Had cataract surgery yesterday...

[TastesLikeChicken]

...on my right eye. It was a relatively quick and painless process. I waited a couple of hours to get into the operating room but the actual surgery took around 10 minutes. The results were fantastic. The problem though is that I am 58 years old. Most people don't have cataract surgery until well into their 70s. So why did I have early onset?

I did some research and found that some studies show, on average, people who have had LASIK have cataract surgery 10 years before those who haven't had LASIK. I loved my LASIK. 10 years of perfect vision. But now it has gone to complete and utter shit. My left eye isn't far behind. I'll have surgery on that in August.

When I questioned the optometrist who did my post-op follow up today about the studies he smiled kind of sheepishly and made some vague remark about how the eye has some natural anti-UV protective measures.

I used to be a big advocate for LASIK. It can produce wonderful results. But at what cost? Do some research. Early onset of cataracts may not happen to you, but you're fucking with your eyes, so think carefully and proceed cautiously. There might be things they aren't telling you.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yikes that's scary to know, I got LASIK a few years ago. Worse is when I hit 40 I'm going to need glasses for reading anyway, at least that's what they told me. But it's either continue needing glasses, or buy 10 years of not needing them. So LASIK bought me 10 years of no glasses. I still think it was worth it as I was sick and tired of dealing with glasses (reflections, always getting dirty etc) so it bought me 10 years of sanity. I'm too squeamish when it comes to eyes to even think about contacts. The surgery was a one time thing to do so to me that was easier than contacts.

Do you do welding or anything that involves high energy arcs? I always thought that was one of the things that caused early cataracts.

 

[JEDIYoda]

So you did some research.......you actually trust he internet to be your doctor????

 

[sdifox]

Yikes that's scary to know, I got LASIK a few years ago. Worse is when I hit 40 I'm going to need glasses for reading anyway, at least that's what they told me. But it's either continue needing glasses, or buy 10 years of not needing them. So LASIK bought me 10 years of no glasses. I still think it was worth it as I was sick and tired of dealing with glasses (reflections, always getting dirty etc) so it bought me 10 years of sanity. I'm too squeamish when it comes to eyes to even think about contacts. The surgery was a one time thing to do so to me that was easier than contacts.

Do you do welding or anything that involves high energy arcs? I always thought that was one of the things that caused early cataracts.

Wait you have concerns with putting little pieces of plastic in front of your eyeballs but chose to cut open your eyeballs instead?

 

[Linflas]

...on my right eye. It was a relatively quick and painless process. I waited a couple of hours to get into the operating room but the actual surgery took around 10 minutes. The results were fantastic. The problem though is that I am 58 years old. Most people don't have cataract surgery until well into their 70s. So why did I have early onset?

I did some research and found that some studies show, on average, people who have had LASIK have cataract surgery 10 years before those who haven't had LASIK. I loved my LASIK. 10 years of perfect vision. But now it has gone to complete and utter shit. My left eye isn't far behind. I'll have surgery on that in August.

When I questioned the optometrist who did my post-op follow up today about the studies he smiled kind of sheepishly and made some vague remark about how the eye has some natural anti-UV protective measures.

I used to be a big advocate for LASIK. It can produce wonderful results. But at what cost? Do some research. Early onset of cataracts may not happen to you, but you're fucking with your eyes, so think carefully and proceed cautiously. There might be things they aren't telling you.

I am close in age to you and while I always wanted to get LASIK the fact that it evolved as I aged and hasn't been around long enough for all the consequences to be known I never got it done. I hate dealing with glasses and contacts but that is what I am stuck with. When my uncle had his cataract surgery something ended up going wrong and now he is effectively blind in one eye so glad to hear it all went well for you.

 

[highland145]

I am close in age to you and while I always wanted to get LASIK the fact that it evolved as I aged and hasn't been around long enough for all the consequences to be known I never got it done. I hate dealing with glasses and contacts but that is what I am stuck with. When my uncle had his cataract surgery something ended up going wrong and now he is effectively blind in one eye so glad to hear it all went well for you.

