Eye surgery

[44man]

Had my cataract removed yesterday. Blood pressure crazy of course before. I have the white coat syndrome even though they wear green. Wonderful people and when i talked to one nurse about fear, she said "we can change it to sterilization" Lot of laughing over that.
Anyway I went with the laser thing and never felt it or the doctor's work. BUT, the machine comes down to the eye and then more. The tool they use to hold the eyelids open is pressed by the laser head and it HURT, like a fork stuck under my lower lid. No pain on my eye. It went well. Have fuzzy vision that is clearing, the feeling of a grain of sand under my lid is gone. No pain.
They took me upstairs and kept the blood pressure thing going, dropped fast and she asked about my pulse, dropped to 44. Told her it is slow most times.
My glasses are not good and I am starting to focus on things if I take them off.
So many drops to dilate, it takes days.
It was a joke when I seen the doc today about some can open eyes way far more then me. That metal thing is in the way.
Can't wait to see and shoot again. Still have to take drops every 4 hours and kind of expensive to refill.

[jcren]

Glad to hear you are recovering. Prayers and best wishes.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I had the same surgery in both eyes last August. After the eye drops and the healing is complete you will be amazed at how well you see with out glasses. I only need them for reading.

[tdoor4570]

Wife had her cataracts removed from both eyes now she has 20/20 vision. Hang in there it gets better

[Preacher Jim]

Will keep you in prayer

[Duckiller]

Cataract surgery is good! After more than 50 years of needing glasses to see any distance I now have the eyes of an eagle. Wearing glasses to read is a pain after all these years but it is liveable. Takes 2 weeks to a month to fully heal. then everything is wonderful. Enjoy your new eyes.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Had both eyes done 15 years apart. Now thanks to modern medicne I must wear glasses to read anything smaller than 2" capital letters without glasses. Because of this need to wear glasses I now cannot shoot handguns with both eyes open without those glasses. I must return to closing my left weak side eye in order to use my right strong hand side for sight orientation. What really burned my rear was the assurances of 3 Dr. that I would be able to shoot the same as always in 2 months or less after the last eye job. I know 2 of these Dr. were handgun shooters already. Naturally they explained my problem as I was that 1 out of 100 patients that encounter this type problem! Hope your shooting doesn`t get affected like mine did.Robert

[mold maker]

4 years later I'm still 20/15 and 20/20. After 65 years of 20/40, it's a miracle. No more giant sunburst around lights at night. I use glasses for close work, but don't really need them otherwise.
44 man I hope you have as good a result.
Hardcast, I'm truly sorry your outcome didn't make it to your expectations. Sometime life sucks.

[Echo]

44man, What a Wuss! Good grief...
Had my right eye done 2 weeks ago - left eye 1 1/2 years ago. Medicare wouldn't pay for the laser, so went with the knife. My surgeon is a good lookin' blonde, about 45 yrs old, and knows what she's doing. Doing OK after a little problem, that will delay a new prescription a week or so, but still seeing OK. Saw her today, and she's happy, so I'm happy - you will be too.

[Kraschenbirn]

I think you'll find gettin' it done will be well worth the effort. Four years ago, even wearing my glasses, my left eye qualified as "legally blind" because I'd had to delay cataract surgery for a couple years due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on that side. Once the AMD was under control, had the surgery on both eyes. This morning, wearing my glasses, my left eye tested 20/20(-) and right 20/20(+).

Bill

[buckwheatpaul]

44man, had mine done 4 years ago....colors are more vivid but I now need glasses for reading.....not for binoculars.....best thing I ever did and hope that you continue to improve.......Paul

[scarry scarney]

I had my left eye done due to cataracts. it's 20/20 without corrective lenses (still need prescription lens for right eye). So, I can take my glasses off, see distance with left eye, see up close with right eye. Natural bifocal!

[paraord]

Great news for you, bad news for any game!! Hope you have a quick recovery and get back to movin lead sir.

