topic Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery in Wellness

Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

On It — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:22:05 GMT

My husband's vision changed two years after his cataract surgery. In January 2020 my husband had surgery on his left eye to remove a cataract. In February he had the right eye done.

Lately he noticed having difficulty with his left eye vision. It was blurry. I panicked because I thought the new lens had shifted or something. He went to my ophthalmologist for an exam. Good news! The lens was still in place, but his vision had changed. His eye had made a slight, microscopic change in shape, and now he will have 20/20 vision with glasses. He had not needed them for two years.

I thought the new lens would mean perfect vision for life. I did not realize that the eye could change independently from the lens. What a relief that he didn't need a new surgery!

I shared because I wanted others who have had the surgery to know this can happen, but it is not a huge problem.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Sapphiregal — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:47:53 GMT

I had Lasik surgery about 20 years ago and I loved it because for the first time since I was a mere child, I had perfect 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts. Then 6 years ago, I needed cataract surgery. I was told that I might have to start wearing glasses for my distance vision. Was I ever disappointed to hear that! However, I have not needed glasses and, in fact, since having the cataract surgery, I see even better than I was. I can spot a fly on a fence post a mile away! Well, that might be a little exaggeration, but, not much!

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

KingstonsMom — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:23:37 GMT

@On It

Many years ago I had cataract surgery on both eyes, and I had 20/25 vision in both eyes afterward.

It turned out that I had astigmatism (to do with the shape of the eyeball itself) and 20/25 is the best I could achieve.

I do use reading glasses since for really fine print, but it's better than needing glasses all day, every day, IMO.

My best to your DH!

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

judianne — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:12:20 GMT

My husband had cataract surgery in both eyes and now he can see perfect for far away since ! Uses reading glasses for closeup . Funny thing , I have perfect up close vision , but can't see any thing distant with out glasses . Wondering if I have cataract surgery would it fix my distance vision , so I would not need any glasses ?

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Meowingkitty — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:23:30 GMT

I was 20/800 before my cataract surgery with astigmatism and now I'm 20/15. No glasses needed. I did develop that film or secondary cataract a few years later but a quick zap of the laser took care of it.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

hckynutjohn — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:26:09 GMT

I had both my eyes done about 7 years ago. Trifocals were my glasses for many years prior to these surgeries. I read quite a bit about them and decided to pay extra to get a Multi-focal lens in my left eye.

My Ophthalmologist told me with my present vision I could go with the Mono-focal lens in my right eye. Since then I do not need to wear any glasses, for distance or reading small print.

Now it is only polarized sun glasses on my face. Glad I decided to pay the extra. Probably saved me money because my eyes were changing so much each year I was needing new lenses every year.

hckynut 🇺🇸

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Q4u — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:44:21 GMT

I need this surgery very badly and am just waiting for my doctor to tell me "it's time"..... will evaluate the need for special lenses when the time comes and am willing to pay for the extra help if needed. I wore contacts for over 20 years and came to love the clear, crisp images I had, but had to stop wearing them and have worn bi-focals since. My vision now is blurry to the point of me actually rooting for my day to come!

So glad your DH's vision will be fine and no more surgery needed!

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Still Raining — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:55:24 GMT

Preach it @On It

The warnings we never got.

I also have an aneurysm, left over from a stroke, that is on the optic nerve. Like Winnie asked "How to amuse them today" 🤣

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Scooby Doo — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:41:06 GMT

@Q4u wrote:
I need this surgery very badly and am just waiting for my doctor to tell me "it's time"..... will evaluate the need for special lenses when the time comes and am willing to pay for the extra help if needed. I wore contacts for over 20 years and came to love the clear, crisp images I had, but had to stop wearing them and have worn bi-focals since. My vision now is blurry to the point of me actually rooting for my day to come!

So glad your DH's vision will be fine and no more surgery needed!

@Q4u I don't understand why you're waiting for someone to give you permission. If the condition is interfering with your quality of life they will do the procedure. Just go to the eye surgeon, no referal needed. It's an old wives tale that you have to wait until they're "bad enough".

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Scooby Doo — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:58:38 GMT

@judianne wrote:
My husband had cataract surgery in both eyes and now he can see perfect for far away since ! Uses reading glasses for closeup . Funny thing , I have perfect up close vision , but can't see any thing distant with out glasses . Wondering if I have cataract surgery would it fix my distance vision , so I would not need any glasses ?

