I'm nerous

Huge Hannah · ‎11-03-2018

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.

KathyM23 · ‎11-20-2010

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!

shopperqvc · ‎03-10-2010

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.

NAES1 · ‎09-02-2011

@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.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

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.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

sissel · ‎08-13-2010

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

RealtyGal2 · ‎01-05-2017

@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!

RealtyGal2 · ‎01-05-2017

@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).

CalminHeart · ‎03-09-2010

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.

TX-starlight · ‎03-10-2010

@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.