[44man]

Conflict with my glasses already. Have to close my right eye to see, right lens drove me nuts so i removed it today.
Still have a conflict with off set and the magnification of the left lens.
But I never seen white like I do now, the fridge is kind of yellow with my left eye but with my right eye I never knew white before. Things are larger from my left eye, hope I can walk around.

[leadman]

Hope your vision improves and things go well for you. I face the same thing in a few years probably.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Hopefully when I get yanked off this world to `a better place` I won`t need glasses!Robert

[DLCTEX]

I had both eyes done five years ago and still better than 20/20.

[Harry O]

My problem is not cataracts, at least yet. I went totally blind in my left eye about 2 years ago. I ended up getting a shot (with a needle) in that eye every month for about a year. Then two months, then three months, and this time it will be 4 months. My vision is 20/50 now and the doctor says that it probably won't get much better. That is still a lot better than blind.

The right eye is starting to cloud over with cataracts, but the doctors say that it is not time yet for cataract surgery. Vision is about 20/30 there now.

I have continued to shoot the Garand at one range, handguns at another range, and CAS monthly. My shooting is not quite as accurate as it used to be, but it did not fall off as much as I was expecting. If I take it slow, I can shoot almost as well as I did before. I have talked with several other people I know well at CAS and was surprised how many of them have vision problems of various kinds, too. It seems most everybody over 65 has some kind of vision problem. That doesn't stop them from shooting, and they seem to do well, too.

It's just the new normal.

[44man]

I am 78 and had to have it done, fog I could not see through. Even a scope was sad. Then to get my drivers license renewed next year and hunting season this fall.
I can actually watch TV now without glasses.
I have to mention the super great people in the doctors office and the hospital. I would love to give them all a hug.
Then to thank all of you that care.

[tdoyka]

i wish you the best!!! in two weeks or a month you be like new.

[SP5315]

Wishing you a speedy recovery. You'll love being able to see those targets again :smile:.

[TXGunNut]

Modern eye surgery is a truly wonderful thing. My mother's cataract surgery didn't go especially well but I suspect she didn't follow post-op instructions very well. The technology involved with replacing an organic lens with an artificial lens is mind-boggling. I hope you get things stabilized and a prescription worked out in time for hunting season.

[Just Duke]

Keep us updated sir. I'm falling apart myself.

[44man]

The sun is the killer of vision and looking through spotting scopes and rifle scopes did not help. I never went any where without sun glasses so it took longer. Needing glasses all day made it happen faster even though they darkened.
I always hated the sun and those that do not protect from it get problems faster. But I had to take glasses off to look through a spotting scope or rifle scope. The cups you fold for glasses on binoculars never worked either.

[Outpost75]

I am now 67.

In 2008 I had a retinal detachment in my dominant right eye, caused by a workplace injury. This was repaired using vitrectomy and internal drainage in which a gas bubble was injected into my eye to hold the retina in place, while its edges were tacked in place with a laser. The retinal repair was completely successful, but the eye developed a cataract, removed a year later.

During the cataract surgery I had an interoccular implant of intermediate focus inserted into my right eye. The specific lens I had implanted is an AcrySof acrylic foldable IOL with UV filter by Alcon Laboratories, Model SN60AT of power 21.5D having a ThetaT length of 13mm and a ThetaB optic of 6mm, which was implanted in 2009. Objects from 20-40 inches away are in sharp focus. I use a slight correction for distance and for precision close work. I can read the Wall Street Journal under good light, or work on my computer without corrective lenses and I no longer have a corrective lens restriction on my driver's license. My vision is 20-20 with progressive lenses having a slight distance correction for the surgery eye and a slight reading correction for close work, such as reading Vernier scales on peep sights or calipers. The sights on my carry gun are sharp without glasses when I extend the gun in 2-handed Isoceles.

