Cataract Surgery

[denice]

I get to join some of the rest of you with Cataract Surgery. I thought I just needed new glasses because things were a little blurry when I had my vision checked for my drivers license renewal. I passed but things were a little blurry. My left eye is the one that is the worst and is causing the issues but when they do one eye they do both. I just seen an optometrist today and he is sending a referral over to the ophthalmologist that he refers people to.

 

[nurseangel]

I was hoping for cataract surgery - I have them - but I I am not eligible yet.

 

[denice]

The last time I had my eyes checked which was several years ago they were just beginning. I had what she called blooming but I didn't need surgery. My right eye doesn't need done but the left one does. I looked at the website for the clinic that he is referring me too and they do them three weeks apart. I definitely want the left eye done first.

 

[NY cat man]

I haven't been to an eye doctor in 8 years now, and my eyesight is most definitely getting worse, and I don't know for sure whether or not I have cataracts, but I suspect that I do. My older brother had them at my age, and had the surgery, but his insurance plan from his former employer is a lot better than mine, and I don't know if I could afford it. I don't qualify for Medicaid, either, so most likely I would have to bear the cost myself.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My mother just had her first eye done a week ago and the other is sometime next week. She mentioned fixing an astigmatism in one eye at the same time. She did fine but they told her she couldn’t lower her head for days afterwards and I’ve never heard that before. Her 20 year old cat had some accidents and she was so frustrated trying to clean up after him. I was wondering if that was unusual but i haven’t had an explanation yet.

My dad had his done several years apart. He was so relieved because he was commuting several hours to work still when the first was done. It helped tremendously. My mother has been frustrated with hers as well. She couldn’t really make out what Id given her for Christmas this year. (It was a pendant with a map of her childhood neighborhood engraved on it.) I’m hoping she can see it better soon!

 

[lizzie]

I haven't been to an eye doctor in 8 years now, and my eyesight is most definitely getting worse, and I don't know for sure whether or not I have cataracts, but I suspect that I do. My older brother had them at my age, and had the surgery, but his insurance plan from his former employer is a lot better than mine, and I don't know if I could afford it. I don't qualify for Medicaid, either, so most likely I would have to bear the cost myself.

If you have Medicare they cover it all and your first pair of glasses.I opted to keep the frames that I had and they took care of the lenses.

 

[NY cat man]

If you have Medicare they cover it all and your first pair of glasses.I opted to keep the frames that I had and they took care of the lenses.

When my brother had his done, he was surprised when the doctor asked him what kind of lens he wanted- close up or distant. He got the distant and just uses reading glasses now.

 

[susanm9006]

I had cataract surgery for one eye in 2021. At that point I had almost no vision in that eye while my cataract in the other eye was still small. I do visit the eye doctor once a year because I am diabetic and also have very early macular degeneration. I was just there a few weeks ago and will need my remaining cataract removed within the next year.

It is an easy, painless surgery and the only nuisance about it is using eye drops for the first month.

 

[lizzie]

When my brother had his done, he was surprised when the doctor asked him what kind of lens he wanted- close up or distant. He got the distant and just uses reading glasses now.

That's what I did as well.I probably have 4 or 5 pairs of readers...one for each room,and I keep my "good " ones in my purse.That way I'm never without!

 

[denice]

The optometrist told me that the most common is the distance vision with the implanted lens and then using readers. They have multifocal lenses but they are more expensive and aren't covered by any insurance.

 

[misty8723]

When my brother had his done, he was surprised when the doctor asked him what kind of lens he wanted- close up or distant. He got the distant and just uses reading glasses now.

My opthmologist asked me the same thing. I told him I wanted to keep it like they've always been where I could see close and needed glasses for distant. And you know what? When he got done I could see differently in each eye! I told him and he just laughed and said a lot of people told him that. My husband kept telling me to have him fix it. I told him, I can see, I'm not messing around with anything else. I did get used to them, but it was disconcerting at first.

Things were getting fuzzier for a lot of years, I kept getting new glasses and it was still fuzzy. My optomitrist told me that my cataracts weren't that big, but it was the location that was causing the issue. he referred me to the ophthmologist, who said I could wait or I could have them done, it was up to me. At that time I was on employer insurance and had met my deductible so I decided it was a really good time to have it done.

The ophthmologist told my husband next time he came in for an exam he would probably need to have the surgery. We are on Original Medicare now, so will have to research that. I think they don't pay for the laser surgery, so will need to pay for that ourselves.

My sister also really needs hers done, but her ophthmologist keeps telling her they aren't "ripe" yet.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

At that time I was on employer insurance and had met my deductible so I decided it was a really good time to have it done.

If your insurance has allowable amounts for some things it can help to space things out intentionally at the end of the year too. My dentist's office gave me the idea when I was looking at getting the dental implant. I had the surgery done in November and then had to wait till spring for the restoration part. It helped me get the maximum benefit from my insurance. I don't generally update my glasses every year; but this year I got new ones late enough that I can also get new sunglasses now that it's the new year and get some reimbursement on those if I want.

 

[susanm9006]

My opthmologist asked me the same thing. I told him I wanted to keep it like they've always been where I could see close and needed glasses for distant. And you know what? When he got done I could see differently in each eye! I told him and he just laughed and said a lot of people told him that. My husband kept telling me to have him fix it. I told him, I can see, I'm not messing around with anything else. I did get used to them, but it was disconcerting at first.

