Cateract surgery

[TAFKARM]

Anyone had it?

Experiences?

[DonPeffers]

Not had it but when my late father did I read the patient consent form which read the patient was aware of a small risk of death--usual small print. He survived fine.

[TAFKARM]

That's fair, aware all surgery carries a risk.

How was his vision after?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

My Mum had both eyes done over the space of a few years.

The first one was fine in terms of the procedure she underwent but not particularly successful. They had to have a second go at it. This was much more uncomfortable, but did improve things.

She then had the second eye done a year or so later, only, this was the most uncomfortable of all, but also the most successful!

They lasted six or seven years before more work was really needed, but by that point her overall health level prevented further operations.

She would have been on the early side of mid-eighties when the first one was done.

[DonPeffers]

2 minutes ago, RussH said:

That's fair, aware all surgery carries a risk.

How was his vision after?

Vision was greatly improved and he was very glad he'd had it done

[Gerry H]

I had Natural Lens Replacement (cataract surgery) a couple of years ago with Optical Express as I was pee'd off with wearing glasses which I was relying on more and more.

Went through the tests and discussed the options and decided to go with mono focus for distance on the understanding I would need slight magnification reading glasses for close up.

Outcome has been I use glasses only for night time driving and reading in low light conditions if I'm tired. Vast majority of the time I'm glasses free, which is an even better result, for me.

That said, I recommended this to a friend who has had problems of swelling behind the eyes and is still seeing (no pun intended) a specialist consultant, so not without risk.

I'd be happy to chat through my experience if you'd like. I'll PM my number, if you do.

My mother was almost blind with cataracts and had one eye done on the NHS, well into her eighties. I was amazed how, after, she was glasses free most of the time. She didn't have the second one done because, she said, she didn't need it.

 

 

[Blatman]

Same as Gerry H except I went for multi-focals. I never need glasses for anything now, which was the goal.

The surgery was performed under sedation which I think was a drug called Hypnoval. I might as well have been unconscious as I have zero memory of anything from the moment the drug hit my brain. 

They did one eye at a time 7 days apart and it was a breeze. I'd do it all over again tomorrow, except I'll never have to

[TAFKARM]

Thanks guys, considering lens replacement to cure extreme myopia (-16.5). 

Sent you a PM Gerry. 

[Blatman]

Multi-focals can be a challenge at first as they do give ghosting and halo's. You get used to it but they never really go away. If I could do it again I'd have mono-focals. I can't get them done again 'cos I had to have a laser capsulotomy to reduce swelling in both eyes. That was routine and it happens to LOTS of patients. But it leaves a pin-hole in the back of the eye. If they go in again after that there is a risk of rupturing the eyeball, or at least that was what I was told when I asked if I could swap to mono-focals.

Ask if you can try some contact lenses to see if you can find a prescription that really does as much as it can for your vision so you can minimise how often and when glasses are required. Once you have found the right one, get them done. It's one of the best things I have had done to myself. Most of the other equally good things involved cars... or girls...  

Oh, and be amazed when the first one is done at just how yellow your remaining natural lens has become. I spent hours switching between looking through my old and new lens 'cos I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing.

Last tip. Avoid Optical Express! Great sales, poor after sales. Really poor. I have a friend who went through the same thing a year after me and their experience of after sales was equally poor.

[neptune]

I had lens replacements in both eyes last year as my cataracts had got to the point of interferring significantly with my vision.  Each eye was done 6 weeks apart. 

 

The end result is clearer vision during daylight hours. However night time vision isn't so good. My ability to resolve detail in darkness is no where near as good and motorway driving at night is horrid as i get the diffraction effect around lights unless windscreen and glasses are really clean.

Unfortunately for me the operations were a catalyst for retinal detachment in both eyes, which was very scary the first time it happened as i lost most of my site. Happily my surgeon was able to restore it on each occasion( 3 in total)

 

My advise would be not to mess with your eyes unless your site has become impeded to the point it makes daily life difficult.  

I chose to pay privately for my operations  and had the choice of the very latest lens technology and how i wanted my vision post op.  

[Blatman]

6 hours ago, neptune said:

I had lens replacements in both eyes last year as my cataracts had got to the point of interferring significantly with my vision.  Each eye was done 6 weeks apart. 

 

The end result is clearer vision during daylight hours. However night time vision isn't so good. My ability to resolve detail in darkness is no where near as good and motorway driving at night is horrid as i get the diffraction effect around lights unless windscreen and glasses are really clean.

Unfortunately for me the operations were a catalyst for retinal detachment in both eyes, which was very scary the first time it happened as i lost most of my site. Happily my surgeon was able to restore it on each occasion( 3 in total)

 

My advise would be not to mess with your eyes unless your site has become impeded to the point it makes daily life difficult.  

I chose to pay privately for my operations  and had the choice of the very latest lens technology and how i wanted my vision post op.  

May I ask how old you were when you had the cataracts removed? 

It was definitely on the list of side effects which I accepted and I wasn't worried about it until now!

I had my lenses replaced 4 years ago and even with the issues of halo's/ghosting that affect the multi-focal implants, night vision is fine and weirdly I find night vision when raining to has improved.

[neptune]

53 minutes ago, Blatman said:

May I ask how old you were when you had the cataracts removed? 

It was definitely on the list of side effects which I accepted and I wasn't worried about it until now!

I had my lenses replaced 4 years ago and even with the issues of halo's/ghosting that affect the multi-focal implants, night vision is fine and weirdly I find night vision when raining to has improved.

I was 49 when i had the operations . Night vision in unlight areas when driving is worst. I find traffic islands and centrareservation type cones just appear from nowhere !!

[Blatman]

On 7/30/2017 at 18:15, neptune said:

I was 49 when i had the operations . Night vision in unlight areas when driving is worst. I find traffic islands and centrareservation type cones just appear from nowhere !!

Cripes. I was a year younger than you when I had my lenses done. I fear you may have been a little unlucky there.

I'm assuming you've had eye tests since the surgery? I noticed my vision was deteriorating about 3 to 4 months post-op when I felt I needed my glasses again. Examination showed swelling in the eyes (a common side effect) requiring the aforementioned laser capsulotomy. The swelling and it's effects really crept up on me. A friend had the same surgery and it took nearly 3 years for their eyes to develop swelling to the point of needing the laser. Again, vision restored to as good as new a nano-second after the laser fired. It really was extraordinary. I'm wondering if it's worth going for another check-up?

[neptune]

Ive had my eyes tested since the last detachment which was only 8 weeks ago. No signs of change yet. Also due another check up in 4 weeks time 

22 hours ago, Blatman said:

Cripes. I was a year younger than you when I had my lenses done. I fear you may have been a little unlucky there.

I'm assuming you've had eye tests since the surgery? I noticed my vision was deteriorating about 3 to 4 months post-op when I felt I needed my glasses again. Examination showed swelling in the eyes (a common side effect) requiring the aforementioned laser capsulotomy. The swelling and it's effects really crept up on me. A friend had the same surgery and it took nearly 3 years for their eyes to develop swelling to the point of needing the laser. Again, vision restored to as good as new a nano-second after the laser fired. It really was extraordinary. I'm wondering if it's worth going for another check-up?

et ! 

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

I've got one and I'm going for the initial assessment on Monday next, it's a bit scary really cos it's the only eye i;ve got (long story)

I'm 67 so judging by when you young uns got em i've lasted quite well up to now, fingers crossed.