My wife went in for her annual eye exam. When she covered her right eye, she had no vision, only the ability to detect light and see large, vague shapes. The doctor said a fast growing cataract had completely obscured the vision in her left eye (which may explain a couple of recent accidents.) We have a surgical consult set up on the 25th.

Any experiences, guidance or advice is welcomed without my usual bad attitude. She's terrified (needlessly, IMO) and I would like to reassure her. I personally have observed several of these procedures on inmates I escorted for treatment, but as a husband, my experiences, well, you know.

My wife had both eyes done in her 30's.

Went super as an outpatient procedure at a surgical center. The only issue was having to have a little scar tissue touched up several years later via a laser which was also a simple outpatient procedure. Only one eye done at a time, several months apart.

She picked her lenses for distance, so she has worn readers ever since.

I know at least three other people that have had it done and I believe at least one of them compared the before and after to being like when the Wizard of Oz went from B&W to Technicolor.

No driving for a while, no bending or lifting for a while, sleep in an eye patch for a while.

It is probably the least invasive surgery there is. They use a laser to remove the old lens and then replace it with a new one. I was shitting my pants out of fear that some quack was going to mess with my eyes. The first eye went so good, I was amazed at how simple it was. You are awake for most of it until the end. Two weeks later for the other eye and I couldn't wait to get it done, no fear.

Get the multifocal lens installed. They are expensive, but eliminate the choice of whether you want to be near or far sighted.

quote:

Originally posted by nosticks:

It is probably the least invasive surgery there is. They use a laser to remove the old lens and then replace it with a new one. I was shitting my pants out of fear that some quack was going to mess with my eyes. The first eye went so good, I was amazed at how simple it was. You are awake for most of it until the end. Two weeks later for the other eye and I couldn't wait to get it done, no fear.

Get the multifocal lens installed. They are expensive, but eliminate the choice of whether you want to be near or far sighted.

I believe that you are describing the extra cost upgrade.

My insurance would only cover the basic procedure which I believe is scalpel, not laser, and would not cover the multifocal lens. The upgrade that you describe would have been many thousands of dollars out of pocket for me, so I went with the basic.

As far as "being awake," the only medication that was used for me was the numbing drops. I declined the Valium.

To address Mrs. Fredwards apprehensions, the worst part of the whole procedure (two, actually, one for each eye, two weeks apart), was the nervous fear before the first one. My BP hit 207 / 94

The procedure itself was a piece of cake. Less discomfort than a filling at the dentist. Yeah, I felt a bit of uncomfortable pulling and tugging, but no pain. Had to stare into a bright light, not fun, but certainly not the end of the world! Less than ten minutes in the eye clinic's OR and it was done.

The second eye went much like the first, except that I was much less nervous because I knew what to expect.

I went with single-vision lenses, optimized for distant vision, so I can legally fly and drive without wearing glasses. I do use glasses for desk work and reading, and I wear trifocals for general purpose, but if I'm not doing anything close-up, I can get along just fine without the glasses.

Tell Mrs. Fredward that she really has nothing to worry about, and after it's over she will be glad that she had it done.

I just had mine done.

I bought multi-focal toric lenses. Extra 3K.
An excellent investment for me.

I am typing for the first time ever without glasses.

My doctor recommended multifocal toric for me.

Last year for my wife, the doctor recommended Monovision with a different focus for each eye for my wife.

My wife was playing pickleball a week after surgery.

It is the most common surgery done in the US.

Ask around, not all Doctors are good.
Pick a surgeon that most of their practice is doing cataracts.

There are now many lens choices now.
Get more than one opinion if you can.

Any lens not mono vision is an up-charge.

I had both eyes done about 15 years ago. The main thing I remember about the operation was the wonderful feeling of being able to see clearly again afterwards. I did need 1.25 readers because I got the fixed-focus lenses, but before the replacement I was using a mix of readers between 1.5 and 3.5 for close up focusing so that wasn't much of a change. I understand the fear of someone messing with your eyes, but your wife will be delighted in the end.

Wife and I both had the surgery, three years ago. We went with the multi focal lenses. My wife's was a little more complicated and required a redo, no big deal, just switching lenses. I had a clean up on one eye a few months ago, 5 minute procedure and back to 20/20.The initial surgeries were very easy, results amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Any experiences, guidance or advice is welcomed without my usual bad attitude. She's terrified (needlessly, IMO) and I would like to reassure her. I personally have observed several of these procedures on inmates I escorted for treatment, but as a husband, my experiences, well, you know.

I spent twenty years working for ophthalmologists. Cataract surgery is today as routine as can be. Not only does she have nothing to worry about, but once her mature cataract is removed, she will experience the miraculous- from the nothing she sees now in that eye, to having clear sight in it once again. There is no greater change in vision that getting a mature cataract removed.

You say she has annual eye exams. That means her retina is almost certainly fine and that means when the cataract is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens, the improvement in her vision may very well move her to tears.

Tell her that.

I had both eyes done 10 years ago and it was a miracle. I had worn glasses since I was 9, but no longer and I am a much better shot.

