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I went to the ophthalmologist today for my annual checkup. I have known I had a cataract in my left eye and the very beginnings of one in my right eye, but neither had bothered me, and it has been maybe 15 years since I discovered this.

So, this doctor says I ought to consider cataract surgery on both eyes. My immediate response was that I don't have time for this! I also really don't think it is affecting my vision, but of course these things go so slowly, it is hard to tell. She asked about night driving, and I said that yes, I do see rings around lights, but I just don't do hardly any night driving at all.

So, I'm going to do a TON of research and get a second opinion before i jump into this, but I'd really like your feedback to the following questions:
1) How did you decide when you needed this surgery?
2) What was the recovery like? How long and what were your limitations?
3) How long was it before you drove?
4) What else do I need to know about this surgery?

Thanks

You'll know when you need the surgery when you realize you can't read the road signs and if you cover your good eye, you really notice a difference. I have been putting it off for almost a year. I worked with two people though recently who had the surgery and both were driving the next day and had their other eye operated on the next week. The drops seemed to be the only complaint as you need to use them for several days. One of the women came to me for hypnosis and reiki as she had a phobia about anyone touching her face so was having difficulty just having the exam. The other had several other health issues and just wanted to heal well. Doing the combination of hypnosis and reiki before and after any surgical procedure usually keeps blood pressure normal, reduces or can even eliminate pain, they need less anesthesia and heal quickly. In bigger cities they are doing newer types of cataract surgery where they don't even need to dilate your eyes for the exam. I keep putting it off as I am allergic to most drugs and want them to only use the local shot and not the drug they inject to relax you. I'll be interested to see others experience and if there are newer ways of doing the surgery.

I had both eyes done I believe 2 weeks apart. What I remember most after the first one is seeing all the bright colors that I didn't realize I had been missing! It is especially noticeable while you still have a cataract in the other eye and compare the difference. The inconveniences were so minor I can't remember the details. My ophthalmologist let me know when it was time for surgery. I just had single lenses put in and still need glasses for reading. I regret that I did not opt for the more expensive multi-focal (not sure that's the term) lenses that would have eliminated the need to wear glasses.

I have not had them done but my mom did several years ago...and all went really well.
she at that time couldn't do if I remember right bend over for a few days...
It seems like everyone that I've heard say that they have had cataract surgery are really pleased and mention the seeing colors ...a friend was so totally blind without her glasses had them and she said how
amazing it was as she could see...
sheila

I did not have cataracts but disliked glasses so much I got those more expensive lenses Liz regrets not getting. In fact I remember recommending them to Liz and felt bad when she said she'd just get the basics. I knew how much better the more expensive ones were. I haven't worn glasses now for 6 1/2 years. So if you decide to go ahead with the operation, are offered the more expensive ones that will completely eliminate glasses and you're OK with the price, I highly recommend them. I drove directly to the DMV from having my second eye done and took the eye test to have the glasses requirement removed from my drivers license.
Sandi
Edit: Both lenses in my eyes are the same. Not one for near and one for far.

I had both eyes done a couple of years ago. I can probably look back through my posts and see when I posted about it. I think about a month apart. The surgery was fast and painless for me. I was driving within a few days. I think what the doctor told me was that to be able to see near and far you had to have different lens in each eye. I chose to see far and have to have glasses to read but I can see my computer screen without glasses and it's about 3 feet away. It's a large monitor. I got tired of looking for my glasses to read something so I am still wearing trifocals but still leave them all over the house.

When I had to renew my drivers license I passed the eye test so don't have to wear glasses to drive.

Martha

I had one eye done and the next year did the other. I got them for distance and need readers but medicare does not option the expensive ones. You do need to keep from bending over or lifting any thing heavy so as not to put pressure on the eyes for a while and there is the darn drops but well worth the trouble.

Thanks everyone. The eye doctor said that the more expensive kind would only correct my astigmatism, that I would still have to wear glasses almost certainly She said to get rid of glasses, I would have to get one eye for far vision and one for near vision. But I got the idea that these would be the cheaper ones. I am now really confused. Maybe I heard her wrong.

Here are some reasons why I am not jumping on this:

- I think I see color very well. Might be wrong, but no problems that I have noticed.
- And it really doesn't seem to cause me problems right now, even though I don't like to drive at night.
- Also, this ophthalmologist practices out of a community hospital in Napa with 120 beds. It says it is full-service, but I think I would want to check with someplace like Cleveland Clinic near my other son.
- FInally, she said the testing to determine what kind of lens I get costs $2,250 per eye. She says I need to get both eyes done at once or I would not be happy with the results.

Still need to do more research as what she told me contradicts what some of you said, assuming I heard her correctly.

So who of you had really bad vision (mostly near-sighted, but also wear bi-focals), worse in one eye than the other, and got the more expensive lens and ended up not having to wear glasses??

