Cataract Surgery

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RetiredTater

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I just had my second eye done last week. I didn't realize it was as bad as it was until the first eye got done.

Went for my VA annual eye exam, and the ophthalmologist looked in right eye, got half way through, stopped, restarted and went across a few times. Asked my age, and did the other eye a few times. Asked if I knew I had an aggressive form of cataracts.

Mine were acrysof IQ according to the card that came with my surgical kit. My surgeon was from Dean McGee. The surgery was not bad. Not something I would go through voluntarily multiple times but I went back for the second.

My lenses are single focus and the clarity at distance is amazing. My surgeon told me I will need reading glasses because of my age (younger is more difficult than older.)

First day I couldn't see real across the room, but it gradually increased each day. I have pretty awesome distance vision now with great clarity.

I do need reading glasses and am wearing a 1.25 reading. Anything closer than 6 feet is blurryish. It seems to be improving, but if I am at the computer doing paperwork that makes my job less fun, it is needed. If I struggle, I can read it. Even my phone I have to wear them. I can increase font size, but still got blurriness.

If I had to, would do it again. The restrictions aren't fun (nothing over 15 lbs, no bending over, have to wear safety glasses at work and basically nothing strenuous for a couple of weeks.)

The eye drops get old after a day or two, but other than I hate anything touching my eye, aren't too bad.

Oh, and definitely need a good pair of sunglasses. It is fricking bright outside!
 

Raido Free America

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I am in the Tulsa area with an opinion. I had excellent vision all my life. (I am 74) Was able to read signs farther than most people, able to do detailed electronic work up close, etc. all my life. My eyes had been slowly degrading for several years, so slowly I did not realize how bad they were until it started affecting my night driving vision. About 3 years ago my General Physician recommended I go to Dr. Daniel Corbett at the Eye Institute in Tulsa adjacent to St. Johns Hospital at 21st and Utica for cataract surgery.

I am kinda picky when it comes to my health and personal stuff because I am a very active person. From start to finish on a scale of 10, I would give Dr. Corbett and his staff a rating of 15+ in all categories of professionalism. I had no idea how bad my vision was getting, everything had become a soft blur and different shades of gray with very little color. The first time I took off the first patch was almost overwhelming with bright color contrast and sharp defined edges of everything. Yes I had unnecessarily waited way too long for no reason other than being stubborn. What a waste of my enjoyment of life and danger of not having good vision I put myself through.

I opted for my right eye to focus far away and my left eye focus one lens increment closer. This was during the Covid crap, so my second eye was done almost 5 months later than the first. By then the re-adjustment from one good eye and one totally bad eye did not make the transition to the second "good" eye slightly different focus much of a difference as some may notice when having both done in a short time frame. I never notice a difference in any way now with day to day tasks. Now only when I am tired or need to see something close up in great detail do I need 1.25 readers or a magnifier glass.

Yep, a few days of Dr. visits, taking it easy a couple days after each surgery that has virtually no pain or discomfort, having to remember to add eye drops on a schedule. No big deal at all, especially for the rewards of great vision again. Good luck to you.
I had cataract surgery about two years ago, the first eye went well, and the second a week or so later, got infected! I didn't know anything about this, and had never even heard of this happening. This was very serous, and I could have lost my lefty eye ball, completely! I'm older than dirt, and have been road hard, and put up wet, and thought I had experenced pain before, but I hadn't! I had to go to a specialist for treatment. this doctor had this BIG GUY show me into the room, got me in a hammer lock, and the doc, stuck a nettle through my bottom eye lid into my EYE BALL! The BIG GUY was almost not big enough to hold me! The first injection was to get a sample of the infection, the second was to deaden the eye ball, somewhat, the third was to inject an antibiotic directly into my eyeball! I then had to go back every day for a while, but it cleard up OK, but made me COCKEYED like Jack Elem, the actor! 6 months later my sister inlaw had the very same thing happen, only she had a STROKE while geting these injections! This procedure is not without risk! I did find out one thing, there are only two eye orgnisations in the Tulsa area, and all the eye doctors are affiliated with one or the other!
 

TerryMiller

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I had cataract surgery about two years ago, the first eye went well, and the second a week or so later, got infected! I didn't know anything about this, and had never even heard of this happening. This was very serous, and I could have lost my lefty eye ball, completely! I'm older than dirt, and have been road hard, and put up wet, and thought I had experenced pain before, but I hadn't! I had to go to a specialist for treatment. this doctor had this BIG GUY show me into the room, got me in a hammer lock, and the doc, stuck a nettle through my bottom eye lid into my EYE BALL! The BIG GUY was almost not big enough to hold me! The first injection was to get a sample of the infection, the second was to deaden the eye ball, somewhat, the third was to inject an antibiotic directly into my eyeball! I then had to go back every day for a while, but it cleard up OK, but made me COCKEYED like Jack Elem, the actor! 6 months later my sister inlaw had the very same thing happen, only she had a STROKE while geting these injections! This procedure is not without risk! I did find out one thing, there are only two eye orgnisations in the Tulsa area, and all the eye doctors are affiliated with one or the other!