I'd like to get the multi focal lens but the process seems to keep getting better so I've waited. And, iirc, $6K/eye.... I've worn glasses for 30 years so I'll just stay with them until it is cataract time.

 

[Mayne]

I'm getting cataract surgery soon too.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

...on my right eye. It was a relatively quick and painless process. I waited a couple of hours to get into the operating room but the actual surgery took around 10 minutes. The results were fantastic. The problem though is that I am 58 years old. Most people don't have cataract surgery until well into their 70s. So why did I have early onset?

I did some research and found that some studies show, on average, people who have had LASIK have cataract surgery 10 years before those who haven't had LASIK. I loved my LASIK. 10 years of perfect vision. But now it has gone to complete and utter shit. My left eye isn't far behind. I'll have surgery on that in August.

When I questioned the optometrist who did my post-op follow up today about the studies he smiled kind of sheepishly and made some vague remark about how the eye has some natural anti-UV protective measures.

I used to be a big advocate for LASIK. It can produce wonderful results. But at what cost? Do some research. Early onset of cataracts may not happen to you, but you're fucking with your eyes, so think carefully and proceed cautiously. There might be things they aren't telling you.

My GF has cataracts at 33, there's plenty of outliers with any kind of 'average'. Don't sweat the early onset. We're basically falling apart from 30 onward.

 

[Linflas]

I'd like to get the multi focal lens but the process seems to keep getting better so I've waited. And, iirc, $6K/eye.... I've worn glasses for 30 years so I'll just stay with them until it is cataract time.

I have multi-focal contacts but still end up using 1.25 readers at work. At home I just wear my normal glasses instead of the contacts and when reading just take them off. Finally since first diagnosed in 4th grade an advantage to being nearsighted: I can read without glasses due to presbyopia.

 

[highland145]

So 1 upside to getting old.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Yikes that's scary to know, I got LASIK a few years ago. Worse is when I hit 40 I'm going to need glasses for reading anyway, at least that's what they told me. But it's either continue needing glasses, or buy 10 years of not needing them. So LASIK bought me 10 years of no glasses. I still think it was worth it as I was sick and tired of dealing with glasses (reflections, always getting dirty etc) so it bought me 10 years of sanity. I'm too squeamish when it comes to eyes to even think about contacts. The surgery was a one time thing to do so to me that was easier than contacts.

Do you do welding or anything that involves high energy arcs? I always thought that was one of the things that caused early cataracts.

Nope. Not directly.

And if you're squeamish about your eyes you'll just love cataract surgery, if it comes to that..

So you did some research.......you actually trust he internet to be your doctor????

I trust some of the information on the internet, like actual case studies.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25661126

CONCLUSION: A long AL and an increase in corneal HOAs might contribute to a tendency for cataract surgery to be performed earlier in eyes in which LASIK has been performed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27163615

CONCLUSIONS: Microkeratome-assisted LASIK seems to be correlated with earlier cataract extraction. Patients with a history of microkeratome-assisted LASIK under-went cataract surgery a decade sooner than patients with similar demographic and ocular characteristics.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26703483

CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery has been reported with increasing frequency in corneal refractive surgery patients, since 2008. These patients had preoperative CDVA similar to those of patients without previous corneal refractive surgery but were younger and were at higher risk of worse postoperative CDVA, especially if they had preoperative CDVA of logMAR 0.0(6/6) or better.

When multiple medical studies come to the same conclusion, there might actually be something to it, don't you think?

 

[boomerang]

Was talking to a guy today that recently had a detached retina. He said he suddenly noticed a bunch of floaters and went to the eye doctor. The doc took a peek and said you're going to the eye surgeon like right now.

His retina was 95% detached and the surgery was performed within an hour of his arrival.

