Cataract Surgery

I had it. Piece of cake. Just remember those eye drops are important. put them in on schedule and do not miss a dose. I had my first one in May and the second in July of last year. New lens. I can see and now only need glasses for reading. No pain. The other thing to remember is don't be in glaring sunlight. Protect your eyes. The surgery took 10 minutes.

can't wait

Yes, do it. It’s life-changing and not bad at all.

Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?

Agree with R1 and R3.

I only wish I had back the time I wasted fretting and stewing about it beforehand.

For me, the most difficult part of the entire procedure is getting someone to pick you up afterwards. My doctor would not allow me to be released to an Uber driver or a taxi, or even walk home (the surgery center was withing a short walk of my home).

^Kidnapping is a federal offense.

Yes, R4.

I'd compare it to a slightly onerous visit to the dentist. Bit of discomfort, couple of blips more than that, but it's over in about 10-15 minutes. Try to relax into it. Follow all attendant instructions to the letter, give yourself time to recover a bit. Then savour the improvement.

Do they let you keep the goo they suck out of your eye socket?

Easy-peasy, both eyes (not at same time, duh!). No pain whatsoever. Had to get a couple post-op laser "touch-ups," but they were rather cool, because all I saw were kaleidoscopes of colors for 30 seconds!

However---and there is a "however"---though I have perfect distance vision from severe myopia, and accurate color perception from a yellowish tinge (of which I had been unaware!), I wish I could still have super-close-up vision.

I used to like reading my books close to my face when I lay in bed. Or being able to put on mascara.

Instead, I now have a "blurred vision zone" where, reading glasses or no, nothing helps. I'm experiencing this currently in trying to read sheet music at my drum set. Can't exactly place the music on the snare drum!

I look funny, too, because, having worn eyeglasses for 67 years, I have to feel glasses on my face, so I walk around like a schoolmarm, reading glasses perched on my nose! At least they're color-coordinated with my clothes! 😄

OP, you are going to be shocked and amazed. Everything will be brighter and colors will be incredibly rich and crisp. For me it was like seeing again for the first time. I could read again and could see at night.

The only negative was that I was not consciously sedated the second time, so it was a little unpleasant. I told the anesthesiologists and she blew me off, a real miserable, ugly old woman. The first one I don't remember at all. He was Russian and they don't fuck around.

My doctor recently I have the correction done to improve close-up vision and I no longer need glasses to read or use a computer. I still need them for distance. He said he could correct for one but both kinds of vision and, because I was a college professor at the time, he recommended I opt to fix the near vision.

IOW, r12, you are now near-sighted. No, thanks; BT, DT.

Reading glasses aren't $300+!

Thanks, R7.

Wonderful !!!! I was shocked — I’ve had dental work more painful . Get a doc with lots of experience - obviously .

It took her about ten to twelve minutes each eye. Don’t get them done at the same time . I paid more for the laser which of course Medicare doesn’t cover

Best decision I ever made … enjoy the world more

I had it done. It wasn't painful and the difference was amazing. I hadn't realized how dull everything had gotten, with colors washed out. After the surgery, the colors seemed brilliant. I also got powerful lenses put in and didn't have to wear glasses anymore. Medicare does pay for it.

Very easy, only a little discomfort and no pain. I had both done 2 weeks apart. When the doctor removed the first bandage, I cried from seeing detail I'd missed for so long.

I had terrible astigmatism and wore glasses or contacts since 3rd grade. My sight was really deteriorating the past few years. I stopped reading books because it was so difficult and frustrating. I always loved to read. I resigned myself to failing eyesight.

Cataract surgery was life altering.

I keep hoping that I will get cataracts so that I don’t have to wear contact lenses anymore. I use monovision for contacts (myopic in one eye for reading and corrected for distance in dominant eye). That works perfectly for me and I’ll do the same with intraocular implants.

R5

I remember you posting your story about finding a ride home a years ago. NYC?

I'll likely be having it within the next 12 months according to my ophthalmologist. I have under treatment for glaucoma for 20+ years which will make the cataract surgery more complicated. They have been tracking the slowly developing cataracts for a decade. Improved eyesight would be nice but managing the glaucoma is more important to me.

I will be a good patient about the drops. I take multiple eye meds and liquid tears 4-5x a day now so more drops are no biggie.

