topic Re: Anyone had Cataract Surgery? in Wellness

Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Scooby Doo — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 00:25:12 GMT

Went to the doctor today and got scheduled for catarac surgery in 10 days. He gave me two choices and I'm having an issue deciding which one to do. First is the standard procedure that insurance will pay for, but I'll still need to wear glasses for distance.

Second is the special lens that will correct both distance and near vision but the cost for that lens is $2850 per eye. I'm having a hard time justifying the cost of that, mostly because (1) that's a lot of money and (2) I'm used to wearing glasses. Also, I have astigmatism and that would probably need to be corrected for another $1600 per eye.

Anyone have the special lens put in, and is it worth all that money?

I've heard the surgery is pretty easy. Was that your experience?

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

pdlinda — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 00:39:57 GMT

I had trifocal lens implants put in both eyes about 4 years ago and couldn't be more pleased with the results. My vision is 20/20 and I haven't used eyeglasses since the surgery. Yes, I was very expensive (about $8,000) but I think it was well worth it to get the results I have achieved.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

hckynut — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 00:41:23 GMT

Yes. I had both eyes done back in 2009. Needed tri focals for many years so I had all ranges of vision

I paid $1700 over what is payed by Medicare because I wanted to not wear glasses. I thus went with a Multi-focal iol in my left eye. It right away allowed to be ab!e to read even very small print.

I did not get my right eye done as quickly as I wanted, as my bleeding colon canceled the appointment while I spent 2+ weeks, and 3 colonoscopies later getting the bleeding found and repaired.

I went with the $0 cost Mono-focal for my righr eye, at the advice of my eye doctor. Haven't needed glasses since so the Multi-focal saved me more money than I would have paid over the years buying new lenes about every year.

Easiest thing, medically I have had done.

hckynut(john)

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

I am still oxox — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 01:04:33 GMT

I am 61 and had both eyes done before I turned 50, I had some sort of an anomaly that caused my eyes to age prematurely. When I had the surgery there was no choices offered.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Kachina624 — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 01:12:42 GMT

When I had my surgeries, I had no idea there were other lens available but if they come to $8,000, I would have passed. I've worn glasses for years and they're no big deal. For that sum of money, I'll continue to wear thrm.

Re: Anyone had Cataract Surgery?

Moonchilde — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 22:42:10 GMT

It depends a great deal on how your vision used to be (before the cataracts). If you had pretty good vision and only wore glasses sometimes, to drive or sew, but you could see across the room, or watch TV pretty well without glasses, then yes, it's likely that you wouldn't need 18-hr/day eyeglasses after surgery with the progressive implants.

But if you have worn glasses all your life and are very nearsighted, chances are fair that you would still need to wear glasses even so.

I have worn glasses since I was six and have always been very near-sighted. I had astigmatism in one eye, so paid for a toric lens in that eye (about $1500). I could not afford the $2800 lens in the other eye on top of that, so got the freebie lens.

My very close up (reading, eating, menus) vision is good without glasses, but in all, I have to wear glasses all the time just as I did before surgery. They now cost me slightly less, but I still need them to do much of anything.

Because I'm SO nearsighted, I doubt I could totally give up glasses no matter what was promised. And I learned from the experience I had with my surgeon that what you are promised, assured will be your result, etc. is not necessarily what your result will be. In short, I was skwoowed. I'm as eyeglass-dependent as I ever was, and I'm not sure things would have been very different even if I'd had the progressive implant.

If your eyesight has been pretty good and you have not been totally eyeglass-dependent, you should do well with the progressive implants.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Carolm — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 01:55:13 GMT

I had cataract surgery on both eyes two weeks apart in 2011. It was a breeze. No shots -- my surgeon did it all with drops. We discussed choices and I decided that I wanted to see at a distance without glasses, so I could drive, go to the movies, watch tv, etc without glasses. So I use reading glasses when I read or work on my laptop. I've been pleased with the results and no regrets. Good luck with your surgery.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

hckynut — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 02:03:08 GMT

@Kachina624

My Multi-focal iol cost me $1700 out of pocket. With what I would have paid for new lenses and glasses the last 7 years? That Multi-focal iol has already paid for itself.

My job of 33 years required me to wear heavy safety lens glasses, with extra weight side shields. Try that working in over 105+° for a couple days and you will get my drift. I also went to bi-focal's for a few years, then to tri-focals for many years.

