Cataract surgery and aiming
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: Ursman
24-Feb-23
After cataract surgery has anyone had to change the way they aim? Have the new eye lenses distorted your sight pin image?
From: Old School
24-Feb-23
I had cataract surgery just about the time I was also needing bifocals/progressives. The progressives cause much more of an issue for me than the cataract correction did.
From: Paul@thefort
24-Feb-23
While I still use reading glasses for up close stuff, with a upgraded replacement lens ( an additional 1900$$) my aiming eyes is nearly perfect as my pins are very clear as are the animals I am hunting. Will have the left eye completed in May.
From: kentuckbowhnter
24-Feb-23
When I had one eye done I had to wait a few months for insurance to cover the second one. In the mean time I tried to shoot my bow and I was hitting over 2 feet to the left at 20 yards!!! I was in panic mode because I shoot both eyes open. I had myopathy and I could not get it straightened out till I had the other eye done. I had to bow hunt the whole season looking through one eye and got the second one done in December. after both were done I could shoot with both eyes open like normal and could see so much better.
From: wyobullshooter
24-Feb-23
I had cataract and astigmatism correction surgery done in both eyes, 6 weeks apart. Although my pins aren’t crystal clear, at least I don’t see three fuzzy blobs for each pin like I did before the surgery. I’m now 20/15, so anything beyond arm’s length is like seeing with 15 yr old eyes again.
From: wyobullshooter
24-Feb-23
Double post.
From: annonymouse
24-Feb-23
I had cataract surgery on both eyes. I opted for monovision where my left eye was corrected for short vision and my right/dominate eye for distance. Brain does wonderful things as I can read small print and have excellent distant vision. I found no difference shooting after my surgeries when shooting my bow. Strictly trad and no pins/sights or other accoutrements.
From: Paul@thefort
24-Feb-23
in addition, prior to the the surgery, with a 4 pin sight, the pins were blurry and with rings around them. I switch to a single pin sight and that helped a lot prior to surgery. Now after the surgery, while I like the single pin, I would switch to a 2 pin adjustable sight. ie, 20 and 30 yards
From: Ursman
25-Feb-23
After cataract surgery has anyone had to change the way they aim? Have the new eye lenses distorted your sight pin image?
From: nchunter
25-Feb-23
I had it done 2 years ago. It did not change my form any whatsoever. My eyes feel like telescopes now and can read license plates from a long way off. I was worried I was going to lose my clear pin vision. The first time I threw the bow up and aimed boy was I relieved that my pin was pretty clear and sharp. My biggest drawback is that I seem to lose about 10 to minutes minutes of shooting time for some reason. I bought a black gold fx with brighter pins and it seems to help a little bit. Overall it was worth every cent to do it.
From: Old School
25-Feb-23
nchunter - I’ve experienced the same thing as far as losing shooting light. Once the sun sets I’ve probably got 10 minutes of shooting light left, that’s it. Stinks to lose the last 20 minutes of prime time.
From: greenmountain
25-Feb-23
Wow. This post says a lot . The folks on here are an aging population. The last few visits to my eye doctor tell me I am no different . That surgery is in my future. I am encouraged to hear that life goes on. Regards, Bob
From: dnovo
25-Feb-23
I had cataract surgery on both eyes in 2013. Best thing I ever did. I had terrible eyesight from a young boy. I had a toric lens put in my right eye for distance($1600 extra) and regular one in left eye. I still use readers but am ok with that. I can actually read anything from 3' or farther out without them. It's just the up close stuff.
From: Buffalo1
25-Feb-23
Don’t go cheap on selecting a contact lens !! Quality pays !!
From: JohnMC
25-Feb-23
You can find this kind of info on Instagram or wherever all the young folks hang out!
From: Single bevel
25-Feb-23
Had both eyes done last year. Both eyes are way better now. The V.A. issued me new spectacles with regular bi focal. Being my eyes are better I don't wear them hunting. They just seem to be a distraction to me plus no reflexion possibility. I shoot instinctive and everything's cool. With a gun I can aim iron sights or scope fine without the specs.
From: luckychucky
25-Feb-23
the before and after for me was like a foggy old TV to a 4k ultra high def.
From: Zim
25-Feb-23
I’m going to have mine done in March. Pre-surgery evaluation next week in South Bend. Any advice from an archer would be appreciated. Age is 63.
From: gobble50
25-Feb-23
Currently Age 72: had cataract surgery both eyes a few years ago. See like an hawk - pins in focus & sharp. Wish I could have had the surgery 50 years ago.
From: drycreek
25-Feb-23
I had it in both eyes several years ago. I stopped wearing glasses for a year or so, then developed retina issues in my right eye. I had to go back to glasses with a prism in one lens to keep from seeing double at distance. It was good while it lasted.
From: Ursman
26-Feb-23
Drycreek, what’s your situation now? Can you see we’ll enough to shoot?
From: Tracker
26-Feb-23
Had my left eye done about 4 years ago and will be getting the right one done in the next month. Cant wait. Left eye did need a laser tweak after about 3 years but it has been great for me.
From: Mad Trapper
26-Feb-23
Zim keep us posted.
