Cataract Surgery

Has anyone here had a cataract fixed recently? Recently because I understand there's been improvements in the process.

I'm looking at surgery in the not distant future. I'm interested in the surgical process from the patient perspective as well as the recovery.

I've had cataract surgery on both eyes- but it's been about 8 years or so, I expect they have made improvements. I'd worn glasses since the 1980's when the presbyopia finally got to the point that I really needed them. Each year the eye doc would tell me that the cataracts were getting "ripe" and would soon need to be removed. I elected to pay the difference to have permanent lenses put in, and I've never regretted that choice. There are however different choices in lenses, I chose the ones that allow 20/20 vision out to about 12 inches, from 12 inches to about 30 inches, I need cheaters. From 30 inches out, 20/20 vision. Great for me, for driving, movies, the shooting range, etc. About the only downside is the "halo" around oncoming headlights, although the brain seems to adjust in time. Hope this is helpful.

I would add that the recovery is about a day, usually they will do one eye, and wait 10 days or two weeks to do the other, easiest surgery I've ever had.

Thanks. Only one ready (maybe) now. I'd love to be able to focus on the front sight again.

What kind of sedation did you get? What was the recovery day like?

I would add that the recovery is about a day, usually they will do one eye, and wait 10 days or two weeks to do the other, easiest surgery I've ever had.

My experience was very similar to yours @Sherema69 and my surgery was about 9 or 10 years ago.

I must admit I have a horror of someone doing anything to my eyes, so I was just petrified. The morning I went in for the procedure, my BP was way up, (after taking my meds), however, the Opthalmologist used a topical gel as a local anesthetic. I had envisaged a hypodermic needle going into my eye.

Between the bright lights and my head being held in place somehow, the whole operation was over before I realized it. I have an implant in each eye, and the only glitch was that some stitches were required because of the shape of my eye. Apparently the incision did not close of its own accord, so the stitches were needed. I had hoped they were the dissolving type, but no. A week later, she removed them, and again it was all over before I had time to be concerned.

There may well have been improvements in the intervening years, but even 9 or 10 years ago it was, as @Sherema69 said, pretty routine.

I had one done about a year ago. Paid the extra $ so I do not need a contact in that eye.

For the sedation, I do not know the name but you are awake and aware of the procedure, but you are pretty much paralyzed. A little blurry vision that day, but the next day I could not believe how clear things were.

Absolutely no pain, but the only hassle was you need to sleep with a clear patch over the eye for two weeks.

I have such good vision in that eye, I can't wait for the other to need it.

BTW, I'm not so worried about eye procedures in general. I've had laser surgery as well as regular intra ocular injections. My worries are more about this particular procedure and recovery..

As I recall, the recovery was pretty easy. I did not see color for a few hours, and that worried me, but the Doc assured me that would change in 24 hours. If you've had occular injections, this should be an easy process. I just remembered, I was warned that in many cases, in about a year I might have to have a quick laser procedure to clear up some cloudiness that sometimes occurs after this surgery. It did occur, they zapped both eyes, and it has never reoccurred.

I have had cataract surgeries in both eyes, the surgery lasted about 6 minutes. I was in the hospital at 6:00am, waited about an hour when nothing was done, then they took me to a open ward, gave me a numbing shot in my eye (yes, that hurt for about 30 seconds), then a series of eye drops. I was home by 8:30, no restrictions, except scuba diving and horseback riding for 30 days.

I had worn glasses for over 50 years, and I don't need them anymore, my vision was 20/400 before the surgery, now it is 20/20 and I can drive without glasses. The downside is two fold, one between the weeks separating the surgery on each eye, you are out of balance and don't feel quite right, would encourage to get the second one done as quickly as possible. The other downside is that I cannot see anything close up and need to have "cheater glasses" for any type of close up work.

Over time, you can get scar tissue built up, but that is easy to remove.

Wish I had the surgery years earlier.