Think Oedipus Rex

R21 sounds like me! Because of my own glaucoma (I can have a tendency toward increased eye pressure) it was done before I hit 40. It was a breeze, and made an amazing difference as others attest, and recovery went fine. I do monitor things closely because of the glaucoma, and am on low pressure drops. ,Because of dry eyes I (unrelated to the cataracts), I’ve had good luck with Refeesh Optive preservative free drops.

Medicare does pay for the surgery , but it does not pay for laser surgery. Either way it’s life altering

My mom said the biggest difference was color perception. She was horrified at her own wardrobe and angry at her family for letting her walk around in such flamboyant colors for so many years.

Hi, there, OP! I had one eye done some years ago. Went perfectly, and no post-surgocal problems.

One thing to inderstand that can be a little freaky: when you get home after surgery and take off your eye patch for a minute, you might notice that everything looks wildly tilted. Totally freaked me out, but it's just your eyes getting accustomed to the lenses. It goes away in a matter of hours.

Also noticed some weird light flashes in the corner of my eye for a month or two after the surgery-- typically in the morning, right after I woke up. That disappeared after a few months.

In short, cataract surgery is one of medicine's greatest miracles. I'm so grateful for it.

I had it done recently. No problems with the surgeries or post op cause I followed instructions. However, I experienced halos immediately after the second eye surgery. I'm seeing ok with that eye but still exploring next steps to minimize the halos. Had follow up laser tweaking on that eye but I am hoping more can be done. Glad I didn't choose the monovision option. Wore glasses all my life, had lasik done decades ago and still needed glasses; so I have no problems grabbing reading glasses but having been nearsighted and now farsighted, it is an interesting change.

R26 again. OP, make sure your doctor is an M.D.

And he should be a stud, too, because he'll be standing right over you for a bit with a sharp surgical instrument, and you want a stud for that.

My doc is both a stud and M.D., so it all went great!

As R28 so wisely advises, if he purrs, “I’m going to use the good olive oil for this one!”, run like hell!

Hurts like fucking hell.

Fucking Egyptians.

If only there was a way to change DataLounge fonts with papyrus for our folks returning from eye surgery.

Does anyone know when weight-resistant workouts can resume after surgery?

I was told today I needed surgery on both eyes. I learned about the difference between regular and premium lenses, the latter costing $2500 an eye but obviating the need for readers. Anyone here who's opted for premium lenses?

[quote] The only negative was that I was not consciously sedated the second time, so it was a little unpleasant. I told the anesthesiologists and she blew me off

Was that extra?

[quote] . I also got powerful lenses put in and didn't have to wear glasses anymore. Medicare does pay for it.

[quote] I was told today I needed surgery on both eyes. I learned about the difference between regular and premium lenses, the latter costing $2500 an eye but obviating the need for readers. Anyone here who's opted for premium lenses?

I wonder if my Blue Cross will pay for the premium lenses if Medicare doesn't cover it?

I had cataract surgery on both eyes, years ago, it sucked.

Watch Alex’s programming scene in A Clockwork Orange to see a preview of the contraption you’ll be put in, then add lasers shooting into your eyes.

Then get ready to go back a year or two later after your body builds scar tissue on your new lenses for more eye blasting.

My eye doctor commented that one of my cataracts looked like a “Tiger” - I have no idea what that meant; It was all I could do not to tell him to fuck off for that unsolicited and uninteresting tidbit as I adjusted to having no depth perception for several days.

I can’t help but think the nascent LASIK surgeries my coworkers and I got a few years prior, contributed to my shitty cataract surgery healing, but my eyes have been problematic since I was 10 years old.

Medicare allows doctors to charge more (often $1-3000 more) for “premium” lenses that correct for astigmatism or allow you to see somewhat at near.

Doctor offices often try to upsell these because they make a big profit. Sometimes the premium lens is appropriate but, often, it may not be worth it. Doc offices can be a little vague about whether a traditional lens would be okay at no extra cost.

Thankfully, one of my roommates in college is now an ophthalmologist, but lives across the country. I called him to get a straight answer on whether I needed the premium lens. He explained everything to me so clearly and it turns out I didn’t.

I went to the Chief of Surgery at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. The procedure’s pretty routine but you want the guy who does the procedure every day at a top-level institution. Your eyes are too valuable to fuck with. I just got lucky with an appointment in a week and the first procedure a week later. My boss wanted to go to the same guy but couldn’t get an appointment for six months.