I had a way to get completely away from ever wearing anything but sunglasses, and I took it. Haven't worn anything but shades since, and it paid for itself in about 5 years. One of the best decisios I havs ever made. Fewer eye doctor visits also.

hckynut(john)

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Floppo — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 02:05:11 GMT

Had severe cataracts in one eye and moderate cataracts in the other. Had AcrysofIQ Restor Multifocal IOL lenses put in both eyes. Medicare covered the surgery but not the "high premium" lenses($5,000 out-of-pocket for that). Pricey,yes,but having instant clear vision with no surgery side effects was well worth the money.

No more struggling to read fine print with reading glasses. Would do it over again! You only have one pair of eyes---opt to see near & far!!

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

BlingQueen022 — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 02:46:32 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
When I had my surgeries, I had no idea there were other lens available but if they come to $8,000, I would have passed. I've worn glasses for years and they're no big deal. For that sum of money, I'll continue to wear thrm.

ahhhhhhh, the cost of being so vain.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

bonnielu — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 03:14:42 GMT

I was not given the choice. I have worn glasses since the age of 2 1/2. You can only imagine what it felt like to not ever again have to wear glasses except for reading. I was told I was not a candidate for the kind that would let me never have to use reading glasses. In any case I am happy and honestly I love wearing readers. I miss my glasses for the look of them on me. They seem to frame my face and I feel that they hired any tiredness I may have.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

hckynut — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 03:23:10 GMT

@BlingQueen022 wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
When I had my surgeries, I had no idea there were other lens available but if they come to $8,000, I would have passed. I've worn glasses for years and they're no big deal. For that sum of money, I'll continue to wear thrm.

ahhhhhhh, the cost of being so vain.

@BlingQueen022

Care to clue me in on your above statement? I did not spend $8,000, but if I did, what does that have to do with vanity? I explained in detail in 1of my 2 other posts, why I chose to spend my $1,700 for a Multi-focal iol lens. I can assure you it has absolutely nothing to do with how I look.

"To each be their own". 🐱

hckynut(john)

Re: Anyone had Cataract Surgery?

Moonchilde — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 22:41:34 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

@Kachina624

My Multi-focal iol cost me $1700 out of pocket. With what I would have paid for new lenses and glasses the last 7 years? That Multi-focal iol has already paid for itself.

My job of 33 years required me to wear heavy safety lens glasses, with extra weight side shields. Try that working in over 105+° for a couple days and you will get my drift. I also went to bi-focal's for a few years, then to tri-focals for many years.

I had a way to get completely away from ever wearing anything but sunglasses, and I took it. Haven't worn anything but shades since, and it paid for itself in about 5 years. One of the best decisios I havs ever made. Fewer eye doctor visits also.

hckynut(john)

You were plain lucky in your cost, determined by the going rate where you live. As you have read in this thread (and probably other similar threads) *most* people need to pay close to $3000 for one lens. If I could have gotten them for $1700 each I'd certainly have done that.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

NigelSparkles — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 13:04:46 GMT

Yes, I've had the surgery. First eye in May, second in July. I opted for what they call accommodating lenses. Brand name is Crystalens, and also comes in toric for astigmatism which is called Trulign. They differ from the multifocal in that they are supposed to bend with the eye muscles and be closer to normal vision. I paid just about what you were quoted, but there was no additional charge for the toric one. Both were the same price. My surgeon did not offer multifocal lenses unless the patient insisted. For some reason he didn't care for them so I really didn't consider those as an option for me.

My distance vision is now excellent, up to approximately 2 feet from my nose. I now need reading glasses, which I hadn't needed pre-surgery. To be completely honest, I'm disappointed in that aspect because I was led to believe I would be able to use the computer, ipad and phone - as well as read normal sized print - without readers. They are very low-powered ones. That being said, many people don't need readers afterward. Depends on the individual. The better the light, the better I can read - I have no problem functioning without readers at the supermarket unless I need to read small print.

If I had to make the decision again, I would still get the ones I now have. I wasn't a good candidate for the "regular" lenses as I had issues with dizziness when my eyes weren't working together at the same vision level. Used to fall off curbs with my regualr glasses on. Haven't had that issue since the surgery.