Before suffering the detached retina I competed in highpower rifle and indoor bullseye pistol shooting using shooting glasses approximately -0.5 diopter less than my reading prescription. My shooting glasses were optimized for a focal length based upon the measured distance my cheek bone below the eye to the front sight, being approximately 39 inches for me. This gave a sharp sight picture, but the target was fussy if I used only my right eye. The target would sharpen considerably if I also used a Merit adjustable iris with the corrective lenses, but this isn't always practical in dimly light indoor ranges. But it works great outdoors for slow fire conventional pistol shooting in full sun.

Prior to cataract surgery when shooting service rifle outdoors I could read the number boards OK with my left eye, but when down in position looking through the sights it became necessary to count target frames to be sure I was on the right one, so that I wouldn't crossfire. I could hold 6:00 on the bull for standing, 200 and 300 rapid, and would frame the target at 600 yards. Back in the 1980s I shot Master, but these days I'm Expert.

I could use a scope if the eye lens was backed off to put the reticle in sharp focus without corrective lenses, and hunted with no issues. Firing a shotgun or iron sighted rifle I shoot with both eyes open, as I have good distance vision in the left eye. The brain has no trouble merging the target image in the left with the sight image in the right.

I was told by my retinal specialist when the vitrectomy was done to repair the detached retina, that the surgery eye would eventually develop a cataract because while the laser used for the retinal repair was focussed at the back of the eye, putting all that energy through the lens tissue causes a localized opacity. This was not a matter of "if" I would get a cataract in that eye, but rather of how soon it would grow become objectionable. Within 6 months after the retinal repair the focal distance in my right eye shortened to about half of normal and distance vision in that eye eventually deteriorated to 20/200. When I could no longer adjust scopes so that the reticle was sharp, and when using iron sights on a revolver became impossible, all I could do was superimpose a fuzzy gun over a fuzzy silhouette and instinctively point-shoot Applegate style. I received extensive coaching from a retired FBI academy instructor who made me a true believer in point shooting, but that is another story... For those who want more on this read Applegate's book Bullseye's Don't Shoot back and follow it. It works.

While I could have gotten new corrective lenses and lived with my condition for a while longer, my eye doctor advised that the younger I was when I had the surgery, the better the chance for a successful outcome, because the eye is more flexible and resilient that it would be if I waited several years longer. I would enjoy more years of good vision by having the surgery sooner, rather than later. Being active and then still working full time working outdoors, I decided not to wait on cataract surgery. I had it done and my outcome has been wonderful. I function fine without glasses in well lit, indoor office environments, although due to the nature of my outdoor work I wear progressive Transitions lenses most of the time. My vision so equipped is like being 20-years old again.

Fast forward 6 years post-surgery! As was explained by my surgeon, it is normal to developed some scar tissue behind the lens after 4-6 years. This is the normal expected outcome. I wanted to avoid a corrective lens restriction on my driver’s license, so once my vision in the surgery eye was no longer correctable to better than 20-40, I had the scar tissue corrected using a laser in the doctor's office. The day after the laser procedure my vision in that eye was 20-20 uncorrected. Six months post laser my eye again required a slight distance correction and a very slight one for very close work, but my glasses obtained 4 years ago about a year after the lens was implanted correct everything to 20-20 and the sights on my Garand and carry gun are sharp.

My advice is that you want a eye surgeon to do the lens implant who does ALOT of them.

If he happens to also be a retinal specialist and is your regular eye doctor, and he is skilled in all the modern laser techniques, you are indeed lucky.

I am on Medicare so everything was covered between that and my government employee's retirement supplemental insurance.

[Markbo]

When you hae a cataract removed do you automatically get the lens replaced at that time?

[44man]

When you hae a cataract removed do you automatically get the lens replaced at that time?
Yes, doc will measure you before and have the right one ready. I went with the standard. I will need reading glasses. I looked through my Ultra Dot and it is perfectly round.

[mold maker]

IIRC The regular lens used for cataracts was fully paid for by Medicare, but the upgraded lens was $1100.00/ea more .
On SS, guess which I got, (and they were fine) while my wallet still had beans and bacon money in it.

[Hickok]

44man, praying all goes well for your vision.

