said "I'd probably want my right eye done 2 weeks after the left"


    I'm sending the copy below to my Dr to learn more:
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Hi DR,
    I've worn glasses for 58 years so I'm used to them. In fact since my hobbies are windsurfing and woodworking I'm glad I always have them on for the eye protection. I'm guessing that makes the implant choices easier?

    Do you have a questionnaire you can send me to help me choose? I'm hearing people rave about not wearing glasses and like to know my options, since I prefer to wear glasses.

    I sail and do woodworking. Same deal. So, I went with distance vision in the surgery and I wear reading glasses for detail work and polarizing, uv coated sunglasses for sailing. Works well. Reading glasses are cheap and plentiful at Costco or Walmart, so I keep one pair at my bench, one pair at my navigation table, one pair near my computer. And I have a pair in a hard case that slips in a shirt pocket for getting around to places where I might need them, like reading a menu with lots of small print. (I can mange most menu entries without 'em, but it's always good to be prepared.) I can do most stuff on my computer, including SMC posts without my reading glasses, but the print gets smaller on some sites, and I grab 'em and keep going.

    When I need eye protection in the shop, I have bi-focal safety glasses that work just like reading glasses. Since I'm a hand tool mostly guy, I don't always need 'em, but when I do turn to the tailed beasties, I've got 'em.
    Last edited by James Waldron; 12-28-2017 at 2:42 PM.
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Fort Smith, Arkansas
    Posts
    1,985
    I had non-age related lens clouding cataract surgery many years ago. They used corrective lens and my vision went from like 20/120 to 20/20 in one eye and 20/30 in the other. And as noted by others, colors seemed remarkable.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

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