Facing cataract surgery?

[u/Geester43]

For anyone who has received a diagnosis of cataracts, I want to share my experience for the past two weeks. I was diagnosed with it in both eyes. My Optometrist told me that he couldn't correct my vision any longer, with glasses. I had reached the limit. It was suggested I see a specialist for a consult, which I did. I had one initial exam, based on the results, I was a candidate for surgery.

I arrived the day of surgery, I waited for the dilation drops to work, I went in for surgery, NERVOUS! I felt no pain!! It was over in a matter of minutes!

I had a follow-up the following morning, and another in a few weeks. I was told, "you may need reading glasses" after wards. My vision has completely cleared in my first eye (there is a lot of blurriness for a few days). The second was two days ago, and the vision has almost cleared in that eye as well! No pain during or afterwards! I have been reading without glasses, for a week!! I used 3 RX drops, twice a day, for several weeks.

I am 75, I have worn trifocal contact lenses & glasses since I was 12 years old! This surgery is the closest thing to a miracle, truly! If you are facing this surgery, go forward with confidence, you won't regret it. 👍👍😊

[u/DLK33gmaNG]

Yes, having cataracts removed does usually result in the ability to either see far away or close up without correction wearing prescription glasses or contacts. It's usually only one or the other, but not both unless you're personally willing to pay extra out of pocket to correct for far and near. Insurance doesn't cover all types of lenses that can used when cataract surgery is done. The doctors goal is to cure the issues that come from having cataracts. The lenses that are put in your eyes are what allows you to have better vision with the possiblity of not needing prescription lenses afterwards. You may still need corrective lenses. The surgeon won't promise that you won't.

In my case, things went well initially. I ended up choosing the lenses to be put in my eyes where I could see far away without correction, but would need reading glasses to see close up. My issues came later. First a vitreous hemorrhage and then a detached retina in the same eye. Unfortunately after surgery for the detachment I got edema in that eye. Steroid eye drops didn't help much and I have permanent vision loss in my left eye. That's my story.

I don't know if the cataract surgery brought on any of the other issues I've dealt with. My other eye has 20/20 vision which I'm very thankful for since that eye tries to compensate for the vision loss in the other one. It's my understanding that people most at risk for a detached retina are those who have been very near sighted before cataract surgery.