Cataracts

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Sam
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Cataracts

Post by Sam »

Well, eye exam revealed I have pretty significant cataracts in my right eye (reading). A friend is an ophthalmologist and I have a consult tomorrow. Been reading up on regular vs laser surgery and monofocal versus the advanced lenses. I do have astigmatism and my reading eye went from a -4.50 to a reading of -9.25.

Anyone have any suggestions, advice, comment or questions I should ask?

I am told health insurance covers the cost of regular surgery and monofocal but the laser will run maybe $1000 out of pocket and each lens could be up to $2600 more for toric and multifocal.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by brothers »

I had mine lasered in 2015 and my wife had it in 2021. We chose the top of the line extras and it was worth the cost. It's awesome to be able to see like a hawk!
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

Hi is scheduled for surgery May 5. I also went with the top of the line pan optics IOL and laser surgery
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

For anyone that has had cataract surgery: when you get one eye operated on, I understand you won’t need glasses or contacts for that eye. My surgeon tells me that I need to leave my contacts off and just use my glasses until the surgery. I am thinking that once that eye is cleared up they will set a surgery date for the other eye which probably would be within a month. So until that second eye is operated on, and given that I should probably leave the contact for the remaining bad eye off, what do you do with glasses? Do you pop out the lens for the bad eye that was operated on and just wear the glasses that way? Or do you go to an optometrist and have them pop in a clear lens, and if so, who would do it and about how much would I pay?
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Re: Cataracts

Post by CMur12 »

Sam, the cataract surgery corrects vision in concept; that is the goal and the normal outcome. Occasionally, it doesn't correct vision as well as was anticipated and you will still require some supplemental correction (glasses or contacts).

Astigmatism: Astigmatism can be found on the cornea and/or the lens. Any astigmatism on the lens will be corrected by the removal of the lens and its replacement with the artificial one. Any astigmatism on the cornea will remain uncorrected.

The replacement lenses have a fixed focus (you can't focus them like you can your natural lenses). You can choose to have both eyes corrected for distance, one for close-up, or you can get lenses with two zones, correcting both distance and close-up. You can also get very expensive custom lenses to correct for the remaining corneal astigmatism. (My concern, aside from the cost, is that a lens correcting for astigmatism would have to be perfectly oriented to accomplish said correction.)

I have a lot of astigmatism on both lenses and a mild-to-moderate amount on my corneas. I am going to get both lenses corrected for distance, with no special features. That will leave me with a need for correction of mild-to-moderate corneal astigmatism and correction for closer distances. I plan to get glasses with graduated lenses to correct the remaining astigmatism and to provide focus at all distances. I don't expect to need to wear them most of the time.

- Murray
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

Murray my doc has chose the Pan Optix lens and it corrects for the vision and the distance. He said he will be making a cut with the laser into the cornea. I have a fitting appointment next Friday to get measured. He thought there would be a 3 in 4 chance that no contacts, glasses or readers would be needed with these lenses and there is a small chance that for a while, I might have some halo effect which would alleviate.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by fallingwickets »

do they do this procedure 'awake' or do they put you out?
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

I’ll have anesthesia. I’m not supposed to eat after midnight or have anything to drink so I’m thinking I’m going to be out cold
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Re: Cataracts

Post by drmoss_ca »

Most cataract surgery is done just with local anesthetic drops these days, not even the old nerve block needles are used. Don't know when I last heard of someone having a GA for it.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
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Re: Cataracts

Post by CMur12 »

I know that my surgery will involve a local anesthetic only. I think the ophthalmologist said that anti-anxiety medication, administered before the procedure, was optional.

- Murray
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fallingwickets
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Re: Cataracts

Post by fallingwickets »

anti-anxiety medication, administered before the procedure, was optional.
big baby that I am I would ask for a triple dose :D :D :D

clive
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Re: Cataracts

Post by drmoss_ca »

There is something about eyeballs that makes us squeamish. I certainly was aware of it when I had Lasik.

One of the two stomach-churning medical experiences I've had was an older lady taking out her glass eye by hooking a fingertip in behind it, and a gush of pus rolling down her cheek as she extracted it. Made me queasy at the time, but in retrospect I just feel glad I don't have a glass eye.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Kyle76 »

I have had just my left lens replaced. My right eye is still in pretty good shape. My doctor recommended a simple, single-focal lens due to my diabetes. It’s been awhile, but I think he felt like that was best in case my eye underwent diabetic changes in the future. What I have ended up with is de facto monovision, with my left eye providing distance focus and my right eye providing close-up focus. I no longer wear glasses all of the time (I had progressive-lens glasses prior to the surgery that worked great). I no longer am required to have corrective lenses to drive, and I wear reading glasses for periods of extended reading, but I can read for short periods with no glasses at all. At some point, I’ll probably have to get the right eye done and will likely go with a close-up lens there because I really enjoy not needing glasses for most activities and being able to buy sunglasses without corrective lenses.
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

drmoss_ca wrote: Sat Apr 16, 2022 3:09 pm Most cataract surgery is done just with local anesthetic drops these days, not even the old nerve block needles are used. Don't know when I last heard of someone having a GA for it.

I just assumed general since the no eating and no drinking after midnight
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Re: Cataracts

Post by drmoss_ca »

I think they just want your belly empty so any nausea is less likely to be, er, fruitful. Handling eyeballs stimulates the vagus nerve, and can cause nausea. Good luck with it!
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

Thank you Chris
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Re: Cataracts

Post by kronos9 »

I'm also on the way to cataract surgery. Having holes cut in my eyeballs isn't exactly on my quality of life list. But I'm told I'll end up seeing better than I have in years. It'll cost me money, probably less than a one-day recent market decline.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by CMur12 »

I had cataract surgery on my left/dominant eye, Monday of last week. I seem to be healing well. I am using two kinds of anti-inflammatory drops, one steroidal (4x/day) and the other non-steroidal (2x/day), for a month following surgery.

I have chosen to correct each eye for distance, resorting to glasses with graduated lenses for reading and computer.

My big hope was to correct the myopia and much of the astigmatism in each eye, so that I would be free of glasses much of the time. Unfortunately, the implanted lens has corrected little of my myopia and I am still quite near-sighted. I also detect some minor peripheral glare from the left. Material I received before surgery stated that it could not be guaranteed that the patient wouldn't require corrective lenses after surgery. Other potential problems included halos, increased night glare, double vision, ghost images, etc.

Even though the results from my first surgery are in some ways disappointing, I still intend to follow up with my right eye, as soon as possible. It would have to be done eventually, anyway, and I would rather get it done now, rather than wait until some time in the future when healing could be more difficult.

- Murray
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Sam
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Re: Cataracts

Post by Sam »

Murray I am sorry to read that perhaps you did not get much improvement in vision other than to remove the cataracts. I have a mild case with of astigmatism My opthamologist is doing laser surgery and will try to correct for the astigmatism. My left or distance eye was pretty good already and was improving. The right eye had the worse cataract situation. He thinks the panoptic lens could be a game changer for me.
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Re: Cataracts

Post by CMur12 »

Sam, we're all a little different and what works for most doesn't always work as well for all. Normally, the lens I had inserted would have corrected the targeted myopia. It would appear that there are other variables at play and that I'm an exception to the rule. The ophthalmologist who performed the surgery has an excellent reputation, as did his father before him. I'm disappointed, but I'll survive it.

What is a panoptic lens?

- Murray
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