Cataract surgery

[goofyernmost]

Wow, that is disappointing to hear. I have worn glasses full time for 60 years, and right now just having vision out of my right eye even with glasses would be amazing.
But my regular eye Doctor, and the two cataract specialists who have now evaluated me say with the basic mono-focal lenses I should only need dime store readers for close up, and should have 20-20 vision beyond arms length, which has been the experience of my circle of friends who have had the surgery. I don't know anyone that has paid for the toric or light adjustable lenses. Everyone I have talked to have called their cataract surgery a "miracle".

I better clarify a little. Those glasses were my idea because I spend a lot of time on You Tube watching at more then arms length, but that wasn't the motivation for me, it was because I spend so much time looking at a screen it might be beneficial to have them. That leaves me with two choices while online of the cheap readers, which I am wearing right now, or the special lenses that are really only good sitting back a distance from the screen. Not a requirement, just an option with no other recommendation.

My vision is still changing since my surgeries. I started out as basically 20/20 to begin with but as I age other things started to happen that pushed the need for regular trifocals, but only a mild prescription for all but my closeup needs. My vision is still very clear and I can see easily with or without my glasses for distance and for some reason especially at night. When other people my age are feeling that they can no longer drive at night, that's when I excel. For me it is better than daylight even though my daylight vision is still very good.

 

[LKing]

My vision is still changing since my surgeries. I started out as basically 20/20 to begin with but as I age other things started to happen

If you have had cataract surgery, there aren't many aging issues that would cause your prescription to change this many years later. The posterior capsule of the lens can become hazy. When it does, it is easy to treat. In that scenario, you wouldn't be seeing great at any distance, with any glasses.

 

[tvguy]

I better clarify a little. Those glasses were my idea because I spend a lot of time on You Tube watching at more then arms length, but that wasn't the motivation for me, it was because I spend so much time looking at a screen it might be beneficial to have them. That leaves me with two choices while online of the cheap readers, which I am wearing right now, or the special lenses that are really only good sitting back a distance from the screen. Not a requirement, just an option with no other recommendation.

My vision is still changing since my surgeries. I started out as basically 20/20 to begin with but as I age other things started to happen that pushed the need for regular trifocals, but only a mild prescription for all but my closeup needs. My vision is still very clear and I can see easily with or without my glasses for distance and for some reason especially at night. When other people my age are feeling that they can no longer drive at night, that's when I excel. For me it is better than daylight even though my daylight vision is still very good.

Well, the Doctor's office called late yesterday and they had a cancellation two MONTHS from now, so the process begins. If your eye Doctor is not aware of the issues you are having, make sure they are. Not heard of your situation in my circle of post cataract surgery friends.

 

[goofyernmost]

If you have had cataract surgery, there aren't many aging issues that would cause your prescription to change this many years later. The posterior capsule of the lens can become hazy. When it does, it is easy to treat. In that scenario, you wouldn't be seeing great at any distance, with any glasses.

From my understanding of it, that's not true. I have some movement in the jell like substance that more or less dictate the depth and width of the distance between the retina and the cornea. Those differences can either temporarily or permanently alter ones clarity of vision. Cataract surgery is the lens replacement which initially has no influence with our vision other than replace a cloudy natural lens with a brand new Crystal clear one. If all remains the same that is a permanent fix as far as the lens is concerned, but there are many other things that can change that have a roll in focus but it relies on a lot of other components that work together to focus vision.

I personally have had separation of the vitreous humor (jell) inside my eyes that now are able to move around and from time to time alter my vision as far as focus is concerned. It is relatively rare, I think, but even though it doesn't constantly affect me, it will occasionally show up in my line of vision.

 

[LKing]

From my understanding of it, that's not true. I have some movement in the jell like substance that more or less dictate the depth and width of the distance between the retina and the cornea. Those differences can either temporarily or permanently alter ones clarity of vision. Cataract surgery is the lens replacement which initially has no influence with our vision other than replace a cloudy natural lens with a brand new Crystal clear one. If all remains the same that is a permanent fix as far as the lens is concerned, but there are many other things that can change that have a roll in focus but it relies on a lot of other components that work together to focus vision.

I personally have had separation of the vitreous humor (jell) inside my eyes that now are able to move around and from time to time alter my vision as far as focus is concerned. It is relatively rare, I think, but even though it doesn't constantly affect me, it will occasionally show up in my line of vision.

