I’ve known two friends and one close relative who received cataract surgery. In all three cases it allowed them to see MUCH much better. I don’t know about the original poster, but the people I have known to have had cataracts lead to more cataracts until the world is a dark-yellow-gray blur. Two of the three wore glasses all the time anyway (the relative needing three different pairs: near, far, and mid for organ playing). The one who only needed reading glasses still only needs reading glasses. The third one passed away due to complications from diabetes, but he raved about the net results at the time.
Obviously every case is different, so it must be important for the doctor to describe the specifics. I know I ruled out RK for myself as my nearsightedness has blessed me with not needing reading glasses despite my middle age. Folks 30 years my junior are amazed at how I can read the tiny 8 point type on the big screen, with no glasses.
5 years ago, I was nearsighted and wore progressive lens glasses all the time for distance and reading.
Then I developed cataracts, they (my natural lenses) were removed and replaced by soft plastic artificial lenses.
Since then, my vision has been crystal clear and I’ve got better than 20/20 in each eye.
For reading, I use a cheap pair of drugstore reading glasses. Otherwise, I’m glasses free.
I would never go back to my previous situation.
You had a choice.
I too chose to lose my near-sighted ability and gain better distance vision.
But you could have chose the monofocal implants that allowed for 20/20 within 2-3 feet.
My eye doctor has made it very clear that, 1. I may still be nearsighted and need glasses even after cataract surgery, 2. I will definitely need reading glasses after surgery.
Cataract surgery is an absolute miracle! Yeah, talk to your doc about whatever corrections you’re going to get so you have proper expectations but man, what a blessing. Get ‘em done or slowly go blind. Easy choice. Not a mistake.
And yes, I’ve had both my eyes done. I was a tough guy and waited until the last possible moment. I could hardly drive and was dangerous when I did. Had to carry around a magnifying glass to read WITH my readers. It does not “get better”.
I don’t understand, if you had a cataract how could you see at ALL?
I was so nearsighted up until about 6 yrs. ago. I had laser
surgery & doctor did it where one eye is for distance vision
and the other is for up close. Nothing is perfect; but this
works ok for me. - I also take a few of those vision
nutrients occasionally. They seem to help; and I can tell
when I need to start taking them again.
My asian eye doctor asked me if I had a cataract. I said, “No, I have a Rincoln and a Chevy Cavarear.” (just had to use that stupid joke)
You don’t get the surgery....you eventually go blind. Simple as that.
I hear ya!
I haven’t had cataract surgery (yet); I had corrective lens implants back in ‘08. I was 45 and my eyesight was really bad - LASIK was out of the question.
Yep, had 20/20 vision again but like you, it took away my short vision. I wasn’t told beforehand. I felt crippled. Hated having to always carry a pair of readers everywhere but now I’m used to it.
However, my vision has since deteriorated and I’m back to needing glasses on top of the implants.
Oh yeah, and another side-effect of the implant surgery - I’m developing cataracts....
Sheesh....
I had clear lens replacement done about 4 years ago. It’s the same as cataract surgery but I paid for it to eliminate having to wear glasses all of the time.. I chose to get bifocal lenses. They allow me to read and see far. They use a fresnel style technology to allow both visions. The two things I do not like is 1) in low light I cannot see poor contrast text. 2) I get lot’s of floaters now. I don’t know if having the surgery was the cause. I do need glasses for close up work to get a focus outside of the near vision prescription.
Tough call.
It did wonders for both of my parents.
Mine was only done in the left eye, and it improved distance vision.....BUT..
I now have a distracting blur in the 8:00 to 12:00 periphery in that eye.
It’s more distracting during night driving.
Not sure what I’m going to do when it’s time for the right eye.
The clinic I used is top notch, with all the latest gear.
Must have been 22 different machines to measure various aspect of my eye and vision.
Ultimately, it’s the eye surgeon’s skill that makes the difference.
I am sorry for your experience, but it is not the only outcome and probably not typical to still need glasses all of the time. I had lens replacements more than a decade ago and do not need glasses for near or far vision and I was very near sighted before the surgery. It was a vast improvement over losing clear vision in both eyes and would do it again in the same circumstances. I did, however, thoroughly research various surgical options and surgeons.
Cataracts are for old people.
I drive a Ford....
I didn’t have a choice. .
One eye was all fogged up to the point that it was unusable.
I had the corrective implant put in and then a couple years later the other eye fogged up the same way.
You can do it any way you want. Only 5 percent of people who have cataract surgery choose to forfeit some distance vision improvement in exchange for not having to wear reading glasses. I was one of those 5 percent. I read for my living and so I was not keen on losing my close-up vision.
It turned out fine. Better than fine. I don’t have to hold reading material a couple of inches away from my eyes in order to read it anymore. I read like a normal person. My distance vision still needs a lot of correction, and I am fine with that. I am going to get middle-vision glasses just for the computer.
The clarity is amazing. I kept going to different places to enjoy the improvement. Times Square was sharp and dazzling once again, after being kind of a blur for many years.
Don’t put it off, once your doctor says you need it. It is scary but NOTHING!! The longer you wait, sometimes the harder it is to get the old lens out and the easier it is to suffer a tear of some kind. Then you have to go back to have the tear corrected.
The operation itself takes 20 minutes. The only hard part is the anxiety.
It is one of the three “miracle” operations that have improved the quality of life enormously for those past middle age, the other two being hip surgery and stents (and bypass).
Great car!
I had been putting off cataract surgery for some time as I was afraid of surgery, especially with my eyes. However, it got to the point that I didn’t feel safe driving, which was restricting me. I did research on the Internet, found a doctor that had good/great responses from his former patients and decided I needed to do it and just had both eyes done a couple of months ago.
My left eye was pretty bad, since I had waited so long (doctor said that was the toughest one he had done - took almost an hour instead of the normal 15-20 minutes). Before we did the surgery we discussed the specific lenses that should be implanted. I’ve been near sighted for years and decided that I’d rather be able to see to drive and other things and use glasses for reading and computer work.
I’ve been THRILLED with the results! I don’t mind using glasses for working at the computer and close up reading (got mine at Costco optical). It’s so great to see each leaves on a tree, flowers, watch TV and do many of the things I had been doing and not seeing well without glasses.
It may depend upon your doctor - I would recommend mine to anyone - he’s super!
Hope things work out for you!
Best,
SC
Love your car. Needed to get cataract surgery. Told doctor I had a strange nerve network in my face so that proper deadening took place. As he was making cut to replace first lens for my right eye I sat up on the table, new lens popped out with some tissue so he used spare lens. Second eye went much better. Can see computer screen and read without glasses by primarily using my left eye and without glasses. Have to have distance vision glasses in order to drive and don’t drive after dark in strange areas. Depth perception is a real problem and I see a retina specialist every three months. As long as the right eye pressure remains steady and doesn’t deteriorate it’s fine and I’ll continue to work around the issues.
Yes, I would do it again but probably with a different doctor or at least make sure that my doctor paid attention to what I said.
You had cataracts replaced or lenses replaced?