Anyone had a cataract operation?
Discussion
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Glad to hear it seems to be going ok for you. The consultant I saw said I'd need to use a contact lens in my unoperated-on eye as glasses would send me loopy. Apparantly it's not only the sharpness but also that the image size is different & the brain finds it hard to resolve. anonymous said:
[redacted]
Glad it's all gone well, micropore tape is a quick fix to block out the lens in your glasses for the unoperated eye in the reading specs as unequal image sizes can make it difficult, although the brain can adapt remarkably well. Bet you are pleased not to have 18+ week NHS wait for 2nd eye surgery.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micropore-Surgical-Tape-5...
Edited by HelenT on Tuesday 5th March 21:35
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Glad it seems to be going well. I am provisionally booked in for early April for my first eye. Are you wearing a contact lens in your bad eye? This is what I am going to try and do until my second operation. I am hoping to get back to work after a few days … this seems unrealistic according to your experience. But I suppose it is quite personal.
Did you have General or Local anaesthetic? I opted for local, but my consultant has recommended sedation due to my other 'complications'.
Mike
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I'm glad it all went well despite the 'moment' I hope the recovery is good too.I used to wear contact lenses when younger - so I hope that this will enable me to drive with my unoperated eye when I have the first operation.
I wore the single contact lenses on the weekend and it was pretty good for distance - however my close work on a laptop was impossible so I will need some reading glasses too.
Mike
Afternoon all,
I had my first cataract operation yesterday and I am now recovering. I thought I would share my initial thoughts. My sight this morning was very good, despite my eye being dilated still. Compared to my 'good' eye the 'new' eye seems better, clearer and sharper.
I am wearing a contact lens in my 'good' eye and I have purchased some cheap reading glasses to enable me to type this on my laptop. The consultant has recommended that I don't have the second eye done until I need it - which he has stated could be years yet (primarily due to the trauma ten years ago in my 'new' eye causing the cataracts to develop 'early')
I am getting some 'wobbling' in my peripheral vision in the 'new' eye, which I am presuming is normal. The vision is said to get better over the next 24 hours which I cannot imagine what it will be like....
The actual operation was pretty good. For about two hours before the operation, I had multiple eye drops in the eye to dilate and provide some antibiotics (or was it anaesthetic?). For the operation, I had sedation and local anaesthetic but I was fully awake through the entirety. The actual operation was not painful, a few bright lights, some darkness/ shadows and very mild discomfort at a couple of stages - no worse than trying to put a contact lens in, though. The medical staff were brilliant throughout. I think I was in the operating theatre for about 20 minutes in total. A quick sandwich and drink (I hadn't eaten since 7AM and the operation was at 18:30) and then the patch was removed. Next, I had a check-over by a nurse to make sure it was healing (already!) and that I responded to lights and then we left. At that early stage, with very unbalanced eyes, (one eye corrected and one at -8.00 - high myopia) I could see the difference. The vision was blurry around the edges probably due to the dilation.
The consultant did mention my operation was a little more difficult because of the vitrectomy I had 10 years ago.
One thing I had not realised, was I had a habit before the operation of removing my glasses and bringing items very close to have a look at them. That is now no longer possible- so my reliance on reading glasses is forever. There is a possibility to have a different lens in my 'good' eye to make focussing on stuff up close easier, but obviously losing my distance vision in that eye. I will see how I get on and make that decision in a couple of years (hopefully).
I am taking eye drops four times a day - which I am finding a little difficult because I cannot see the bottle up-close in the mirror (see above). I have a follow-up with the consultant in two weeks. I am planning to go back to work tomorrow.
Hopefully, this account may help others - I did not find any information on the web actually describing the procedure and the bits around the operation. I am not sure if mine was typical either.
Mike
I had my first cataract operation yesterday and I am now recovering. I thought I would share my initial thoughts. My sight this morning was very good, despite my eye being dilated still. Compared to my 'good' eye the 'new' eye seems better, clearer and sharper.
I am wearing a contact lens in my 'good' eye and I have purchased some cheap reading glasses to enable me to type this on my laptop. The consultant has recommended that I don't have the second eye done until I need it - which he has stated could be years yet (primarily due to the trauma ten years ago in my 'new' eye causing the cataracts to develop 'early')
I am getting some 'wobbling' in my peripheral vision in the 'new' eye, which I am presuming is normal. The vision is said to get better over the next 24 hours which I cannot imagine what it will be like....
