topic Re: I'm nerous in Among Friends

I'm nerous

Huge Hannah — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 04:33:51 GMT

Tomorrow I have my first visit to an opthamolgist to treat (i.e., get rid of) cataracts on my eyes. I'm releived to finally get this fixed (I can hardly see out of my right eye) but I'm a little apprehensive too.

I hope I can have the surgery and all the follow up before Christmas but I'm not sure that's do-able; he's very good at what he does so he's booked up several weeks out; oh well...as the saying goes, "You don't want to eat in an empty resturaunt"

My sister had this same surgery several years ago and said it was a lot easier than she thought it would be. I'll be interested in finding what changes--if any--have been made in the surgery and follow-up.

But, still, I'm nervous.

Re: I'm nerous

KathyM23 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 04:52:22 GMT

I just found out I'm growing a cataract in my right eye. I will soon be in your situation and not looking forward to it either. I do know that cararact surgery is rather simple now. I remember when my Dad has cataracts removed many years ago and it had to be done in a hospital and had to lay for either 24 or 48 hours (can't remember now) with sandbags beside his head so it didn't move.

We are quite lucky that it is now simple outpatient surgery with no dreaded after care like as in the past to deal with so I guess we have to look at it that way. Hopefullly, some posters will post their positive outcomes to help with our nervousness!

Re: I'm nerous

shopperqvc — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 05:06:42 GMT

Many years ago my Grandmother had both of her eyes done. She had to go to Chicago because there was no one near here to do it. She stayed in the hospital after the first one for a day, then went to stay with her niece since she had to go back to the office several times. No sense my Mother driving her back and forth several times. Then, 1 week later the second eye done. Same thing overnight in hospital, then several trips back to doctor. It took a full 2 weeks, and lots of eye drops. It's much better now, and more doctors helps, too. No long trips for the patients, and their drivers.

Re: I'm nerous

NAES1 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 05:57:05 GMT

@KathyM23 wrote:
I just found out I'm growing a cataract in my right eye. I will soon be in your situation and not looking forward to it either. I do know that cararact surgery is rather simple now. I remember when my Dad has cataracts removed many years ago and it had to be done in a hospital and had to lay for either 24 or 48 hours (can't remember now) with sandbags beside his head so it didn't move.

We are quite lucky that it is now simple outpatient surgery with no dreaded after care like as in the past to deal with so I guess we have to look at it that way. Hopefullly, some posters will post their positive outcomes to help with our nervousness!

@Huge Hannah, I am assuming your cataract surgical procedure is over, no complications and the (R) eye is looking good.

@KathyM23 ~~ I had a teacher friend as my medical instructor who told me exactly what you had written.

Yes, according to her, she said lying still ...and definitely no moving, sandbags were heavy; one was placed on each side of the temple. A hospital stay of two days and nights.

Now, it's so common the cataract can be removed in (almost) any Opthalmologist's office with very little to remember what NOT to do for a few days, if that.

No lifting/ bending over.

You mentioned a cataract ...( I am thinking that your Dr. just discovered ) and possibly very small, hopefully at this time. For a SMALL cataract, it takes over 5 years + to reach that time this has to be done. A typical growth.

I was told this by a very good friend in Ophthalmology medicine when an older friend had to have both [cataracts] in each eye treated. She is about 85, now and only needs otc readers for close & small print. I wish you well and certainly hope your cataract(s) are not that large.

I can not tell you why some have ((them)) and others do not, but when your vision becomes cloudy that it impairs your sight, I am assuming that was why (maybe) you had seen your Ophthalmologist.???.

Also, was told most folks after age 50 can or do develop the beginning of one. My best to you.

Re: I'm nerous

Kachina624 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 06:53:51 GMT

I've had cataracts removed from both eyes at different times. Mine were done at a surgery center where they only do this type of surgery, never heard of it being done in a doctor's office. There were a ton of people there. It's a piece of cake...nothing to it. I had the surgery in the morning and kept a dentist appointment in the afternoon. I had to use drops for a couple weeks afterwards but had no restrictions. Bending over was never mentioned; I think this is a hold-over from olden times.