His waiting room looks like the boarding area for a Holland-America cruise ship: everyone is elderly wearing the wrap-around solar glasses. I was the youngest one there at 55. Takes 10 or 15 minutes, totally painless, and an easy post-op process. Do it. You’ll be amazed at the improvement. I chose near sighted because you’ll need sunglasses forever outdoors and readers are $10 while Rx sunglasses cost hundreds. And I wasn’t on Medicare when it was done.

My mother had hers done in the1980'a. I had mine done last year. HUGE difference. This was the fastest, easiest surgery I have ever had. Just do it.

[quote] I chose near sighted because you’ll need sunglasses forever outdoors and readers are $10 while Rx sunglasses cost hundreds. And I wasn’t on Medicare when it was done.

Would it be just the reverse. If you are farsighted you can get readers, but if you are nearsighted you will need prescription sunglasses. Right?

I had both eyes done back in December. The procedure took 40 minutes at the most-and that included a rest after the first eye was done. This was on a Thursday morning and by Saturday I had to remind myself to take the eye drops because everything felt just fine. The first day there was a slight irritation that felt like you had a bit of sand in your eyes-but I'd been warned about that so it didn't alarm me. When I came home from having it done and could take off the special sunglasses, immediately I couldn't get over how much brighter light was and colours were so much more vibrant.

Had both done. Was a little nervous being wheeled into operating room, staff was soft with me. I was out in a minute, sorta, think maybe I heard them talking but there was NO PAIN at all .... amazing. Could then see distance, colors. If you need it, give it a go. Results are ell worth it.

Do they drug you before the surgery? A valium, or a drip, perchance? Or, do they just use a local before they clip your eyes open?

I had both eyes done a week apart. I also had a glaucoma procedure done at the same time as the cataract surgery.

I used to wear 3.5 reading glasses and 2.25 for driving. Now I rarely wear any readers (put on a 1.5 when I am deep in a book or on my phone intently for 30 minutes or more. I wear a -.75 when driving distances. They put in corrective lenses for cataracts, and it made a huge difference. I used to have to take 2 pairs of glasses everywhere; now I take none. I also used to have to take 2 glaucoma meds every morning and night; now I take none at all.

Definitely keep up with the prednisone and other drops.

It’s a breeze just don’t bend over or pick up anything for a couple of weeks. You don’t want to pop out your new lenses.

Had both eyes done. [R1] is completely correct.

r43 They spend more time - one and a half to two hours - having you sit in a chair applying numbing eyedrops than the actual procedure which takes 10 or 15 minutes. The surgery is saline-flooded watery bright light and strange musical bip sounds. The worst part was having some instrument pulled out of my eyeball. No pain but I thought my doctor was going to yank my eye out of its socket!

Follow their instructions to the letter on using the postop eye drops and you'll be fine. Seeing circles around bright lights is normal afterwards. You got this!

I had it a couple of years ago. I was approximately 57 which I thought was kind of young. Both of my parents had the surgery but when they were older. I was very nervous going into it, but you’re given a sedative beforehand to calm you down. It was uncomfortable, but nothing ever hurt. The hardest thing is keeping your eyes open for such a prolonged period of time. They also freeze your eyes by injecting them with needles (again, this sounds worse than it actually was).

At 60, I can see the best I’ve ever been able to since I was a kid. I wear reading glasses for close up, but that’s all.

Yes, numbing eyedrops, not a needle. I just read R47 out of me.

You’ll be fine, OP. It all sounds worse than it actually is.

I spoke about this before, I had cataracts in both eyes. 2 years ago, last March, I had a double cataract in the left eye removed at University of Pennsylvania at the Scheie Eye Institute& the 2nd normal cataract surgery was in LA.

My eyesight after the surgery was 20/10 left eye and 20/20 right eye. I did not like the steroid drops I had to use for weeks. I need to use readers if the TV is far away& no more contacts lenses after 42 years. I've been wearing them since I was 21 years old. The anesthesiologist at Penn was a Hunky Asian hottie with an awesome body, I was impressed!!

My 85yo mom just had it done back in early June and had a very smooth experience. She’s completely happy with the results.

You can definitely handle this. Best wishes!

My 87 year old uncle just had both eyes done (two weeks apart.). He didn’t realize how bad his eyesight had been until after the surgeries. He kept putting it off because he was afraid but it made a world of difference (in a good way.)