The actual operation was pretty good. For about two hours before the operation, I had multiple eye drops in the eye to dilate and provide some antibiotics (or was it anaesthetic?). For the operation, I had sedation and local anaesthetic but I was fully awake through the entirety. The actual operation was not painful, a few bright lights, some darkness/ shadows and very mild discomfort at a couple of stages - no worse than trying to put a contact lens in, though. The medical staff were brilliant throughout. I think I was in the operating theatre for about 20 minutes in total. A quick sandwich and drink (I hadn't eaten since 7AM and the operation was at 18:30) and then the patch was removed. Next, I had a check-over by a nurse to make sure it was healing (already!) and that I responded to lights and then we left. At that early stage, with very unbalanced eyes, (one eye corrected and one at -8.00 - high myopia) I could see the difference. The vision was blurry around the edges probably due to the dilation.
The consultant did mention my operation was a little more difficult because of the vitrectomy I had 10 years ago.
One thing I had not realised, was I had a habit before the operation of removing my glasses and bringing items very close to have a look at them. That is now no longer possible- so my reliance on reading glasses is forever. There is a possibility to have a different lens in my 'good' eye to make focussing on stuff up close easier, but obviously losing my distance vision in that eye. I will see how I get on and make that decision in a couple of years (hopefully).
I am taking eye drops four times a day - which I am finding a little difficult because I cannot see the bottle up-close in the mirror (see above). I have a follow-up with the consultant in two weeks. I am planning to go back to work tomorrow.
Hopefully, this account may help others - I did not find any information on the web actually describing the procedure and the bits around the operation. I am not sure if mine was typical either.
Mike
Similar to my experience. Both eyes done last year.
Only tip I can offer is to get a pair of clear plastic safety glasses for working around in the garden or suchlike (should any gardening take place) to keep the infectious dust out for a month. My neighbour lets her 'twigs' overgrow the path here, so was at risk of poking out me new eye en route to the car. Mowing the lawn is a bad idea, said doc, as it chucks microscopic crap into your face.
Had both my eyes tweaked for distance, and wear cheap 1.5 supermarket readers for the laptop. No problems.
Your 'new eye' will be very bright tomorrow. Took mine a couple of days to settle down from the wobbly stage. Amused self by reading car number plates 100 metres away. :-)
Only tip I can offer is to get a pair of clear plastic safety glasses for working around in the garden or suchlike (should any gardening take place) to keep the infectious dust out for a month. My neighbour lets her 'twigs' overgrow the path here, so was at risk of poking out me new eye en route to the car. Mowing the lawn is a bad idea, said doc, as it chucks microscopic crap into your face.
Had both my eyes tweaked for distance, and wear cheap 1.5 supermarket readers for the laptop. No problems.
Your 'new eye' will be very bright tomorrow. Took mine a couple of days to settle down from the wobbly stage. Amused self by reading car number plates 100 metres away. :-)
Edited by Slushbox on Wednesday 10th April 15:27
paul.deitch said:
I am pretty short sighted and at night get lots of haloes around bright lights when driving which is irritating. Do the haloes go away or are they reduced after the op?
My night driving 'eyes' improved dramatically after the op, no 'stars' as with the pre-cataracts. Also the cataracts made everything yellow, smeary and very dim, to the point of me blaming the house/car light-bulbs. Big revelation after the ops with both eyes 'reset' for distance. Post-op, one eye: if I tilt my head down while looking at a bright light at night, there's the faint image of the circular implant as a brighter ring. Looking straight on, it's fine. The other opped eye doesn't have this. Night driving is now fine, especially with no glasses or contacts. Overcome with joy - bought a new car.
For what it's worth, about a month after the op(s), I was summoned for eye test at hosp. Don't drive there as again you get the dilation eye drops. Bright lights intensely painful while being examined.
Could read the second line up from bottom of the eye chart, doc announced 'perfect' long distance vision.
Other eyes will be different, presumbly. :-)
paul.deitch said:
I am pretty short sighted and at night get lots of haloes around bright lights when driving which is irritating. Do the haloes go away or are they reduced after the op?
