cataract surgery went well

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sbwertz

sbwertz

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Joined
May 11, 2010
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Phoenix, AZ
Dr says I can go back in the shop on Monday. Can't bend over or lift anything over 10 lbs until then. Surgery yesterday and I can already see better than before the surgery. My glasses prescription is all wrong though, so I can see better without them now. No pain, just have to be careful...I catch myself reaching for something on the floor without even thinking about it.

Wanted to get it done before my cross country trip in June.
 
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So glad to hear you had a successful surgery as most cataract surgeries these days are. But my chiropractor's wife had one of her eyes done last month, she needs both, and it did not go well. She got an infection in her eye and caused her blindness. They did get it to clear some and looked like she was on a road to recovery. She had to get shots in the eye which did not sound good. Then last week he tells me she had a detached retina from this and again she went blind. She is battling this and I send her prayers to get better for sure. She was asked if she will get the other eye done and she almost hit them. Never know today.
 
My mother in law didn't follow instructions and lifted something heavy and dislodged the lens and damaged her cornea. Left her almost blind in that eye. (She was in early undiagnosed Alzheimer's disease, and her short term memory was going.) I'm being a VERY good girl!

I had the right eye done about two years ago. No problems with it.
 
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Congratulations on getting back to work. I/we know how much you enjoy it. Thanks for telling about your mother in law, also. I always wonder about the things doctors say not to do and just wonder if they are just saying it. It does sound strange that lifting weights will cause a lens to dislodge.

Take care of yourself and enjoy your trip!
 
I think it might be that it increases the blood pressure to the head and face...same with bending over, and that can either cause a bleed, or in her case, a dislodging of the lens.
 
Surgery yesterday ... online at IAP today ... !!!

Glad to hear you have come through the surgery and are experiencing improved sight already.

Can you please tell me how soon you can be examined for a new eyeglass prescription.

I am scheduled to have my first catarct surgery on June 13. . Thank you.
 
Great to hear that the surgery went well and without pain.

I'm sure you will take care to prevent all the bad stuff, being able to already feel the difference to the better in such a short period of time is a great sign of things to come.

Shame that many of the visually impaired people don't have the option of corrective surgery but things are what they are, huh..?:smile:

Cheers
George
 
magpens said:
Can you please tell me how soon you can be examined for a new eyeglass prescription.
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I think the usual recommendation is to wait about a month for the eyes to 'settle down' after surgery.

Wife and I have both been through the process for both eyes. Wife has significant astigmatism, and her implants weren't able to do all of the correction she requires.

I chose to have my implants calibrated for distance vision, so the only correction that I needed after the surgery was for reading. I had to wait about a month after the first surgery before I got my prescription. When I had the second surgery seven years later, my doctor (different from the first surgery) suggested not going with bespoke prescriptions but instead sent me to the drugstore for readers, and that's what I did for the first couple of years.

Neither wife or I had any complications from the cataract surgery. However, I had an unrelated retina detachment two years after the first surgery, and in the course of correcting that problem, the implant was removed. I was initially given a contact lens as a replacement. The rationale was that while the contact lens wouldn't enable me use the damaged eye for reading, it would give me the ability to 'walk around without bumping into walls', and if anything should ever happen to my good eye, that would become very important.

So while I only have vision in one eye, I can still do pretty much anything I want to do - I do have to be careful when filling a fountain pen or pouring a glass of wine, and I need a lot of light when I'm doing close work including turning. But a few months ago, my contact lens doctor recommended that get regular prescription glasses. His reasoning is that is would be better to concentrate on protecting the vision in my good eye rather than worrying about what I would do if something went wrong with that eye. He pointed out that many people who aren't wearing glasses experience serious eye damage from automobile air bag deployment.

It's all in the category of 'getting older isn't for sissies'.
 
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magpens said:
Surgery yesterday ... online at IAP today ... !!!

Glad to hear you have come through the surgery and are experiencing improved sight already.

Can you please tell me how soon you can be examined for a new eyeglass prescription.

I am scheduled to have my first catarct surgery on June 13. . Thank you.
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Usually one month because you are still on the anti-inflammatory eye drops for almost a month and they could distort your vision so the prescription would not be valid.
 
leehljp said:
Congratulations on getting back to work. I/we know how much you enjoy it. Thanks for telling about your mother in law, also. I always wonder about the things doctors say not to do and just wonder if they are just saying it. It does sound strange that lifting weights will cause a lens to dislodge.

