Cataracts in only 1 eye

[WVMomof3]

Have you had cataract surgery in only 1 eye? What did you do about glasses after this? My dr. made it sound like I would not be able to wear glasses because the prescription would be too different in the eyes. He said I could wear one contact or have the elected lens replacement procedure done in the unaffected eye. I am only in my 40s if that makes a difference. I thought cataracts were for old people, guess I am old. I did have a detached retina 2 years ago that caused this.

 

[Micca]

Have you had cataract surgery in only 1 eye? What did you do about glasses after this? My dr. made it sound like I would not be able to wear glasses because the prescription would be too different in the eyes. He said I could wear one contact or have the elected lens replacement procedure done in the unaffected eye. I am only in my 40s if that makes a difference. I thought cataracts were for old people, guess I am old. I did have a detached retina 2 years ago that caused this.

I had cataract surgery in both eyes last month. I had a cataract in my left eye for over a year, so I held off on the surgery knowing that the right eye would probably get one. However we discussed having the surgery done on only the left eye. My doc essentially told me that I would still wear glasses but the left lens would have little or no correction. Many people have a different amount of correction between the left & right lens, so what your doc is saying doesn't make sense to me.

If you can afford it, I'd go with the lens replacement in both eyes, this is what I did and it's awesome! I am currently glasses free for the first time in over 50 years. My doc gave me a prescription for some low level correction but right now I don't need them and haven't bothered to have them made. Good luck!

 

[Squirlz]

I had just one eye done a couple years ago. I just kept wearing my glasses for about a month then got re examined per my doctor's instructions.

 

[Micca]

I had just one eye done a couple years ago. I just kept wearing my glasses for about a month then got re examined per my doctor's instructions.

There were two weeks between the procedure on my left eye and the right eye. After they did the left eye, I went for my 24 hour checkup and they simply removed the left lens from my glasses. I covered the empty hole with a patch until the swelling in my left eye started to go down and my vision was getting sharper.
Fortunately this was right around Halloween so I was an authentic pirate.

 

[aprilchem]

I don't know about the cataracts, but I have 20/20 vision in one eye and am nearly blind in the other, and I wear glasses. I have to get special lenses so the lens in my bad eye isn't insane thick, but that's not an issue when I order them.

 

[ZuZugal]

I had cataract surgery in both eyes about 1 1/2 years apart. I was in glasses before the first surgery, but had worn contacts for many years as well. The way my doctor explained it, once you have surgery in one eye it is easier to wear a contact in the other eye because that will "match" having the permanent lens implant in your cataract eye. He said having a lens implant in one eye and then using glasses for vision correction of the other eye would make things seem a little "off". I would equate it with wearing a contact in one eye and glasses for vision correction of the other eye. 2 different things. (Not sure if I am explaining this very well). Anyway I now have lens implants in both eyes, but still wear a contact in one eye because the vision correction for one of the eyes wasn't quite right. One contact works out fine though.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My mother had cataract surgery on one eye about six or seven years ago. She is just getting around to doing the other eye now. I guess it wasn't bothering her until recently. She only wears glasses for reading and I don't think it was a big problem for her, she could mainly see pretty well. Now she's having trouble seeing the TV, and things in certain light, etc. She's 91, so not too bad for that age.

 

[ols386]

I don't know about the cataracts, but I have 20/20 vision in one eye and am nearly blind in the other, and I wear glasses. I have to get special lenses so the lens in my bad eye isn't insane thick, but that's not an issue when I order them.

This is my situation too.

 

[goofyernmost]

I had surgery in my left eye only. Although cataracts were forming in the right eye, it wasn't in a place that affected my vision so it is just being monitored and will be taken care of when it becomes necessary. I wore glasses but my eyesight was not really far off 20/20 to begin with. I actually was able to retake my drivers license eye test and not really even need glasses after the surgery. One eye is not unusual and like they said, if you use contacts it might not even be necessary to worry about it. Remember that your vision has been impaired by the cataract anyway and you have been living with that. After everything has settled down and healed you get retested for you prescription. You will be amazed by how much clearer things are in your surgery eye. The lens that was replaced, if anything like mine, had yellowed with time. I can see the contrast even today. My left eye gives me crystal clear, bright vision. My non-operated eye sees just fine, but, I can now notice a yellowish tinge to it. I actually am looking forward to getting the other one fixed. I don't want to do unnecessary surgery so I'll wait, but, I won't hesitate to be there if I start to notice diminished vision in the right eye.

 

[low-key]

I have them in 3 eyes

 

[Andrea]

Easy.. I work in an optical shop. It won't be pretty but we do this all the time.... if your eyeglasses are full framed.. they just remove the lens out of the glasses that you had surgery in.

Sorry just reread it... so if you are only getting it done in one eye. They can just replace then one lens in your glasses with a new lens.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I am 64 yo and my vision is very bad... 240/20... and has been all my life. I have cataracts in both eyes now but the one in the right has progressed so far that I cannot have the vision corrected to more than 80/20. The doctor has said the cataract in the left has not progressed far enough and insurance will not pay for it yet. He will not do the one eye and I cannot afford to pay for the other eye out of pocket. So we are waiting until the "good" eye has progressed far enough to be covered by insurance. I asked how long this might take and he said there is no way to tell... but I don't need to wait until it is as bad as the other one is now.

