Cataracts, I'm getting old

Cornhusker

Cornhusker

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Location
Nebraska Panhandle
Well, I guess I'm officially old now, I need cataract surgery.
I have trouble reading my computer screen, and I probably shouldn't be driving.
The did an evaluation in November but couldn't schedule me until after the first of the year, so I'm starting over on my insurance deductible.
Now I have to cough up over $5700 to even get scheduled.
Seems like a lot for a 15 minute procedure.
Is that a typical cost?
If you had it done, what was your experience?
 

My experience is one I'd have done over again if needed. Obviously things turned out well. There's the whole wearing the eye cup for day or so. And eye drops to instill in the surgery eye for a few days.

The afterwards was amazing! Everything was so much clearer and brighter.

I just had the new lenses lasered due to cloudiness. It was like having new lenses all over again. The cloudiness is a common thing.
 

Cornhusker said:
Well, I guess I'm officially old now, I need cataract surgery.
I have trouble reading my computer screen, and I probably shouldn't be driving.
The did an evaluation in November but couldn't schedule me until after the first of the year, so I'm starting over on my insurance deductible.
Now I have to cough up over $5700 to even get scheduled.
Seems like a lot for a 15 minute procedure.
Is that a typical cost?
If you had it done, what was your experience?
Click to expand...
DH paid ~$300 for his, MA covered the rest.
He is very glad he had it done... everything is clearer and brighter (as I see robin416 said :) ).

He also had to wait months for his appointment.
 
Cornhusker said:
Well, I guess I'm officially old now, I need cataract surgery.
I have trouble reading my computer screen, and I probably shouldn't be driving.
The did an evaluation in November but couldn't schedule me until after the first of the year, so I'm starting over on my insurance deductible.
Now I have to cough up over $5700 to even get scheduled.
Seems like a lot for a 15 minute procedure.
Is that a typical cost?
If you had it done, what was your experience?
Click to expand...
You don't have Medicare? It's free for me with Medicare.
 
robin416 said:
My experience is one I'd have done over again if needed. Obviously things turned out well. There's the whole wearing the eye cup for day or so. And eye drops to instill in the surgery eye for a few days.

The afterwards was amazing! Everything was so much clearer and brighter.

I just had the new lenses lasered due to cloudiness. It was like having new lenses all over again. The cloudiness is a common thing.
Click to expand...
How long between your cataract surgery and the lasering?
 
Medidare covered the costs so nothing out of pocket. I've had both eyes done and a heart valve so I wonder what is next. A few years after your procedure you may need a YAG procedure to remove some kind of build up on your eye but is done with a laser, no pain, and over in 5 min. and also covered by Medicare. There is no set time between surgery and YAG, it depends on you, some never need it.

When I had my eyes done several years ago it was with a partial sleep medication. A friend who went to the same facility last year and said they don't do that anymore and you are awake for the procedure. She said she felt nothing. Just be sure to use your antibiotics correctly everyday so you don't get an infection.
 
robin416 said:
My experience is one I'd have done over again if needed. Obviously things turned out well. There's the whole wearing the eye cup for day or so. And eye drops to instill in the surgery eye for a few days.

The afterwards was amazing! Everything was so much clearer and brighter.

I just had the new lenses lasered due to cloudiness. It was like having new lenses all over again. The cloudiness is a common thing.
Click to expand...
Did your doctor tell you that the clouding was a possibility before hand?
 
After my cataract surgery I opened my eyes to new bright colours. If they offer to do one eye for distance and one for reading, think very carefully about NOT doing that. If something goes wrong, it can’t be fixed. Having lost vision in one eye, I’m thankful that both were done for distance. My neighbour had distance and reading and now is having problems with one eye.
 
My son in his 50s had Cataract one of his eyes. His employer's Health Insurance, Cigna covered most of the cost. He paid about $300, including three visits to his Dr. before and after his Cataract surgery. It's very affordable cost.
 
I had my cataract surgery last year. I am extremely happy with the results. It cost me $5000 per eye for the advanced laser surgery.
I felt it was an investment in my eyesight.
 
Cornhusker said:
How long did they last before you had to get rid of the clouds?
Click to expand...
Evidence of clouding was happening about six months after surgery. I can't tell you if that's fast or not since I've never researched more on it. I was forced to have it done about five years later when I realized I couldn't really see traffic lights.

The whole lazer thing was painless and gave me back all the bright colors I hadn't realized I couldn't see anymore.
 
I had cataract surgery / lens replacement over 22 years ago when I was 50. They were a bit shocked that someone so "young" would need cataract surgery but I did. I was in the military and a military doctor performed the procedures, so it cost me nothing. At the time, those decades ago, I figured it saved me $11,500 had I gone out in town to have it done.

I have to wear readers but that's hella better than not being able to see. We don't realize how very precious eyesight is until we start to lose it.

There are options offered when having both eyes done. My doc said he could use a lens in one eye for distance and the other eye a lens for close up. Said my brain would learn which eye to use as the dominate eye in various conditions. That might have been fine, who knows, but I chose to have both lenses fixed for distance vision. So I planned to need readers and just wanted to be able to use off the shelf readers, not expensive prescription glasses if my brain didn't adjust to differing lens diopter.
 
Naturally said:
My doc said he could use a lens in one eye for distance and the other eye a lens for close up. Said my brain would learn which eye to use as the dominate eye in various conditions.
Click to expand...
This is what I was cautioning against. If something serious* should happen to your distance vision eye, you would really be limited in sight. My neighbour had something go wrong and they’re working on it.

*I’ve spent lots of time in a variety of specialists offices. There are a lot of people with very serious vision issues.
 
Jules said:
This is what I was cautioning against. If something serious* should happen to your distance vision eye, you would really be limited in sight. My neighbour had something go wrong and they’re working on it.

*I’ve spent lots of time in a variety of specialists offices. There are a lot of people with very serious vision issues.
Click to expand...

Luckily my procedures went well and I've not had any problems.
Don't think I will have problems for at least a few thousand years.
Two little clear plastic bits of Bausch + Lomb will mark my spot ;)
 

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