Cataract Surgery

[denice]

With people living longer this is very common. They have also refined the technology with microsurgery to the point where it is outpatient and normally a stitch isn't even needed, the incision is so small that it begins to seal on its own as soon as the procedure is finished. So far the ophthalmologist's office and the pharmacy they use have not made me feel like a cog on an assembly line. I will probably get that feeling at the Eye Surgery Center.

 

[FeebysOwner]

With people living longer this is very common. They have also refined the technology with microsurgery to the point where it is outpatient and normally a stitch isn't even needed, the incision is so small that it begins to seal on its own as soon as the procedure is finished.

That seems to all be true, although people are forewarned it can take a few weeks to get 'normal' eyesight back, and there are restrictions about not leaning over, not getting the eye wet, wearing protective covering while sleeping, and not rubbing the eye. I am more comfortable than I originally was about having it done - what I am not comfortable with is not receiving any kind of assessment/recommendation that is specific to me/my exam and the dialog that occurred during the meeting with the surgeon after the actual exam. And I am still not seeing on this thread where people have gotten a written assessment, so I guess it must be OK with most folks but apparently, I am not most folks.

 

[denice]

It can take a while especially with the corrective intraocular lenses. They went into that on the video. It can take a while and they may need to do Lasik at the end to fine tune things. If needed they don't charge for the Lasik. Even without the corrective lenses some people have greatly improved vision as soon as the next day others don't. I think that is why they require people are driven to the follow-up appointment the next day, they have no way of knowing who will still have blurry vision and who won't.

 

[fionasmom]

I went in for my yearly check up and asked the doctor if, in general, some people use contacts after cataract surgery. He said that they do for a number of reasons depending, so I would assume that it is a bonafide point to bring up with your surgeon FeebysOwner .

I had no restrictions except not washing my hair the first night. Because I thought that there would be, I even bought those grabber things that you use to pick objects up from the floor. With the first eye, I sat up and could see clearly immediately and with the second eye there was a slight cloudiness for about 6 hours.

With my other doctors, I expect huge explanations even if I am punching above my weight and don't fully follow what they are saying. Cataract procedures are all math and physics, so I just decided not even to ask. I could tell I needed the surgery, no one was being a "cataract cowboy", and so I just went with it. My surgeon had a nurse with him who was apparently his assistant for all his procedures and I could hear them discussing numbers and positions during the procedures.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thanks, fionasmom . The 'contacts after cataract' issue, depending on who one talks to, comes up with some yeses, but mostly nos. I personally have to believe it is a possibility, but the answer does impact the choices of varying surgical procedures.

I get what you are saying about the math and physics associated with cataract surgery. But, when there are options that need to be chosen by the patient, those things matter a whole lot more. If it were as 'straight up' as some other surgeries, such as my husband's recent one, where there is no real 'choice' to be made (other than to have the surgery or not), understanding the process seems to be a bit less crucial. I've even gotten a couple of opinions from some who have had the surgery that wished they had better understood there were other options before going through with it.

 

[denice]

The surgery itself is the same in all cases it is the corrective intraocular lenses where things can get complicated and it can take time to get the desired results. I am only a little nearsighted so I didn't consider those at all. I can understand someone with really bad vision wanting to go that way. I have even heard of women who had difficulty putting on their makeup because of poor vision. I get wanting to be free of that.

 

[FeebysOwner]

The surgery itself is the same in all cases it is the corrective intraocular lenses where things can get complicated and it can take time to get the desired results. I am only a little nearsighted so I didn't consider those at all. I can understand someone with really bad vision wanting to go that way. I have even heard of women who had difficulty putting on their makeup because of poor vision. I get wanting to be free of that.

Yes, that is what I understand - it is the lens selections that make it complicated. I actually wasn't even wearing contacts before this all started, and when I had before, the correction was minimal. I do have astigmatism, but not sure how bad it really is - one of the questions that remains unanswered. Up until the cataracts took over, makeup application was a breeze, now it is 'hope for the best' when I apply it!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My mother is only using readers a month after both eyes are done. She and I both started wearing glasses around age 7. It was very strange to see her walking around without them when she was in town. She is really enjoying it though. I think she likes getting to have a bunch of fun frames that she got cheaply. And she took my good natured teasing about a pair in every room being just like grandma. I don’t do anything but sleep and shower without mine and haven’t since elementary school; so waking up and seeing clearly sounds like a dream! Ive had these so long I don’t think of myself as having poor vision. Except that one time i did something with my glasses in my sleep and had to feel all around trying to find them because I sure couldn’t see them! DH had to find them.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ After my cataract surgery I hope to see invisible ghosts . . . `"'

 

[denice]

I got my eyedrops delivered. I start two of them on Saturday and the third one after surgery.

I also got my sunglasses. I can tell they are something to satisfy an ophthalmologist, they are partly wraparound, large and very dark. I am sure I will appreciate that at least while my eye is healing.

My appointment is at 9:30. I am an early riser so I will be craving coffee really bad.

 

[FeebysOwner]

My appointment is at 9:30. I am an early riser so I will be craving coffee really bad.

Hope all goes well and that you can get a HUGE cup of coffee afterward!!!

 

[denice]

I am back and it was a piece of cake. It was different than I expected. I was only asleep for the nerve block before I went in but it was okay. They draped everything so I couldn't see what was going on. I was completely numb and could only see the occasional flash of light in the eye he was working on. The whole thing went very quick. I have to keep this full shield on until I can blink again.

 

[denice]

I could blink again so I took the bandage off and my sight in that eye is already better than what it was. The difference in colors and white is really noticeable between the eye that was done and the other eye. I guess we don't notice this because there is a slow degradation and we notice when it is fixed. I was a little afraid to take the bandage off because with the nerve block it was like I was blind, just a flash of light here and there. It was in the back of my mind that I would be blind in that eye.

 

[Mia6]

glad it went well!!!

xxxxxxx

 

[JamesCalifornia]

I could blink again so I took the bandage off and my sight in that eye is already better than what it was. The difference in colors and white is really noticeable between the eye that was done and the other eye. I guess we don't notice this because there is a slow degradation and we notice when it is fixed. I was a little afraid to take the bandage off because with the nerve block it was like I was blind, just a flash of light here and there. It was in the back of my mind that I would be blind in that eye.

~ Instead of going blind, you now have a bionic eye ... " "

 

[denice]

I am going ahead and getting my right eye done on April 30. I have 20/20 vision in my left eye and colors are the way they are supposed to be and that bugs me to no end. I know I can get new glasses but I don't wear them all the time, mainly just to drive and the colors would still be different. I am not going to mess with the multifocal lenses thing though, just correct the distance vision in my right eye. I am fine with readers.