Take care of yourself and enjoy your trip!
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I asked the Dr. about this yesterday. She said when you bend over with your head below your heart or lift something heavy it increases the blood pressure to the point it can open the incision and actually squeeze the lens part way out of the eye, damaging the cornea in the process. So you don't want to do anything likely to cause a sudden increase in blood pressure.
When they did a vision test, my vision in the surgical eye was already 20/20, although still a bit blurry. That was uncorrected. I will still have to wear my glasses, but the upper lenses are basically just clear glass, with magnification in the bifocal for reading. Since I will have to wear transition lenses for the rest of my life because of the RA (have to protect my eyes from UV) I have varifocal glasses with basically no correction for distance, and magnification for reading and the transition lenses that darken in the sun.
 
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Years ago, when my MIL had this problem, lenses were hard and the Dr had to make a large incision to insert it, and put in stitches. When they came adrift, they really tore things up, tearing out stitches, etc.

These days the lenses are flexible, and are folded and inserted in a tiny incision that does not require stitches, so there is still the danger of the lens being displaced and the vision becoming distorted, but not so much danger of corneal damage. The displaced lens can be fixed.
 
sbwertz said:
Years ago, when my MIL had this problem, lenses were hard and the Dr had to make a large incision to insert it, and put in stitches. When they came adrift, they really tore things up, tearing out stitches, etc.

These days the lenses are flexible, and are folded and inserted in a tiny incision that does not require stitches, so there is still the danger of the lens being displaced and the vision becoming distorted, but not so much danger of corneal damage. The displaced lens can be fixed.
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When my grandfather had his done, it was considered major surgery, and the patient had to remain absolutely stationary - with the head locked between restraints - for a couple of days. Today, the procedure lasts maybe 15 minutes, and if you want, they will let you remain awake so that you can watch!
 
My wife had this a few years ago. I am facing it- going to the Dr. in July to see how it has progressed. When my wife had her first surgery, the nurse asked if I would like to watch. Told her I was at the birth of two babies...hard to top that!
Glad you are doing well.
 
monophoto said:
sbwertz said:
Years ago, when my MIL had this problem, lenses were hard and the Dr had to make a large incision to insert it, and put in stitches. When they came adrift, they really tore things up, tearing out stitches, etc.

These days the lenses are flexible, and are folded and inserted in a tiny incision that does not require stitches, so there is still the danger of the lens being displaced and the vision becoming distorted, but not so much danger of corneal damage. The displaced lens can be fixed.
Click to expand...


When my grandfather had his done, it was considered major surgery, and the patient had to remain absolutely stationary - with the head locked between restraints - for a couple of days. Today, the procedure lasts maybe 15 minutes, and if you want, they will let you remain awake so that you can watch!
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No choice with my doctor. You get a very mild muscle relaxer to help loosen the muscles so the eyelid can be clamped open, and a bazillion eye drops to numb everything and dilate the eye. I was able to see the lens going in and popping open. It was inserted folded and I could see it pop to a full circle. She needs you to be able to "look up, look over....etc" as needed. Took less than 15 minutes, but the eye was dilated for two days! It is basically normal now, and my vision is great. I still have drops for another two weeks or so. I'm back to 20/20 both eyes. I can actually read and use the computer without glasses, but it is tiring. I can pass my drivers test without them, though. I'll be able to see better with the glasses after I get a new prescription. This one has unnecessary correction now. I'll still have the transition varifocal glasses because I need the UV protection. I never seem to be able to remember to wear sunglasses.
 
FWIW, I had both eyes done back in 2007. I was twice legally blind when I had mine done. Legally blind is 20/200, I was 20/400 in both eyes.
If you held a piece of wax paper about a foot in front of your face, & tried to look thru it, well that's what I saw 24/7. My cataracts were some of the worst my Dr. said he ever saw for someone my age. I was only 45 at the time.

The Dr. asked me how I drove at night & I told him I opened the door & felt the lines in the road, which wasn't far from the truth.
I had my left eye done first, and 6 weeks later, my right eye was done.
The difference is amazing. I need my readers for close up work, but my eyes were set for distance. My vision has been 20/15 since then.

It's a modern day miracle when you get your sight back after being blind for so long. I wish you well Sharon. I hope your recovery is uneventful.
 
Just had my one week follow up and everything is great. I can read the five point type on the card without my glasses and the 4 point with my glasses even with the old prescription. I'm a happy camper.
 
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