Someone did stuff totally wrong. When I had my cataract surgery, they used both eye drops to deaden the eye and some other drugs, of which I know nothing, but I had no pain at all.

Even now, I am getting injections into the right eye for Macular degeneration. Again, they use eye drops to deaden the eye and the insertion of the needle for the injection is nothing more than some pressure. There is NO pain.
 

Michael M

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A 2021 forum thread on the same topic; Went to the eye doctor recently...
Went to my optometrist recently and he stated that I will need cataract surgery in my left eye really soon and eventually in my right eye.
I am thinking about putting off the left until I need the right eye done.
I used Dr Britton for my lasik years ago and am told he does cataract surgery as well.
Will definitely go to him due to how good my lasik surgery did.
 

Range Plunker

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Several years ago, my local optometrist recommended that I see an OKC eye surgeon. At my initial appointment, the doctor recommended that I should have cataract surgery as well as surgery to correct a stigmatism. He offered two procedures for the stigmatism, one for 6K and the other for 2K, which I selected the 2k procedure due to my age and finances. Both procedures took two surgical visits. The second surgery was marred by an incident between the doctor and an elder women, who was supposedly his best friends mother, and scheduled ahead of me, which she refused to go ahead with her surgery do to the cost. My surgery was moved up. Within days of my second procedure, I noticed blurred vision as well as weak vision in one eye, and a large spider web in the other eye. I telephoned and made an appointment to see the doctor. Upon arrival for my appointment, I was directed to see a young female associate, who performed various eye tests. Then the doctor came into the room, and advised that he did not normally see patients after surgery, and was somewhat perturbed that he had to see me. They referred me back to my local optometrist for observation. Later, I managed to make an appointment with another eye surgeon that did help to improve my vision by removing some of the scar tissue; but, I am still left with a large spider web in one eye, blurred vision in both eyes to the extent that I often see double letters, one clearer than the other and stacked, at night I often have to stop reading completely as well as watching television because of the double letter stacking, and my vision is mainly supported by the eye that has a spiderweb, which is my less dominant eye. Needless to say, I wish I'd never been operated on by this eye specialist, especially how he handled my follow up visit when he was advised of my vision issues.
 

hunter966

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My wife just went through it, both eyes. Her doc was Dr. Andrew Bailey with Dean McGee Eye Institute in Edmond. She had great results, no hiccups what so ever.

The lenses he put in corrected her vision but she still needs readers for up close and computer work.

Here’s something worth remembering: if your doctor does it in his office he will charge you for the corrective lenses which you will pay out of pocket because the insurance won’t pick it up, BUT, if he does the surgery as an outpatient procedure at a hospital the insurance will pick up the bill for the corrective lenses.
 

Chuckie

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Several years ago, my local optometrist recommended that I see an OKC eye surgeon. At my initial appointment, the doctor recommended that I should have cataract surgery as well as surgery to correct a stigmatism. He offered two procedures for the stigmatism, one for 6K and the other for 2K, which I selected the 2k procedure due to my age and finances. Both procedures took two surgical visits. The second surgery was marred by an incident between the doctor and an elder women, who was supposedly his best friends mother, and scheduled ahead of me, which she refused to go ahead with her surgery do to the cost. My surgery was moved up. Within days of my second procedure, I noticed blurred vision as well as weak vision in one eye, and a large spider web in the other eye. I telephoned and made an appointment to see the doctor. Upon arrival for my appointment, I was directed to see a young female associate, who performed various eye tests. Then the doctor came into the room, and advised that he did not normally see patients after surgery, and was somewhat perturbed that he had to see me. They referred me back to my local optometrist for observation. Later, I managed to make an appointment with another eye surgeon that did help to improve my vision by removing some of the scar tissue; but, I am still left with a large spider web in one eye, blurred vision in both eyes to the extent that I often see double letters, one clearer than the other and stacked, at night I often have to stop reading completely as well as watching television because of the double letter stacking, and my vision is mainly supported by the eye that has a spiderweb, which is my less dominant eye. Needless to say, I wish I'd never been operated on by this eye specialist, especially how he handled my follow up visit when he was advised of my vision issues.
Here's a thought. After my cataract surgery was completed I went in for a third post-op at which time I mentioned that I was seeing double-vision (at times) with the second image stacked just above and on top of the primary image. My ophthalmologist told me that the cause was that the cornea had absorbed too much water, causing blurriness and double vision. He prescribed Sodium Chloride (2%) eye drops along with a Sodium Chloride ointment (5% - to be used at bedtime) to draw the excess water out.

Double vision and blurriness cleared up but then had slight irritation (felt like a grain of dust in the eye. I was told that the irritation that I was feeling was at the site of incision and that this irritation would eventually disapear. At the next visit a week later and I was told, after eye check, to stop all eye drop/ointment medications immediately which were now replaced with "Natural Tears" eye drops to be used as needed for eye-ball lubrication.

Irritation, except on rare occasions, now completely gone, blurriness and double vision gone, vision getting stronger to the point that I'm between having to use/not having to use readers for close-up work which I attribute to wearing an eye patch for 1-2 hours a day over the eye still having the cataract, in effect forcing my [now] good eye to improve (which is actually more of a brain thing).
 

