Cataract Surgery

[misty8723]

Apparently, I have to have cataract surgery. I've been reading about it, and rather than being reassured, the books are just increasing my anxiety. So many things that can go wrong. I do NOT want to have this surgery. I can't stand the thought of someone cutting into my eye. However, I know if I don't have it done, it's only going to get worse than it is now. I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. I have an appointment next Tuesday with the Ophthalmologist. I think I'd rather go have a root canal.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Well, I'm with you, however, my sister in law had both her eyes done, and my aunt had hers done as did my uncle and a favorite cashier at my local grocery store had hers done.
Every one of them said it is totally NOT a big deal at all. The cashier lady is having to go back in to have one of the lenses de-filmed (for lack of proper terminology LOL).
And, since I saw my sis in law because she stayed with us after she had the first one done, it really, actually wasn't anything.
I'm still amazed about all this, --hang in there! I'll be thinking of you!

 

[Lilacat >(^.^)<]

I have cataracts, not yet ''ripe'' enough for surgery, but I have also been diagnosed with macular degeneration.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ This is one of the most common surgical procedures . Complications are rare and usually never serious. Follow post op instructions carefully ( no lifting/strenuous activity ; use prescribed eye drops ) .
You will be very glad you had this done !

 

[Margret]

I had my cataracts removed in, um, December 2013? Something like that.

I know that it's scary, but with a good surgeon you should be just fine. They give you conscious sedation, and numb you up really well (even people like me who are resistant to most local anesthetics), and they don't use a knife, they use a laser.

Just one bit of advice: With cataract surgery come new, artificial lenses in your eyes, and you can choose what distance you want them set for, near or far. (With the really expensive cataract surgery you can get lenses that allow you to get rid of glasses entirely - the equivalent of tri-focal contacts - but insurance companies consider that to be elective so they don't cover it.) However, some cataract surgeons are fond of focusing one eye for reading and the other for driving - they consider it to be a sort of poor man's version of the expensive surgery, since it's meant to remove any need for eyeglasses. My dad got that option and he absolutely hated it. It meant that he no longer had stereoscopic vision to gauge distance when driving, and he found it difficult to ignore the distance eye when reading and the near-sighted eye when driving. Think long and hard before you decide to go that route, because it isn't something you can undo later.

You may want to invest in a cheap pair of safety goggles with elastic, so you can wear them to keep you from rubbing your eyes after surgery, because the tape-on things they give you to wear to bed for the first few days are quite uncomfortable, and I've found myself wanting to wear two pairs of sunglasses at a time since the cataract surgery; I didn't realize before just how dim things had become over the years.

Margret

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Many people who opt for the expensive IOLs are disappointed.

 

[Furballsmom]

I've found myself wanting to wear two pairs of sunglasses at a time since the cataract surgery; I didn't realize before just how dim things had become over the years.

Oh, yes, now I remember my sis in law saying that too...

 

[denice]

I will have to have this done in the near future. I went and got new glasses a few months ago and I am not there yet but it is coming. My vision is still correctable to 20/20 so she said I am not there yet. My lenses are getting cloudier though.

 

[misty8723]

I had my cataracts removed in, um, December 2013? Something like that.

I know that it's scary, but with a good surgeon you should be just fine. They give you conscious sedation, and numb you up really well (even people like me who are resistant to most local anesthetics), and they don't use a knife, they use a laser.

Just one bit of advice: With cataract surgery come new, artificial lenses in your eyes, and you can choose what distance you want them set for, near or far. (With the really expensive cataract surgery you can get lenses that allow you to get rid of glasses entirely - the equivalent of tri-focal contacts - but insurance companies consider that to be elective so they don't cover it.) However, some cataract surgeons are fond of focusing one eye for reading and the other for driving - they consider it to be a sort of poor man's version of the expensive surgery, since it's meant to remove any need for eyeglasses. My dad got that option and he absolutely hated it. It meant that he no longer had stereoscopic vision to gauge distance when driving, and he found it difficult to ignore the distance eye when reading and the near-sighted eye when driving. Think long and hard before you decide to go that route, because it isn't something you can undo later.

You may want to invest in a cheap pair of safety goggles with elastic, so you can wear them to keep you from rubbing your eyes after surgery, because the tape-on things they give you to wear to bed for the first few days are quite uncomfortable, and I've found myself wanting to wear two pairs of sunglasses at a time since the cataract surgery; I didn't realize before just how dim things had become over the years.

Margret

Actually, according to the books I've been reading, insurance won't pay for laser surgery. My insurance doesn't pay for much anyway, so it's moot. I will not be going for the options that cost extra. I also will not be choosing the option of one eye seeing distance and one seeing near - that just seems absolutely stupid to me. I have not made up my mind if I want to correct near or far. I've always been nearsighted, and worn glasses since I was 11, so continuing to wear glasses don't bother me.

