Seeing without glasses: priceless!

[Ned]

Yesterday I experienced one of the miracles of modern medicine.  I've worn glasses full time for 55 years.  In recent years I've developed cataracts in both eyes with the left to the point where it was nearly useless.  Yesterday I had the cataracts removed and a Toric lens implanted in my left eye.  The Toric lens was necessary to correct for the astigmatism.  The correction is for closeup, i.e. reading and computer use.  Today the patch was removed and I can now use the computer without any glasses for the first time in many years.  The right eye is still not too good at any distance but the corrected left eye more than makes up for that.  I will still need glasses for driving but indoors, I think I will be fine without them.  Even distance vision is much improved in the left eye but I will have a corrective lens made for driving as required by my drivers license.

Next spring I will have my right eye fixed and that will eliminate almost all use of glasses, except for driving and probably outdoors at night.

Also, the quality of medical care in San Antonio is well above what we have experienced in most other parts of the country.

 

[Tom]

Congratulations Ned! Glad it worked out well.

 

[Wendy]

That's great. And since Lorna does almost all the driving, you'll hardly need to wear glasses at all !

Wendy

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Fantastic, NED!!! 

I've been considering lasik or PRK eye surgery myself.  Your results are encouraging.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Ive got that one coming up to, just getting to the point of bothersome and diminished sight at nite and distances.>>>Dan

 

[Epicman]

Had both eyes done 5 yrs. ago, due to almost total sight loss. Now no full time trifocals, can buy sun glasses off the rack in discount stores, bought off the rack cheaters for reading in low light.
The miracle of modern medicine scared me out of my wits till after surgery, now I'm in awe of what I can see.

George

 

[Ned]

After just a few hours, I'm not sure I can wait until next February to get my right eye fixed   It will be something to look forward to this winter.  Anyone that has cataracts should not think twice about this operation.  The success rate is phenomenal with most post-operative problems due to pre-existing conditions and not from the procedure itself.  The doctor that did my surgery does about 500 of these a year, she's very good at it.

Lorna opted for a distance correction and must wear readers and she now thinks she should have done as I did and opted for close correction.  But that's an individual choice.  It's nice to have the options.

 

[DonTom]

I will still need glasses for driving

I was more lucky. I no longer needed glasses for much at all after my cataract surgery on both eyes about ten years ago. Especially not for driving. Glasses do help for very fine print, but that's about all.

I was impressed with the eye operation. I felt perfectly normal and wide awake when the Kaiser doc was digging into my eye without a drop of pain. I even asked the doc if he was in my eye in the middle of the operation. I could not tell.  All I could see is a light going off and on and felt nothing at all.

BTW, expect your eye to have a similar problem as your old cataract in about a year. Then go back have it fixed with laser. Takes about a minute per eye. Sometimes they don't tell you this but it's quite common. After the laser, you may see small dots for a while, but it will go away and when it does, you should not have to bother with any more related eye problems.

I needed the laser treatment on both eyes in just over a year after my cataract surgery. Some don't need the laser treatment at all, for whatever reason, but it's still quite common to need it.

-Don- Reno, NV​

 

[Ned]

The doctor did tell me the lens could be adjusted with laser if needed.  It can't be as bad as the cataracts, they really clouded my daytime vision and made night vision almost impossible.  They've come a long way in 10 years.  I doubt they had the Toric lens back then either.

 

[tswms]

Ned
I had some clouding after about 2 years in my R eye.  My doctor called it a secondary cateract.  It was taken care of in about 15 min in his office with a laser.  Now back to 20/20.

Tony

 

[Ned]

Another miracle of modern (technological) medicine

 

[Jeff]

Ned that's great news.

 

[Dave Stringham]

Good news Ned, I should caution you however, I had a large shock when I discovered that when looking in the mirror.....I looked much younger with poor vision than with ;D

 

[Ned]

Dave, it can be scary alright   But now I can shave without cutting my ear off.

 

[gmsboss1]

Wonderful news, Ned. Thanks for sharing!

Hope you have had some tee shirts with your name on them made so we'll know it's you w/o those glasses!

Don

 

[Ned]

I may need a new avatar, but next year.  I'll still wear the glasses, if for nothing else than as sun glasses.

 

[joer]

Congrats on your new vision.  I had lasik about 18 months ago and was suprised what could be done with some old eyes.  I had  been wearing glasses for about 20 years(tri-focals for last rx) and did not realize what new techniques could do.  My vision is not that of 40 years ago, but I do not wear glasses now except for close up work when the lighting is poor.  I did have one small adjustment at 10 month,but all in all the surgery was a success.  I hope your results are as satisfying. ---  joe

 

[Wendy]

I am so envious of all of you with your improved vision. Congratulations to all.

Wendy
Folsom Lake S.P., CA

 

[Ned]

Wendy, can your vision problem be corrected with surgery?

 

[Wendy]

Wendy, can your vision problem be corrected with surgery?

Nope. They're playing with gene therapy in the UK and US and it seems to be promising but more for young people than folks my age and older. I'm holding out for complete eyeball transplants.....I'd like Irish green eyes.

Wendy