Things were getting fuzzier for a lot of years, I kept getting new glasses and it was still fuzzy. My optomitrist told me that my cataracts weren't that big, but it was the location that was causing the issue. he referred me to the ophthmologist, who said I could wait or I could have them done, it was up to me. At that time I was on employer insurance and had met my deductible so I decided it was a really good time to have it done.

The ophthmologist told my husband next time he came in for an exam he would probably need to have the surgery. We are on Original Medicare now, so will have to research that. I think they don't pay for the laser surgery, so will need to pay for that ourselves.

My sister also really needs hers done, but her ophthmologist keeps telling her they aren't "ripe" yet.

I think traditional Medicare pays for cataract surgery but like most things under that plan you have a deductible and copays.

 

[denice]

The way I understand it at least with traditional Medicare it pays for the procedure and a conventional implanted lens. It doesn't pay for the implanted lenses that corrects\ vision. I would be okay with that, I have had glasses or contacts for years. Still get the main benefit of clearing up blurriness and see colors brighter. Traditional Medicaid has a 20% copay and the cataracts have to be bad enough to be a medical necessity. In my case I am pretty sure that one eye is at the point of medical necessity and the other eye isn't. With Medicare it would be get one done and go back when the other one is at that point.

 

[susanm9006]

The way I understand it at least with traditional Medicare it pays for the procedure and a conventional implanted lens. It doesn't pay for the implanted lenses that corrects\ vision. I would be okay with that, I have had glasses or contacts for years. Still get the main benefit of clearing up blurriness and see colors brighter. Traditional Medicaid has a 20% copay and the cataracts have to be bad enough to be a medical necessity. In my case I am pretty sure that one eye is at the point of medical necessity and the other eye isn't. With Medicare it would be get one done and go back when the other one is at that point.

So one of the interesting things about having only one eye’s cataract removed is that if you look at a screen thru just the eye that has the cataract removed you will see pure white background and if you look thru the eye that still has the cataract you will see more of a cream white.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am still trying to get clarification about the exam I had for cataracts. If you want astigmatism corrected, you cannot have the standard Medicare approved surgery, you have to have laser surgery which costs tons more, and Medicare considers that elective, so not covered at all. There are ophthalmologists who will not do standard surgery in some cases. If you choose to try to avoid readers afterward, they can correct each eye - one for distance and one for nearsightedness - also more money. It is like monovision contacts for those who have used them. But, the preference then is to do the dominate eye first for distance sight, and the other eye later for nearsightedness - regardless of which eye is worse. It doesn't have to be done that way, but I was told it would reap better results.

Whatever you do read up on everything you can find and prepare a list of questions to ask after the exam. Ask the ophthalmologist to provide you with a written assessment of the condition of your eyes with their recommendations and why. There are so many variables, that it is mind boggling. Also, not all ophthalmologists use the same language when explaining the various options - everyone seems to have to have their own terminology rather than using the universal labeling that is commonly used in medical data.

Another thing that I am still trying to find out is if one can wear contact lenses afterward. I think I would prefer to do both eyes for distance, but I hate readers, so I want to be able to wear a contact in one eye for nearsightedness - just like I did when I wore contacts.

Everyone makes this whole process seem simple, but I don't see it that way at all (no pun intended).

 

[NY cat man]

I have astigmatism in both eyes, so if I do, indeed, have cataracts, Medicare should, in theory, cover the lens replacement, correct? The thing I hate most, living in the snow belt as we do, is that when I come back inside from doing whatever outside, I get immediate frost on my glasses or, if it's a little warmer, fogging, but in either case, I can't see a thing. It would almost be worth it to be able to shed the glasses.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I have astigmatism in both eyes, so if I do, indeed, have cataracts, Medicare should, in theory, cover the lens replacement, correct? The thing I hate most, living in the snow belt as we do, is that when I come back inside from doing whatever outside, I get immediate frost on my glasses or, if it's a little warmer, fogging, but in either case, I can't see a thing. It would almost be worth it to be able to shed the glasses.

Astigmatism can only be corrected with laser surgery, so no, Medicare does not cover it. Standard lens replacement does not address astigmatism. So, if yours is bad enough, you will still have depth perception issues and night vision issues, or whatever your problems are with astigmatism, after standard cataract surgery.

Eventually, your cataracts will get bad enough that fog/frost on your glasses won't be your only issue. My cataracts are bad enough that no set of glasses - distance, near, or both will help.

 

[NY cat man]

Astigmatism can only be corrected with laser surgery, so no, Medicare does not cover it. Standard lens replacement does not address astigmatism. So, if yours is bad enough, you will still have depth perception issues and night vision issues, or whatever your problems are with astigmatism, after standard cataract surgery.

Eventually, your cataracts will get bad enough that fog/frost on your glasses won't be your only issue. My cataracts are bad enough that no set of glasses - distance, near, or both will help.

Right now, it's only a matter of a little fuzziness in my vision- the bigger issue is the halos around oncoming car headlights at night, to the point where I watch the fog lines on the shoulder of the road if I'm out after dark to avoid being blinded. Or I just avoid driving at night if possible.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Right now, it's only a matter of a little fuzziness in my vision- the bigger issue is the halos around oncoming car headlights at night, to the point where I watch the fog lines on the shoulder of the road if I'm out after dark to avoid being blinded. Or I just avoid driving at night if possible.

My fuzziness/blurriness has turned into what seems like fog on the surface of one of my eyes that won't rub away. That can happen with cataracts.

The halos are a big thing with astigmatism and as I understand it that won't go away with standard cataract surgery. I have had that nearly all my life and guess I could live it but maybe I no longer want to. I avoided driving at night long before my cataracts got 'bad'.