I had my cataracts removed two years ago and the wife this Feb & March. The eye surgeries were done two weeks apart to ensure the eye was fully recovered before the other eye was done. A wise precaution I think. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to have it done by an ophthalmologist who is experienced, but up on the latest techniques.

On both of us we got several drops in the eye first. I can't say if there was a shot in the eye as I was completely asleep (Versed is great stuff.) due to not being able to be completely still. It was an easy thing, but the multiple drops, multiple times a day for the next 3 weeks were a pain to mess with. I, too, have worn glasses since I was a teen, but no longer need them to drive, only for close work. I had the distance vision implants put in since driving is most important. A magnifying glass or even a whole page magnifier is much cheaper than a prescription ground windshield for my car. :-))

I have had it done in both eyes. The most recent was April 2016. The cataract wasn't that bad but my vision couldn't be corrected correctly all the way without doing it. My left eye was done in 2015. I had lens replacements in both. I was knocked out for all three of the eye surgeries I have had (the first was a torn and detached retina-8 tears). The surgeon put a gas bubble in my left eye to hold the repairs in place. The side effect of that was the cataract. Anyway the cataracts were easy recovery, but I was knocked out for all three. I can't be awake for that crap. I keep seeing the scene from the movie "Fire In The Sky" where the aliens come at that poor guy...well never mind, I won't go there! Anyway, I almost don't need glasses anymore for my right eye, and I can see pretty good even if I don't have glasses on in my left. I am so amazed by this since I haven seen this good since I was a little girl! I am not regretting getting them done one bit! The worst part of it all was remembering the eye drops!

Just a curiosity question, don't read too much into it.

For those of you who have had cataract surgery in the past few years, what was the setting (clinic, outpatient surgical center, outpatient at the hospital, inpatient, etc) and what was your state of dress (street clothing, gown over street clothes, partially undressed under gown or nude under gown, etc)

Like I said, don't read too much into this, I'm just curious.

Street clothes, surgery center, IV for sedation.

The cataract removal was interesting, awake for that as it takes about a minute, I saw spiders.Some people can smell the burning.

The lens implant done under sedation. One eye at a time. Recovery took a few days, slept with an eye patch to avoid scratching the surgery site, Lots of eye drops.

Downsides are floaters and scarring. Also, in my case, the requirement for reading glasses. Not covered by insurance, the cost was $7K to do both eyes.

Upside, I can safely drive at night - the halo effect diminishes over time. No need to distance vision glasses.

Next month the scarring will be burned off if all goes as planned.

I had both eyes done about 4 yrs ago. As I was a former medical social worker I knew everyone in the or and area. The nurse I have letched after for years looked after me. Gown and undies. I was given a sublinual ativan and sort of blissed out. In the or the opthomaligist had a medical student and she is what I remembered most. She was a very tall gorgeous Indo canadian, I would guess she was aSikh. she was very sexily dressed and provided many hours of tittilation since.

The proceedure took about 5 mins and I remember the bright light and seeing the folded lens spread out.

I was home within 2 hrs of arriving.

My eyes are better but I wear dime store reading glasses for tasks like keeping up withZity. I see halos around lights at night but I would do it again. And I got to ogle the nurses and the intern.

No enema unfortunately although it would have been a Fleet.

I do realize that things are done differently inother countries. I decided on the expensive lenses which cost about 2000 but everything else was coveredby our medical system.

My out of pocket should be $275, just the outpatient surgical copay. I'm getting the basic lens. I only need one eye done, so my biggest confusion is the necessary 1/2 pair of glasses. Medicare only covers basic glasses. I currently wear no line bifocals with Transitions lenses, UV protection, glare and scratch resistant light weight lenses. I don't know (and nobody can answer) how this will work financially after surgery.

I also can't deal with stuff in front of my eyes, so I've requested enough propofol to take a chemical vacation while the doctor works. Normally, this doctor only uses propofol during the anesthetic injection around the eyeball.

I have been through this. Many insurances will cut you a break on glasses if you can show them that you have had eye surgery. This is not uncommon. Call them up and see if they can help you out.

