Posted on 05/20/2018 7:07:10 PM PDT by George from New England
I have pending cataract surgery in a days time. Being told to pay an extra $1000 for a toric lense to correct 1.19 astigmatism. No insurance or benefit will cover as this can be accomplished with normal glasses.
I don't think I will tell the difference, because when we use $1 readers and I have done so for 20 years, there is no astigmatism correction present. My eye exams going back years show me at a 1.00 astig. level for years and years.
So why bother at this level 1.19 of concern ?
Any freepers please comment. Really want to opt for the standard IOL lense.
The rest of my story is good eye is 20/20 and my distance one. Mono-vision approach has me looking for +2.0D correction in the cataracted eye. Shooting for near/intermediate distance of 15"
I had the same choice and elected not to have the astigmatism correction due to financial concerns. I really can not tell the difference. Both eyes are 20/15 without correction. Laser Cataract surgery was wonderful for me however. Seeing colors that I havent seen for 20 years.
How old are you?
63
I wouldn’t bother with it. I was told 35 years ago I had astigmatism in one eye, and that’s why I had to have two different contact lenses, one for left and one for right. About 25 years ago, I started experimenting by switching my lenses, or wearing a left lens in each eye one day, and a right in each eye another day. I did this for months. Eventually my eyes were the same and now I can get one box of lenses and use them in both eyes. So much of what they tell us is just an excuse to make more money. IMHO.
I agree with you. The eye doctors profit margins have been squeezed, so this sounds like an up sell attempt, as on a car lot.
Just a young ‘un, eh?
If you’re still working and not retired, I’d consider the more expensive option.
Should I expect that after surgery, to get a follow up visit where he gives me the prescription for glasses that I can order ?
Or will he charge me to give me the optical results of the surgery he did ?
The most complaints I’ve seen on the net involving cataract surgery are about not being able to see up close after surgery. Mono vision is the way to go. +2.00 will get you kinda close computer range.
If your little bit of astigmatism isn’t given you problems now, don’t pop for the cash.
Shooting for near/intermediate distance of 15” sounds good. Have your surgeon put up loose lenses over the distance part your glasses and see what you like for up close.
It’s usually covered as a part of the surgery.
I was given the same advice when I had cataract surgery last year - it seems to be the one-size-fits-all advice - and I have been unhappy with the results.
The toric lens improved but did not correct my astigmatism. The bigger problem was that I ended up extremely far-sighted after the surgery. This is a very common outcome that the doc glossed over with big promises about how great my new eyesight was going to be. Over a year has gone by and it still drives me nuts that I can’t see anything up close. Since I can’t see well enough to work at a computer or read or even to do ordinary things that require near vision like chopping vegetables or shaving, I have to wear glasses most of the time anyway. So what was the point of the fancy toric lens beyond padding the bill?
If you do any type of work that requires close eyesight, I would advise you to insist on a progressive lens implant instead of the toric. It’s about the same price, and you can add glasses to correct the astigmatism when reading, if needed. I wish I had done this, but the doc pushed the toric like it was the only possible option.
Don’t do it. If you need them you can wear glasses. You probably won’t.
I had severe astigmatism (2.0) but the basic cataract surgery; my friend had similar vision and chose the advanced, costly option. She’s thrilled with it, but so am I. It came down to a matter of our individual financial situations.
If you can afford the more expensive option, at your age, I’d probably go for it, but don’t know that the additional $$$ will make a HUGE difference when you can see just fine and only need $1 store reading glasses for reading or close work. BTW, my post-surgery vision tested 20/20. (subsequent retina issue brought it to 20/30)
Good luck, whatever you choose .. you will be delighted with the results.
The most important thing is the number of surgeries this physician had done relative to lens implants and any complaints about his surgery.
My ophthalmologist had done in excess of 15,000 implants before he did mine. He told me the options of different kinds of implants and did not try to up-sell me. My insurance paid for most of it anyway. I decided on the most basic implants as they have a long and proven record. I still wear glasses but the implants were due to cataracts that were making me slowly go blind. I can still fly an airplane.
Reason I mention it is, I'm 66 and my natural eyeball lenses no longer adjust for focus -- I have to do it all with glasses and other aids. I have 3 sets of glasses, all astigmatism-corrected.
This all came up in the past 5 years -- up until then my lenses worked okay, and the astigmatism was minimal.
Beware, age changes everything, and most of it is not for the better.
also, don’t pay extra for the “laser surgery”: 99.999% of the time it’s nothing more than a scam to pad the eye surgeon’s profits. It’s almost never necessary, does NOT have better outcomes, and some research shows it can have worse outcomes. Neither medicare nor private insurance will pay for it, and there’s a reason for that: it’s not necessary.
Did just one ophthalmic surgeon tell you that or have you seen several others and they all said the same thing?
I recommend you do more research by talking to multiple doctors.
My own general attitude is that $1000 is nothing in comparison to good eyesight.
But doing more reseaech is prudent.
Talk to more doctors.
I’m convinced I can see a wee bit into UV...
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