My vision has never been corrected even with glasses to more than 40/20 so I have no idea what it is like to have the kind of vision most people are accustomed to. I also have glaucoma and have needed surgery several times to reduce the pressure, so this is a doctor I have a lot of experience with and whose opinion I trust. He says having to wait is the bad news, but the good news is that with replacement lenses my vision should improve about 85%. While I will still need to wear glasses, this will be life transforming for me.

 

[WVMomof3]

I am 64 yo and my vision is very bad... 240/20... and has been all my life. I have cataracts in both eyes now but the one in the right has progressed so far that I cannot have the vision corrected to more than 80/20. The doctor has said the cataract in the left has not progressed far enough and insurance will not pay for it yet. He will not do the one eye and I cannot afford to pay for the other eye out of pocket. So we are waiting until the "good" eye has progressed far enough to be covered by insurance. I asked how long this might take and he said there is no way to tell... but I don't need to wait until it is as bad as the other one is now.

My vision has never been corrected even with glasses to more than 40/20 so I have no idea what it is like to have the kind of vision most people are accustomed to. I also have glaucoma and have needed surgery several times to reduce the pressure, so this is a doctor I have a lot of experience with and whose opinion I trust. He says having to wait is the bad news, but the good news is that with replacement lenses my vision should improve about 85%. While I will still need to wear glasses, this will be life transforming for me.

I have never seen the bigger number first, does that mean something different? My bad eye is 20/60. He said it would be covered by insurance at that level. I am confused, is your doctor saying he will only do if both are bad enough, or is one so bad that he will not do at all? Maybe since your eyes have already gone through a lot with the glaucoma and surgery that they are taking extra precautions. Good luck to you.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Lol I probably transposed the numbers... never could keep that straight. What others see at 240 feet, I see at 20 feet. I think that's how it works anyway.

He says he will do them both but only when the "good" eye gets bad enough to be covered by insurance. I asked whether there was any way I could speed up the process. You know, like sit too close to the tv, read in dim light, etc. No such luck!

 

[Sadie22]

Find another ophthalmologist.

 

[runcrazy]

I had cataract surgery in both eyes last month. I had a cataract in my left eye for over a year, so I held off on the surgery knowing that the right eye would probably get one. However we discussed having the surgery done on only the left eye. My doc essentially told me that I would still wear glasses but the left lens would have little or no correction. Many people have a different amount of correction between the left & right lens, so what your doc is saying doesn't make sense to me.

If you can afford it, I'd go with the lens replacement in both eyes, this is what I did and it's awesome! I am currently glasses free for the first time in over 50 years. My doc gave me a prescription for some low level correction but right now I don't need them and haven't bothered to have them made. Good luck!

If you don't my asking what type of lens did you get that you don't need glasses. I have cataracts both eyes - one eye I see 20/70 and the other 20/60. I thought I had to choose a replacement lens where I could see distance and then wear glasses for near/intermediate or opt for reverse.

I hear there are lenses that do both but insurance doesn't cover those.

Thanks - would love any feedback. I am young too and was quite surprised by this diagnosis. Hope it goes well.

 

[Micca]

If you don't my asking what type of lens did you get that you don't need glasses. I have cataracts both eyes - one eye I see 20/70 and the other 20/60. I thought I had to choose a replacement lens where I could see distance and then wear glasses for near/intermediate or opt for reverse.

I hear there are lenses that do both but insurance doesn't cover those.

Thanks - would love any feedback. I am young too and was quite surprised by this diagnosis. Hope it goes well.

I'm afraid I don't recall what type of lenses I got (the thread is from 2016.) One eye is now set for optimum vision close up, the other for distance. The only time I need glasses is for reading printed material--the most common being things like ingredient labels on food or instructions on medicine. For those occasions I have the readers you buy at Walgreens. Other than that, no glasses for any other activities. My insurance didn't really pay anything for my procedures, it was out of pocket except for some of the post-op eyedrops you take for a couple of weeks. Good luck with everything.

 

[antmaril]

i am 65 and just had cataract surgery on May 23rd and again on June 6th. I am not wearing glasses for the first time in my adult life. The period between the surgeries was a little rough because my left eye was corrected, but my right eye was not. I asked my ophthalmologist if I could take the lens out of my glasses for two weeks and he advised against that. (He has done this surgery almost 20,000 times). I need readers, but I do not need glasses for distance. My surgery was done with a laser and insurance does not cover that. It was expensive, but my doctor said that if I could afford it, I would get the best possible result with the laser. I went for it and it is money well spent.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

My insurance didn't cover the bulk of my surgery, either, but a couple of months later I'd say it was money well spent.

 

[debknight]

To the two posters above -- what was the approximate cost of your surgeries?

AquamarineSteph, did you also have cataract surgery by laser?