I have artificial lenses in both eyes. Had cataracts developing in both eyes. Could not be happier with the results.

I usually use those fixed power reading glasses to read, but only because it makes it easier. Can read without the glasses, but as I said, glasses make it easier.

I had both of my eyes done in early 2020 about 3 weeks apart. I went with distance lenses for being able to see nav aids, etc. without glasses. I do use cheap reading glasses.

The transformation is amazing. whites are actually white and colors are brighter. Surgery was basically a breeze.

I have been near sighted since childhood. Had the Surgery done in both eyes in my 40's---best decsion I ever made. went from 20-400 to 20-20 in 20 minutes. Now all I need is readers.

My wife also had the same surgery done and her feelings are like mine---very positive.

Your wife will be a new woman once she can see clearly again.

Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by nosticks:
It is probably the least invasive surgery there is. They use a laser to remove the old lens and then replace it with a new one. I was shitting my pants out of fear that some quack was going to mess with my eyes. The first eye went so good, I was amazed at how simple it was. You are awake for most of it until the end. Two weeks later for the other eye and I couldn't wait to get it done, no fear.

Get the multifocal lens installed. They are expensive, but eliminate the choice of whether you want to be near or far sighted.

Unless I’ve missed something (totally possible), LASER can be used to make the incisions, which affords a little better healing…but the old lens (cataract) is still removed via phacoemulsification.

Still almost always a very successful outcome.

I’m personally and professionally not a big fan of multifocal implants; some do very well with them but it seems the majority-while generally satisfied-expected a better overall vision outcome.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
My wife went in for her annual eye exam. When she covered her right eye, she had no vision, only the ability to detect light and see large, vague shapes. The doctor said a fast growing cataract had completely obscured the vision in her left eye (which may explain a couple of recent accidents.) We have a surgical consult set up on the 25th.

Any experiences, guidance or advice is welcomed without my usual bad attitude. She's terrified (needlessly, IMO) and I would like to reassure her. I personally have observed several of these procedures on inmates I escorted for treatment, but as a husband, my experiences, well, you know.

Any procedure involving the eye can be quite scary to some people.

As others have stated this is a very routine operation. However, when you have your consult, be an advocate and ask if there is anything to be done just prior to the surgery for anxiety. My wife gets severe anxiety prior to some procedures and they have presibed a mild benzodiazepine (valium or an analog) and it helped quite a bit.

I had a surgeon botch a Cataract surgery and had to have the eye repaired, as best they could, at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Don't believe that any operation is without risk.
Do your own research before surgery so you know exactly what your getting or supposed to get.
There is always a trade off, this is true for Cataract lenses. The big push from your surgeon will probably be the "high Tech" lenses that will cost you about $3000 out of pocket per lens. I assume this is a BIG money maker for the surgeon for the effort they make to sell them, I know my original surgeon pushed them hard and I bit.There is a down side to these lenses.
Do your research on the lenses and the surgeon installing them.

i had both eyes done 3 years ago for distance vision.

last ophthalmologist visit has me setup for yag procedure to remove some clouding on next visit.

https://www.verywellhealth.com...-capsulotomy-3421801

I wore glasses for 63 years. April 28 I had the right eye done. Vision in now 20-20. Last Thursday the surgeon did the left eye. The left is now 25-20. It may settle in somewhat better but the surgeon doesn't think it will. He talked me out of the two more expensive choices based upon my eyes and my needs. Medicare pays for the basic operation. I have a final appointment in 11 days with his optometrist. My reading is worse than it was but Dollar Tree $1.25 readers are my friends. I'm typing this without glasses.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I spent twenty years working for ophthalmologists. Cataract surgery is today as routine as can be. Not only does she have nothing to worry about, but once her mature cataract is removed, she will experience the miraculous- from the nothing she sees now in that eye, to having clear sight in it once again. There is no greater change in vision that getting a mature cataract removed.

You say she has annual eye exams. That means her retina is almost certainly fine and that means when the cataract is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens, the improvement in her vision may very well move her to tears.

Tell her that.

This was my experience. I had cataracts in my mid 40s. Up to then I was near sighted. After the operations, I was amazed looking through glasses at the tops of distant trees which were previously just fuzzy balls of green and I could see the distinct points of the leaves.

It truly was a blessing in disguise. If the doctor offers you the option of paying out of pocket for lenses to correct any astigmatism, do it. I turned it down at the time since I was money tight and my wife later took the option. It's about $1200 but then it saves you from havig to get $300 or $400 prescription glasses just for astigmatism. It pays off in just 3 to 6 years depending on how often you get glasses.

wife is getting number 2 eye done Monday AM

she was scared to death , but did well with the first one,

she went thru 3 or 4 doctors before choosing her mom''s eye doc

I had my right eye cataract surgery last May 27th. And my girlfriend had both of hers down about 10 months before me.

Our Dr. does the no drop surgery so we didn't have to deal with drops after surgery. We had NO problems and the only way we knew we had surgery is we could see. I'm not one for going to Doctors but this surgery was so easy