Posted on 05/16/2018 2:41:09 PM PDT by CaptainPhilFan
Hey FReoples! I'm too young for cataracts, but so is my sister so apparently it's a genetic condition.
Went to the Ophthalmologist earlier today on a referral from my Optometrist who discovered them a month ago.
Was expecting "Oh, yeah, but you can wait a few years" but got "Oh, the right eye is pretty bad, you should do this now".
Then I got the impression this was a production line deal, the Doc wanted me to file for insurance approval and make all appointments on the spot more or less, and THEN went into his sales pitch about lasers and upselling and various lenses and what did I think ..... He was talking out of pocket expenses between $2000-3000 - for one eye.
I thought to ask you guys about your experiences; anyone have Catalys Laser for astigmatism, Symfony "Better" Lenses, any troubles? Mono or multi vision?
I'm barely mid fifties, so whatever I decide now should last a few decades, God willing. So I have to make the right decision. Or least not a bad one.
Just doing the right eye now, left may come later as the cataract there is not as bad.
I can still see close up fairly well, all but the tiniest of print. Glasses are for driving and movies and to help the astigmatism.
Also, I have bottle of MSM sitting on my counter, ordered a month ago when I first found out. People claim it breaks up the protein clumps and gets rid of the cataract naturally. - Anyone here try that??
Thanks for sharing your experiences and wisdom with me. If we can't change the world maybe at least we can help each other's lives. :)
I've read that our natural lenses have built in UV protection, and that artificial lenses do not (hence the perceived intensity in brightness after surgery).
Per what I've read, most people who have cataract surgery will later develop macular degeneration, due to this. It's recommended that people getting the surgery use UV protective glasses to prevent that.
My lenses were paid for by medicare and other insurance. I could not afford the top of the line but they still used nice ones.
The Dr. said they were made in Canada. It has been almost ten years and my vision has deteriorated a tiny bit but still easily passed my drivers license test a year ago.
I can read a book in good light without reading glasses. Other wise I use fairly weak ones. Distance vision is excellent.
I had it on both eyes just over a year ago. I went from 20/400 in both eyes to 20/20 and 20/25.
I am in my 60’s, but still a little young for surgery, but I was told it was because diabetics can need it sooner. A friend of mine also had the surgery because of steroid use for asthma. If you need it, you need it.
I am still working. It got so bad, I couldn’t see contrasting print on our documents and my contacts couldn’t correct my vision, just a few months after getting a new script. I was a bit hesitant, but my work life was suffering. Best thing I ever did. It is amazing to go through life now w/o contacts or glasses!
I went to my university hospital and it it done by a surgeon who does this all the time, not by some fly by night guy. My insurance covered all but about $4-600, and my flex plan covered that.
I thought I was up on everything having to do with cataracts, but apparently not.
What is this procedure, and what's it for?
Just don’t be the unlucky one to have the laser tag the retina by mistake. Don’t know if it still happens but it definitely did.
That's an idea -- get used ones to save money. I might look into that. /sorry
Tough it out. Get used to seeing yellow light and being blinded at night. You’re too young and will be considered a sissy if you have it done now. /s/s/s/s/
Yours is the first testimonial I've seen about the workability of that home remedy.
I went as far as buying some and setting up the eye dropper, but have not yet tried it.
I'd resigned myself to resorting to the surgery, but I'll give the castor oil a try, first.
Thank you!
I don’t have cataracts.
I believe they work on one eye at a time. The second one comes later. I could stand corrected on that. I don’t know anyone who has had problems with it but, of course, there must be exceptions.
bfl
I would be thoroghly pleased with that outcome.
HAHA..while I was being prepped for the procedure, they had a large TV screen for us to watch displaying what the surgeon was doing to patient’s eyes scheduled before us.
That was the hardest thing to watch. The procedure itself was a breeze.
Oh, I seriously luv my FReeper FRiends. THANK YOU all so much for sharing experience, wisdom, and knowledge. I realize this is not a huge event; God willing and thank God most of us will live long enough to enjoy cataracts :/ . The aging process ain’t what it used to be, eh? :)
I’ve got SO much to read and reflect on. And to the FReeper who said “Free Republic is getting old” I say , “Well yeah, but aren’t we so much better”? I mean, look who we got elected, eh?
MAGA
.
My Father lived 90 years and never had any cataracts.
And the girl across the street is 15 and already had the lens of both eyes removed.
Is this world going insane?
It was done by laser-non invasive. The best feeling in the world was the cold wet tissue applied to my eye right after.
By the way, my cataract surgery was done though a 2 millimeter slit through the white of my eye. I see someone mentioned the cornea.
Multi vision implants can be good but it’s touch and go to get the prescription perfect so I would go with mono-vision and use reading glasses if I had to do it again...
If you don’t take the standard lens it costs more. I am having the first eye done on June 4,th. It’s outpatient surgery so my copay is $275 and about $180 for the eye drops. Then $40 copays for 2 office visits. I am only getting the standard lens which corrects distance vision. I have no problem wearing glasses for reading. My neighbor said his wife got the upgrades and it was around $7000.
I had both eyes done last year. Multi-focus lenses. No issues, and it’s wonderful to not wear glasses (except for reading) for the first time since I was 8. I’m early fifties.
You won’t regret getting your eyesight back.
Recovery is immediate. The laser disintegrates the floaters.
His experience was so easy that he can't wait to have the other eye done. "I wish I had this done years ago." He's thrilled to have his vision back with such little hassle and zero pain – to him, this procedure was easier than a dental cleaning.
The "worst" part for him was the eye drop regimen before and after, which was annoying because he had to pay attention to a schedule LOL. But really, not a big deal. (He's a typical male, a terrible patient, and if he thought it was easy-peasy, it was.)
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