Have you been diagnosed with cataracts? I did not suffer with my night vision, maybe because one eye is good. So, I am not expecting my night vision to change much.If you are having difficulty I would go to an optician and explain. Night vision difficulties 'might' not necessarily be cataracts, my mum has glaucoma which affected her night vision. Early diagnosis is a must.
paul.deitch said:
I am pretty short sighted and at night get lots of haloes around bright lights when driving which is irritating. Do the haloes go away or are they reduced after the op?
Halos & flares are one of the known side effects of multifocal lenses (pilots cannot have multifocals) so if you are particularly concerned then go for monofocal implants. You might need to get checked why you are seeing halos if you don't have a cataract. Slushbox said:
Similar to my experience. Both eyes done last year.
Only tip I can offer is to get a pair of clear plastic safety glasses for working around in the garden or suchlike (should any gardening take place) to keep the infectious dust out for a month. My neighbour lets her 'twigs' overgrow the path here, so was at risk of poking out me new eye en route to the car. Mowing the lawn is a bad idea, said doc, as it chucks microscopic crap into your face.
Had both my eyes tweaked for distance, and wear cheap 1.5 supermarket readers for the laptop. No problems.
Your 'new eye' will be very bright tomorrow. Took mine a couple of days to settle down from the wobbly stage. Amused self by reading car number plates 100 metres away. :-)
Thanks for the tips (especially around mowing the lawn). Glad you had the 'wobbly' effect too. Any little abnormality has me thinking something is wrong (I am not a hypochondriac either, but when it comes to my eyes...…..I am!)Only tip I can offer is to get a pair of clear plastic safety glasses for working around in the garden or suchlike (should any gardening take place) to keep the infectious dust out for a month. My neighbour lets her 'twigs' overgrow the path here, so was at risk of poking out me new eye en route to the car. Mowing the lawn is a bad idea, said doc, as it chucks microscopic crap into your face.
Had both my eyes tweaked for distance, and wear cheap 1.5 supermarket readers for the laptop. No problems.
Your 'new eye' will be very bright tomorrow. Took mine a couple of days to settle down from the wobbly stage. Amused self by reading car number plates 100 metres away. :-)
Edited by Slushbox on Wednesday 10th April 15:27
Let's see how things go over the next few days!
Mike
I'm having this done in a month or two - and cannot decide whether to go for "perfect" distance vision. If I do then I will need to wear a contact lens in the other eye and then wear reading glasses for close up. I have been trailing some contact lenses and have found I'm pretty much wearing the reading glasses all the time - 80-90% of my day is on the computer/watching TV etc. Even seeing the satnav in the car without reading glasses is quite difficult.
Therefore I'm tempted to get the eye set so I can just carry on with vary-focal glasses.
For those who have had the Op - how did you decide?
Therefore I'm tempted to get the eye set so I can just carry on with vary-focal glasses.
For those who have had the Op - how did you decide?
x5x3 said:
I'm having this done in a month or two - and cannot decide whether to go for "perfect" distance vision. If I do then I will need to wear a contact lens in the other eye and then wear reading glasses for close up. I have been trailing some contact lenses and have found I'm pretty much wearing the reading glasses all the time - 80-90% of my day is on the computer/watching TV etc. Even seeing the satnav in the car without reading glasses is quite difficult.
Therefore I'm tempted to get the eye set so I can just carry on with vary-focal glasses.
For those who have had the Op - how did you decide?
Similar to me. I decided to go for distance. I currently struggle with anything closer than arms length. I am wearing cheap reading glasses for the laptop. I have ordered some bifocals for driving and also some bifocal sunglasses. The bifocals are off-the-shelf so cheap again. Therefore I'm tempted to get the eye set so I can just carry on with vary-focal glasses.
For those who have had the Op - how did you decide?
Varifocals for my prescription were getting expensive.
I am able to watch the telly without any glasses - I can also drive without glasses - but I am trying the bifocals as I like the instrument cluster to be clear too - my satnav is pretty large and gives a close-up at junctions.
Also, bear in mind I only had my operation yesterday - so things may get better for me. I find my corrected vision for distance is superior to my eye with contact lens at this early stage.
Mike
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