I had both eyes done, separately, last year and, other than no longer being able to read with my naked eyes, am very happy with the results. I would note that there is some slight uncomfortable pressure on the operated eye that you should anticipate when having the procedure.

I had both eyes done—each a week apart. I opted for premium lenses and laser. I was given IV Valium but was awake the entire time. I felt a good deal of pressure during the procedure — uncomfortable but not unbearable.

R47, KittyDyke and others:

Did you get the premium lenses or the standard?

I’ve heard that the premium lenses gives greater freedom from glasses at a broader range of distances, but the trade off can be halos around light sources.

Was that your experience?

Do halos make driving at night or watching spotlit stage performances more difficult?

R27 Did you get Light Adjusted IOLs? I know that ophthalmologists recommend those for anyone that previously had any type of refractive eye procedures like LASIK. They can't get an accurate reading for your IOL prescription if you've had LASIK so the Light Adjusted IOLs allow them to tweak it after the surgery. Unfortunately, those are premium lenses which are going to cost significantly more. Medicare and almost any insurance will only cover basic IOLs.

I have an extremely bad astigmatism in both eyes so I will definitely opt for toric IOLs or I would be dependent on glasses for everything (near and far). Even now, glasses will not fully correct my astigmatism so I wear toric contacts almost all of the time. I have been using monovision successfully for the last 10 years so I will do the same with IOLs once the time comes. They don't generally recommend monovision unless you have already demonstrated that you adjust to it with contact lenses. I was able to adjust immediately. Monovision never bothered me at all.

Beyond the toric and Light Adjusted IOLs, I would never consider any other premium lens. Too much of a risk of visual distortion/halos. I've read too many horror stories of people eventually opting to have the IOLs surgically removed it was so bad. It's best just to get the standard IOLs if you have no or minimal astigmatism and no previous refractive procedures. Monovision is a great option if you've previously done it with contacts. Otherwise, just use reading glasses for close-up and have IOLs set for distance.

R56 I has lasik surgery on my eyes back in 2002. However, I was far sighted, with a stigmatism and most people get lasik who are near sighted. Far sighed lasik was in its early stages then. I must admit it was wonderful for the first six months, but then the effects slowly wore off. I was then back to wearing glasses full time, but the prescription wasn't so bad.

When I go de the doctor, should I tell him all this. Would I be a good candidate for the Light Adjusted IOLs? I would really love to go without glasses totally, since I have been wearing them since I was a baby. How much more do the Light Adjusted IOLs cost and I have lots of insurance: Medicare, Blue Cross an Tricare. Won't a combination of all those pay for the Light Adjusted IOLsif the doctor feels it is necessary with my history? Thank you!

Light Adjustable IOLs are more expensive than I realized they were. According to a clinic in Texas, the additional cost is $5,200 to $8,000 PER EYE! The additional cost includes the premium lenses and the additional treatments involved after the surgery.

You definitely need to let the ophthalmologist know of your prior LASIK. I imagine they can tell by looking at your corneas. The prior procedure impacts how they measure your IOL prescription. The doctor will more than likely recommend Light Adjustable IOLs. They can also correct up to moderate astigmatism as well.

You mention that you have Tricare. It's possible that the price might be better through the VA if you are eligible. I would advise contacting a few different ophthalmologists and comparing insurance options/pricing.

Apparently the light adjustable lenses allow the doctor to adjust the vision after surgery to make sure it’s exactly what you want. You usually get up to three chances to move the lens and see if you like it. But it’s crazy expensive

How old is everyone getting cataract surgeries? I'm 60 and just starting to get that blue halo around my irises. My mom got her surgery for one eye in her mid 70's, hasn't gotten the other one because she had violent motion sickness from the anaesthesia and is gun shy. One is is far sighted, the other near sighted, but even the near sighted eye is not so great anymore, and they're dry. I use glasses for work (makeup artist), but not really for anything else, just as long as there is enough light.

Is there a definite time where you say, "Yep, let's do it"?

I know a lot of relatively young people that have had cataract surgery lately or have at least started to develop cataracts. A colleague of mine was 52 and she had no risk factors other than she was very myopic. My own parents didn't get cataract surgery until a few years ago. Both were in their early 80s. A friend of mine that is my age (early 60s) was just told that she was developing cataracts but that she probably wouldn't need surgery for a few years yet. They used to wait until the cataracts were pretty bad before doing surgery, but these days I think they encourage it a bit sooner. You don't want to wait until your vision had deteriorated enough to affect driving safety.

