I have had cataract surgery in both eyes, the left in September and the right a week ago. My left eye has always been much lower vision than my right. Both procedures went well. They told me I would be awake for the procedure but I remember nothing about the first one and only a bit about the second. I remember that there was country music playing in the background -- like there always is at my doctor's office. I guess he is a fan. I remember someone remarking about the floaters in right eye and then nothing until I was waking up in the recovery room.
I was somewhat disappointed that the correction in that eye was only about 50% but I still have near vision in it. My right eye is not completely healed but I can see as clear as a bell with it. What I was not prepared for was not being able to read!
I have been nearsighted all my life. I really never understood people who couldn't read a menu, say, without fishing around for reading glasses. I was wearing progressive lenses but I could always read even if I took them off. Now I get it!
I will need a prescription for readers, but I will have to wait for my right eye to completely heal and then another week for my doctor to get back from vacation. In the meantime, drugstore readers (and Don has all kinds of varied strengths) do not help. They magnify equally for both eyes and kind of cancel each other out. My sister-in-law, an optician, told me to take out the left lens and that really works. Both she and my doctor said I might eventually learn to use one eye for reading and one for distance and not have to rely on glasses.
I have an old magnifying glass that also works in the meantime. I suppose I look a little odd using it to read labels in the grocery store. And font enlargement on many computer sites I use is great but screen time makes my eyes tired.
I will adjust.
I have so many drug store readers around my house it's crazy. I have been near sighted my whole life. Imagine being 14 and needing reading glasses but far away I was 20/15. which is better than 20/20. Aging just sucks. Period. End of story.
ReplyDeleteI had both eyes done a few years ago... and a few weeks apart. No problem except that since I always had good vision until older (then old eyes... which have a problem with reading), I had them correct them so that I could see up close without glasses. What I didn't realize since I'd never had problems with afar, was that after surgery, I could read up close, but couldn't see as well afar. I use progressive lens now and that works for correcting that. So I guess I even though I don't need glasses for reading, I keep these on all the time. So my result was the opposite of yours. It all works.
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest what your SIL suggested. Glad it helps. I have heard of using different eyes for different distances. Hope you can learn to do that.
ReplyDeleteKeep healing.
That's interesting to read about, though not likely as interesting to go through. I've been told I have the start of cataracts and like you have always been nearsighted. Hopefully I won't have to have surgery any time soon, but your post makes me wonder what the impact will be.
ReplyDeleteTake care and stay well!
I've got cataract surgery coming up probably in November, and then I will need to get a macular hole in that same eye repaired. I'm, not too nervous about the cataract surgery, but the macular hole surgery kind of scares me. They say it will be a method where I won't have to do the positioning with my head and eyes down for the entire recovery time.
ReplyDeleteI also will eventually have to have a macular hole addressed so I am glad to hear there are methods that don't require a face down recovery.
DeleteMy mother is ready for cataract surgery too. However, at 91, I’m wondering if it’s a good thing. Still... I guess once this pandemic is under better control, it might be time to consider it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience. It seems that there is quite a lot of variation in cataract surgery experiences.
ReplyDeleteGlad your cataract surgery successful though you have some adjustments to correct your vision now. Some people are fortunate enough to not need glasses at all. I wasn't one of those either as I have to use half glasses for reading. I am glad to have both eyes the same so can buy the cheapie glasses as my Ophthalmologist told me.
ReplyDeleteDavid had cataract surgery on his left eye in 2017. He complains about floaters in that eye that are very annoying. He will see the doctor again in December.
ReplyDeleteI guess that is what we all have to do, adjust. It is a great life if you don't weaken...I have heard.
ReplyDeleteSounds like most of us are in the same boat. I had both cataracts removed and my vision is much better, but I still need three(!) pairs of glasses because the surgery only corrected the nearsightedness and not the astigmatism. I have to remember to order different color frames so I can tell them apart.
ReplyDeleteMy distance vision was great after both eyes were settled in. I started out with readers and had them stashed all over the house but I got tired of putting them on and off so I got regular glasses with just a reading prescription. Since I'm always looking at my phone or the computer, or heaven forbid, the blood sugar monitor, I just wear them all of the time now. You'll find your comfort zone.
ReplyDelete