Hey guys -

Looking to learn more about cataract surgery. Any personal experiences?

I've been bothered mainly with by my low light vision as well as what is probably a normal change in my prescription. Went to the ophthalmologist yesterday and I have cataracts (I kind of figured that}, but after talking with the Doc, I'm not convinced the problems I'm having seeing in low light conditions will be solved by cataract surgery, and that is what is really bothering me. They scheduled me for cataract surgery in August (1st available date they tell me) and I have been referred to a retina specialist first. I guess I'll see what that Doc says.

Anybody here have cataract surgery or dealt with onset of poor indoor and night vision? I'd love to hear your experiences. Thanks.

I had both eyes done in January and February. My vision driving at night is a major improvement! I still wear reading glasses for the computer and the newspaper. They knew I had cataracts over 10 years ago but at my last exam,the doc said I had better get it taken care of. My only regret is not having it done sooner! Good luck to you!

Had both eyes done last year, unplanned; retina in left eye detached = emergency surgery, and one thing led to another.
Eyesight in left eye hasn't returned to pre-detachment clarity - it's kinda like looking through a smudged lens - but it could be worse.
Basically, the "reflector" (retina) gets damaged/wrinkled/scarred from detachment.
Anyway, ended up having brighter/bluer sight after the new lenses, but I've since noticed something:
Depending on where I'm focusing, it's a bit like looking through binoculars, with a dark edge at the periphery (both eyes).
Just at certain angles, yet peripheral vision is otherwise fine.
Everything tests fine outside of the residual left eye damage, and maybe I never noticed it before and it's always been that way; nobody's explained it.
Night vision does seem better as far as glare.

Oh, couple more things:
Follow-up visits the next day, then a few more, gradually spaced out. No driving, exercise/strain of any kind, to keep eye pressure down.
Keeping head down for a solid day or two, a lot of different & expensive eye drops, it really disrupts everything for awhile.

And sleeping with that clear plastic cover on your eye for 3 days so you don't scratch your eye! The tape usually doesn't stick...I for got about the expensive eye drops...

So what would you the recover time is? Until you can return to normal routines without worrying and taking extra precautions?

I had cataract surgery a long time ago. Only missed one day of work for each eye. You don't want to do any heavy lifting, etc for a few days (doc will let you know), but no problem driving the next day. Low light vision was definitely an issue prior to the surgery. 17 years later and I still do not need glasses for distance. I do use glasses for reading although my near vision is still pretty good. It is an easy process and the improvement is well worth it. Good luck and nothing to worry about.

My last eye examine the Doc told me I have one forming on the left eye but too early for surgery right now.
So I'll be following this thread.

I had both eyes done and the difference was unbelievable. Everything got brighter and I could actually see the curb in the corners at night. I had no problems driving the next day as long as I wore the dark glasses they gave me. They gave me a choice as to where I needed to see best. I chose far away. Now I just wear Walgreens 1.5 magnifiers to read.

Years ago my Father in law had his done. After the first one he got in our car to go home. He said he was sorry he had it done. My wife asked him why. He said he couldn't see any better than before the surgery. My wife said "dad, you have a plastic cup taped over your eye!

Both eyes and great results. The procedure is only about 20 minutes and I could not believe how bad it was and how good it got. USE the drops as directed. Helps with the itching a lot. TOdd

Similar experience to others, good results.

I was pretty anxious when they did the first one, I fell asleep on the table when they did the second.

The strangest thing for me was when they gave me a card with the serial number of the lens that was in my eye.

Went to doc a year ago September 1, she said I had cats and wait a year. So I go back in October and now she said I’m fine, what?! Do they get better? Squeezing me for Medicare money i guess?

^^^ Maybe she had a Mercedes payment to make at the time ?
Cataracts don't get better; they're age-related deterioration, and we all get them, though at different rates of decline.
Reading through the responses, the recovery instructions sure do differ !

Just got mine done. Right eye was about three weeks ago, and the left a week later, so I am in recovery mode still. My cataracts didn’t bother me much until last August when driving from the UP to Virginia I noticed that I was seeing double center lines on the road, then began unconsciously removing my glasses and closing that eye when reading.

Went to the optometrist for my regular eye exam in October. He asked “what the heck happened to your right eye.”? Apparently I went from a tiny cataract to pretty severe in a year’s time.

I decided to have the cataract procedure done in Tucson, where we spend the winter, so I don’t impact my summer shop and play time in Michigan.

I opted for laser assisted surgery, which isn’t covered by Medicare Advantage, or, I think most other health care policies. Regular “surgeon with a scalpel”, conventional surgery is covered under all health care policies, under the Affordable Health Care Act, as are conventional lenses and up to two pair of glasses.

I also opted for premium lenses, which aren’t covered, either.

Scheduling here in Tucson wasn’t an issue. There are literally dozens of specialists here that take care of these old peoples issues.

I did a little internet searching to find a provider with good reviews. There are always some complaints when doing this, so you have to sort out the entitled complaints from what might be genuine issues. I am happy with the provider I selected. The practice has at least three optometrists and, I think, four ophthalmologist’s on staff.

The first appointment was a week after my initial inquiry, and was a two past deal: initial exam and review of results with a senior ophthalmologist, followed br a detailed eye measurement session with the technical staff. There was a slight hiccup, as, when measuring my eyeballs for the new lens, they determined that my eyes are elongated, which increases retina separation risk. They contacted a retina specialist at a different clinic, and scheduled me for a sign off exam a couple days later, before the scheduled surgery.

The initial surgery was the next week, which, of course a little scary. There was a zoom call with the actual surgeon, who had reviewed the exam and test results, and recommended a Vivity lens rather than the Panoptix (trifocals) lens I had selected. The Panopticon a v Vivity give the best full range vision. There is also a Toric lens which is a grade above standard, but can’t optimize both distance and near vision.

The surgery was uneventful. The anesthesiologist puts you in “twilight” mode, so you do know what’s happening. Actual surgery takes maybe twenty minutes. There is a day after and one to two week follow up exam for each eye Vision is poor for a couple of days , but gradually clears up. You wear a plastic shield for a week, at night, so you don’t scratch. Buy your own tape, and clean your face with a cotton patch and rubbing alcohol, as the tape I received with the post-op kit doesn’t stick to oily skin. The kit included all of the drops I needed. Take the drops for four weeks, first three times per day, then two. The drops are a steroid.

I thing my vision is still improving after three weeks, but I suspect I will end up with reading glasses. Distance and mid range is fine without glasses in my right eye. The left is a week behind. She optimized my dominant (right) eye for distance and the left more for intermediate.

It’s still strange to be driving and walking around without glasses. I got my first pair in 1965, and haven’t functioned without them ever since.

The cost was a little less than $3000/eye, although I haven’t received any billing yet.

Standard surgery and conventional lenses are, I think, around $300/eye.