Is this what your doctor told you? Was it their explanation for why your prescription keeps changing?

Vitreal syneresis does not change the length of the eye or the distance between the retina and the cornea. It can cause a very slight myopic shift but it isn't as significant as what you are describing. It wouldn't cause you to go from 20/20 at both distance and near post-op to needing glasses for reading. If anything, a myopic shift would make your distance blurrier and your reading better. Again, it is such a small change that most people don't notice it. When your liquefied vitreous moves within your eye(s), it can temporarily blur your vision. That blur is not a change in prescription. It wouldn't be a reason for glasses to not work at a specific distance.

 

[goofyernmost]

Is this what your doctor told you? Was it their explanation for why your prescription keeps changing?

Vitreal syneresis does not change the length of the eye or the distance between the retina and the cornea. It can cause a very slight myopic shift but it isn't as significant as what you are describing. It wouldn't cause you to go from 20/20 at both distance and near post-op to needing glasses for reading. If anything, a myopic shift would make your distance blurrier and your reading better. Again, it is such a small change that most people don't notice it. When your liquefied vitreous moves within your eye(s), it can temporarily blur your vision. That blur is not a change in prescription. It wouldn't be a reason for glasses to not work at a specific distance.

I needed reading glasses long before I had Cataract Surgery. I never said that it affected my closeup vision. Since I'm the one that is dealing with it. It is something that isn't supposed to be moving (it should be a solid gel) the movement can temporarily cloud my vision during an eye exam and be mistaken for a change in prescription even though my eyesight hadn't really changed that much.

Since at my age everything has the potential to change and does, the error is made. It sounds to me that you are saying that after the surgery no change in vision is possible seems unrealistic. The lens is only one part of the way the eyeball does it's job. Changing that lens will sometimes adjust things so ones eyesight will improve, but that doesn't stop the rest of the makeup of the eyeball from changing. The problem with the gel movement is that depending on it's movement it can be confused with a permanent change in vision. So at my last appointment the test showed a difference and a new RX was given. I later found that it must not have changed because my older RX allowed me to see better. That wasn't immediate it was over a span of a few months. Sort of an accident of occasion because it was affecting my vision at the time of the exam, but due to it's ability to move, ever so slightly, it caused a mistake in the reason for the change during the vision exam.

I'm no eye doctor and it sounds like you are. That is OK and for the most part you may be correct in theory. You would be amazed at how many years it took for them to figure out what was happening. And these were specialist from the best of Duke Medical School to finally discover that it may be what was happening. If you are in the medical field you must be aware of how somethings do not adhere to what everyone thinks it has too.

At any rate I'm not going to discuss it further since this site seems bent on just shutting down my writing process every 10 letters, I'm out!

 

[Aidenverse]

I am having cataract surgery in early December. I'll have the left eye done on 12/4 and the right eye the following week, on 12/11. The surgeon says my distance vision will be greatly improved ("you won't remember ever having vision this good") but I'll still need glasses for near vision. I have some concerns about the two post-op periods.

I'm trying to wrap my head around how I'll be able to see during the week between the two surgeries. I'll still need my glasses for my right eye, but what do I do about the left eye? If I take the lens out of my current glasses, I won't be able to see very well, close up. Should I just wear an eye patch and "see" out of my right eye? I also tend to get dizzy/motion sickness/vertigo very easily- it's always an issue when I have a lens prescription change- so I'm worried about that being a problem during the in-between week, too. My last concern is what happens after the second eye is done. I know it takes several weeks for the eyes to "settle down" but how do I see during that time period? No glasses, distance should be OK, and get readers/cheaters from Walmart for near-vision? If anyone has experiences to share, I'd love to hear them.

I had mine done last year and that in-between week is weird but manageable. I just wore my old glasses and dealt with it being a little off. Cheap readers helped a ton after. The dizziness wasn’t as bad as I expected.

 

[leebee]

@goofyernmost It seems like you and I are in a club of two. ALL my friends who had cataract surgery say it was life changing, and they've never seen better. Well, mine was life-changing and not in a good way. I can't see clearly in a mid-range, which is where a lot of life seems to happen. I sliced off a patch of finger last Friday while slicing onions. I just can't see clearly enough to do this anymore. I ordered a hopefully finger-saving slicing guide on Friday, and will call my eye doctor today to discuss trifocals. I have never, ever felt old (although I'm almost 70) until I had this cataract surgery and my vision seems to have gone.

