I can see more clearly now.

DavidApp · Dec 17, 2019

I had cataract surgery last Thursday on my left eye and am seeing long distances much better now. The issue is until the eye/lens stabilize I am without the correct near vision glasses so I am using a magnifying glass for some forum work.
My right eye has a retina problem and is not much help on close work.
Night driving was becoming more challenging so I decided it was time to get it done. The right eye problem made the decision difficult as I could not drive on that one alone.

Going for my first post op check up in the morning.

I have noticed that in the last few years I have been far more diligent about eye protection.

David

TR3driver · Dec 17, 2019

Glad to hear it went well, David. Congratulations!

JPSmit · Dec 17, 2019

excellent! but is the rain gone? can you see all obstacles in your way
are the dark clouds gone that had you blind?

and above all is it a bright bright sunshiny day?

pdplot · Dec 17, 2019

Good news, David. At 86, my eyes are still pretty good-no cataracts - and although I have glasses, I really don't need them. Worst problem? Being blinded by headlights on narrow roads, mainly from big SUVs whose low beams are still right in my eyes. There oughta be a law. I almost hit a stupid jogger recently wearing all black clothes when two SUVs blinded me coming around a blind curve on a narrow, unlit road. That guy didn't know how close he came to meeting his maker. Of course, it would have been my fault: "86-year old man kills pedestrian" - I can see the headline now, along with cries "Why is he still driving?".

DavidApp · Dec 18, 2019

You were obviously blessed with great eye genetics.
Both my parents were short sighted so I got their eye issues and have been in glasses since I was about 12.
At my checkup to day I was seeing better with no glasses than I had been with glasses so that is a great improvement. I need help for close work.

There was a watch and clock repair guy in our town who worked into his 90s still doing mechanical watches.

David

pdplot · Dec 18, 2019

I was more near sighted years ago but my vision has been improving through the years - except for close-up and reading. I do have reading glasses. Near-sighted people usually get better with age. I do have an incipient cataract but it never gets any worse - so far. My hearing? That's another story. $2500 Costco hearing aids help with those high frequencies. I can still hear a car two blocks away but have trouble hearing folks across the table from me in a noisy restaurant. And most restaurants these days are deliberately noisy - "exciting" they call it. We've walked out of some places because of the noise.

LarryK · Dec 18, 2019

Glad things are better. Dr. says I have a cataract in my left eye, but I can't tell. Still use readers under the dash and magnifying glass for small numbers on parts. Like pdplot, hearing shot, no aids yet. In restaurant can hear everything behind me, but not wife sitting in front of me. Funny thing, I can hear the train whistle 10 miles out of town. The astigmatism makes night driving harder. Audiologist next.

DavidApp · Dec 20, 2019

Had a checkup with the other eye DR.

I am seeing 20 20 -1 with the left eye now no glasses. Better than when I was 12. Will need glasses to correct the astigmatism and close work.

David

Gliderman8 · Dec 20, 2019

Great news.

Basil · Dec 20, 2019

When I saw the title of this thread I thought you were going to tell us the rain is gone.

But seriously, glad the procedure went well.

DrEntropy · Dec 22, 2019

Know the cataract remediation well. Went through it at 55. Had a retinal detachment in the left orb a year later and as a consequence it now wears a scleral buckle. Both retina have been laser welded back into place. Not a pleasant experience. But considering that just a few decades ago these procedures were largely unavailable makes the temporary discomfort nearly pleasant.

I'm secretly in love with my retina surgeon. She's smart, skilled and stunning. And an aspirant photographer. I'm sure nobody here would rat me out, right? :wink:

Mickey Richaud · Dec 22, 2019

DrEntropy said:
Know the cataract remediation well. Went through it at 55. Had a retinal detachment in the left orb a year later and as a consequence it now wears a scleral buckle. Both retina have been laser welded back into place. Not a pleasant experience. But considering that just a few decades ago these procedures were largely unavailable makes the temporary discomfort nearly pleasant.

I'm secretly in love with my retina surgeon. She's smart, skilled and stunning. And an aspirant photographer. I'm sure nobody here would rat me out, right? :wink:

To whom? The surgeon or Smits? :jester:

Knowing you both, I'm sure Smits knows already...

On the cataract subject, I'll be having that done before long; have slow-spreading ones in both eyes. So far, no adverse issues, but just beginning to notice the telltale signs.

NutmegCT · Dec 22, 2019

Mickey - cataract surgery is the smoothest, quickest, easiest to recover from procedure you can imagine. Had it on both eyes after my retinal detachment. Sedation, removal and lens replacement, back to recovery and walking around in about 20 minutes. Side effects? 99.44% none.

Tom M.

Mickey Richaud · Dec 22, 2019

Yep - SWMBO had hers done a couple months back - truly an assembly-line process!

DrEntropy · Dec 22, 2019

Yup. The IOL procedure was nothing compared to the retinal surgeries. Mitsy had to about stand on my back for weeks to keep me from raising my head up. And yeah, Mick, she knows.

Tom! A segue: "Side effects? 99.44% none." As in; slick as Ivory Soap?!?

NutmegCT · Dec 22, 2019

DrEntropy said:
Tom! A segue: "Side effects? 99.44% none." As in; slick as Ivory Soap?!?

You remember!!!

Bob McElwee · Dec 22, 2019

Back in the 1990's I had cataract and detached retina surgieries in both eyes. After cataract had 20/20 and 20/40 vision which was fantastic for someone very nearsighted. The tack welding with the laser before surgery was a real pleasure. If the laser was placed right, it didn't really hurt, a little off it was a ouchie. Then he says, hold still!! After 7 hr detached retina surgery in each eye can get bace to 20/20 with glasses in the 20/40 eye. The old 20/20 is kind along for the ride now days, correctable to passable but no longer dominant as before.
As Doc says, if this had happened earlier in my life I'm pretty sure I would have very limited, if any, vision.

DrEntropy · Dec 23, 2019

Mickey said:
To whom? The surgeon or Smits? Knowing you both, I'm sure Smits knows already...

Forgot to mention, she also drives a Jaguar.

DavidApp · Dec 23, 2019

Vision is continuing to improve. The complementary readers are working now so I can put the magnifying glass away now. You can't walk around in readers. Everything more than 2 feet away is blurry.

David

DrEntropy · Dec 25, 2019

As time goes on the improvement will far outweigh the inconveniences. Glad to learn you're seeing progress so quickly. As has been said before, this ageing thing ain't for wimps!

I can see more clearly now.

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