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God has a sense of humor, yesterday I teased Southmountain about new glasses. Went to the eye doctor for my yearly checkup, I knew something was up because I ditched my single focus computer lenses 3 or 4 months ago.
The cataracts in both eyes have grown so much over the past year I now have a surgery consult in February.
The optometrist said, "Yeah, your prescription changed so much that we're not even going to do glasses until the cataracts are taken care of."
Any advice? I know around here I'm kind of a whippersnapper at 57 (58 in March).
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
I’m begging you for the benefit of everyone, don’t be STUPID.
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MarkTJohnson wrote: Any advice?
Yes: 1. follow your doctor's advice; 2. don't ask for medical advice form a programming community; 3. don't follow the medical advice of a programming community... hmm, that would include my own previous advice... running into the liar paradox[^] here 
Mircea
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Ok then, has anyone else had the experience and what might I expect?
(There's always one in the crowd, most of the time it's me.)
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
I’m begging you for the benefit of everyone, don’t be STUPID.
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MarkTJohnson wrote: Ok then, has anyone else had the experience and what might I expect?
Not for cataracts, but I have one coming up for my sinuses. Not trying to compare the two at all, but even for something like with sinuses it can be worrying. Probably even more so for you.
Wish I could say something more helpful. Wishing you the best with it being a smooth operation and a quick recovery.
Jeremy Falcon
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I had mine done December 2020.
I kept thinking that my glasses were just a bit dirty so I was always cleaning them until I started to struggle with driving at night which was especially bad on a dark road at night due to the headlights of the oncoming cars.
I went to the optician and they organised an appointment at the local hospital where they confirmed they were getting pretty bad, so a few weeks later I went under the knife to get them done.
Obviously they use anaesthetic so you don't feel anything, the only thing that was a little bit uncomfortable was the light used by the surgeon to see what he was doing especially as they use some kind of tool to keep your eyelids wide open so you can't blink so for about 10 minutes on each eye staring into a bright light.
When the op was finished they taped some plastic shields over both eyes to protect them while the incisions healed (a couple of days) and I had to add special eye drops several times a day for a about a month.
That having been said I was really amazed at how much brighter colours were and also how much sharper things were in focus.
The only thing I very occasionally notice is you can see the edge of the lens, a bit like seeing the frames of the lenses when wearing glasses, and to be honest you don't really notice them.
I am really glad they were done especially as they added lenses that were close to my glasses prescription (required for reading and computers), I still have a my last pair of glasses which I occasionally use when using the mobile phone because the writing can be a bit on the small size.
I certainly have no regrets about having them done.
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My mom had Cataract surgery a couple years ago. They do one eye at a time a week or two apart to allow healing. About two years after the initial surgery, a membrane behind the lens will fog up, though that only need a non-invasive laser 'surgery'.
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
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Not yet, probably in the next decade.
My parents had them done and all went well.
It also fixed some eye vision.
CI/CD = Continuous Impediment/Continuous Despair
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I have a 20 year head start on you (79 in June), but my cataracts seem to have stabilised at "almost insignificant". My brother had his done a few years ago at about the age I am now, and had no problems following it. And my son, a few years ago at just over 50; apart from a few days of blurry vision he reports no ill effects.
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MarkTJohnson wrote: at 57 (58 in March)
A friend underwent this surgery at 50. And they placed interocular lenses in his eyes during the procedure.
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Yes. I had my surgery in April last year. Leading up to it I had the following vision problems, over and above the cataract: near-sightedness (myopia), astigmatism, presbyopia (lost of focusing ability due to age), and glaucoma. Also, I lost my right eye in 2020 due to a fall, so getting this fixed properly was all-important. Like you, the cataract was changing my prescription and making it hard to drive at night.
I had three options for a corrective implant lens. The basic lens would correct the myopia, but I'd still have to wear glasses for the astigmatism. A toric lens (extra $) would correct both the myopia and the astigmatism, but I'd have to use reading glasses. A multi-focus toric lens (more extra $$) would eliminate the need for reading glasses. After talking to my opthalmologist I chose the toric lens. She thought the multi-focus lens wouldn't satisfy me, since I read printed material a lot and work on a screen.
My surgery went well. The day after my vision was corrected to 20/25, and a week later to 20/20. I use cheap, over the counter reading glasses. I have pairs in a couple places in the house, one in the car, and a pair at work. I can also wear normal sunglasses for the first time in my life. I have excellent distance vision, at least during the day.
There are two down sides. One, I've lost my close-up vision. Holding an item close to my eye doesn't work. That is a pretty unavoidable aspect of any cataract surgery. I've now got a desktop magnifier for that sort of thing. Second, driving at night is still somewhat difficult. The toric lens means bright lights in my visual field have halos. Depending on your lens choice you may or may not have this problem.
All in all, I am eminently satisfied with the result despite the added expense of the toric lens (about $4,000 I paid out of pocket, given my insurance). Find a good surgeon and follow their instructions both before and after surgery. I had drops I had to use for a week leading up to and 4 weeks after.
Software Zen: delete this;
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I've had cataract surgery on both eyes. My doctor offered 3 options for the implanted lenses:
1) Cheapest (100% covered by my insurance) were clear / no correction. Guaranteed to require multifocal corrective glasses.