As far as the implant, I would strongly suggest that you consider the multifocal implant. Most insurances will pay for the multifocal implants now. I am extremely happy with mine, and my brain "snapped" into using it almost right away. I can go from typing on the computer to driving with no glasses.

As far as the surgery goes, gown on top so they can put a monitor on you. IV for sedation. Eye drops 4x a day a week before, lots and lots of eye drops at the hospital. Most of the time there is the eyedrops. Twilight sedation. If you are awake enough my guy used an ultrasonic knife to detach and liquify the old lens and a vacuum to suck the pieces out. The new lens is rolled up (tubed) with some kind of gel and injected in. It unrolls into it's final position. That is what makes them a lot harder to get out than to put in. Post op check in's the next AM, after 3 days, after 7 days, and after a month if all goes well, which it did both times. 2 eyedrops 4 x a day for a week or until they run out. The eye they do stays covered for 24 hours and you can uncover it. My vision went from being able to tell light from dark to 20/80 that day. The world had a decidedly blue tint to it for a bit (the cataract had a reddish/brown tint). I Had one stitch that came out on day 3. By day 7 the swelling and the pinch from the stitch subsided to the point the eye was at 20/30. At one month it was 20/15. Years later one is still between 20/15 and 20/20 and the other one is a bit behind that one. No complaints here. Oh, total time time, a few hours. In in the AM out by the early afternoon. No pain at all.

As far as the implant, I would strongly suggest that you consider the multifocal implant. Most insurances will pay for the multifocal implants now. I am extremely happy with mine, and my brain "snapped" into using it almost right away. I can go from typing on the computer to driving with no glasses.

The issue is that my other eye is fine so I need bifocals anyway. Medicare only pays for basic glasses and I only need 1/2 a pair. That's going to make things - interesting.

@Jds4med, I had all three of my eye surgeries in the hospital, so I was able to keep my undies on but everything else had to go. On the last one, I think I had to take them off too. It depended on the nurses I got, and the procedures done. The first one, my big eye surgery, I was at the end of my period so I got to keep them on. The second one, the nurse said something along the line of I didn't have to take them off, but if they asked her, she was going to tell them I was told to, or something like that. The third time, not so lucky. That nurse made me and my best friend would have ratted me out if I didn't. When I had my Carole tunnel surgeries, I had to get naked for those. Different hospital, different rules.

@Breaze If you're going into an operating room (as opposed to a procedure room), any outside clothing is not allowed to maintain the sanitation of the theatre. Even the staff isn't supposed to wear their street shoes under the shoe covers and aren't supposed to wear their OR scrubs elsewhere in the building.

I've seen videos of cataract procedures ranging from a gown over street clothes to nude under the gown. The origin of the videos span the civilized world. My personal experience ranges from naked under the gown for cardiac catheterizations and colonoscopies to just removing necessary clothes for the procedure (skin surgeries) sometimes with a gown, other times just street clothes and a local drape.

I had both eyes done on 13 and 27 June 2017. My left eye was the one with a fast approaching cataract. The right had one which was just enough to qualify for insurance. A first meeting with the surgeon, some tests. The surgery wait was 2 months. The first was 11:20. The second 8:20. Outpatient. Driver required to get home. Street clothes untouched. Booties and a hat. Eye drops to numb, etc. No injections. The anaesthesia was unknown at this point, up a notch on the second surgery to ensure that the brain was quiet? The basics: you sit in a darkened room until the drops take effect, an open bay, then wheeled into the surgery area. At best, bright light and running fluids during the procedure. I didn't have a watch to time it. The post afternoon was wobbly from the sedative, trying to deal with excited dogs underfoot. You do have food and fluid restrictions the morning of surgery. Nothing restricted after it. A steroid, antibiotic, Systane (all eye drops) four times a day for a week, cut to three times a day for the second week. A post surgery appointment the morning after, and a week after. Total cost per surgeon would have been @$9,000. With insurance $40 and $75 for each eye. I paid my out-of-pocket costs in January, btw. So these were co-pays. I have gone from someone nearsighted since first grade to intended nearsighted at 62. Make sure you have strong sunglasses since bright sun is not welcome. Despite the restrictions, I was in the Y pool the next day, head always out of water, away from splashes (immune system bump). Surgery on a Tuesday. The vision change was obvious by the pool on Friday each time.

