For those of you who’ve had cataract surgery are you pleased with the outcome? If not, has your doctor suggested anything to improve your vision or eye comfort?
It’s been about a month since I had laser surgery on one eye. The ophthalmologist expects the other eye to need surgery in a year or two. My surgery was deemed a success during the exams I had the day of and one week after surgery as I was able to read very fine print. However, I’ve always had excellent near vision. My distance vision used to be pretty bad, -4.50/-4.75, but after 50 it gradually improved to -0.75/-1.75 until this year when both eyes were at -1.75 when my optometrist diagnosed the cataract in the eye that used to have better vision.
Post-surgery my vision is blurrier in the eye that was operated on than in the other. I haven’t noticed any improvement in color clarity or diminishing of halos around lights at night that many people rave about. I was totally compliant with all pre and post surgery instructions, use of drops, wearing the eye shield, no bending or lifting, etc.
I’ve read that some doctors do something called a YAG procedure if results aren’t as expected after a month, but a few suggest waiting until three months post-op. Honestly, it makes me nervous since at least I don’t have dry eye or any discomfort now and am concerned I may after additional laser treatment. I’ll see the ophthalmologist next week and want to be prepared with questions to ask about options.
I don’t know exactly what it’s called, but my H had an issue after his most recent cataract surgery the sounds like what you describe and he had to have a very simple laser procedure to deal with a “bubble” that had developed.I will ask him what the specific diagnosis was and what the procedure was called.
Post cataract, I have been very happy. I chose to still need some correction for distance…because I just didn’t want to wear readers…ever. My far point correction is at least 1/2 of what it was. I was able to buy rimless glasses for the first time in my life.
I’m sitting here with no glasses on reading my computer.
Color change was immediate…and I could see that by closing my eye that was done…and then the other one.
I never had any blurring after the first few days.
I’m wondering if that halo thing is because your not cataract eye also is doing the viewing…
I had cataract surgery in both eyes about 6 years ago. I still have halos, floaters, dryer eyes than before. I had the YAG procedure on both 10 and 11 months after the surgery. That took care of the blurriness, and I should have done it sooner. My distance vision was worse than yours, -5.75 and -8.75. I love that I can see so much better than before, but my astigmatism returned within months so I wear glasses all the time.
@dentmom4 , it’s interesting that your astigmatism returned. I’ll add that to my list of questions for the doctor next week. I’m sorry you’re experiencing the other problems, too.
@thumper1 , I’m glad your cataract procedure worked out so well. I also preferred to wear glasses for distance to (hopefully) avoid the need for reading glasses down the road.
Sunday night I tried closing each eye and looking with just one, with and without my glasses. While the halos and starbursts were slightly worse when looking only with the eye that still has a cataract, I still saw them with the other eye. It’s one reason I hated driving at night and had hoped wouldn’t be a problem after surgery on both eyes. For years dh has preferred driving us at night, but every so often I have to drive. Now he has small cataracts and I’m concerned about how we’ll handle night driving as they worsen.
Right now if the computer screen is within 18 inches I can read it even without my computer glasses with the eye that has a cataract. It’s not perfect but it’s better than the other eye. My vision with the eye that had the surgery is much too blurry to read normal size font on the screen without my computer glasses. It’s this reversal of which eye sees better that’s frustrating.
@silpat you will never need juat reading glasses! If you end up needing some correction for reading…you can get progressive lenses…actually that is what I have now post cataract…but the bottom of my lenses have NO correction. That part is clear glass.
Sounds like you may need YAG. It was explained to me that a film can form on the new lens after surgery, necessitating a laser procedure that removes it. That didn’t take long, but I’m an eye-phobe and you’re awake for it. Both cleared up immediately!
I have learned to live with the side effects. My vision was restored.
I finished my second cataract surgery a week ago and have been very happy with the result. My distance vision is great, but I can’t read at all without readers. Prior to surgery I had been very near-sighted so now things are the reverse of what they used to be. It takes some getting used to.
I used to work in an opthalmology practice. The docs I worked for did cataract extractions many times a week. They would not want you to be worrying about the outcome. Call the office, say that you have some questions about your recent cataract surgery and ask to have someone call you. They will be happy to do this.
Thanks again, y’all. I have an appt. next week with the ophthalmologist and have promised dh to spend the next few days planning the work we need to have done on our house. That should keep me from stressing out over something that appears to be easily corrected.
I think that most of my freaking out has been due to a friend’s experience; he experienced retinal detachment after cataract surgery on both eyes. Repair work was done and he eventually regained his vision, but it was a rough few months.
@Silpat, have you tried taking Ocuvite (by Bausch & Lomb) for night vision? For years I was unable to drive after dusk because I couldn’t see the lines on the road. About four months after I started taking Ocuvite 50+, I could see well enough to drive after dark again. Wegmans has a store brand version that is a lot cheaper than the Ocuvite.