[Markbo]

Prayers sent up!

[DIRT Farmer]

Just over 5 weeks post surgury on the second eye, got my glasses yesterday and read the 20-10 line each eye. The sun is still really bright even with sun glasses. My sights are sharp and clear. hope yours go as well

[44man]

I can only thank all of you. Such dear friends.

[Echo]

44man, we've BT, DT...

[DougGuy]

Sheesh being a welder 45+yrs I can only imagine what my vision will be like in 10yrs. 63 now and wear reading glasses for most stuff and have to wear a clip on magnifier to do close work. I still weld too! Doh!

Jim glad you got this done I think in a couple of weeks you will be out seeing how far you can shoot that .44 again!

[Duckiller]

Something that I should have mentioned. Lens that were installed for me have a filter that makes sunglasses unnecessary. I still wear polaroid sunglasses when it is bright or when I remember. Since this was done by Kaiser Permanente who do not do anything that might be considered experimental I assume that this filter is standard or readily available. If I forget to take sun glasses with me this filter helps avoid the effect of bright sun. If you are going to have cataract surgery ask about it.

[.45colt]

We all need to rember one thing, every human is different. I had cataract surgery in December and January this year. had a torn retina in the left eye fixed by laser in the office. had two torn retina's in the right eye, then on April 12th it tore thru where it had been lasered. then I had a vitrectomy to fix the damage. out of work for six weeks. My job requires a lot of lifting up to 90lbs. none of the doctors would admit that lifting had any effect on the eye. I have since learned a lot different from several others. I pray for others and myself for a complete healing.

[44man]

Yeah, a lot of things can cause damage. Watch the dips that shoot huge rifles like the "T REX". Can tear the retina off and will even tear the heart loose.

[Outpost75]

When you have a cataract removed do you automatically get the lens replaced at that time?

That is the usual procedure.

[44man]

I seen doc the other day and will get the left eye done the 19'th. Too much conflict to fit with reading glasses. I removed the right lens from my glasses but the left lens magnifies and has off set to screw me up. Can't get reading glasses fit that way.
My left eye sees a yellow tinge too.

[white eagle]

Best of luck Jim
My Mother had hers done and she loved it
just had my left knee replaced myself (right early March)and am
trying to get to computer as much as I can but very painful
will keep tabs on you
Best

[44man]

Knee stuff is tough. my neighbor had both done and is doing well. Can't kneel down but he lifts stuff OK.
He is a tough old goat and has both eyes done and both knees, Works like a fool. He stacked 200 bales of hay last week.

[Blackwater]

It's amazing what they're doing with eyes today. I took my Mom to get her cataracts removed and a new lens put in, and it was amazing! When we walked outside, there was a redwing blackbird in a pecan tree nearby, and I, with my glasses on, couldn't spot it. I casually said something like "Now where is that darn bird?" and Mom pointed it out to me with her new bare eyeballs! Sheesh! Talk about humbling!

But they're very sensitive, and subject to infection that CAN truly make huge differences very quickly. You'll be in my prayers. Wishing you a great recovery and even better vision than you had back when you were a teenager!

[44man]

Thank you.
Many eye drops for weeks. Just follow instructions and it will work out.

[44man]

Going in the 19'th for the left eye. Too much difference now for reading glasses. I am going to drive them nuts. I will ask if they borrowed the speculum (spelling but the gadget that holds the eye open) from Dr Offus, he does colonoscopies. Because it hurts and I know they had to retrieve it from in my shorts.
Then after my right eye I looked in the mirror to shave, closed my left eye and seen a scary, old bastard looking at me so it will be twice as bad with both eyes. I want a free can of mirror fogger.
Then when they give the hold open tool back to the other doc, it needs more butt lube on it.
Great hospital, I got a card that everyone signed.

[Blackwater]

44man, that's the only real problem with getting better eyesight - them danged mirrors! [smilie=l:

[oldcanadice]

Then after my right eye I looked in the mirror to shave, closed my left eye and seen a scary, old bastard looking at me so it will be twice as bad with both eyes. I want a free can of mirror fogger.

