laser cataract surgery for dense cataract

MistyWhisper · ‎03-14-2010

Hello, Has anyone ever had cataract laser surgery for a very dense cataract? How long did it take and was there any pressure or pain? Did they just use drops or did you have injection in the eye? I hate having to do this, but I have to because I cannot see at all out of my right eye. Thanks

turtle52 · ‎03-15-2010

DH and I have the beginning of cataracts. We are in our early 70s. We are both terrified of surgery and will wait as long as we can. However there are many threads about cataracts with people saying how great they are now able to see. I also have many friends and relatives who have had the surgery and are very pleased with the results.

fthunt · ‎12-24-2010

My niece went to doc Friday (63) for surgery on the 15th...told it will take only 10 mins - for me 20 yrs ago at least an hour for one eye.

H e will do her other eye the next day....mine was ? 2 weeks later.

oregondhs · ‎02-02-2011

I had cataract surgery in 2021. Each eye was done six weeks apart. Procedures will vary depending on your doctor and location. There are numbing eye drops placed in the eye at five minute interals for a total of three doses. Right before I went into the procedure room, the anesthetist put medication for sedation through my IV. I was asleep the whole time. No eye shots, pressure or pain. When I woke up, I could not believe how quick (15 - 20 minutes) and totally painless the whole procedure was. I think it is normal to feel apprehensive about surgery. In my experience, there was absolutely no discomfort at all. By the next day, I could not believe the improvement in my vision. You've got this!!

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

I had 2 done last year,3 mos apart. Doc said one was pretty dense. Easy peasy, I had drops put in and no tranquilizer during the surgery. They wanted to put IV in me with a tranquilizer but I refused, had it the first time and realized 2nd time it was not needed. Piece of cake.

Good tip, ask to get the compounded drops for after the surgery, then you dont need 3 different bottles to work with , just one. Hospital gave me drops for free, but I paid $40 and got the compounded, well worth it.

jlkz · ‎12-02-2013

@turtle52

I totally understand the anxiety of undergoing eye procedures ! All I can tell you is that prior to the 10-minute surgery on one eye, they administer a cold numbing eye drop followed by a second one minutes later.

Both DH and I had our procedures done in a stand alone surgery center. Once on the very comfortable table, I had an anesthesiologist administer anesthesia in my arm. My eye doctor had me start counting to 10....I was asleep before "5". I saw nothing. I felt nothing. I " think " I heard him saying very positive things as he worked.

It was over in 10 minutes and I was fully awake. They wheeled me to my dressing cubicle and about 15 minutes later DH took me out to breakfast. Once home I dozed or slept without pain. Did my night time drops and put on the safety plastic patch to sleep.

Next AM I was back to normal. I "tested" the sight in my old eye: looked at the sunlight as it illuminated the front bedroom. It was a warm yellow / gold since it was seen through the yellow cataract in the eye. When I looked at the same sunlight with my new eye ( cataract gone ), it was a clear, colorless light.

It was amazing the difference I found in simple things: a warm red color cape was really a blue red color. Same thing for lipstick, for other makeup. Couldn't wait till the other eye got done because I was driving myself crazy looking with each eye and " seeing " something different color.

If you go back and check what other posters have described for their procedure, it should relieve the anxiety considerably for you. There is honestly no pain: we did not have the laser type surgery because our doctor in discussing this with us said he had originally done both types and found the results were the same.

The only difference: laser ran quite a bit more and was out of pocket whereas blade surgery was covered by insurance.

Hope this helps you both.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

I have had five different surgeries in my right eye and just one (cataract surgery) in my left eye.

What I can tell you is that laser eye surgeries don't cause any pain. The worse of it is the IV needle in your hand which is very small, and the eye drops a few times a day.

I have had eye injections for a few of my eye surgeries, but not for cataract surgery ....no pain at all, no pressure.

My husband is walking around blind because he is a chicken little and afraid of cataract surgery. He has finally agreed to get it done. What a wuss!

Go for it. I guarantee you will be happy with the outcome and be surprised how simple, painless and easy it is.

I just had cataract surgery on my left eye a few months ago...I came home and got on my iPad immediately. I had a cataract removed from my right eye almost 20 years ago. Both times were painless.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

Cataract surgery is dreaded as much as a heart transplant, and when it's over, you say to yourself, "is that all there is". It's painless and just takes minutes. The worst of it is having to apply drops afterward. Don't put it off because you're scared. There's nothing to it, honest.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

MistyWhisper · ‎03-14-2010

Gee whiz, thanks all you ladies for assuring me that all will be fine. I was scared to death about all of this. I loved all your answers so much. Thanks alot to all of you.