@judianne That's a definite maybe. I had the same situation. I could see up close but had terrible far vision. The doctor will ask you whether you want your vision set for up close or far. My surgeon (world renowned) suggested that I have it set for close up. That's what I'm used to having and he said it would turn my world upside down if I set it for distance. It depends on what you like to do during the day. I read and quilt, all of which require up close vision. He warned me that I would still have to wear glasses either way. He can only correct it to a certain point. So now I can see distance well enough around the house, but I need glasses to drive. He said my vision wasn't good enough to have the multi focal lens. Said I wouldn't get that crisp vision and would likely still see halos. It all depends on how bad your vision is.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

cindyNC — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 03:44:49 GMT

My vision changed about a year after I had surgery and I wasn't seeing as well at night or close up. I had "secondary cataracts" and had to have minor laser surgery done on each eye. Now I'm back to what my vision should be after the lens implants.

"A secondary cataract, also known posterior capsule opacifcation, is the most common complication after cataract surgery. It happens in 3-50% of cases five years after cataract surgery, and is a result of the migration and proliferation of the epithelial cells that lead to reduced visual acuity."

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

HiLo — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:16:11 GMT

@cindyNC wrote:
My vision changed about a year after I had surgery and I wasn't seeing as well at night or close up. I had "secondary cataracts" and had to have minor laser surgery done on each eye. Now I'm back to what my vision should be after the lens implants.

"A secondary cataract, also known posterior capsule opacifcation, is the most common complication after cataract surgery. It happens in 3-50% of cases five years after cataract surgery, and is a result of the migration and proliferation of the epithelial cells that lead to reduced visual acuity."

This also happened to me but nothing was said about what you mentioned. I will ask about it next time I have an appointment. Thank you!

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Q4u — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 23:09:06 GMT

@Scooby Doo - That's an interesting way to describe it but I'm waiting for the doctor to tell me it has reached a certain point where the surgery will be covered by medicare. That's the milestone I am waiting to reach.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

granddi — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 01:28:40 GMT

@Scooby Doo wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
I need this surgery very badly and am just waiting for my doctor to tell me "it's time"..... will evaluate the need for special lenses when the time comes and am willing to pay for the extra help if needed. I wore contacts for over 20 years and came to love the clear, crisp images I had, but had to stop wearing them and have worn bi-focals since. My vision now is blurry to the point of me actually rooting for my day to come!

So glad your DH's vision will be fine and no more surgery needed!

@Q4u I don't understand why you're waiting for someone to give you permission. If the condition is interfering with your quality of life they will do the procedure. Just go to the eye surgeon, no referal needed. It's an old wives tale that you have to wait until they're "bad enough".

Unffortunately, medicare now requires certain criteria be met to cover cataract extraction. In the past, subjective compalints such as "glare" or "quality of life" would qualify for the procedure.

The delay is usually not because the cataracts are not mature, or not bad enough, or not ripe.....its to follow insurance guidelines.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

Meowingkitty — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 19:40:01 GMT

@Scooby Doo wrote:
@judianne wrote:
My husband had cataract surgery in both eyes and now he can see perfect for far away since ! Uses reading glasses for closeup . Funny thing , I have perfect up close vision , but can't see any thing distant with out glasses . Wondering if I have cataract surgery would it fix my distance vision , so I would not need any glasses ?
@judianne That's a definite maybe. I had the same situation. I could see up close but had terrible far vision. The doctor will ask you whether you want your vision set for up close or far. My surgeon (world renowned) suggested that I have it set for close up. That's what I'm used to having and he said it would turn my world upside down if I set it for distance. It depends on what you like to do during the day. I read and quilt, all of which require up close vision. He warned me that I would still have to wear glasses either way. He can only correct it to a certain point. So now I can see distance well enough around the house, but I need glasses to drive. He said my vision wasn't good enough to have the multi focal lens. Said I wouldn't get that crisp vision and would likely still see halos. It all depends on how bad your vision is.

You say your vision want good enough for multi focal lenses. I was 20/800 probably worse with astigmatism. I couldn't go to the bathroom without glasses. So I don't understand how your vision wasn't good enough. I got multi focal lenses and now have 20/15. Only glasses I wear now are sunglasses.

Re: Vision Changed after Cataract Surgery

patbz — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 20:24:37 GMT

Sometimes the ability to pay for an "upgrade" isn't the issue. In my case, my doctor saw no value added with an upgrade in my case. I appreciated his honesty A nd followed his advise. I wear minimum prescription progressives ( one part is clear ) just so I don't need to constantly change into and out of readers ( I multi task; read while also watching t.v.).