I just had eye surgery today. Lots of scar tissue from an injury a couple of years ago, which had darkened and clouded the lens in my eye too. So much like regular cataract surgery. No need nowadays to even change clothes, you just need to wear a short sleeved shirt. Lots of drops. A super-sized drop to dilate your eye, IV in your hand, hooked up to bp monitor with the clip on your finger for oxygen level, and an oxygen line in your nose. Next thing, sitting in a recliner in the recovery room. I didn't come around as quickly as others, so there was another IV in my arm for more saline to flush the junk through. One and a half hours later going home with my driver. No discomfort really just scratchy. A lot more drops for awhile and the world should be a brighter more colorful place again!! Most fun was the pre-op physical with a beautiful tall dark haired doc!! No worries though. This is a breeze!

Cataract surgery is easy. Scratchy eye the day of the procedure - but drove myself back the next day for the post-op with no problems. You are fully awake during the procedure. They don’t let you eat the day of the surgery. It was potluck day for the surgical staff so during the procedure they discussed the various dishes they brought. I complained in the middle of the procedure that it was cruel to talk about food in front of a hungry patient. They laughed - but the doc gave me a tongue in cheek apology the next day.

All in all - better than a trip to the dentist

If you are fully awake, why would they say to not eat?

It's just one more variable they don't want to deal with, and they don't want you burping or doing any type of moving.

They don't like it if you puke on them.

My 50+yo son hit his head at work and the next morning one eye was completely clouded. He had the cataract surgery one day, went back the next for a check up and now he has 20/15 in that eye.

Boy do I envy him. I had 20 /15 in both eyes until I was about 30. At 80 I remember how nice that was but I still don't need glasses for anything but reading. Some day they'll find a way to keep your lenses pliable enough to focus variably when you're over 40 instead being like a fixed focus camera.

I had corrective eye surgery two weeks ago. Actually for scar tissue from a bad injury, but since my vision is so different, I am having a cataract on my other eye fixed tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. I'm first on the table I guess. Just snacking on some chips but have to stop soon. Nothing to eat or drink after 9:00 p.m. Everyone is different, but I never remember anything about procedures like this until I am back in recliner, juice and crackers there. Surgeon said it was about 25-30 minutes last time, because of extra stuff. This time shorter. So simple though and I won't have to wear glasses all of the time! Yay!!

Surgery today was very cool. Awake the whole time, even talked to the doc. Lots of lights and images. Just intense pressure when he would warn me. No pain though. Got off the table and into a wheelchair by myself, and again into recovery chair. More juice and crackers. Back home in two hours! Easy peasy!!

The only "BAD" thing about cataract surgery is the cost of the multi-focal lens. Medicare pays 100% for a lens that will give you excellent distant vision, but will require reading glasses for near vision. The multi-focal lens gives you both - but it's out of pocket cost is around $2k per eye! I bit the bullet and got the multi-focal and am glad I did. My particular lens requires good lighting for reading. I can't read a menu in a dimly lit restaurant unless I use the flashlight on my cell-phone - then it is crystal clear.

Not sure what private insurance coverage includes. My supplemental didn't kick in at all.

The only "BAD" thing about cataract surgery is the cost of the multi-focal lens. Medicare pays 100% for a lens that will give you excellent distant vision, but will require reading glasses for near vision. The multi-focal lens gives you both - but it's out of pocket cost is around $2k per eye!

From what I heard from people who have had multifocal lenses is that they do not have as good resolution as lenses set for infinity/distance and using reading glasses.

The same goes for multifocal contact lenses compared to contacts set for distance and wearing reading glasses.