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 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.
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! :-)
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.
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.
Talk to your Ophthalmologist. The interocular lens available are remarkable. I have a friend who is 20/20 with out glasses after his cataract surgery. What works for one person might not be right for you. This is very individual choice.
Driving...My doctor filled out some certificate for the state...to get “glasses” off my license.
Near vision for reading and using this computer was easily done with 1.5 cheaters.
p.s. We used to call it "Cadillac" surgery, for the eye surgeons who make the moneys.
Some new implantable lens tech coming pretty soon (if you can wait):
https://youtu.be/cEO5vUUYM2I?si=59gR8us646YSAIvg
Advice on the “older” tech lenses:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Y7LYIEtfW5Y?si=L1Lh4IbNIzrnd_yc
Medicare only pays for “single-vision” lens implants I think...I hear that the “progressive” implant lenses (look like “Fresnel” lenses) cause “halos” at night around lights.
Before the surgery, I had to take my glasses off in order to be able to read a book. If I wore my glasses while reading, then my vision was blurry when I wanted to watch TV or use my computer. I now have 20/20 vision distance, but I can't see $hit up close. If I want to make sure my glasses are cleaned properly, I have to put on a pair of reading glasses while cleaning them.
The other problem I was recently told about by my eye doctor, is that 2/3rd's of people who have cataract surgery done, end up with cells developing within the lens sack they insert. They will eventually affect your vision. He told me I have those cells, and that if I notice my vision blurring, or problems with glare occurring, I would need to have a laser treatment during an office visit. Apparently the laser destroys the cells, and according to my eye doctor, they don't come back. You'd think that in this day and age, crap like that wouldn't be happening.