I'm scheduled for Cataract surgery in a few days. The doctor has explained everything quite well, and I've viewed a couple of U Tube videos that verify the info I've received, but the more info I can get, the better.
If you've had this procedure, how did it go? Did you have any issues? How long before you could return to a normal routine...driving, etc.? Any/All comments will be appreciated.
Thx, Don M.
Don,
I had my cataracts removed some time ago, maybe like 7 years ago. There was nothing to it! My doctor had explained the process earlier. I already where bifocal glasses so I had both eyes done the same, so I still have to where my glasses, but my eyesight without them is probably 2019 for distance and improved for reading compared to before the operation. The below detail is from my 73-year-old memory, some of the detail may be off a bit, but I thought it might be good to share what I recall.
First, I was laid on a table with a pillow for my head, in a room with a large piece of equipment on the wall, which was the laser. It was all very comfortable. They then put drops in my eyes to sterilize and numb the eye. Waited a few minutes, then the doctor came in and explained he was going to start. He checked my eyes and then pulled the laser machine over my face.
He said I would see the light and he told me to look into the light. It was a bit uncomfortable to do that, but it did not hurt like looking at a bright light. He then said something like here we go, and I saw the light, I am not sure about the light color, but I think it was a thin red line. I felt nothing and within a minute or two. He said we were done with my right eye; he adjusted the light and bingo...he was done. Again, I felt nothing!
He asked me to lay a minute, he put more drops in my eye. He came in checked my eyes and had me sit up on the table. After he was sure I was ok to stand he helped me stand up. He gave me my eye drops and told me when to take them, daily as I recall. Told me to call him if I had any discomfort our questions. Then off I went.
I had my wife with me, just in case to drive me home. But I felt fine, although I did put my sunglasses on as the light bothered me a bit. We drove home and I was fine. I had to go a couple of weeks later to get a new prescription on my glasses, although I would see very well at distance and could read fairly well without glasses.
I saw my dad go through having his cataracts removed back in the 50's. They had to take out his lenes back then. The rest of his life he had to where those think 'pop bottle' glasses. He did ok but he was limited in some ways. We could not play catch with a baseball or really throw anything back and forth. He was a banker, and he was able to continue his successful career with the glasses. But I am very happy I did not have to go through that...! How lucky we are...
