Cataracts

[OLD NO 9]

About 8 months ago I was finding it increasingly difficult to read and see at night. I went to get a new prescription for my glasses and was informed that I had cataracts in both eyes. New glasses would do me no good and I should wait until my vision deteriorated to the point that surgery, to replace the lenses, was necessary. At the time of the exam the doctor informed me that the cataracts, in both eyes, were at a stage between 2-3 on a scale of 5. My eyesight has digressed to the point where I can hardly read a newspaper and night vision has worsened.

I would like to know, from people, who have had corrective surgery, when you made the decision to do so and what I might expect afterwards.

Any advice would not only be helpful it would be appreciated.

 

[flyrv9]

I had cataract surgery 2 years ago when I was 63. I have worn glasses since I was a child. I was diagnosed the same way - during an exam. I had some symptoms too - like rings around lights and trouble seeing clearly. The surgery was easy and all but pain free. I had my eyes done about a month apart.

I made the decision right after the diagnosis. As a result of a birth issue I have one good eye and one with very poor vision; so I didn't want my good eye to deteriorate too far and complicate things further.

I was given drops to take a couple weeks before the surgery and more drops for after. Surgery was easy; but you will need a driver to get you home. You will have a dressing covering your eye that you must keep in place until you can blink again.

Cataract surgery is really a replacement of the lens in your eye. The replacement lens installed during the surgery is a perscription lens based on your exam and or glasses / contact prescription. These replacement lenses will probably not give you 20/20 vision if you didn't have it before the cataracts. In my case I still wear glasses and use readers for small text. I'm happy with the results, however, my vision is a little different and has taken some getting used to. I still have one good eye and one eye with poor vision. As a result I still have a problem with parallax error and depth perception. This has affected my pool playing as I see different. I'm still working on this as a compensation method. All in all I'd do it again (like I had a choice!). Good luck to you.

 

[jamesjr1963]

I have had the surgery on each of my eyes, about 10 years apart, and couldn't be happier. The frustrating part is waiting for your vision to deteriorate to point that surgery will be performed. It was an out-patient procedure and the patches came off the next day. I now have 20/30 vision in my right eye and 20/25 in my left. I had to do antibiotic drops a few weeks before the surgery and a few weeks afterwards. Now everyone is different and I was in my early and late 40's when mine were done. Hope this helps.

 

[Wedge]

Do it

I have had the surgery on both eyes. My left eye which was first was so bad I was almost blind in that eye. I had no depth perception which made it very difficult to drive at night or in the rain. After the surgery I am playing the best pool of my life at 60 years old. Hope this helps!

Wedge

 

[the chicken]

I had cataract surgery done in both eyes about a year ago. I wore glasses before the surgery.
Benefits:
a) No problem with glare or reflections from table lighting.
b) Can drive at night without being blinded by in-coming headlights.
c) Glasses for reading are cheap and can be purchased at a grocery store.
Other Comments:
d) When driving, will see the silhouette of a cow standing next to the road up about 100 yards. When getting closer to "cow," I see that it is actually a row of five or six mailboxes. This may sound strange, but it's happened to me on numerous occasions.
e) When first shooting under fluorescent lamps, will sometimes notice a flickering in the corner of one eye that gradually goes away after 10 to 30 minutes.
f) Will see a flicker in my vision (almost like a fluttering shadow) that last for a few seconds.

Overall, I'm glad I had the surgery and would recommend it to anyone with cataracts. However, nothing will ever improve upon the lenses that nature provided.

Note: I also have early stage glaucoma (taking drops in each eye with no degradation of vision - yet)

Can't say for sure how my cataract surgery experience is affected by also having glaucoma.