Had my right eye done this morning, left eye will be two weeks from now. Keeping up with the eye drop schedule is going to be fun. Who else had this done and are you happy with the results?
Due to cataracts my spouse did both eyes on separate dates without any anesthesia. Duke says that is a first. Now she has perfect vision because one side is for close up work and the other is for distance. Whether to do it this way is the tough section.
Had cataract surgery at Duke. Not both at same time. Vision corrected w/Toric lens. Can now read road signs,etc without glasses. Unfortunately,my near vision(I was near sighted. Up close, could read the model number on a flea's tennis shoes)is kaput.
Hope all ends up well with you. My wife did the laser eye thing years ago worked for couple of years then back to glasses.
The intraocular lens they put in during surgery is calculated to a certain power based on the depth of the eye determined during pre-op examination. That’s why nearsighted people notice that their close up vision goes away. A multifocal lens can be implanted, which will negate the need for reading glasses, but good luck getting an insurance company to pay for it, and forget about Medicare. The natural lens of the eye is prone to yellowing and clouding up, both of which happen so gradually that they’re hardly noticeable by their owners. These conditions usually happen when you’ve blown out too many birthday candles. LASIK is a procedure done to correct a vision deficit; nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia). It has absolutely no effect on a fully developed cataract. There is a laser procedure done after cataract surgery, sometimes years later, but that is done with a YAG laser, and has nothing to do with a vision deficit. It is done to remove cloudy capsule material from behind the implanted lens. With no-stitch, small incision surgery, healing time is greatly reduced. Yes, the eye drop regimen is a PIA, but the usual 3 medication regimen is designed to enhance healing, so skipping one or more doses only lengthens the time between surgery and when you can start really enjoying your new eyeballs. Modern cataract surgery is decidedly safer than many other “routine” procedures people have every day. My wife had both her eyes done late last year, and she’s much happier for it. I spent several years working for an eye surgeon (ophthalmologist), and I took a lot of that knowledge with me, even though it’s 23 years since, and I build business jets these days.
I had both eyes done. My left one turned out great, the right not so much. I looked in to the multifocal lenses and maybe should have gone that way but like others mentioned insurance won’t cover that. They won’t even just let you pay the difference. They’ll cover the standard lens but pay zero toward the multifocal. I had cataracts fairly early, 53 maybe. Bottom line I can certainly see better than before but not as good as it could have been. Not complaining; I know others have it worse.
I have what I feel is decent health insurance but it will not even cover the implanted lens, standard or multifocal. My out of pocket for both eyes is ridiculous.
Do not waste the money on the multi-focal lens, I did, $2000 an eye and I now wear glasses for both close and far distances. My vision has never been this poor in my life I wish I could get a Mulligan on mine.
I went with the single vision lens in my right eye, going with the same for the left. I'm really sorry to hear yours didn't work out. Makes you wonder how it could happen with all the pre-op testing that is done.
YIKES. you guys are scaring me. I have worn glasses for as long as I can remember. At least 50 some years. I have problems with farsighted and nearsighted. Plus, add night blindness for a long time now. Lately it has gotten so bad I try not to be out after dark except in town. I go see the Dr. tomorrow about surgery. As I am on Medicare I have already been turned down due to the vision not being bad enough. Tomorrow I walk into the Drs. office with brand new Insurance that is fantastic. I have to have a different "test" other than vision to see if I qualify for the surgery. As with other issues in my life, Medicare rules my life. I had to see a shrink so I can try a Nerve stimulator to get off pain meds. I have a plate in my neck and 7 years ago broke a disc in my lower back at S5-L1. That was repaired but pain persists. pppat
Cool surgery, technology has come a long way from "coke bottle bottom" glasses...both done about a year apart awake under local. Under a half hour with good ophthalmologist. Mine was trickier because earlier Lasik complicates lens algorithms, but my doc uses algorithm averaging and I'm still 20-20 at 77. Didn't go with monovision lenses...tried that years ago with contacts. Never able to work the close/distance lens thing. Make sure you have a "current" ophtho...you'll never regret it... P.S. I was horribly nearsighted all my life. Glasses meant no peripheral vision, fogging in cold weather, and horizontal lens distortion...had Lasik about 25 years ago and never looked back... P.P.S. Lasik cost recovered in 2-3 years of no buying glasses...why wouldn't everyone do this?
My dad, who had worn glasses from the age of about 7 years, had cataract surgery with 100% success. He soon realized that he did not have to wear corrective lenses. But he had worn glasses for so long that he did purchases glasses with almost glass pane strength. My wife had lazik surgery back in the '90's - one eye for reading, one for distance. She could not adapt to this. She had the reading eye redone for distance. Think it cost almost $4000. If she had waited one more year for the procedure, I would have had 50% coverage!
I can relate. I was used to glasses protecting my eyes while working, especially under cars...after a few times without, went to safety glasses...
I waited until I was 45 to have lasik for my nearsightedness. Because of my age, I immediately went to readers. I miss my near vision. It was better before the surgery than now using readers. I'm guessing I'll be up for cataract surgery in the future. Interesting to think about how that affects the lens algorithms. But with so many people having lasik these days, I'm guessing it's a common issue.
I had both of my eyes done last year at 65. I was 20/200 since I was 18. I now have eyes like an eagle and a young teenager! Now 20/30 wow! I couldn't believe the blue sky after the procedure...it was like neon! No problems whatsoever! They put you to sleep and one second later you're awake and in a beautiful colorful world!!! Kind of a small taste of waking up in heaven. And night vision is unbelievable!
I did mine - love it. The biggest change I noticed was colors. Before the surgery the cataracts had reduced colors to almost gray scale. I did not notice because it was so gradual. I also lost my microscopic vision, but can now read a book/screen without glasses at a normal distance.
So far, so good on day one post op. And the doctor tells me it will just get better. Having the other eye done next week.