 

[goofyernmost]

@goofyernmost It seems like you and I are in a club of two. ALL my friends who had cataract surgery say it was life changing, and they've never seen better. Well, mine was life-changing and not in a good way. I can't see clearly in a mid-range, which is where a lot of life seems to happen. I sliced off a patch of finger last Friday while slicing onions. I just can't see clearly enough to do this anymore. I ordered a hopefully finger-saving slicing guide on Friday, and will call my eye doctor today to discuss trifocals. I have never, ever felt old (although I'm almost 70) until I had this cataract surgery and my vision seems to have gone.

For me it is still life changing and as far as I can tell my current problem isn't really connected to the surgery. I am a little jealous of those that have remained with constant clear vision. I had that totally clear vision for about 2 years after when this other problem developed. I still advise those that ask about the cataract surgery get it done and not to worry. My vision is still quite clear except for an occasional minor vague cloudiness but it doesn't affect my life. The colors are so much brighter and everything is much more vivid.

I was almost 70 when I had the second eye done. I also had a longer initial length of time for my clear vision to become complete, but the wait was worth it. I have noticed a problem not only to mid-range lately, but aging is not friend of that either. Even my trifocals do not give me unencumbered vision that my young eyes once provided. I'm not saying that that this is the reason for your problems, but don't give up, talk to your doctor about it if you haven't already. No matter what others say, aging is not your friend when it comes to eyesight. After all this and even with the current situation, I feel that I have better vision now that I had in my mid 60's.

My current advice to anyone over 65 is to either wear Trifocals all the time or do like I do and have extra set of "readers" planted in every room in your house. Mentally I don't feel old at all, but physically I have to acknowledge that father time is in charge but is only a problem if we just give into and lose hope. I look around and see people in so many stages of life and illness and know that I am still mobile and far more active than most my age. Something will get me someday, but for now all is well.

 

[tvguy]

My current advice to anyone over 65 is to either wear Trifocals all the time or do like I do and have extra set of "readers" planted in every room in your house.

I was amused to see that they sell readers in packs of 5 pairs.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I actually did have a complication directly related to the surgery…posterior capsule opacification (PCO). It is not uncommon… a film develops over the implant and clouds vision. It is easily treated with a laser and does not return. Had it develop in one eye about a year or two out from surgery. I hardly noticed… it was my ophthalmologist who was tracking it. He continues to monitor the other eye in case it would develop there. Because I have glaucoma with vision loss, I see him every three months so he’s on top of it.

If someone asks me about cataract surgery, I’m really not likely to even bring it up since most procedures do, in fact, go smoothly. Can things go wrong? Sure. My mother got the upgraded lenses years ago and had nothing but complications the rest of her life.

Find the best doctor you can, someone you can trust, well trained with good communication skills and develop a good relationship. Depending on your insurance and where you live, if you’re not comfortable then keep looking!

 

[goofyernmost]

I was amused to see that they sell readers in packs of 5 pairs.

And now you know the reason why!

 

[NotUrsula]

Wow, that is disappointing to hear. I have worn glasses full time for 60 years, and right now just having vision out of my right eye even with glasses would be amazing.
But my regular eye Doctor, and the two cataract specialists who have now evaluated me say with the basic mono-focal lenses I should only need dime store readers for close up, and should have 20-20 vision beyond arms length, which has been the experience of my circle of friends who have had the surgery. I don't know anyone that has paid for the toric or light adjustable lenses. Everyone I have talked to have called their cataract surgery a "miracle".

I'm dealing with the decision right now; my cataracts are not very severe at all, but I'm losing my ability to perceive light; the world is going dark on me (I have natural monovision, and I wear a contact in only one eye.) I can see fine with *really* bright light, however (and by that I mean really bright: all of my work areas now are equipped with lighting above 1600 lumens. We're talking surgical-quality lights.)

I've had it evaluated, and I've been told that the standard lens replacement won't fix my problem at all, because the loss of light perception isn't being caused by the cataracts; they are too small for that. They tell me that as of now, there is no point in having it done if I don't go for the light-adjustable lenses.