He said that they purposefully insert a bubble into the eyeball and for nine days he had to keep his head in the downward position. The surgery is done by laser and the bubble keeps the retina against the back of the interior of the eyeball. Eating, sleeping, showering, everything. Nine days. The surgery was a success but the bubble has not yet been totally absorbed.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wait you have concerns with putting little pieces of plastic in front of your eyeballs but chose to cut open your eyeballs instead?

There is barely any contact to the eyes during the surgery, and it's a one time thing and rather fast (probably faster than what it would take me to put on contacts for my first time). Rather go through a 1 time ordeal than have to deal with physically touching my eyes every day. Though the eye drops I had to put on 3 times a day for a few weeks were very unpleasant. Was so glad when those were over. I also got lucky that I don't get dry eyes, while rare some people who get Lasik end up needing to use eye drops all the time.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Nope. Not directly.

And if you're squeamish about your eyes you'll just love cataract surgery, if it comes to that..

What is involved in the surgery, like how far into the eye ball do they actually have to go and how is recovery process? I was surprised at how quick and painless Lasik was but I imagine cataract surgery is more involved.

 

[sdifox]

There is barely any contact to the eyes during the surgery, and it's a one time thing and rather fast (probably faster than what it would take me to put on contacts for my first time). Rather go through a 1 time ordeal than have to deal with physically touching my eyes every day. Though the eye drops I had to put on 3 times a day for a few weeks were very unpleasant. Was so glad when those were over. I also got lucky that I don't get dry eyes, while rare some people who get Lasik end up needing to use eye drops all the time.

Err, the laser made a cut, then you allow the cornea to heal itself. Just because they used a laser doesn't mean there is no contact.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Err, the laser made a cut, then you allow the cornea to heal itself. Just because they used a laser doesn't mean there is no contact.

No physical contact, well there is a suction cup and yeah the laser. But my point is, it's rather minimal, and it's a one time thing. So if I had to choose between contacts every day or going through that surgery once, and putting up with the post op stuff, the surgery wins. They also freeze it so you don't really feel much. The laser sorta feels like the edge of a butter knife slightly dragging on your finger, except it's on your eye. not really pleasant but not as bad as me trying to get a contact in there. The eye drops were actually worse than the surgery itself.

 

[sdifox]

No physical contact, well there is a suction cup and yeah the laser. But my point is, it's rather minimal, and it's a one time thing. So if I had to choose between contacts every day or going through that surgery once, and putting up with the post op stuff, the surgery wins. They also freeze it so you don't really feel much. The laser sorta feels like the edge of a butter knife slightly dragging on your finger, except it's on your eye. not really pleasant but not as bad as me trying to get a contact in there. The eye drops were actually worse than the surgery itself.

Tried contact for two years then went back to glasses. I have been wearing glasses before you were born :awe:

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

What is involved in the surgery, like how far into the eye ball do they actually have to go and how is recovery process? I was surprised at how quick and painless Lasik was but I imagine cataract surgery is more involved.

Beforehand there's a bit of a waiting period where they put what seemed like a hundred drops in my eye; numbing drops, dilation drops, antibiotic drops, etc., and they hook you up to an IV. Once in the surgery room a small incision is made in the eye, they ablate the lens using some sonic device, remove it, then insert the new lens. The actual procedure takes about 10 minutes or so. After the new lens is inserted you are wheeled out and there really isn't any sort of recovery period. You have to wait 15 minutes or so to shake off the relaxant they administer via the IV. The process is kind of weird during that 10 minutes in surgery though because you can see them rooting around inside your eyeball. You know something is going on, you just don't know exactly what though.

