Posted on 10/23/2023 5:03:28 PM PDT by TNoldman
I am 88 and need Cataract Surgery. I am very active and want to continue to wear glasses for eye protection for my varies hobbies (Carpentry, auto repair, etc).
I am nearsighted and have always worn glasses. I prefer single focus Lenses - should go for "Near" new Lens them adjust with new glasses or "Far" then adjust with new glasses.
...or give your best recommendations that you have from your own experience!
I didn’t know you get a choice.. I’m probably going to get mine done after the new year and I’m only 62, but diabetic.
Placemarker
Bride got expensive adjustable focus lenses.
Has a hard time seeing in dim light.
“I didn’t know you get a choice.. I’m probably going to get mine done after the new year and I’m only 62, but diabetic.”
LOTS of choices! But all with pros and cons.
I recommend “far” correction for both lenses, then get glasses for reading. Has
worked well for me.
I had cataract sugrgery in one eye 10 years ago.
I asked the surgeon to give me lens which will allow me to use my existing glasses. I am also near sighted. Do not need glasses to read. I like the redults.
“Has a hard time seeing in dim light.”
That is one negative that has me putting it off.
I had mine done when I was 49. I chose the wear reading glasses and let the cataract lenses handle distances. My reasoning was it’s a pain in the butt for me to get prescription sunglasses dark enough but it’s easy to get a six-pack of +2 reading glasses off eBay. :)
I would strongly suggest going for the near lense NOT the far lense. I made a mistake when I chose the far lense. I can drive fine without glasses, but how often are you on the road? We’re not on the road a lot. But for everything else (reading, computer work) I wear glasses.
So, the near lense would be my choice. There is a dual lense (far/near) but my eye dr. strongly discouraged their use because it shrunk everything up and made everything very small. He left the single lense near/far decision up to me and I think I chose poorly —wish he would have questioned me further.
So.....learn from my mistate! :-)
BookMark, vivity and the whole durn thread.
Tatt
My eye doctor has the personality of a turnip. Instead of answering questions and concerns, sent me away with generic pamphlets. All make any choice sound wonderful. No information on drawbacks or limitations.
Yes, I’m consulting another doctor. But would appreciate independent recommendations or experience.
Focus on your front sight! So you want you focus to be set to arms length. I had mine done this way, and I only have to wear my glasses to see the stars and to use a sunglasses when driving. It is amazing how white the world is. All that yellow is gone.
You do get any choice you like, But you pay for anything you choose that deviates from the standard Medicare allowed lens.
I got lenses that helped correct my astigmatism. They also did a bit of laser correction that also helped with my stigmatism. If you have that, Medicare will not cover.
My wife got the lens that corrected for near and far (not bifocal - much better).
Those two deviations from the basic Medicare coverage lens cost us $9,500.
Do your due diligence well before choosing. And remember, before you cheap out, that you will be stuck with your choice for the rest of your life. I suffered for astigmatism all my life. I wasn’t going to save money when presented with the opportunity to fix it.
Had mine done a couple of years ago. One of the possible answers to your needs can come from a recommended source of regular glasses by the surgeon or his/her staff. I chose seeing far without and glasses up close.
One of the beneficial results of this surgery is the lenses inside will correct a lot of problems that caused the need for glasses in the beginning. I was very near sighted and had worn glasses since I was four. But the surgery took me to 2015 in both eyes without glasses and an easy correction up close. I use the cheap reading glasses sold at the dollar stores and see better than the normal 2020 when I do. They come in multiple strengths and with a little experimenting, you can most likely find what you need.
I have three pairs, one for the computer, one at my chair in the living room, and one that travels with me in a protective case. And at a dollar a pair, if I lose one, big deal.
If you need glasses for more intricate work, you can get them at almost any eye care professional. Good luck.
wy69
Well, either way you’ll need glasses sometimes. I had always been nearsighted and I opted for lens replacements that allowed distance vision without correction. Now I can drive without glasses, but I’ll always need some correction to be able to read normal-sized print comfortably. For general use I wear progressive bifocals, and I have a pair of cheap drugstore reading glasses to do close-up work around the house. For sunglasses I wear plastic wraparound tinted safety glasses with UV protection, the kind that have little reader inserts. They scratch up easily, but they’re cheap.
My wife also had cataract surgery a few years ago and chose to have lenses that let her read and do close work without glasses, but she needs glasses to drive or watch TV. Neither of us has ever worn contact lenses.
Whichever you choose, please continue to wear good quality eye protection for your carpentry and such.
Wife and I have had both eyes done. There are 3 levels. Medicare covers the basic, the others cost $3-$5,000. Our experience is it doesn’t matter which way you go, the lens replacement is a crap shoot. I do suggest laser lens removal.
Note, I’m blind in one eye so the cataract surgery was critical in my good eye and I got the “basic” lens and am satisfied except for night driving.
I’d go for great distance vision and then use reading glasses for the close up stuff.
Had mine done a few years back. Need cheap glasses for reading/sometimes computer. But ordinarily, they’re on my head...and when I lay down to watch TV...no glasses. Yay!!
Don’t need for driving either.
Had mine done six years ago (I’m 71 now).
I always had my contact lenses prescribed for left eye near, right eye far. Had the same done for the cataracts and have never looked back. From what I hear the near/far solution is not for everyone.
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