From: tm
26-Feb-23
I had scar tissue removed from my right retina last year and cataract surgery on both eyes later. My right eye hasn't improved as much as I hoped, even after cataract surgery, but I imagine the retina is the problem. Just advise everyone to take care of your vision.
From: Ursman
26-Feb-23
Thanks for the responses. I’m scheduled for surgery this Wednesday.
From: greenmountain
27-Feb-23
I hope things work well.
From: Mike Ukrainetz
28-Feb-23
Ursman, I had both eyes done, my left was an upgraded lens that was supposed to give me up close reading vision and ok long range vision. My right, dominant eye, was supposed to give excellent long range vision but then wouldn’t have the close up reading vision. It didn’t end up that way. Both eyes have no reading vision, I have to wear readers like most 55 yr old men. For long range my left eye is perfect, my right eye is good but not perfect. I don’t need glasses for long range and hunting and I could shoot a trad bow with no pins fine but I have to use a verifier in my peep to see my pins clearly. The doc said my eyes healed differently than they hoped, not much they could do unless I did a 2nd surgery which could come out worse. So I declined.
I don’t understand how guys here have excellent long range vision and can still see their pins clearly through a peep with their dominant eye? It makes no sense to me, you can’t have both through one eye can you?
From: steve
28-Feb-23
I had both eyes done about a year ago . I got a new multi focus lens. It Was not cheap. After a little tweaking I have 20/25 no glasses at all . It was 7000. Bucks , but it was my eyes.
From: Ursman
03-Mar-23
Surgery three days ago, can’t see out of the eye. They said 24 to 48 hours.
From: rooster
04-Mar-23
At 67 years old, I have cataract surgery looming in the future. This past year the vision in my right (dominant) eye dropped a full diopter. Optometrist told me that no eye surgeon would do the operation as long as she can get me to 20/20 with a lens but, if the vision degrades as far as fast in the next year, then I would be a candidate. Hopefully my new glasses will straighten things up for the time being although, I have never liked shooting with glasses. Getting old sucks.
From: Ursman
04-Mar-23
How do you think l feel at 83! The wheels are starting to come off!!!
From: Ursman
04-Mar-23
Oh, and to make matters worse, my close hunting buddy of 50 years went to the great whitetail woods in the sky this past Tuesday. And my next door neighbor and the lady across the road passed within the last month! Guess l better start burning some points!
????
From: wyobullshooter
04-Mar-23
^^^^ Nah, they say bad things come in threes. You got a reprieve so you have plenty of time now! ;-)
From: KY EyeBow
04-Mar-23
Urs, What have they told you about not seeing out of the operated eye? Visual recovery is usually pretty quick unless you have a decent amount of corneal edema. Was the cataract pretty dense? Give us an update when you can.
From: Ursman
04-Mar-23
They were very light on the post op information. Apparently there was some swelling because they gave me an prescription for prednisone.
From: KY EyeBow
07-Mar-23
Sorry for the late reply. The local standard post op regimen here is a steroid, antibiotic and non steroidal anti inflammatory. All tapered to varying degrees over a month. Those are all started as soon as you get home from surgery on Day zero. Hope things are getting better. If not, you need to be asking some pointed questions. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
From: Tracker
07-Mar-23
Well I went to their DR last week expecting him to recommend cat surgery on the right eye but he said he thought it was premature. reading this Im glad for the delay. Keep us posted.
From: keepemsharp
07-Mar-23
Had both eyes cataracts done about three years ago and it was WONDERFUL. Birds had two wings again. Couple years later they clouded over which they told me they might. They lazered a couple holes in them and it worked great. I asked what would happen the the chuncks they lazered out and they said "you will have a few floaters for awhile and they were right. Go do it.
From: bad karma
10-Mar-23
I had cataract surgery in 2010. The world got 2 F-stops brighter, and I'm 20-15. Sights are not a problem. And finding game in the woods is much easier. Some of the best money I've ever spent.
From: Ursman
10-Mar-23
Ten days post-op. Doc says my right eye is healing well. Four days per-op for the left one. Keeping my fingers crossed.
From: bluedog
10-Mar-23
Hey bad karma...good to see you post!
From: scentman
10-Mar-23
I had cataract surgery on both eyes about 7 yrs ago... today's procedures or nothing less then a miracle... I went from total despair to the best vision since I was in my 30's.
From: nchunter
10-Mar-23
The main reason my doctor urged me to do the surgery was due to me being blinded by oncoming traffic. Cataracts handle bright lights at night pretty strange. My pins are not crystal clear but easily as good as they were before surgery. I am shooting as good or better then I ever have in my whole life.
From: Coyote 65
20-Mar-23
Just got back from the eye doc Had surgery in 2017. Thought there was something going wrong with the lens implant as everything was starting to blur up. Finally got in and got fixed. Evidently there is a membrane in your eye that is behind the lens. They leave it in there to hold the lens in place during surgery. In some people this clouds up. So they lazer it to remove the membrane. I went from 20/40 in that eye to 20/15 in about 5 minutes. Terry
From: Ursman
21-Mar-23
I had heard about the lenses clouding up after a period of time. I’m glad that the problem can be fixed. After the original surgery, did you have problems with depth perception?
From: Coyote 65
22-Mar-23
No problems at all. Still amazed that my vision is so good.
Terry
