Is there any good reason not to have cataract removal

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slobee

New Member
Did anyone decided to "not" have cataracts removed after finding out you had cataracts? If so, why not?

Thanks!
 

slobee said:
Did anyone decided to "not" have cataracts removed after finding out you had cataracts? If so, why not?
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I haven't had the issue (but most likely will in a decade or so) but I know two different people who have had the surgery recently and neither need distance glasses any longer. The surgeries took about 20 minutes and at least the one I know best was out of the office in about an hour (that included "recovery time.") They don't knock you out completely... you know exactly what's going on.
 

Cataract surgery is considered a very safe procedure. Complications are extremely rare. But they are possible. If you use the eyedrops like they tell you, there is little chance of infection.

I put it off for a time until my vision got too blurry to safely drive, especially at night. It went well. The next day my distance vision was 20/20 in that eye. But, after a few months it started getting blurry again. This can happen due to scarring and required a laser treatment to burn a tiny hole in the scar. It only took a few minutes and fixed the problem.

It is scary to think about someone cutting on your eyeball. But, lots of operations are scary. You have to consider the benefits vs. the risk.
 
CallMeKate said:
Wow, that was very young to need it! Has your vision stayed clear for these 20 years then? @Naturally
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Indeed it was young. I was only 50. A medical mystery why so young.
No artificial lens will replicate the function of a natural lens, so I was offered 3 choices of lens configurations

- Both eyes fixed for distance vision
- Both eyes fixed for near vision
- One eye fixed for distance and the other near ... the theory being that the brain would adjust and make either eye dominate as required for distant or near visual activities.

I chose to have both fixed for DISTANCE. My reasons ...

- Wasn't 100% confident my brain would adjust without leaving me with headaches due to vision
- Figured if I needed glasses, I'd rather use off the shelf readers than have to have prescription glasses
- "Distance" because I didn't want to have to buy prescription sunglasses for driving and other outdoor activities

So with both eyes locked in on distance vision, I have readers for computer and close stuff. Otherwise, I don't wear glasses.
Before the cataracts began to develop, I had 20/20 vision and never wore glasses. Well, about age 43 I started needing readers for close up stuff like reading a book.

EDIT: I do have a slight astigmatism in both eyes but knew that after the cataract surgery 20yrs ago and it hasn't worsened.
Doc said if I wanted the astigmatism corrected, it could be done with laser surgery but I've never bothered.
 
As Grampa Don mentioned "Complications are extremely rare. But they are possible."
That's why they did surgery on one of my eyes, then waited six weeks to do the other.
Theory was if something did happen to one eye, I'd still have the other.

The was no discomfort with the surgery what so ever. They put me completely under for it.
They put a patch over the eye following surgery and I couldn't drive myself home. Had to have a ride there.
The patch only stayed on for 24hrs and was removed at the doctors office the following day.
Patch removed to find I had glorious vision again !!!

My aunt had cataract surgery decades ago and she said she was affected significantly by light following surgery.
I have had no problems or issues what so ever and can drive any time of the day or night I feel like driving.
To me, cataract surgery was a miracle. I can't imagine living in an age when it wasn't possible. I'd likely be virtually blind by now.
 
I have delayed having cataract surgery on my eyes until it was necessary to do so. I had the surgery on one eye because it was bad then waited eight years to have the other eye done because in my opinion the eye was still good. The doctor wanted to do my second eye just a few weeks after I had the first eye done but I told him no. I felt I was being pushed like when dealing with a high-pressure salesman.

The place I was dealing with was a large organization and is ran like a business to make as much money as possible. Money to pay all the doctors and the assistants there and of course the stockholders. I have refused the notices to make more appointments with them because I have my eyes checked every two years by another doctor for glasses and I figure they will tell me if there is something going on that is concerning.
 
Naturally said:
The was no discomfort with the surgery what so ever.....They put me completely under for it.
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Same here back in June 2021.......glad I had it done.
Nathan said:
Last year my wife had one eye done, very successful and beneficial. Cataract surgery might be problematic for diabetics, but everyone's situation is different.
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I'm diabetic type 2 and so far (knock on wood and fingers crossed) no problems......I go every six months to my ophthalologist for a thorough eye exam and the twice yearly visits are 100% covered by Medicare.
 
slobee said:
Did anyone decided to "not" have cataracts removed after finding out you had cataracts? If so, why not?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I had mine done 2 years ago. I had waited a bit longer than I should but it all went well. I was very nervous with the first one which surprised me and the doctor but two weeks later when he did the second one, I wasn't nervous at all. Just be sure to follow instructions carefully.

You probably know there are choices you can make in lenses and I got the lenses that Medicare paid for with long distance vision. That meant I need readers for anything close. That is a little annoying for me because I'm constantly putting on and taking off glasses. Fortunately the readers are inexpensive and I solved my problem by having a pair in every room, a pair in my purse and a pair in the car.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide and how it goes if you would like to. I always like to hear that.
 
My cataract surgery was done while I was still in the military and done by an experienced military doctor.
20yrs ago, it would have cost me $11K to have both eyes done, but the military didn't charge me a cent of course.

My eyes were going bad very quickly. I would have paid the $11K if the military couldn't have done it right away.
I was a little concerned about a military doctor doing it vs civilian, but I couldn't have been more pleased with the results.

I knew I HAD to do something quickly, the day I drove off base and almost ran over a gate guard because I didn't see him and he was plainly visible, just out of my very narrow field of cloudy vision because of cataracts.
 
slobee said:
Did anyone decided to "not" have cataracts removed after finding out you had cataracts? If so, why not?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I personally don't know of any good reason not to have the surgery, but I'm not an expert. I had it this year on both eyes, my vision has become a bit brighter because of the surgery. No other benefits noted regarding clarity of vision, but I also have dry macular degeneration.
 
Whatever you do, DON'T tell the surgeon you read anything about it on the internet. I did - Big mistake!
Had both eyes done last year, not sorry. Easy, Peasy.
 
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slobee said:
Thanks everyone! I just seem to have a problem with trusting a doctor but I know we have to at times.
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I seriously dislike and don't trust them either... one thing you'll want to do, though, is be sure to research the online provider reviews (maybe even ask some folks) for a reputable cataract doc. The surgery itself can do wonders, but it *is* really only as good as the doc doing it.
 
I went to a retina specialist last month and he said I had cataracts. Thing is I have diabetic neuropathy in both eyes. He said the cateract surgery might help a little but there were no guarantees. I am still thinking about it.
 
I can remember when the local hospital had a waiting list of about 80, and an eye consultant gave up a week's holiday and did 70 of them in a hired establishment. About the same time a Russian boat moored at Gibraltar and people queued to have them done, in one end and out the other. Now people wait years or spend a fortune or go blind.
Yesterday I noticed new teeth, upper and lower sets, only £20,000.
 
Had both eyes done within 2 weeks of each other and new lenses implanted. Now have clear 20/20 vision for the past 10 years and do not regret it one bit.
 
I was added to the waiting list for this just a couple days ago. I don't know how it could do anything but improve my current vision in my right eye! :D
 
I did mine 6 months apart to make sure there weren’t any problems. They try to get you to do them a week apart.
 

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