Cataract surgery results?
Equipment
I am scheduled for cataract surgery next week. I have wore glasses for more than 30 years have an astigmatism and glaucoma. My glasses are for distance and lately progressive lens. I have options to use standard monofocus lens, which may require glasses for distance and readers. OR pay extra for (toric) premium lens for astigmatism correction, but will need reading glasses but not for distance.
I am an instinctive recurve bowhunter and also handgun target shooter. What are some of the challenges of a toric correction lens when hunting, shooting a handgun, looking at cell phone, reading truck dash board, etc. or even shopping. What are the pro's and con's ?
I wore glasses for 38 years. Didn't have the astigmatism issue. Was severely myopic. Used bifocals for a couple years before cataract surgery. All I can say is OMG, you're gonna love it. For folks like us, with a lifetime of poor sight, the clarity is amazing. You won't have a problem with trad bows or handguns. Bring sunglasses, the new brightness might be overwhelming. I would also suggest safety glasses when walking in the woods in the dark, you won't believe how vulnerable your eyes feel without the previous protection of glasses. Good luck.
I got the surgery a few years ago at a relatively young age of 50 and it’s been fantastic! Great long range vision, need readers for up close.
I was told if I paid for the upgraded lens I would get close reading vision out of my left eye and distance vision out of my right and it would be great for shooting. It definitely didn’t work out that way, they said it healed differently than they expected so not sure what to make of that? But it’s so much better I don’t really care.
Had cataracts done a few years ago and told them I wanted those far-seeing lenses and it was wonderful, still need readers but that's ok. Last month the wife had it done and asked for the same thing, she has always worn glasses. On a recent check up with a helper she was told she had a stigmatism, she said she knew it for a long time. Then the helper said for about 800 dollars they could have fixed that this month. WHY DID YOU NOT TELL US THAT!!! I am really pissed.
I would spend the money and get the best lens. I did and it has been worth every penny- no regrets.
Your eye sight is valuable. Don’t short change yourself.
Hoping your procedure goes well.
Good luck fisher!!! Fortunately I’m young with better than 20/20 at the moment so hoping I keep that up a long time!! My grandparents both had theirs done, did the best lenses and they wish they’d done it sooner!
Agree with Buffalo1, get the best you can. I had my cataract surgery back in 2016. I also had the astigmatism correction done, although it wasn’t done with a special lens. He just made an incision on the edge of each pupil and stitched them up. I knew going in that I would still need readers from appropriately arms length in. Further than that, I had 20/15 vision for 7 years. My left eye is still there, although my right eye is now 20/20. The extra money I spent for the astigmatism correction was worth every penny, and then some!
Ask alot of questions, don't be afraid to get other opinions.
I have had more eye issues, then I can begin to go through.
Been waiting on Cataract surgery in my transplant eye for about a year now. My Dr was aware of a new lense being tested in Europe that was showing good results and was waiting for approval with FDA, so decided to wait, and still waiting lol, but hopefully lense will be available in the next several months
I was lucky I had one of the best eye Surgeons treating my condition for the last 30 years. So again ask questions and don't be afraid for 2nd opinion.
Had it a couple months ago had the basic lens put in and it made a world of difference
Agree with getting the best lens you can. Anyone have to deal with secondary cataracts?? Easy fix, but never knew they even existed. In my opinion, we don’t realize what we are missing until after the surgery!!!
Went rough it several years ago, wasn't qualified for the corrective lens to be inserted. Still wear glasses to see distinctive distance , can drive without them but need them for reading. Been in glasses since 8 yrs old and now 72, just doesn't feel natural without them.
On the side note, glasses have saved my eyesight in the woods, been number occasions when a twig or object struck the lens. Always told my bird hunting buds to put eyewear on out in the field because crap happens, an old hunting bud sill have a shot behind his eyeball.
I had both eyes done back in 2013. I opted for the toric lens in my right eye and the standard lens in my left eye. I can see so well at a distance now it is amazing and while I do need reader for close up, I felt that it is a small inconvenience to see everything else. I wore glasses for almost 50 years and my eyes were really bad. I can read at about 24-30" and beyond easily without the readers.