Judy, the Dr I saw in April 2016 ( new eye Dr because my long time Dr had died) said I would know when it's time. It's getting closer I think. He said together we would decide what type lenses if I wanted something besides what Medicare pays for. No extra cost or test to decide other than testing just before surgery to do measurements and that was included in cost of surgery which is paid for by Medicare. So Medicare pays for the surgery and basic lenses but if you want newer type, you pay the difference. Aneshesia these days can be with or without IV sedation. It can be injected in eye local after numbing drops or just eye drop anesthesia. Drops after are usually an antibiotic and a steroid to prevent swelling. They are usually tapered off over a few days to weeks, but they are very important, for healing and prevention of swelling and infection. Some Drs are injecting the drugs usually given as drops directly into the chamber behind the new lenses so you don't do your own drops after. Frankly that creeps me out not only because of injection into eyeball but also because they can cause issues if you turn out allergc, if you do your own drops they could be changed or stopped where once injected you are stuck with them until your body absorbs them all. I would NOT go with the Dr you saw based on what you said. You want someone at a larger facility who has done thousands of procedures and who has the latest laser and other equipment, ESP if you are considering something other than standard lenses. Some of the new lenses can do both close and distance vision (each lens does near and far not talking abour one eye close and the other distance but that is available too) and correct astigmatism to a degree but he said I may need the micro incisions used in LASIK to more completely correct my astigmatism as much as possible to avoid halo after surgery. Complications are rare these days but possible. Also Judy, I did a lot of reading and it seems California charges more than some other states for the special lenses over the standard single vision, so you might want to do some calling and ask near your other son what they charge after researching the new type lenses. I don't have an option to go to another state but if I did I would simply for cost. I hope to get one eye done near the end of a tax year (December) and the other a few weeks later after new year starts so I can deduct half each year. Let me know what you learn.
Velda

Hi Judy, I had my eyes done several years ago. Was happy with the results and do not remember any difficulties afterwards.
I met one man that had disdastrics results several years ago. He was now blind in one eye. So, only have one eye done at a time. I did need the laser treatment later...that was a snap. The odds of it going well are 99 percent. Lyn

Judy, I sure don't think I would go to the clinic you just talked to. And I sure wouldn't do both eyes at the same time. I don't know anyone that has that done that. I went with my mother-in-law, my mother and my husband and it was always one eye at a time. Is the $2,250 per eye for the more expensive lens? Medicare and my supplement paid for every thing except $120 for each eye.

A different lens for each eye to see near and far is what I understood. Years ago I had talked to them about contacts and you can do that with contacts. He said your brain can work that out. I figured I was dizzy enough as it was and went with tri-focals. Another reason I still wear glasses is because I was use to the lens that gets dark outside. I tried several pair of sun glasses and just didn't like them as much as the transitional lens.

I had quit driving at night because I couldn't see. I can see much better at night now.

Martha

I haven't posted in forever. I am hoping to travel again this fall so jumped on to catch up with the group.
Judy, I had cataract surgery in both eyes last winter, two months apart. The surgery itself was easy, but it took forever for my eyes to 'settle down' for new glasses. I had to go through two prescriptions and am looking at getting a third.
I choose to get the basic surgery for two reasons, the first cost and the second and more importantly I interned with a developmental optometrist while getting my masters - years ago- back then they were just starting with laser for corrective and would do one eye for far and the other near. He had very strong opinions that this is not a normal function and the brain must constantly stress to compensate. I fully respected his work, so all these years later adhered to his advise.
I need to catch up on your travels.
If you remember, I questioned you about your ebike. I did purchase one, but because of various demands have had very little time to ride.

Sorry I was not clear, Martha. She wants to the two eyes two weeks apart. I was asking her if I could get them a year apart.

And the $2,250 per eye was JUST FOR THE TESTING to see if I could handle the more expensive lens. There would be another $500 cost per lens. None of this part paid by insurance. Now, usually if something is for medical or something critical like vision, I do not mind spending extra money, but this sounds iffy and not sure I want to have to adjust to different vision in each eye!! I agree about being dizzy enough right now without causing more dizziness! I also think I have lots of time to do this. And I will certainly check with Cleveland Clinic near my son because I want someone who does this surgery hundreds of time a year, not a dozen or so times a year. (Just guessing on the last estimate.)

I figured I would get good advice with this group!

I wore one contact for years and it never bother me at all. I had a lens for distance and wore nothing in the other eye to read. I never noticed any dizziness or other types of issues. I finally went to glasses as my sight deteriorated and were too dry for contacts. Maybe they have discovered the brain more adaptable than they knew about years ago.

I tried the two contacts three times and hated them each time. The third was to make sure because they wanted to do surgery to correct my vision, but to correct it, they'd have to do one eye distance and one close. They claimed things had improved since I'd tried before. I couldn't get used to it. Maybe my heading loss had something to do with it, but I just know, I wouldn't do that surgery, for me.