Community Chat

[hennypenny]

Great news! I am glad it went so well.

I am going to schedule to have mine done fairly soon.Wanted to wait for summer activities to be over.

[Moonchilde]

Thank you for posting this, LG. I have been putting my surgery off, and have had a zillion questions. You've answered a few of them :-). As far as the lifting/bending restrictions, what's the time frame on that? Trying to figure out how long I'd be off work, unable to carry groceries, etc. I'm assuming a week or two?

[docsgirl]

I'm so glad it's over for you and that all went well. Your experience is vastly different from mine. I had my right eye done in August and my left eye done on Sept. 16. Three days prior to surgery, I put in eye drops from one bottle 3X daily. Following surgery, I put in drops from 3 different bottles. I was fully awake for both surgeries and did not have to wear an eye patch. I was able to sleep on either side but did wear a shield over the eye at night. I was driving the next day and back at work on Sept. 18. I guess different surgeons have their own preferred methods. I will get new glasses in about a week now that both eyes are done. I'm very happy for you. I don't know how old you are but for me, at age 68, my first look in the mirror following surgery was quite a scary experience. There were lines and wrinkles I never saw before. Yikes!!! Good luck. docsgirl

[Shorty2U]

Im so glad you are ok Lindsays Grandma! That's wonderful news! I know how worried you were. So I am glad it went well!

Every Dr and every experience is different. I did not get a patch, I just had those big sunglasses I don't care for and switched to my own a few days after! (but I bought a patch for night time so I wouldn't rub my eyes). I didnt have bruising either. I had 4 kinds of drops so many times a day for weeks, that I had a chart to keep track..lol. And they didn't tell me not to do things after my surgeries.

I think I wrote this before but I had calming meds and remember feeling a wash (numbing agent) go in my eye (s) and I could see a light but feel nothing.

And I am in my 50s and was told my steroid shots for my back may have given me early cataracts (but I do know of people who had them done younger than me).

Well thanks for letting us know. Take care.

[Lindsays Grandma]

On 10/3/2014 moonchilde said: Thank you for posting this, LG. I have been putting my surgery off, and have had a zillion questions. You've answered a few of them :-). As far as the lifting/bending restrictions, what's the time frame on that? Trying to figure out how long I'd be off work, unable to carry groceries, etc. I'm assuming a week or two?

Hi moonchilde, When I saw the doctor on Monday he didn't give me a time frame for the restrictions. I will be seeing him again this coming Monday. Because the cataract was very bad he said it will take time for me to heal. Surgery was done Monday of this wek and here it is Friday and I am just now beginning to notice that I have been looking at a drab world for a long time...I can't believe how vivid colors are now. I am retired but if I were still working I wouldn't have been able to go to work this whole week. Putting three different drops six times each in my eye is a bit of a pain and I keep a chart and mark it everytime I put the drops in. The doctor said it is best to keep them as close as possible and not to spread it out for a lengthy time. The right eye still has to be done and I have no idea when that will be, he has to be certain that the left eye is completely healed.

I'm sure you would be able to carry groceries, just make sure the bags are not too heavy. When you decide to have the surgery I wish you lots of luck. Of course we all are nervous but once you have the first eye done you'll go into the second surgery with a lot more ease. Take cae, be well.

[I am still oxox]

Are you able to wash you hair, I had cateract surgery in both eyes before I was 45, and I remember I was not able to wash my hair for at least 10 days.

[Lindsays Grandma]

On 10/3/2014 I am still oxox said:

Are you able to wash you hair, I had cateract surgery in both eyes before I was 45, and I remember I was not able to wash my hair for at least 10 days.

The doctor didn't say anything about that but in the list of instructions it said, "sponge bathe" which to me means stay out of the shower. The last thing you need is water or soap getting in the eye that had the surgery. I don't know how much a beauty salon charges for a shampoo only but if push comes to shove that is what I will do and I'm sure my hair stylist will understand. I was surprised with all the restrictions but it makes sense because certain activity puts pressure on the eyes.

[Lindsays Grandma]

On 10/3/2014 Shorty2U said:

Im so glad you are ok Lindsays Grandma! That's wonderful news! I know how worried you were. So I am glad it went well!

Every Dr and every experience is different. I did not get a patch, I just had those big sunglasses I don't care for and switched to my own a few days after! (but I bought a patch for night time so I wouldn't rub my eyes). I didnt have bruising either. I had 4 kinds of drops so many times a day for weeks, that I had a chart to keep track..lol. And they didn't tell me not to do things after my surgeries.

I think I wrote this before but I had calming meds and remember feeling a wash (numbing agent) go in my eye (s) and I could see a light but feel nothing.

And I am in my 50s and was told my steroid shots for my back may have given me early cataracts (but I do know of people who had them done younger than me).

Well thanks for letting us know. Take care.

Hi Shorty2U, I laughed when I saw that you kept a chart for your eyedrops. That is exactly what I am doing because if I don't I will be totally confused. Three different drops six times can really throw you of track. Hope you are doing well.

[cody2]

On 10/3/2014 docsgirl said:

I'm so glad it's over for you and that all went well. Your experience is vastly different from mine. I had my right eye done in August and my left eye done on Sept. 16. Three days prior to surgery, I put in eye drops from one bottle 3X daily. Following surgery, I put in drops from 3 different bottles. I was fully awake for both surgeries and did not have to wear an eye patch. I was able to sleep on either side but did wear a shield over the eye at night. I was driving the next day and back at work on Sept. 18. I guess different surgeons have their own preferred methods. I will get new glasses in about a week now that both eyes are done. I'm very happy for you. I don't know how old you are but for me, at age 68, my first look in the mirror following surgery was quite a scary experience. There were lines and wrinkles I never saw before. Yikes!!! Good luck. docsgirl

I don't mind seeing the lines and wrinkles but some of the other comments here are making me afraid. I am scheduled to do my pre-ops for cataracts in my first eye and now I am not so sure.

[Moonchilde]

On 10/3/2014 Lindsays Grandma said:

On 10/3/2014 moonchilde said: Thank you for posting this, LG. I have been putting my surgery off, and have had a zillion questions. You've answered a few of them :-). As far as the lifting/bending restrictions, what's the time frame on that? Trying to figure out how long I'd be off work, unable to carry groceries, etc. I'm assuming a week or two?

Hi moonchilde, When I saw the doctor on Monday he didn't give me a time frame for the restrictions. I will be seeing him again this coming Monday. Because the cataract was very bad he said it will take time for me to heal. Surgery was done Monday of this wek and here it is Friday and I am just now beginning to notice that I have been looking at a drab world for a long time...I can't believe how vivid colors are now. I am retired but if I were still working I wouldn't have been able to go to work this whole week. Putting three different drops six times each in my eye is a bit of a pain and I keep a chart and mark it everytime I put the drops in. The doctor said it is best to keep them as close as possible and not to spread it out for a lengthy time. The right eye still has to be done and I have no idea when that will be, he has to be certain that the left eye is completely healed.

I'm sure you would be able to carry groceries, just make sure the bags are not too heavy. When you decide to have the surgery I wish you lots of luck. Of course we all are nervous but once you have the first eye done you'll go into the second surgery with a lot more ease. Take cae, be well.

Thank you. I guess I'd better plan on 2-3 weeks at least. Hopefully in the new year. There are reasons that between now and Xmas aren't good for me.