Cataracts

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drmoss_ca
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Re: Cataracts

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Be careful in the interim, no heavy lifting etc, or you might make it worse. We used to put people on bedrest once upon a time. Can it be spot-welded back with a laser or do you have to go for the band around the eyeball?
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

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Laser. Cut some skits. Use the laser. Gas up the eyeball. See me up. Head face down in a pillow a day or so. Then head on its side I think the balance of a week
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Re: Cataracts

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I hope everything goes well for you Sam.
When I did my left eye, they noticed there was some residual cataract on the back of the capsule.
My vision was awesome in both eyes and it still is. The only bad thing is that they did a YAG laser treatment a few months ago to compensate for the plaque, and now I get some starbursts at night with bright lights.
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Re: Cataracts

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Final regimen of eyedrops complete. I'm done other than the followup visits where I get to flirt with the nurses in German. Okay, maybe not that last part. And yes, Bruno, I'm seeing things, surfaces, corners, and owned items needing cleaning. Damn cobwebs.
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Re: Cataracts

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Congratulations on a successful outcome, Ed.

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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

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I apologize for being away so long. Surgery on my detached retina was January 17th. For the rest of that day and until noon or so the next day, I had to keep my face facing the floor for 45 minutes out of every hour, and sleeping that way was so hard. Next day, I graduated to being able to hold my head to the side for those 45 minutes and sleep on my side. That lasted a week. While better than face down, tv watching and reading are difficult.

Gas turned to water gradually and by say February 5th, it all turned into eye water. I can see out of the eye, but the vision is blurry still and if I close my good eye, items appear further away and smaller. I would estimate my vision around 20-60 at this point in that eye. I am told it will get better gradually, and I am hoping it might get to 20-30 uncorrected and then I might need a contact lens in that eye only for when I do intense reading. But I am blessed to be able to see again as it was much worse with the retina detachment
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Re: Cataracts

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Tough deal, Sam. You'll get through this thing.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by CMur12 »

Wishing you a solid recovery, Sam.

Good to know that your current status is normal and that improvement is expected.

Hopefully, life will be more comfortable for you from here, having endured the worst of early recovery.

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Re: Cataracts

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The refraction (focusing) defects should improve, and when stable if needed can be corrected with a lens. The big thing is whether you have got away without a scotoma - a big blind spot where the retina disconnected from the optic nerves. Fingers crossed for you, Sam.
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Re: Cataracts

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Chris, thank you for the good words and Dr P. (Peter in the Netherlands) has undergone the procedure before and has given me some tidbits. Yes, I had read that if the macula was involved, the central vision could be adversely impacted forever. Appears not to have been. Got an appointment on the 25th and that is four weeks after and I assume they will test for vision. I have read that it could take three months for the gas to entirely disappear and from 3 to 6 months for final vision to be determined. Yes, I am also thinking a contact lens might be prescribed for the surgical eye only. Well, having 20-20 vision in both eyes since June and not really needing reading glasses was wonderful while it lasted1
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Re: Cataracts

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I hope it turns out favorably for you Sam.
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Re: Cataracts

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I have 20-30 vision in the surgical are, and if they used to pinhole test, it gets down to 20-25. I have to use readers because there’s one problem left that really bugs me. When I close my surgical eye, and looked through the good eye. Everything at a distance is great and clear, which is my distant side. When I close that eye, and look out through only my surgical eye, which is my up close eye, it is a bit blurry and things look further away. So when I look through both eyes, it’s a combination of both. I’m thinking from what I’ve read that my vision is pretty much 85% or so set and yes it could improve over the next two or three months but it’s probably where it’s going to be. At that point I’ll probably need a contact for my right eye .
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Re: Cataracts

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I hadn't thought of this downside to having cataracts fixed with a distance and a close-up eye—what to do if one eye gets buggered up? I'm curious, when they gave you all the risks and benefits prior to cataract surgery, was this scenario mentioned?

I know it might alter your startlingly good looks, but a pair of transitionless bifocals could set this right, each lens having appropriate corrections for distance and close up for each eye.

I had Lasik about 25 years ago when I was doing a lot of sailing and hated to lose glasses over the side. No one did the distance/close-up thing then. Nowadays I keep a pair of reading glasses on a string round my neck, and a pair of bifocals in the truck for driving (but I can manage OK without distance correction otherwise).
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Re: Cataracts

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I went for distance vision in both eyes. Doctor said I'd need readers, something I'd already been using for years. So now in addition to 20/20 vision, I also have a nifty collection of readers scattered around the house. 1.0, 1.25, 1.50. and four pairs of mighty 2.5. Even a month after my last post-op visit I'm still experimenting with different strengths and near distances. I might scale back a bit and get some 2.0 readers. That should cover it.
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Re: Cataracts

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Chris, on the cataract issue, the progressive intraocular lens is considered state of the art. I literally had perfect vision in both eyes, and they were only a small number of instances when I might have felt the need for readers, typically small print on the back of a bottle of aspirin let’s say. Distance vision no problem up close. No problem mid range. No problem.
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Re: Cataracts

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My last trip to the ophthalmologist indicated that I had the beginning stages of cataracts. How fast does this progress and when can I expect to need Cataracts surgery?
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Re: Cataracts

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BullGoose wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 3:58 pm My last trip to the ophthalmologist indicated that I had the beginning stages of cataracts. How fast does this progress and when can I expect to need Cataracts surgery?
Phil, I imagine it's a little different from individual to individual, but my developing cataracts were first identified in 2017 or 2018. I hadn't had my eyes checked in a long time, so I can't say when the condition would otherwise have been first detected.

I had surgery for both eyes in 2022, on the early side. I think I could have gone at least another year or two before I experienced serious impairment from the cataracts.

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Re: Cataracts

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Phil, pro tip: When oncoming headlights at night start to look yellow then it's time to get it done. I pushed it a couple years too long.
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Re: Cataracts

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CMur12 wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 10:49 pm
BullGoose wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 3:58 pm My last trip to the ophthalmologist indicated that I had the beginning stages of cataracts. How fast does this progress and when can I expect to need Cataracts surgery?
Phil, I imagine it's a little different from individual to individual, but my developing cataracts were first identified in 2017 or 2018. I hadn't had my eyes checked in a long time, so I can't say when the condition would otherwise have been first detected.

I had surgery for both eyes in 2022, on the early side. I think I could have gone at least another year or two before I experienced serious impairment from the cataracts.

- Murray
Thank you Murray. That gives me plenty of time to research it. The prospect of not having to wear glasses afterwards is appealing but with my Astigmatisms...maybe not realistic.
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Re: Cataracts

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kronos9 wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:27 am Phil, pro tip: When oncoming headlights at night start to look yellow then it's time to get it done. I pushed it a couple years too long.
Thank you Ed. I did not realize I had any issues until I had to cover one eye during the vision test and struggled to read the top line even when wearing my glasses.
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