Cataract surgery
General Topic
(Edit) I asked a question down a ways about how long till blurry vision lasted. I’m less than 24 hours after procedure
Question for those who’ve had cataract surgery… I’m having it done on the 25 th. It’s my dominant eye ( right) and if I close my left it’s like I’m looking through a glass of milk.
My question is how much improvement did you get after the procedure?
Thanks
Had it done maybe 14 years ago. 100% improvement. Back to 20/15 vision.... only downside and it's slight is I'm more light sensitive than I used to be.
I had it done when I was in my late 40’s. That’s been about 6 yrs ago. Absolute night and day difference. You’ll be surprised how bright the color white is - with cataracts, white had become yellowish and I didn’t even realize it until I had the surgery.
Need to go back in now though as I’ve got some huge floaters that regularly come in and blur my vision badly - almost like 1/2 a contact lens sized floater.
Five years post surgery...wish I could have qualified years ago. Went with monovision where my left eye is corrected for close and right for distance. No need for glasses anymore and can read the tiniest print yet have great distance.vision. The brain is an amazing organ taking two sources of data and combining. Some people cannot adjust to monovision, but your eye doctor can provide you glasses such that you can evaluate. Best thing is that Medicare will pay for normal lenses and not the multifocal ones.
Had it done in 2010. 20-15 vision. Some of the best money I've ever spent. Minimal discomfort after the procedure. And yes, the world will be an f-stop or 2 brighter.
We rarely recommend having one eye set for distance and the other for near as you will have permanent loss of depth perception
Annony and Karma.... good to hear from you guys!
I couldn't do the mono routine. Since I've had 2 brain tumors, 100% deaf in left ear I have vertigo, dizziness and balance that is totally visual. No way was that advised. Not complaining, I consider myself to be a lucky man. Cataract surgery? Get it done for sure.
Had it done this past January. I had worn glasses since l was 6 years old ( 85 now ). with having had cataract surgery, l now longer need glasses , not even to read! The world is brighter and sharper. I can see things around me later in the evening hours when before l had to stop hunting before legal hours because the cataracts blocked out light. Best thing l ever did! Do have one floater that pops up once in a while, no big deal. Doc says it will probably go away on its own. Do it !!
You won’t believe it hours after the surgery. It’s a whole new brighter, clearer, and what in the heck have I been missing world experience!,
Had both eyes done. I can now see like a hawk! Best thing I ever done..well next to hip replacement and back surgery.
from what i read here and elsewhere my experience is not the norm but i will share it. i had cataract surgery about three years ago on my left eye. my optometrist was encouraging me for years to have it because of high pressure that developed.
besides the elevated pressure, my vision sucked particularly in low light, shadows, and at night. if i was in an evergreen forest late afternoon, trees would blob together and i had no definition of branches.
i did my due diligence, or so i thought, and found an experienced doc. after surgery i could not see out of my left eye. for the first few days everything was very blurry. i was stunned and worried. it started to gradual clear-up and took about a week.
i now have halos around every light, star, the moon, oncoming headlights, etc., at night that i never had before. my vision and eye glass prescription changed, but my vision is not better. i still have the same problem in low light where things blob together and i can't see definition. the eye pressure is lower though and within range per my optometrist.
i got no satisfaction whatsoever from the doctor that did the surgery and after about 6 months i gave up and stopped going for tests and check-ups. my optometrist thinks the lens is not properly centered and is the reason for the halos.
Shug,
Good luck, everyone I have spoken to that has had the surgery has said it's unreal the difference it makes.
I hear all these positive stories about cataract surgery and cannot wait. I been waiting for 5 months for a new special lens my Dr wants to use based on my corneal transplant in the eye.
I had cataract surgery October 2023. I was 64 years old and was told by my optometrist for several years that I was developing cataracts, but no concern. I suddenly progressed very quickly and got to the point I couldn't drive at night. I got into the surgeon less than a week after the progression got so bad. I had both eyes done, 2 weeks apart, and went from wearing trifocals to only needing 1.5 power readers.
The change is amazing. I was concerned about bowhunting having surgery in October but I was able to resume bowhunting 3 days after each surgery. I wore glasses most of my life, so I was a little freaked out when I drew my bow and was able to see clearly and kill my first animal ever without glasses.
One other thing, the surgery is like 10 minutes and my surgeon was awesome.
I had the left done 2 1/2 years ago and my right done last week. Like night and dday and the colors really pop. Had mine done on Monday and Tuesday morning it was already 20/20! I highly reccomd it. I got the distance lens as I tried contacts with the one distant and one close focus. They made me dizzy and after a week I gave up on the. I don't mind wearing readers for up close as I had to do that at 40 anyway and that was 34 years ago.
I had both eyes done several years ago. Had lenses installed in both eyes. 20/20 vision and I couldn't believe the colors I had been missing. I will soon be 82 years old and still don't need glasses to drive. Worked great for me. My wife had the same thing done to her eyes two years ago and it sure was a flop for her. I have to take her to get needles stuck in her eyes every few months and she has lost her drivers license.
Nothing to it and big improvement I had to my left eye first as I had a detached retina and with the steroids that followed my cataract in that eye progressed to the point I needed it.Had the right eye done last year and all is well.Good luck Lewis
Had both eyes done last July. first couple weeks seemed great, then not so good, a lot like Ron P has stated above, vision looks like I am looking thru the dirtiest glasses ever. as sun is just below horizon glare is so bad I can run into cedar tree and not see it.