Re: I'm nerous

sissel — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 07:42:43 GMT

My husband had it done just one eye goes all the time for checking other eye but seems that eye is doing good. Yes they have patients in & out like 10 a day. Oh no problem next day he could drive. I understand scared but sat there & so many cabs ubers coming & going to pick them up. they even marked his bad eye just a normal day for them. Just do your drops, to be honest I was a wreck but he was fine. assembly line with the eye dr. they do it once or twice a week for them no big deal. Someday we will have to go back for the other eye

Re: I'm nerous

RealtyGal2 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 07:54:43 GMT

@Huge Hannah wrote:
Tomorrow I have my first visit to an opthamolgist to treat (i.e., get rid of) cataracts on my eyes. I'm releived to finally get this fixed (I can hardly see out of my right eye) but I'm a little apprehensive too.

I hope I can have the surgery and all the follow up before Christmas but I'm not sure that's do-able; he's very good at what he does so he's booked up several weeks out; oh well...as the saying goes, "You don't want to eat in an empty resturaunt"

My sister had this same surgery several years ago and said it was a lot easier than she thought it would be. I'll be interested in finding what changes--if any--have been made in the surgery and follow-up.

But, still, I'm nervous.

No reason to be nervous. I was so nervous about my eye surgery that I waited too long. As it turned out the eye surgery itself was nothing. So far this year I have had 3 corneal transplants 2 of which included removing cataracts. The cataracts were so bad in the first surgery that the surgeon could not see to remove them and just did the newest version of the corneal transplant (A slice of a donor cornea instead of an entire cornea) which has a fairly quick recovery. Because the cataract was so bad, the corneal implant rejected. I had to have that eye redone with a full corneal transplant that takes a year to heal, but they were able to remove the cataracts. The surgeon did not want to repeat that experience on my other eye so he did the corneal transplant on my good eye six months later, using the new method. Within 4 days after the surgery I could see better out of my good eye without glasses than I could with glasses before the surgery. My point is to just do it before it gets worse. There is no pain during or after the surgery. You are awake for the surgery (they do give you anesthesia, but you are not asleep), but you can't see what they are doing. I just saw bright colors, but that might have been due to the corneal transplant. The surgery takes very little time. Don't be nervous. Hope this helps!

Re: I'm nerous

RealtyGal2 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 08:08:40 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
I've had cataracts removed from both eyes at different times. Mine were done at a surgery center where they only do this type of surgery, never heard of it being done in a doctor's office. There were a ton of people there. It's a piece of cake...nothing to it. I had the surgery in the morning and kept a dentist appointment in the afternoon. I had to use drops for a couple weeks afterwards but had no restrictions. Bending over was never mentioned; I think this is a hold-over from olden times.

You are right about the surgery center and lots of eyedrops, and that it is easy. I was not able to bend over immediately after my surgery because they placed an air bubble under the new lense to keep the corneal implant in place (cataracts removed in the same surgery). I had to lay down in the surgery center for an hour after the surgery, a friend drove me home (front seat of the car reclined), and had to stay flat on my back for 48 hours with the exception of the follow-up visit the next morning after the surgery. I think this was primarily because of the corneal transplant and probably is the case if they are using an air bubble to hold something in place (maybe the new lense).

Re: I'm nerous

CalminHeart — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 09:53:24 GMT

I have always been afraid of eye surgery. I have a big fear of being blind (long story) and i was petrified of having something put in my eyes to keep my eyelids open. I ended up with a torn retina 3 years ago and had to have surgery. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I will need cacteract surgery within a couple of years and am nervous but not nearly as afraid as i was in the past.

Re: I'm nerous

TX-starlight — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 10:42:33 GMT

@Kachina624 I think you are correct, about "olden times". My mom had this procedure about 3yrs ago, nothing was ever mentioned about bending over. Many yrs ago, a fiend had the same thing & was told not to bend over for quite awhile. So I paid attention to moms instructions & it was never mentioned.

Re: I'm nerous

Imaoldhippie — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 10:49:38 GMT

@Huge Hannah................Dont fret its a piece of cake. I am very skiddish and sensitive when it comes to poking anything near my eyes. I cant put in contacts, and the puff of air at the eye docs freaks me out.

However, I came through the cataract removal with flying colors. I could feel pressure but no pain and it only last a minute or 2 and I even had the implants.

Rest easy and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Re: I'm nerous

Meowingkitty — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:57:54 GMT

I had it done earlier this year and it’s a piece of cake. I now have 20/20 vision and no need for readers. Previously I had something like 20/700 vision. I could not even read the E on the wall. First thing on and last thing off every day were glasses. It is so worth it.

Re: I'm nerous

jlkz — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:07:07 GMT

@RealtyGal2

I had plain old cataract removal surgery: I saw the vivid colors also.

The attending anesthesiologist said that she would be adjusting the level of anesthesia during the 10- minute procedure as needed.

Absolutely no pain for either eye surgery.