Raido Free America

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Someone did stuff totally wrong. When I had my cataract surgery, they used both eye drops to deaden the eye and some other drugs, of which I know nothing, but I had no pain at all.

Even now, I am getting injections into the right eye for Macular degeneration. Again, they use eye drops to deaden the eye and the insertion of the needle for the injection is nothing more than some pressure. There is NO pain.
I'm not talking about the eye surgery, but the treatment for the infection a few day later. The surgery was painless. I don't know why they didn't use deadening eye drops for these injections, but they didn't! they can't deaden a absessed tooth, or it won't work, because of the infection, could be the same?
 

TerryMiller

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Irritation, except on rare occasions, now completely gone, blurriness and double vision gone, vision getting stronger to the point that I'm between having to use/not having to use readers for close-up work which I attribute to wearing an eye patch for 1-2 hours a day over the eye still having the cataract, in effect forcing my [now] good eye to improve (which is actually more of a brain thing).

My cataract surgery involved some specialized lenses, of which I can't remember the names. The one for the right eye is to work on the astigmatism in that eye, and that eye focuses close (out to about 4 or 5 feet). The other eye has a totally different lens that is for distance vision.

With the two eyes focusing at different distances, the brain does take over and compensate. I've been totally happy with my vision after 9 years. As for the brain working, my optometrist told me once that "someone" had done a study that gave some people of the study glasses that would invert one's vision, making what is up to be down. After a period of time, those people were again seeing normal vision. Once they quit using those glasses, it took a period of time for the brain to again compensate for the change.
 

El Pablo

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My wife did hers March of last year, with the fancy expensive toric lenses for distance vision. Has been severely nearsighted since long before I met her. Surgery went fine, vision was fine, for a few weeks, but she still had pain in her eyes. Year and a half later, she's still having pain in her eyes, her vision has deteriorated badly, lenses moved a bit from where they're supposed to be, and they did a YAG laser procedure to clear the protein film that was developing on the lenses last year, and now there is nothing they can do about the lenses. She sees double images in both eyes, lots of glare and rays around bright lights. And, did I mention, still in pain. $3450 worth off out-of-pocket expense for the fancy lenses. She can read her 10" Kindle with the largest type it has, but it slows her down badly. She can sort of see a computer screen. Color her very unhappy.

I am also very nearsighted, since about the 5th grade. I had mine done late June/mid July, and opted to have the normal, basic, cheap lenses for closeup vision installed. I've been learning precision machining, and wanted to be able to read micrometers and calipers without glasses. Different doc, at Dean-McGee , put in my lenses two weeks apart, 28 June & 12 July. Once the irises stopped being dilated, about three days, I could see just about as well as I had before, with the old glasses, except that everything was whiter and lighter/easier to see. I'd been having to use a LOT of supplemental light to read the measurements, etc. I can read without glasses now, with the book about 8" from my face. Likewise with micrometers and calipers. Which is what I asked for. Need glasses for anything much farther than that, but that's the way it's been since the summer between 6th & 7th grade when my grandma took me to the eye doc the first time, when I got my first glasses.

My doc, Dr. Melson, got the lenses to match what my vision was about exactly. Got rid of the cloudiness and yellow tint in my original eyeballs, and I'm as happy as a guy can get! My pupils seem to be a little farther apart now, so with my old glasses, I have to turn my head a bit to find the distance vision band, but I can drive. Ordered my new glasses Monday, $525 for a set of ANSI-Z87 safety glasses with Transitions, anti-glare coating, polycarbonate lenses (can use as shooting glasses, too) which I've been wearing since I decided to be a hobby machinist a few years back. Would have been worse, but Medicare covers a portion of the first set of glasses after cataract surgery. Saved me about $130. Should have them in about two weeks. I'll let you know if I have problems with them, once they get here.

Got my new glasses at McBride, as well, previously, I'd been getting them at EyeMart Express. Got two pair last time, about $800 for the two pair, same options as this time except that I'd not been getting the anti-glare film before. I've not had vision insurance for a couple of years now, due to job loss/retirement after Covid-19. Didn't really matter to me, as insurance doesn't cover ANSI-Z87 glasses, since your employer is supposed to buy them for you. Eyemart cuts the lenses on-site, so you get your glasses sooner, usually an hour or so, but the last two pairs I bought from them, the frames were a little fragile. They replaced one under warranty, and I kept the other pair for a spare anyway, but the replacement frame also broke, so I wanted to try a different brand of glasses. The old ones also use a soft rubber nose bridge that liquifies after a few months. Replacement are about $13 at Amazon, and I've probably bought another hundred dollars worth since I started wearing them. the new glasses have a different style of bridge. We'll see how that works out, but they felt comfortable when I tried them on.
You may want to price glasses at Costco. I was 170 with no insurance, transition lenses, and they include all lens coatings. My other pair of glasses were 220 with insurance from the optometrists office, and not all the lens coating, and they aren’t transitions. I’ll be buying from Costco from now on.
 

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