ask: What is your experience with cataract surgery?
I've just recently had a comprehensive eye exam that shows I have cataracts in both eyes, worse in one eye. I have an appointment next week with the eye surgeon so he can examine my eyes better and see exactly how bad it is. I know there is a possibility of having cataract surgery. My mother had cataract surgery several years ago, and the first eye was done by the surgeon and was great, but the second eye was done by his intern and she's had issues. So she has warned me to make sure that if I go that route that the Dr. himself does both eyes. I read the articles here on Cataracts and watched the video with Florence Henderson about her experience with cataract surgery.
My real queston here is twofold: If you've had cataract surgery, or know someone who has, what was the experience? What questions should I be asking the eye surgeon?
Thanks.
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Hi Lynda
Thanks for your question!
I haven't had any experience in this but I do hope our readers who have can give you the benefit of their experiences.
Some questions to ask your doctor include
Why is this surgery necessary for you?
How do I need to prepare?
How long is surgery and what does it entail?
Will there be pain or discomfort?
Will I be able to go home that day or drive myself?
What are the risks involved?
When should I expect to see improvement?
What may occur if I elect to not have surgery?
I know you have read up on cataracts on our site but you can read lots of information (if you missed it) about cataracts as well as articles and stories from others who have had them on our great Cataract page here: http://www.empowher.com/condition/cataract
Here's a short video that may help you more: http://www.empowher.com/cataract/content/cataracts-how-are-they-treated-...
I hope this helps you and good luck if you elect surgery! Again, I hope other women who have been through this can pop in to help you.
September 23, 2011 - 9:29am~Susan
This Comment
Another question you might want to ask is:
What kind of anesthesia will you use? What are possible side effects of it?
I came out of cataract surgery with double vision. After 40 years of wearing contact lenses, I am back to wearing (and paying for) glasses. I am so angry. Each opthalmologist I see first says it's due to the injection of anesthesia in the muscles of the eye. I didn't have that in either eye, according to the records, the surgeon, and the anesthesiologist. So what has caused this? It is not a coincidence that it happened right after cataract surgery. Has never occured before. Now I am stuck with not being able to see well near or far.
The prismatic glasses my optometrist prescribed (and I paid for, no coverage) do not fix the problem. The opthalmic surgeon I then saw said it is not bad enough to require surgery, that he could possibly make it worse by trying. He prescribed prismatic glasses with a slightly different prescription.
I am hesitant to get it filled, and pay for THOSE out of my pocket, thinking they won't do the trick either. I'd LOVE for the cataract surgeon to have to pay for all these glasses.
No one admits that the placement or refractive power of one of the implanted lenses might need correcting. Can a lens even BE replaced?
September 23, 2011 - 11:14amPresently I am walking around closing one eye if I want to see clearly. I am stumbling over things and only not-quite running into doorways!
Thank you Susan for your reply. I will definitely continue to look into the subject. After all, these are my eyes and the only set I get to have in this life so I'm particularly cautious about this.
Crselby - thank you for sharing your experience with me. I have to admit one of the questions I do plan on asking is about anesthesia or how they plan on numbing the eye for this. One friend of mine had hers done and said she loved it, no problems, they used drops to numb her eye. My mother on the other hand, was fine with just one eye done, but when the second eye was done (by an intern and not the doctor) she had poorer results and has trouble at night now. These are things that do concern me greatly because I also have to drive at night.
I'll be making a list of all these questions so I don't forget to ask them.
Thank you both again. Hope to hear from others about their experiences too.
September 23, 2011 - 11:37am