The difference is noticeable immediately. Unlike LASIK you aren't instructed to keep your eyes closed for the first few hours. I thought my left eye was still relatively decent. In comparison to my right eye now, it sucks. The colors I can see with my right eye are more vibrant and I now see whites much whiter and brighter than I have in years. In my left eye everything looks dingy, like it's coated in a dirty film. Can't wait to get my left eye done. Then I'll need to recalibrate the TVs for brightness and contrast.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Tried contact for two years then went back to glasses. I have been wearing glasses before you were born :awe:

I had been wearing them since like high school, but I just started growing tired of them. It seems in the past few years they must have changed the way they make lenses or maybe I just never noticed before, but I would find they would get dirty super easily, and would reflect everything. I was always constantly tilting my head certain ways to avoid getting annoying reflections. Just got so fed up I bit the bullet and got Lasik. I had been thinking about it for a long time and finally got the courage and just booked it.

Was nervous as hell when I actually was in the waiting room though, but after it was done it was a big sigh of relief. Don't regret it at all.

 

[RollWave]

Was talking to a guy today that recently had a detached retina. He said he suddenly noticed a bunch of floaters and went to the eye doctor. The doc took a peek and said you're going to the eye surgeon like right now.

His retina was 95% detached and the surgery was performed within an hour of his arrival.

He said that they purposefully insert a bubble into the eyeball and for nine days he had to keep his head in the downward position. The surgery is done by laser and the bubble keeps the retina against the back of the interior of the eyeball. Eating, sleeping, showering, everything. Nine days. The surgery was a success but the bubble has not yet been totally absorbed.

Yeah depending on the gas used it can be 4-8 weeks that the bubble gradually dissipates over. The physics of retina surgery is very unique...this is what we do now, you have no idea how crazy procedures were 10, 20, 30 years ago!

 

[RollWave]

What is involved in the surgery, like how far into the eye ball do they actually have to go and how is recovery process? I was surprised at how quick and painless Lasik was but I imagine cataract surgery is more involved.

Cataract surgery is certainly more involved than LASIK but recovery in an uncomplicated case is quite quick. Typically within a few days to the first week depending on how dense the cataract is...now the thing in post-LASIK eyes is the measurements used to pick the lens for your surgery requires a slight amount of guesswork and isn't necessarily as accurate as those that haven't had LASIK so its a sort of pick your poison scenario. I would tell all of you who have had LASIK to make sure you have your records from before surgery including all the tests / procedures done so that you can present this to your cataract surgeon whenever you end up needing that done. Makes the end result that much better.

 

[TheELF]

The process is kind of weird during that 10 minutes in surgery though because you can see them rooting around inside your eyeball.

Yeah pure horror, seeing the doc cut open your eye and fidgeting around in it and you having to just lie there and let him,had my left eye done after it went almost blind at age 40,it's really nothing much to the procedure but man it's just so against everything evolution taught you.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Yeah pure horror, seeing the doc cut open your eye and fidgeting around in it and you having to just lie there and let him,had my left eye done after it went almost blind at age 40,it's really nothing much to the procedure but man it's just so against everything evolution taught you.

I chose a doctor with 30 years of experience and thousands of surgeries for this process. It was definitely weird, but I trusted his experience.

The vision in my right eye just keeps getting better. Looking forward to the next surgery despite the strangeness of it. The horror of the process is worth the trade-off, imo.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I chose a doctor with 30 years of experience and thousands of surgeries for this process. It was definitely weird, but I trusted his experience.

The vision in my right eye just keeps getting better. Looking forward to the next surgery despite the strangeness of it. The horror of the process is worth the trade-off, imo.

What are the caveats to cataract surgery? Do you have to wear glasses again?

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

What are the caveats to cataract surgery? Do you have to wear glasses again?

You might have to wear glasses. It partially depends on the IOL (Intraocular lens) that your surgeon selects for you. Some of it depends on you too.

If you get a good, experienced surgeon chances are you may not need glasses. imo, you should count on the worst and hope for the best. There are so many factors involved that there are no promises and some of those factors may be out of your surgeon's control.

I can't say enough how pleased I am. But I was pleased with LASIK at first as well. Hopefully this process lasts longer than LASIK did.