Re: Cataract surgery anyone?

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@sarahpanda

I got the surgeries, about 3 weeks apart, and didn't pay extra for lenses inserted at the time. Didn't need them.

The one odd thing was my insurance coverage .... both surgeries, with anesthesia, had a ZERO dollar copay. Paid nothing and even got the parking validated.

However .... the EYE DROPS had a $130 copay, and I NEVER pay anything for prescriptions.

Still haven't figured that one out ........

Did you get your eye drops at the doctor's office?

Some eye doctors,mine included, get their eye drops compounded and they dispense them from their office. Most RX insurance won't cover RX drops at all if purchased this way.

If you get a prescription to get your drops from a pharmacy, your insurance will pay for them according to your benefit plan. Some people will have a copay.

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

@sarahpanda WOOHOO - I am recovering right now from having troublesome cataracts in both eyes removed.

Two weeks ago my fabulous team removed from the right eye which was the worse of the two (if that's possible). Actually my Dr said my left eye is my dominant which is why she did the right first. She slipped out the cataract and inserted a new lens with a distance prescription built in (just like a contact lens). You do a twilight sleep, done in 10-15 minutes.

Last Thursday Dr and team did the left eye, removed cataract, first used a laser to fix the astigmatism then into surgery for cataract out and a new less powerful lens in.

All in all, a month's worth of eye drops in each with three different solutions, one antibiotic, one low dose tylenol, the third moisturizer. Easy peasy. I have no problem doing the drops, some do however.

When I woke up on Friday morning after the first one I was absolutely blown away at ALL I can see in color, clarity, size shape. Then as more days followed, my eyes began to work together somewhat. After the left eye was done and days followed to date, I have my 40 year old eyes back!!!!! (I'm 71). Just a 2.0 reader glasses now, this I can easily do.

Imagine ALL I've been missing all these years! More importantly, I can get back to my local BMV to re-test in order to get back ALL of my driving privledges - night driving (not that I do much driving at night). Right now though I am not allowed to drive at night.

Bottom line - if I did not get cataracts out, by next March I am sure the BMV would tell me I would not be permitted to drive at all anymore. I cannot allow this to happen, I'm too young to stop driving and I am my husband's caregiver. I need to be able to drive.

Two of the BEST things I've ever done for myself. Do not hesitate. Think of the possibilities!

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

@rockygems123 wrote:
@Meowingkitty wrote:
Easiest surgery I've ever had. My vision was worse than 20/800. They actually stopped telling me how bad I was. Could not manage without glasses. I got the best lenses I could get and now I'm 20/15. Do not need glasses of any type and that includes readers. I can read pretty much the smallest print. The only glasses I wear now are sun glasses. Done over 3 week apart. The hardest part for me was those three weeks when only one eye was perfect and the other really really bad. It was tough using glasses with only one lens. I couldn't believe how colorful everything was.
@Meowingkitty

Did you need readers before surgery or just had the need for long distance glasses?

I've never worn readers. Before the surgery I hade very thick glasses. My vision was worse than 20/800 and I had astigmatism. Everything was fixed and I don't need anything but sunglasses when driving.

TeezNu · ‎03-10-2010

How many days did you have to wear the patch over the eye that was fixed?

“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” —Jackie French Koller

HLP · ‎04-02-2015

@sarahpanda wrote:
My eye dr. recently told me I needed to get my cataracts off soon - but I'm having to postpone it at this time because of DH sickness. Have you had your cataracts taken off? Are they different types of cataract surgery? I'm not ready to move forward on that quite yet - but probably will be soon, just thought I'd ask QVC community what you know about it. TIA

Nothing to it.

chlema · ‎05-22-2010

I was a nervous wreck before I had the first surgery then laughed when it was finished, so fast, pain-free and wow, no more distance glasses, colors were the actual colors again. Second surgery I just waltzed in smiling lol.

When I was a child I remember my grandmother having this surgery. They put sandbags on either side of her head so it wouldn't move post-surgery, don't remember how long that lasted. She was in the hospital for about a week I believe, and had to wear thick glasses for the rest of her life. Boy, have things changed! This would have been about 1950 or so.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Carmie wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@sarahpanda

I got the surgeries, about 3 weeks apart, and didn't pay extra for lenses inserted at the time. Didn't need them.

The one odd thing was my insurance coverage .... both surgeries, with anesthesia, had a ZERO dollar copay. Paid nothing and even got the parking validated.

However .... the EYE DROPS had a $130 copay, and I NEVER pay anything for prescriptions.

Still haven't figured that one out ........

Did you get your eye drops at the doctor's office?

Some eye doctors,mine included, get their eye drops compounded and they dispense them from their office. Most RX insurance won't cover RX drops at all if purchased this way.

If you get a prescription to get your drops from a pharmacy, your insurance will pay for them according to your benefit plan. Some people will have a copay.

@Carmie

I was given a prescription slip and went and had it filled at my Walmart pharmacy. I usually have a $ 0 co-pay and never have had any exceptions ... except for the eye drops.

It was a surprise.

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

As I posted on the other cataract thread, I used Compounded drops, had to be ordered from a pharmacy in Montana, cost me $40, worth every penny. The hospital I went to gave me the 3 bottles for free, I had no use for them, so I dontated them to my eye doc for people who dont have them covered on their RX plan.

Alsace Gal · ‎11-25-2014

Both myself and dear sister had cataract surgery, it was painless and easy.

Three weeks between each eye.

We had a fabulous eye surgeon, very caring and cognizant that eye drops were expensive.

He received hundreds samples of the eye drops needed from pharmaceutical sales people and reps.

He gave each one of his patients the drops needed for each cataract removal, absolutely none of his patients had to get a prescription filled.

He has since retired.

It never hurts to ask if the drops are available from you eye professional. They cannot be sold.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

My husband just started the process last week.

Laser removal isn't covered by Medicare nor are the upgraded lenses.

According to the opthamologist, the laser doesn't remove the entire cataract they still need to go in with a blade and do whatever it is they do to remove the whole thing.

The compounded drops aren't covered by insurance, they will be $50 from the eye doctor. We don't know what the co-pay would be for the three separate kinds of drops. When he heard 15 drops, 3 times a day he opted to pay the $50.

The surgical coordinator also told him first week of October which would have been 10 weeks away. He told her it wasn't acceptable and all of a sudden she was able to find a September date for him. I guess it was easier for her to just start a new month and week rather than search for an earlier opening.