Wellness

[sfnative]

Hi John,

Thought of you numerous times in the last 10 days since the cataract surgery on my right eye, as we had had a dialog about this perhaps 4 years ago.  This surgery was slated to occur 2 years ago, but was postponed for numerous reasons.

One of the things I did was change Ophthalmologists.  The first practice deemed is necessary to change out lenses in both eyes.  My new Ophthalmologist said there was absolutely no medical necessity to perform surgery on my left eye, as it is correctable to 20/25, with really minimal lens degredation.  Frankly, that was my thought when I was initially with the other practice.  Another thing that threw me off at that first practice is that the patient was never scheduled to meet with the surgeon prior to surgery.  Never.  In my book, that meant the "fancy Dan" practice in their uber expensive downtown office, which had a humongous waiting room fit for 200 people, was a money/patient mill.

Anyway, I had always complained that the light in our kitchen was dim.  I am a scratch cook and baker and need light to see what I'm doing, so was quite vocal in my complaints about lighting when we moved in almost 2 years ago.  Fast forward to the day after surgery 9 days ago when the cup came off.  Came home, turned on the kitchen light, walked in the kitchen and BAM!  Had to cover my right eye!  Whoa -  what a difference that new lens has made!  Now the light in the kitchen is BRIGHT.  My husband said he never could understand what I meant when I kept complaining about not enought light.  The lens must have been compromised by at least 50%.

If anyone else is reading this and you're on the fence about having the surgery, do it!  It's easy.  People complain about the eye drops, but, really, it's no big deal at all.

Thanks, John, for the information and advice you provided 4+ years ago.

Rebecca

[LTT1]

@sfnative
So happy for you!

[mzlg]

@hckynut, not sure if you saw this post paging you!

[hckynut]

Hi Rebecca,

I remember our dialogue about cataract surgery with you. That it was 4 years ago reminds me how time just seems to fly. Don't remember exactly when I had my left eye done, with the Multi-focal iol, but I remember I had to cancel my left eye surgery because I was back in the hospital with my bleeding colon and a couple more Colonoscopies.

Really happy to hear you got to someone that was right for you and this surgery. Like you, I was really shocked at the difference in the brightness of colors with my left eye, compared to my right eye, right when I got home. Lighting, or darkness was never my issue, but boy do colors really jump out.

Glad my experiences and our dialogue was in some way useful to you in connection with your surgery. Appreciate your kind words in this post. I agree, compared to other things a patient has to do after other types of surgeries? Eye drops are a little less to me than even an annoyance.

My best to you,

hckynut(john)

[Lindsays Grandma]

In 2015 I was told both eyes required cataract surgery, found a wonderful doctor/surgeon and had the surgery done.  I couldn't believe the colors I saw after the surgery, I had been living in a fog.  I know exactly how you felt and to make it even better when I renewed my driver's license I was told my vision was 20 20. 

[Kweenme]

I surely understand this post.  I constantly complained about wood kitchen cabinets turning yellow.  They are a light almost-washed looking  maple.  I washed them with everything I could think of ... No help.  Got my left eye done (right not ready yet).  Lo and behold, those cabinets are fine!  If I close my "done" eye, the yellow is back.  lol

Spoiler

[sophiamarie]

---

@Kweenme wrote:

I surely understand this post.  I constantly complained about wood kitchen cabinets turning yellow.  They are a light almost-washed looking  maple.  I washed them with everything I could think of ... No help.  Got my left eye done (right not ready yet).  Lo and behold, those cabinets are fine!  If I close my "done" eye, the yellow is back.  lol

Spoiler

---

@Kweenme  It sounds to me, as though your right eye is ready.  If you are seeing differently than your "good" eye, it needs to be done.....  Why should you have to close that eye just to see things the way they should be?

[noodleann]

@hckynut, I tried to page you in the "Unnecessary prescriptions" thread regarding advice to the OP there but don't know if it worked. Would you kindly go over and take a look at my last post to her and, if inclined, contribute your thoughts? I am a bit nervous that I had inadvertently steered her wrong and hope you can provide words of wisdom on the topic.

Sorry for the derail, folks.

[hckynut]

@noodleann

From just reading the OP reply to your post, it appears she has and is seeing a Physical Therapist to get started. While doing exercises at home is a good thing, in my opinion, it should not replace seeing a Physical Therapist, it should be in addition to seeing them.

I have a lot of machines and different things I created to do specific exercises, but I do not have all the ones that are in a PT Clinic, and for my recent PT Balance Therapy, I kept up seeing my Therapists and also spending many hours at home doing the ones I know we're helping me regain some of my lost balance.

Not many exercises I can't improvise with my knowledge and experiences with my machines and widgets, along with knowing a bit more than the average layperson about exercise Physiology. But no way I have all the tools available to me at the PT Clinic.

Anyone that wants to expedite a healing process might be doing more harm than good, if they bypass altogether, seeing their Physical Therapist. They are trained to be able to see when an exercise might inhibit recovering, that a patient might think is helping them.

I don't see where you gave that OP any wrong directions in your original post to her. Didn't see a necessity for me to add anything more to that thread, so I didn't go back till I read your post here. Think that OP is heading the right direction. Nice of you to be concerned for her.

hckynut(john)

[noodleann]

Thanks very much, @hckynut, I feel relieved now. She posted after I'd alerted you to say she was going to do some PT, so I felt a bit foolish, but I also know that a poor heal on a bone, especially in the wrist area, can lead to all kinds of future problems, not the least of which is arthritis.

Thanks again for your reply.