Another happy customer. Had both eyes done in 2018. I couldn’t believe how quickly the surgery went, with zero pain or discomfort. The difference was night and day. No more looking through constant fog, and it was remarkable how vivid colors were once again. As an added bonus, I had astigmatism correction done at the same time. Insurance covered the cataracts, but not the other. Didn’t matter, best money I’ve ever spent. The only downside of the entire experience was all the dang eye drops for about 6 weeks. Small price to pay.
I have to say as I am right now I can’t see a target to shoot at .
Super happy with cataract surgery 7 weeks after the right dominant eye and 3 weeks after the left. Never have seen this well with bright distinct colors, wider field of view, etc. Bow pins are clear and bright as is the target.
I got Toric lens to correct astigmatism and provide the best distance vision. Have to wear drugstore readers for closeup and computer work. 6 pair for $40 scattered around the house, workshop and trucks.
Hard to say without knowing your case, but most folks do VERY WELL after cataract surgery as long as they don't have other factors affecting their vision as well like macular degeneration or glaucoma to name a couple. Also, I would caution you to temper your expectations. Just because someone else is 20/15 post cataract surgery, doesn't mean you will be. I have much poorer outcomes with patient's that have really high expectations, especially ones that choose multifocal implants. Hope that gives you some perspective.
100% improvement here. Had both eyes done last year. I play golf, and before cataract surgery the ball looked like a wad of feathers. Now I can read Titliest on the ball from 6 feet away! Lowered my handicap by a few strokes too.
Good point regarding 20/15 vision post surgery. Mine went to 20/15 because that's what I had before cataracts. Surgery merely got me back to what I had .
Word of warning.... looking at self clearly in mirror post surgery can be sobering. ;)
Got that in my future as well. Probably next month or in June. Going to have both eyes done.
welcome to your new high definition vision.
I am on the ten year plan to have mine harvested. My doctor says I should wait until I am keenly aware of the issue. Any surgery caries a risk. Most folks I have asked tell me they were very happy with the results.
Not quite to that stage yet, but had lasik done 10 years ago. Did mono vision and have loved it ever since. Will do the same with cataracts when the time comes.
Do you have any original equipment ?
Just one thing Bob but that doesn’t work anyway.
In the same boat. It's done now right? How'd it go?
I had both eyes done last April and had multi focal lenses put in both as well. feel as though I can see as well as I did when I was 25.
One of the best things I’ve ever experienced. I couldn’t see a zebra at 50 yards of the sun was shining in my eyes.
This all sounds really good. I see it happening for me in the near future too.
Maybe reason a few have bad experience is eye docs are like other surgeons, mechanics, ball players... somebody graduated at bottom of class, somebody makes every tool work like a crescent wrench, somebody has no ability?
Just a cynical thought..
bluedog, there is nothing cynical about that thought. of course that is the reason along with sometimes people make mistakes. there is also the chance that the body will have an adverse effect to a foreign object placed inside, or to medication. it is called risk.
I had mine done in September 2013, Had both eyes done 3 weeks apart. After having bad eyes all my life I opted for a Toric lens for distance in my right eye and a regular one in my left. It is amazing how well I can see now. 20/20 in left and 20/15 in right eye. I do use 1.25 readers for up close but that is no problem for me.
RonP, you make a good point. Sometimes no matter how well something is executed it just doesn't work out.
Had both eyes done several years ago, said give me the loong range ones in both eyes. Still need readers but that is fine. About a year later they said "it will cloud over" and it did. Went back in and in about 20 minutes they laser it open again, no problem. Can now shoot coyotes at 300 yards.
Thanks again for all the input. Had the procedure yesterday it’s much better…I had my follow up this morning and the eye was 20/25.
It’s Still a little blurry ( less than 24 hours later) the doctor said it will clear up but I forgot ask how long till that happens…
So that’s my next question how long did it take for it to clear up for you all?
Wore glasses all my life I had both eyes cataract surgery and lens implants 10 years + ago.Now I have 20/10 vision best thing I ever did.
A bunch Shug. The procedure is painless and quick, you won’t regret it.
I had it done 3 years ago. My night vision when car lights hit them directly was getting dangerous. My vision afterwards was 20/15. I was scared my pins would be blurry but they were better then ever. Now three years later my night vision is horrible. In less then a month weird things have started happening- while reading I see voids, Car lights at night are worse then ever, and after coming in from outside on a sunny day my vision is blurry for over 30 minutes. I have an eye doctor appointment Wednesday to check it out. Up till a month ago I thought it was the greatest thing ever. I was warned that a milky film could appear at the back of my eye and it would be lasered out easily. I sure hope this is whats happening.
nchunter, ask if you need a YAG Capsulotomy when you see ur doc
nchunter I've had to do the laser cleanup on the lenses it was quick outpatient in and out
They also cleaned up my eye after a few years. Vision is better than ever. Every time I go see my eye doctor I ask when can we do there right eye. He keeps telling me I have another year to go:(
KYEYEBOW- you nailed it, I am supposed to go in May 14th. My vision is so bad that I can barely drive down a dirt road in the dark. As soon as the sun comes up I am fine. Thanks for the advice.