As for the procedure itself, I'm a complete chicken crybaby and got through it fine. ZERO pain or even discomfort. There was one very scary part when they break up the cataract, but that's all it was. Scary. If someone had explained it to me in advance, I'd have been fine. So I'm telling you now. The second surgery was easier than the first because I knew what to expect. I had the impants put in via laser method.

There are lots of eyedrops in your future. Good luck with whatever implants you choose. You will be amazed with the difference this surgery will make in your life.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Scooby Doo — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 14:50:16 GMT

Thanks for al the advice. I think I need to go back to the clinic and talk to the medical assistant and get more information. The doctor talked so fast and seemed rushed and I felt like I didn't hear everything. He recommended the standard lenses in my case. Given my age, I can't imagine that I will spend $6000 on glasses in the future. If I was 10 years younger, I could justify doing it. I've had bad distance vision since grade school and I wore hard contact lenses for 35 years. Went back to glasses about 15 years ago. I can see quite well to do close up work and read, I take off my glasses to do that. So I'm not excited about wearing readers.

I just know that I need to have this done now, because I'm afraid to drive at night because of the glare and halos. I have to stay home once it gets dark outside. That's no fun for me.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

hckynut — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 14:55:29 GMT

@Moonchilde

Sure, according to you and hundreds of others, online and real life, everything that happens in my life is because I have such "good luck".

Join the crowd,

hckynut(john)

Re: Anyone had Cataract Surgery?

Moonchilde — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 22:41:03 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

@Moonchilde

Sure, according to you and hundreds of others, online and real life, everything that happens in my life is because I have such "good luck".

Join the crowd,

hckynut(john)

Well, you could have had the "luck" to live in an area where your implants would have cost you $2200 more than you paid - and what one pays has nothing to do with negotiating skill, being a canny bargainer or "choosing the right doctor" - the fees are what they are in a given geographic area and the surgeons charge pretty close to the same for the lenses in an area.

So yes, I certainly would consider it luck to live in an area where the lenses cost considerably less than in much of the rest of the country.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

sophiamarie — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 17:28:33 GMT

I had both eyes done, two weeks apart. If I had to, I could have driven home myself. One minute I was talking and the next minute, I heard the doctor say, "everything went well, take the patch off at 7 pm and see me tomorrow"..... I was given VERSED. One minute you're awake and alert and the next minute, it seems you are awake and alert. No groggyness at all. I don't understand anyone saying they felt the cataract "breaking apart"....???? What does that even mean???

As for the implant - my surgeon gave me the option of the multi-focal lens (which Medicare does not pay for - for $2,500 each) or the IOL and I would "probably just need readers afterwards".... I chose the IOL. He implanted "distance" lenses in my eyes and I need Dollar Store readers (+2.50 to +3.00 power) to read and for the computer. Otherwise I don't need glasses at all.

Dollar Store glasses or $5,000????

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

Tyak — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 18:19:19 GMT

@Scooby Doo wrote:
Went to the doctor today and got scheduled for catarac surgery in 10 days. He gave me two choices and I'm having an issue deciding which one to do. First is the standard procedure that insurance will pay for, but I'll still need to wear glasses for distance.
Second is the special lens that will correct both distance and near vision but the cost for that lens is $2850 per eye. I'm having a hard time justifying the cost of that, mostly because (1) that's a lot of money and (2) I'm used to wearing glasses. Also, I have astigmatism and that would probably need to be corrected for another $1600 per eye.

Anyone have the special lens put in, and is it worth all that money?
I've heard the surgery is pretty easy. Was that your experience?

I had it done 2 years ago, both eyes, 2 weeks apart and paid $2500 per eye....after wearing glasses every waking hour for 50 years, it was more than worth it to not have to wear glasses ever again! If you can afford it, I say go for it because it will be your only chance to get rid of your glasses.

The surgery itself is a breeze, the worst part is putting in all the drops afterward for about a month or so.

Re: Anyone had Catarac Surgery?

sugar22 — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 18:40:28 GMT

The procedure was a piece of cake. Got tired of all the drops you have to use for several weeks afterwards, but otherwise no problem. My opthamologist did not recommend the fancy extra cost lenses. He said most of his patients who got them were not happy, so he just usually goes with the ordinary ones.

I have one lens for distance, and one for reading. I see no halos at night, but I still use glasses for distance.