I was in my mid 50’s and was told it was a consequence of 20 years of corticosteroid use for severe allergic reactions. I’d see the halos around lights while I was driving at night. That was enough to get it scheduled ASAP because I had no idea how long it would take to progress to something worse.

I just had my second and final surgery that removed cataracts and had new fancy lenses installed

R63 How do you like them and did they cost more?

[quote[ How old is everyone getting cataract surgeries?

It seems because of the expense many people are getting them when their medicare kicks in. But, if you need them sooner and have the money or insurance, go for it.

I am 70 and made the decision to get them when I couldn't see the letters on the eye chart. The 'E' looked like a foggy blob.

What is the most common kind of lenses people get. One eye for nearsighted and one eye for farsighted?

I got mine removed because it was impacting my work and driving. I couldn’t see well at night at all. I was a teacher (now retired) and I couldn’t read what was on the Smartboard. I thought I was losing my eyesight so to hear it was a fixable problem was a huge relief.

R64 - sorry for forgetting this thread. So far so good. My first procedure was July 2nd and the second one was a week ago this past Monday. I had Vivity lenses put in. They’re upgrades over what the general insurance paid ones are. About $3600 each for just the lenses. We had a good amount in an HSA account and used that.

I wouldn’t say I have super site, but before the second surgery ,the difference between the “new eye” and the other was crazy. Everything is like the light on a monitor being turned up, and colors seem to be high contrast. No more haze of course. They’re supposed to greatly improve my farsightedness

R66 The majority of people opt for monofocal IOLs (intraocular lenses). That is the type that is usually fully covered by Medicare or health insurance. Most people have both eyes set for distance and use reading glasses for close-up. If you've been using contact lenses as monovision (dominant eye for distance/non-dominant eye for close-up), that is also an option with these lenses. Some people manage without any glasses using that option. A small number of people find it difficult to adjust to monovision so it isn't recommended if you haven't been doing it with contacts already. There is also mini-monovision in which the non-dominant eye is only slightly undercorrected. This sometimes allows people to read menus and see at computer distance without glasses, but reading glasses would still be needed for fine print.

There are several other types of premium lenses that typically cost AT LEAST $1,000 extra per eye (sometimes several thousand extra). These include toric lenses for people with significant astigmatism, multifocal lenses that attempt to give vision in all ranges and EDOF (extended depth of field) lenses that produce less halos/glare than multifocal lenses while still increasing the visual range. There is also Light Adjustable IOLs (LALs) that are described at R58. Those are probably the most expensive but should be considered if you have previously had LASIK or similar refractive surgery.

R10, R12, this is why I don't want corrective lenses put in when I have the surgery, which I probably will have to in a year or two. Do they give you that option? I just want the cataracts removed and to go back to my normal routine with the same glasses.

R70 You can opt not to have IOLs. That's the way it was done when my grandmother had her cataracts removed in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the types of lenses you would then need in glasses would look like Coke bottles they would be so thick. Your eyes will look huge. Even getting the newer high index lenses are not going to look great. Without glasses everything will look like it looks when you open your eyes under water. You would likely be legally blind without glasses. I strongly recommend NOT going for that option.

That sounds horrible, R71. I already have high-index lenses. I'm quite near-sighted, and though I test as needing bifocals, I don't understand why, because I read as I always have with the reading material close to my face. I guess I would need the lenses for myopia, then, and then I really would need reading glasses? It doesn't sound like I have any attractive option. And I look about 10 years older without glasses.

Ugh, and reading R69 now, it's even more complicated. One of my eyes is so dominant that I could not find a good prescription when trying to switch back to contacts about 10 years ago. We just could not find the combination of Rxs for each eye that would allow me to see normally. And I do have significant astigmatism in one eye.

I guess I need to make sure I get an expert when I go for the surgery.

R72 I think you will likely be happiest getting the regular monofocal IOLs. You can either have both lenses set for distance or mid-range or do mini-monovision. If you do mid-range or mini-monovision, you will have decent ambulatory vision without glasses. You should be able to focus when looking at menus, computer or smartphone, but would need glasses for reading small print or a lot of reading (like a book). Mid-range would require glasses for far distances and driving. With either of those 2 options, you could opt to get glasses with progressive lenses to have perfect vision across all visual fields, but you could also manage without glasses just having less than perfect vision at either close up or very distant.