Thank you for the suggestion to get safety goggles! I never would have thought of that one. Sounds like I also might have to break down and buy a pair of prescription sunglasses.

 

[misty8723]

Hi! Well, I'm with you, however, my sister in law had both her eyes done, and my aunt had hers done as did my uncle and a favorite cashier at my local grocery store had hers done.
Every one of them said it is totally NOT a big deal at all. The cashier lady is having to go back in to have one of the lenses de-filmed (for lack of proper terminology LOL).
And, since I saw my sis in law because she stayed with us after she had the first one done, it really, actually wasn't anything.
I'm still amazed about all this, --hang in there! I'll be thinking of you!

Oh yes, I know a bunch of people who had it done (including my father recently. Even he said it was no big deal). Nevertheless...it's scary. I understand about the de-filming, that is one of the complications people can have. They say it's an easy fix.

 

[di and bob]

I have personally known at least six people who have had this procedure done and ALL said it was not near the big deal they made it out to be. No one likes to have their eyes messed with, but the ones that were really squeamish said the procedure went smoothly and no pain at all. Medicare pays for the procedure if you are on that.
I have had 'monovision' for 30 years, one eye for distance and one for close up, with my contacts. I have had absolutely no problem with it. It takes a few months fro your brain to adjust to focusing the eye out that you are not using, but once that happens you should have no problem focusing at all, and are not even conscious of it. The dominant eye that you are using just automatically takes over. I love not having to wear glasses. I can see why some people would have problems in the beginning, but it takes a while for your brain to adjust.

 

[AbbysMom]

My father had his done a few years before he died. He had a lot of health issues at that point and had absolutely no issues whatsoever.

My mother will be 85 on Sunday. She has had both done in the past few years. She had issues with both. The anticipated the issues for the second eye so it wasn't quite as bad. She had to take the drops for much, much longer and it took a lot longer to be able to see clearly, but the most important part and why I am telling you this at all is that it all turned out OK in the end, even with some complications.

Good luck!

 

[Furballsmom]

I have had 'monovision' for 30 years, one eye for distance and one for close up, with my contacts. I

Oh, wow, no kidding? hmmm, you're making me re-think the whole thing a little bit - thanks for posting! And thank you to the OP as well - for us squeamish ones, it is SO not easy!

 

[Margret]

I can see why some people would have problems in the beginning, but it takes a while for your brain to adjust.

No, it took a while for your brain to adjust. My father's never did.

For me, not having stereoscopic vision would be a much bigger problem than needing glasses. Even with the cataracts I was able to free-view stereoscopic pictures; I've drawn stereoscopic pictures as well as taking them with a camera; and I use stereoscopic vision to judge distance when driving. If I lost that I don't believe I could drive safely, and here in Colorado driving is an essential skill - I live in the suburbs and there are no bus stops within walking distance. I'm dependent on driving for groceries, clothing, doctor's appointments, pretty much everything.

Also, you got mono-vision with contact lenses. You could opt out of it at any time. Cataract surgery is permanent, however. I suppose that if one had buyer's remorse about this choice it might be possible to switch lenses, with further surgery, but not cheaply and there's no way insurance (even Medicare) would cover that.

Margret

 

[Mother Dragon]

I've had both eyes done and I've never regretted it for a moment.

I was lightly sedated for the procedure, which takes less than 15 minutes. Although I could have been more heavily sedated if I had wished, I was able to watch the procedure as it was being done and it was fascinating. It IS done with a laser, which means minimal scarring. I was in the recovery area for about 45 minutes, and I had absolutely no pain - ever. My husband and I joked and laughed with the other patients in the recovery room. I wore a patch when I left, but we went to lunch and I drove home. I could see perfectly at the restaurant. The biggest annoyance, but very, very important is doing all the eyedrops both before and after surgery.

I had to pop one lens out of my glasses until the second eye was done. I would freak people out when I supposedly stuck my finger through the (nonexistent) lens.

They do the eyes separately, usually a few weeks apart. The second one went just as smoothly. I didn't realize how bad my vision had become. I found out that Chocolate's light-colored fur wasn't yellowish, it was white. The cataracts are yellowish and tint everything. It was like discovering a new world of color and detail. People looked different. I spent some time just looking at things.

My doctor said I wouldn't be happy with the multi-focus lenses. I had astigmatism in both eyes and he had to put in a special corrective lens for the left eye. Insurance didn't pay for it, but it was worth the additional $1500 for it. I've had quite a few friends who've had the multi-focus lenses, which are much more expensive. All of them are very unhappy with them. And they all complain of loss of night vision. One says he can't even read speed limit signs until he's almost on top of them.

