Cataract Surgery

deafdrummer

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Hello all!

I had cataract surgery in my left eye last Thursday the 5th. I'm at home recovering until I can go back to work this weekend (Sherwood Forest Faire). They put in an AcrySof SN60WF aspherical IOC implant to correct higher order aberrations (astigmatism and monocular polyopia), and it has blue-light filtering for UV protection (just like your natural lens does).

My vision problems started with monocular polyopia at around 11 years old or so, and then just went bad inside a month's time when I was 13. My left eye had been nearly blind since then. I'm 49 now.

Wow!! It is amazing! Taking the patch off, a new world was revealed to me. Unbelievable! Individual pine cones up in the trees, detail at 5-10 miles out. The colors haven't really changed that much. It's amazing to see sunlight glinting off each blade of green grass in a field (yes, we've had rain and warm temperatures for at least a month). To be able to read highway signs from a distance without the polyopia features I'm used to seeing in the other eye. Now, I can lip-read from a distance!

Laying on the table was a WEIRD experience. They numb your eye, which STINGS at first, and then apply other things before wheeling you in. Once in the OR, they put this mask on your face around the eye. Then a clamp of sorts is used to keep your eyelid open during the surgery. The OR lights go out, and all you see is this light from the microscope the surgeon uses to perform surgery on your eye. You feel pressure on your eye as he cuts to get the ultrasonic probe in, break the cataract apart, and suck it out. You may be able to see the implant being slid into place. I was not aware of what stage we were in because it was dark with only that light there. There was water running down the side of my head from irrigation of the eye.

It looks like at the rate of hardening in the right eye, we may be able to get it done in 6 months to a year. We'll make the right eye near-sighted so that I would not have to wear reading glasses. I'm used to having one eye near-sighted, the other normal or just a bit far-sighted. I'm now far-sighted, so I still have to read with the now-near-sighted eye, otherwise I'd have to mount the computer on a wall, 5-6 feet away. Now, I understand what people mean when they say,"I'm near/far-sighted." That kind of blurriness, I've never experienced before.

Friday was a cold drive, but it was sunny out! An auspicious day for coming home. I also picked up friends at Sherwood and went to a Shpongle concert in Austin to celebrate my friend​'s birthday! That was QUITE a show. My first show with clear vision in a LONG TIME! While waiting to get inside for the Shpongle concert, I saw the moon behind clouds, like a typical Halloween image of a full moon with clouds floating in front of it. It was the first time I could see it clearly in many years. I also saw the stars overhead, the Orion constellation. There was one star that was orange color. I was told that was a satellite. I can hardly wait for a clear night out here, away from the big city and see what it looks like.

I go back to work this weekend, but meanwhile, I'm restricted from dusty environments and lifting a certain amount of weight for a week. It was smart to get my propane needs met for two weeks.

I would be interested in hearing about your experiences with different kinds of IOL (Intraocular lens) implants.
 
I have two different IOLs... unfortunately I don't know the specifics anymore unless I dig out the cards. My first one was done 26 years ago and the other was done 5 years later. Biggest reason was that I had so many complications with the first one that my doc didn't want to do the other eye (I don't blame him lol). However both eyes are functioning just fine. My right eye is a lot weaker (always has been) and I already had the near/far thing going on- I tended to switch eyes because of my severe strabisimus anyway (since corrected as an adult).

I can't attest to the difference in colors (my aunt and mom both said it was true the colors became more vibrant for them) but my ability to see things clearly and recognize just enough improved drastically (I had congenital cataracts, removed as an infant then aphakic for years) to where once I had 20/70 with glasses is now 20/40 or 20/50 with glasses (I don't know what it is without anymore but I can say the big E on the chart is more in focus now lol).

No idea how much longer my IOLs will last and I don't think I have the more advanced ones out there now (pretty sure mine are mono...as I still have to wear glasses- trifocals).
 
doctor say I got have eye surgery but I afraid, what if he take to much muscle away I have no periphery vision in right eye which I totally unaware of,he says I am controlling eyes well at the moment but every so often I lose control.
I not have faintest idea what he was talking about so getting 2nd opinion
 
Im developing cataracts at only being 30... the eye dr said I wouldn't need surgery til I' older.

but omg. your description of the procedure just freaked me out. I have a huge thing about dr's touching my eyes. -shudder-
 
Why are these cataracts showing up earlier and earlier in people's histories?
 
disease, accidents but I have noticed quite a few people under 60 with cataract issues- most times they don't interfere with vision though. Not totally sure why mom got hers in her 50s- likely between having had rubella (long term effects maybe) and all those years we spent in the sun between swim team and going to Ocean City in the summer time.
 
Im developing cataracts at only being 30... the eye dr said I wouldn't need surgery til I' older.

but omg. your description of the procedure just freaked me out. I have a huge thing about dr's touching my eyes. -shudder-

you in and out less than hour operation take mins my friend drove home maybe not wise but was dueable...it really is not as bad as it sounds I seen the operation done many times
 
caz is right- it's not bad. Maybe ask doctor about anti anxiety meds prior to the surgery. I'd tell you about mine but 1 surgery was atypical (surgery and recovery) and gave my doc gray hair lol (or so he said).
 
I have cataract since 2011 as well but no surgery needed unless it is getting worse.
 
I wish I cold be put to sleep while they operate on my eyes. LOL

My mother, who has anxiety, recently had them done and said it was smooth sailing. I told her the thing is, since I can't hear and rely heavily on using my eyes... I don't like the idea of people being anywhere close to my eyes. lol
 
Yeah Ducky is right. I'd ask your primary care doc on how to get your hands on some ativan. It'll calm you down before the surgery and turn off your fight or flight response that people get when they are nervous. You won't regret it. I promise. :)
 
I usually take ativan for my anxiety, it wouldn't calm me down - most likely just KO me all night long. (even on 2mg)
 
I don't like the idea of people being anywhere close to my eyes. lol

I know what you mean, but once they numb your eye, you don't feel anything. You simply lay there and see but a single light of the microscope above you and watch what happens from your perspective. It doesn't hurt at all. Just remember to take your hearing aid off on the side of the eye they are operating on, as water will be running from around the eye to keep it moist down past your ear to the back of your head.

I don't like it, either, but I was starting to go blind from this and was losing my ability to lip-read. Now, I can lip read from a distance and even when a group of people are moving from one side to the other and talking to one another. Amazing!
 
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