2) Middle (~$1000/eye out of pocket) were corrected for near or far but not both. Guaranteed to require corrective glasses for whichever wasn't corrected with the implanted lenses.
3) Fancy (~$2500/eye out of pocket) were super cool multifocal lenses. Excellent chance that no corrective glasses would be required at all.
Having worn glasses for 20+ years I chose the fancy multifocal lenses. It's been several years and I'm still loving it. No glasses!!! The only thing I notice is slight coronas around lights at night. It's my understanding that is normal for all 3 lens choices - not just the multifocal lenses.
They use lasers in tests before the surgery to map the eye to pick the proper multifocal lens. The procedure itself was very quick (15 minutes). I was awake the whole time. Eye drops to numb the eyeball (that was weird). They use a suction cup to hold the eye steady as they work. My doctor injects antibiotics into the eye so no regiment of drops are required after. I've found many people become squeamish when hearing these kind of details but when you explain that blindness is the alternative they get over it.
Surgery in the morning with a follow-up in his office a few hours later. Wore an eye patch for about 6 hours and overnight (the first night). Lots of "floaters" in the first 12-18 hours. None after about 24 hours. Follow-up with my optometrist after a few weeks.
Hope this helps!
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I have floaters my whole life. Nothing to do for that.
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
I’m begging you for the benefit of everyone, don’t be STUPID.
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Had it done a couple of years ago, piece of cake.
As the aircraft designer said, "Simplicate and add lightness".
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - Release Version 1.3.0 JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: SimpleWizardUpdate
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Thank you to all who posted. Calmed some fears, I mean I code for a living kinda need to be able to see. Hope I can get something like a Valium for procedure day though.
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
I’m begging you for the benefit of everyone, don’t be STUPID.
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Hi,
Both of my Parents have had both Eyes done, no issues, well my Mums night vision is now so good she forgets headlights some times! Go for it! 
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I know noone that have suffered negative effects, but it is a surgery and as such there is always a tiny risk. Do what you are told in the preparations and keep people away the last 2 weeks before the surgery, you don't want to get any minor illness because either the surgery can't be done or the heal process will get affected.
Good luck
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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warning: here there be gory details
No one has mentioned the laser option for cataracts. I had a severe astigmatism and near-sightedness due to a condition where my eyeballs aren't particularly round and the outside is rather thick. I had my surgery at 56 when they couldn't correct my sight anymore with glasses. I didn't have much discoloration or muting of visible colors, I just couldn't see in focus. My procedure was the same on each eye, done 2 weeks apart. First, they did a bit of laser work on the cornea, sort of like regular laser eye surgery, to reduce the distortion from my misshapen eyeball and also used the laser to break up the existing lens inside. That makes it much easier to remove. That was completely without anesthesia -- I just looked up into this machine wearing a device to prevent blinking. We then moved to the surgical room. They added a light anesthesia (less than a colonoscopy if you've had one of them, which you should have given your age!), made a small incision, sucked out the destroyed lens and slipped in the new one. I've got corrective lenses in both eyes, a +8 and a +10 to give you some idea of how bad my vision is uncorrected. I went from being legally blind without glasses to 20/25 vision. I still need reading and computer glasses but even "bifocal" lens implants wouldn't have fixed that given my eye shape. As others have mentioned, you will lose the ability to focus very close in.
Best advice is to find a good surgical ophthalmologist with experience in some of the newer technologies.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors - and miss.
Lazarus Long, "Time Enough For Love" by Robert A. Heinlein
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You need to get a recommendation for an ophthalmologist who does lots of cataract surgery. And, you should begin seeing an ophthalmologist yearly, not an optometrist.
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The "problem" after what I call "refurbishing my eyes"
everything is much brighter
I walk due east each morning and I need to wear sunglasses
limit driving at night - incoming headlights are a big issue
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my mother had cataracts . for a few months she lived with me . during this time i insisted she not smoke in my apartment . also i prepared only my usual vegetarian meals . after a while she reported some slight improvement in her condition .
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I had both lens implants done in 2 days, one each day.
No lens modifications necessary with 20/20 vision.
Went from legally blind to 20/20 in 30 minutes.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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I'm actually at the end of my two week Christmas vacation, would be going back to work on Monday.
Been doing nothing but playing Baldur's Gate 3 all day every day for the past two weeks.
The only thing I had planned was a short online meeting today.
I got an email yesterday and it turns out to be a rather long on site meeting 
So my vacation is cut short and my wake up time is about four hours too early (I'm a night bird, which is, unfortunately, pretty impossible in our morning-oriented society) 
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In US we call them night owls. I know because I certainly am one. That's mostly the result of years of playing music. Thankfully I can get by with five or six hours of sleep. This week was my first back to work after a vacation. It has been rough.
"They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul! Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers! Can I get an amen?"
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Rick York wrote: This week was my first back to work after a vacation. It has been rough.
Next monday for me... and with a task that has to be done by friday  
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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To quote Gerry Rafferty (Night Owl):
Quote: Night comes down and finds you alone
In a space and time of your own
Lost in dreams in a world full of shadows
Down the street the neon light shines
Offering refuge and hope to the blind
You stumble in with no thought of tomorrow
Yes, I get a little lonely when the sun gets low
And I end up looking for somewhere to go
Yes, I should know better but I can't say no
Oh no, no, no
No, no, no, no
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