That's one of the scary parts of being able to see again. The wife & I had the things done last year. Ever since, she keeps wondering who that old bag is in the mirror and I have no idea who that old fart is that looks at me as I walk by. I certainly wouldn't know him if I saw him on the street.

On the other hand, there are benefits to be had for seeing us as we are. I went from very near-sighted to very far-sighted -- it's amazing to see individual blades of grass at 50' when looking out thru our windows. NEVER did that before even with glasses and being outdoors is an especially great treat now -- everything is crisp, like a perfectly focused picture. Not everyone gets that -- my wife got the multi-focus lenses so she could read without glasses, so her distance vision isn't like that. She reads all the time, though, and loves the trade-off she got.

Side-effects are livable; sometimes subtle and not noticed for a while: Things are always still sharp compared to before, but I do need enough light for things to be crisp. Night-time light flare is not worse but decidedly more noticeable, but I can see through the flare of headlights and stop lights now where they used to totally blank out everything. Reading glasses are a pain (I need 3 different levels for outstretched arms-length, closer stuff, and real-close) and getting good ones that satisfy both eyes is a bigger pain. Gotta have them for shooting pistol or iron sights -- the difference between 3" or 10+" at 25 yards. But, hey!, I'm finally back into revolvers after a many-year hiatus.

Do not be surprised if it takes awhile for things to sort out after you get the 2nd eye done. The visual processor takes a while to adjust (e.g.: it took me 6 months to not see 4 headlights on every car and other serious light-displacements at night). One day, I realized it had been good already for a while and it wasn't clear at all for how long. Other than for an occasional few edge-of-vision flashes in a very darkened room at night, I don't notice any kinds of strange visual things anymore.

Good sight is a marvelous blessing. I pray your final results are at least as good as mine.

[rondog]

Glad to hear everyone's doing so well! I hope I never need the surgery, but I'll get it if I do. I'm terribly nearsighted, been so since I had measles as a kid. But lasik scares the hell out of me. That whole "flap" thing that never heals freaks me out.

My wife works for Kaiser Permanente, in Eye Care of all things! She's a union member, so the cataract surgery may well be free for me. I had gastric bypass surgery on my stomach for weight loss and it didn't cost us a dime! That still blows my mind.

[44man]

The flap will heal. Eyes really heal fast. Got checked the other day and doc said it was beautiful.
Now a Friend had Lasic and he works in the aircraft
industry, military choppers now. He got a spray in his eye so after Lasic, they could not put the cover back, too much damage, so how they do that is crazy. But he can still get cataracts.
But when you see a big fog, time to fix.

[white eagle]

had lasic done a 15-20years ago glad I did it
now both knees and a hip so far
lifetime of heavy manual labor take it's tole on a body

[Blackwater]

I can't remember, but there's some procedure you cant' have after you've had lasic surgery. Anyone remember what it is?

[rca]

Interocular implants (cataracts ) removed 30 years ago. Have a restriction on my license as I have 20-50 in one eye and 20-30 in the other . Am sitting here reading this without glasses and can read news paper without themin the sunlite

[rondog]

But when you see a big fog, time to fix.

Shoot man, I've been in a fog since the 70's.......:p

[Clay M]

I have an astigmatism in my right eye that I inherited from my father.
I also have cataracts starting to develop.

I can no longer beat my twenty nine year old son at shooting a rifle.
I blame it on my eyes, but the truth is , I trained him from the time he was six years old.
I trained him to beat me, so I have been successful.

[44man]

I got the laser stuff done. Crazy how it works but $1300 each eye. I don't know if I could hold to have the doc cut with a knife, scrape the cataract out. the laser cuts the cataract into little squares to flush out.
I don't know why after lasic, you could not be fixed, you get a new lens. It only forms the lens but you can still get cataracts.
Why didn't they make something to prevent it and soften the lens to focus?