I wasted a lot of energy worrying about the first procedure. I try to talk to anyone who is facing the surgery about how it will flow.

Ran into my pastor a few days after my surgery: his was scheduled for the next day and he was extremely anxious. By the time I left, he felt calm and at peace. He thanked me for my gift....suggested to him that the gift was from God in having our paths cross at that moment.

Re: I'm nerous

blueroses47 — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:25:34 GMT

Of course, you're nervous, that's natural. But, there is really no alternative, and from what everybody says, it's a fairly easy procedure, and you will do fine, and be so happy when it's done.

I watched my grandmother go blind from cataracts back in the late sixties, and finally she had surgery in 1971 and could see again. Yes, back then, it was a big to-do, had to go to the hospital, and aftercare was more complicated. Then when my mom had it done, she said it was so quick and easy with great results.

Three years ago, I developed a "wrinkled" retina in one eye that now will complicate my cataract surgery, but I have cataracts in both eyes that are now getting troublesome, so I plan to go to the eye doctor after the holidays and discuss if it is time to have them removed. I do see a retina specialist once a year for that problem, but he doesn't take care of the cataracts, that is done by the regular eye doctor.

Since I have the one bad retina, my issue is that I am very, very afraid of anything going wrong with surgery on my "good" eye. If not for that worry, I don't think I'd be as afraid of the cataract removal as I am. Things can always go wrong in any procedure, but from what everyone says, including the doctors, cataract removal is one of THE most successful types of surgery.

We just have to be brave, and do what must be done, because if not, down the line we WILL lose our sight, I saw it happen to my beloved grandmother.

As one youtuber said in her video, discussing her cataract surgery results, "it was like the heavens opened and the angels sang." She was so happy with the results.

Re: I'm nerous

froggy — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:59:18 GMT

I am really excited to get mine done, but I am waiting til next March - my doc didn't have any appointments open until January and I'm having house guests in Feb and didn't want to be fussing with all the eye drops while they are here.

The most exciting part is that I have chosen to get the lenses that will correct the severe astigmatism I have had my entire life. I'll be able to see better than I ever have!

Re: I'm nerous

SeaMaiden — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:35:45 GMT

@Huge Hannah I had both eyes done last January. There is a little discomfort but that is all. No worse than a dentist visit. You just DO IT because you need to. Just think about all the people around the world blind from cateracts who have no way of getting them removed... be grateful and thankful and everything will be great!

Re: I'm nerous

shortbreadlover — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:24:32 GMT

i had mine done about a ago and it wqas so easy. had the right done and when out to breakafast right after. i had to wait a month and then had the left one done. i was so nearsigjhted and he corrected that too. now i no longer need glasses or contacts. i was a -9 in both eyes and now i am a -1 in both eyes. i tossed my contacts and glasses. it is so nice to see without them

Re: I'm nerous

Sooner — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:38:54 GMT

I am the world's biggest chicken and I had two done last year--no big deal! I got a valium when I went back for the pre-op stuff and to me the party was on.

In the hospital operating room the dr. came in spoke to me and we laughed about a joke, but I did not feel anything or have any discomfort. It was over in a flash and I was never really out that much, I could hear them talking.

I could see fine afterward, but had to wear a guard over the eye a night or two, use drops for a few days, and not bend over the day after or wash my hair in the shower for a day or two.

I was fine after the first and didn't really dread the second.

Re: I'm nerous

Catlady Nicole — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:51:01 GMT

I had my first cataract removed in April 2015. Yes, lots of eye drops before and after, but the procedure itself was a breeze. I was out for the whole thing, I don't remember anything and never had any pain. Fast forward to May, 2018 when I had my second removed.....I opted for the laser assisted version, which of course they say delivers better results. This option cost me $1500 out of pocket, on top of insurance. They also don't use anesthesia, so you're awake for the whole thing, just numbing drops. Let me tell you, it hurt! The nurse took my hand and said squeeze if you feel discomfort. I'm pretty sure I broke some bones in that poor gals hand! It sucked. Very unpleasant. And the results are NOT any better than the traditional surgery.

Not trying to scare you, just sharing info, and I wish you the best with your procedure.

Re: I'm nerous

shoptilyadropagain — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:11:18 GMT

I had both of mine done about 10 years ago. It is a breeze. I did have more burning with my second eye and it had the much small cataract on it....go figure. I felt well enough afterwards that I could have driven home myself. Of course, I wouldn't and the surgeon's office wouldn't have let me but that's how good I felt afterwards.