I got one near and one far vision and I love it. The doctor said my vision was so bad that I was using my eyes that way already. I adapted immediately and most of the time I'm not even aware of it. I have no problems judging distance when driving or doing anything else. I have 20/20 vision in my distance eye and 20/25 vision in my near eye. I am now completely glasses-free for the first time 63 years.

The only downside is that I was so severely nearsighted that I could see the hair on the mole on a gnat's nose, which was great for extremely fine detail, and that's gone. I see what normal people do now. However, that's why they make magnifying glasses.

A very few people do get scarring over the lens. It's a quick fix. A couple of zaps with the laser and a round of the eye drops and it's done.

I, too, have macular degeneration, and I see a retina specialist twice a year. So far, so good. The retina specialist says MD can be hereditary. He, the cataract surgeon, and my optometrist all strongly recommended that my husband and I take Preservision with AREDS 2. They all said this brand was best and to be sure to get the one with AREDS 2. It's the best way to prevent or retard MD. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny. How much is vision worth? Please, everyone who reads this, start saving your vision.

 

[misty8723]

Thanks to everyone who posted to this thread, I appreciate all your stories, advice, reassurances. I will not be getting the mono vision (it just doesn't seem like a good idea to me), nor the extra business to correct my astigmatism. It's going to cost me a lot of money already that I don't have, so I can't afford to do the extras. I do have insurance through my employer, but I have a $5,000 deductible, and then 20% after I reach that - so I will be paying for most of it myself. I kind of hope I do have one in the other eye so they can do both this year and save me a little bit anyway. I guess I'll also be needing new glasses and it looks like I better break down and get prescription sunglasses as well, so that's another $1,000 or so. What I'm not sure about is if I will still need the progressive lenses and computer glasses after the surgery, or how it will work if I only need to get one eye done. I guess I can ask the ophthalmologist all of that next week.

Does this surgery get rid of floaters? I am so over them!

As for macular degeneration, that runs in DH's family. His mother used to worry she would get it. She would practice playing the piano without looking at the music or the keys in case she went blind. She also had a little eye chart she carried around that is supposed to be an indication if you have it or not.

Mother Dragon , there is not a chance in the world I want to be "awake" for this procedure. I have had conscious sedation before and that seems to work fine.

 

[Mother Dragon]

If you need glasses, try either Costco, SAMS, or Walmart. You don't need a membership to use the glasses service at any of them (at least that's the way it is here) and we each got two pairs with progressive lenses for about $350. That included UV protection and scratch protection.

 

[Margret]

misty8723 , the lens must be replaced with a new lens, and that lens will be set for a certain distance; that's just the way it works; it's not an extra. Therefore, you choose the distance. I chose reading distance, because that makes it easier to find my glasses in a pinch, as well as making it easier to read in bed, where glasses may not be comfortable, but this is totally a matter of personal preference. I don't know what they do about glasses if you just have one eye done, sorry about that.

I had both eyes done. The cataracts were tiny, just starting out, and might never have gotten to the point where I actually needed them removed, except for one thing - the right one was smack in the center of my pupil, and was therefore beginning to blur my vision. Because there was a cataract in the left eye as well it made perfect sense to take care of both of them at once (except, as already mentioned, "at once" really means 2 weeks apart). My eyes have continued to slowly get worse, just as they've done every year since I was a child, so I still prefer to wear glasses to read. I also still wear progressive trifocals. I do not regret having the surgery - I needed it; it was safe; and I've had no infections or blurring of the lenses or any other complications.

Margret

 

[misty8723]

Margret , I know it's not an extra getting the lens replaced. I simply meant that I would not opt for the various lenses that are not covered at all by insurance. I know I need to choose the distance, and I meant that I would not want one lens for near and one for far. I also will not opt to get my astigmatism fixed, because that is also not covered by insurance. I know I will be needing glasses after the surgery and have no problem with that. I've been wearing glassess since I was 11, I wouldn't know what to do without them. I don't actually know if I have a cataract in my right eye as the optomistrist was focusing on the one in the left, and I didn't think to ask. I'll find that out Tuesday.

I haven't decided which distance I will choose yet, I see advantages to both. At the moment, I take my glasses off at night to read in bed, but need them if I want to watch television. I have the same issue with cataract being (as my optomistrist put it) front and center, causing my vision in that eye to be cloudy.

 

[misty8723]

If you need glasses, try either Costco, SAMS, or Walmart. You don't need a membership to use the glasses service at any of them (at least that's the way it is here) and we each got two pairs with progressive lenses for about $350. That included UV protection and scratch protection.

Thank you for the tip. They just opened a Costco not too far from me. What brand were the progressives? I have always had Varilux and have good luck with them.