Had cataract surgery last winter. Astigmatism and near sighted…wore glasses for 60 years. Went with Toric lenses and am super happy with the outcome in both eyes! Vision is so much brighter, peripheral vision is a lot better, etc. I have 6 pair of Costco 1.75X reading glasses scattered from the trucks to the workshop to the office etc. Work fine for closeup and computer/phone work. I need them for anything <24” or so.
Love shooting bow now. The pins are in focus with the distant target! Glassing with binos and spotter is better too as you get full field of view.
I shoot a lot of sporting clays and have really enjoyed seeing the targets well under poor light, varying light, etc. Misses now are due to shooter error, not failing to pick up the target as was occurring more and more frequently as the cataract covered my dominant eye lens.
Am very happy with my choice of Toric lenses! Wouldn’t change anything.
Had mine done last January. Can read and see distance clearly. Only problem so far are “ floaters.” Doc said they go away eventually.They are not a constant problem. They come and go and don’t stay for long. Wore glasses for 74 years. What a treat not to have to deal with foggy lens in winter.
I had both eyes done last year at 53. I highly recommend the multi focal lenses. Why wear glasses??! My sight seems like it was back when I was 25. It’s amazing.
My wife was so jealous that she scheduled hers for October.
The only issue is at night you see lights having a halo around them, which took getting used to. I don’t even notice it anymore. I suppose my mind accommodated for what I was seeing somehow.
Adam, My cataract surgeon recommended the Toric lenses since I had astigmatism and really was after the best possible distance vision. He felt I wouldn't be happy with Multi-focal lenses as my distance vision would have suffered. But everyone has different issues and the desired outcome.
Had mine done last month. I had good distance vision before and wore glasses for reading, close vision. Friends said to go with the vision you were used to currently if not doing the toric lenses. I saw mixed reviews of the toric lenses & the possibility of halo's on lights at night, so I went with the distance lenses figuring I was used to wearing glasses for reading. I also got the astigmatism fixed. I didn't think things were that bad, but man, what a difference. I was recently out shooting & and have never shot my handguns better. The rear notch is still a little fuzzy at arms length, but the front sight is clear & was much easier to get stuff lined up. I was also shooting a rifle with a peep sight & was shooting that much better as well. Haven't shot my bow yet (shoulder issues at the moment), but I am guessing that will be better as well. I can read the dash in my truck fine without any glasses as well. Reading the cell phone, I do need my glasss. I do need to get some sunglasses as it is brighter.
Had mine done last January. Can read and see distance clearly. Only problem so far are “ floaters.” Doc said they go away eventually.They are not a constant problem. They come and go and don’t stay for long. Wore glasses for 74 years. What a treat not to have to deal with foggy lens in winter.
Hi everyone I had Lasik about15 years ago and loved it. But then I got diabetes a couple of years ago and had it redone it was good for about 3 months then reverted back to fuzzy. I decided to get eye glasses but now eye Dr said I have a cataract in one eye .so I got to get it taken care of now .my eyes seem to be getting fuzzy even with my new glasses. Besides being 71 Years old .I still love bow hunting and Will do what ever it takes to see better. And so should you.
“I was told if I paid for the upgraded lens I would get close reading vision out of my left eye and distance vision out of my right and it would be great for shooting. ”
That doesn’t sound like the astigmatism correction, but I know a number of people who have gone that route and are perfectly happy with it. None of them are shooters, so I can’t tell you how that goes…
But I have one idea for the OP which he may be able to test (depending on how bad the cataracts are…. Which is contact lenses.
When I went to progressives, I stopped shooting with glasses and now use contacts for most of my outdoor activities. That leaves me reaching for cheaters for up close because I can’t accommodate close-up with the distance correction in….
Every once in a while, I’ll lose one contact, and while I expected that to drive me nuts, it took zero getting used to.
But if it might work for you as a test, I would look into simulating the surgical outcomes by way of contacts and see what speaks to you.
As far as shooting barebow with a near/far split…. Haven’t tried it. Might work, but I would definitely test-drive the permutations with contacts first. Not that you couldn’t probably get glasses with no correction on one side and enough on the other to give you sharp focus down-range with the “close-up” side. Or for hand-gunning/gapping, maybe bifocals that sharpen the sights/arrow on the bottom and the target on top?
I had mine done about 6 years ago . went with the tri focal lens it was about $7000 now I don’t have to wear glasses for anything. Glad I did it.! 73 years old.
