cataracts

[Tractorat]

I have to have cataract surgery in a couple of weeks.



Maybe 15 years ago, I had RK in both eyes. I wonder if there is anyone in the tdr that had rk and has had cataract surgery, and what your outcome has been.

 

[goodguys75]

I know of people who have done them, and they say it is the best, to actually be able to see clearly... good luck

 

[BigPapa]

I don't know anyone that's had the RK surgery and cataract surgery, but both my parents have had both their eyes done for cataracts. Neither one of them had any trouble at all and fussed that they can't believe they waited so long to have it done. They love being able to see better than they ever could.

 

[GHarman]

Tractorat, Fixin' to get mine done starting the 8th. Had the measurements done today. I also have a mass in my right eye that will be removed after the cataract procedure. The Cataract surgeries are "routine" with normal risks. The needle into the eyeball? The jury is still out on that one!

Which lenses will you need? There are a couple of choices, depending if you have astigmatism and/or just a spherical correction.

The astigmatic lenses (Toric) are $1000 each out of your pocket plus copays and your portion not covered by insurance. They are orientation sensitive (clock face example)

Just discussing this with family!

GregH

 

[Regcabguy]

My dad had it done and was elated about seeing colors again.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mom had retina detachments and cataracts done on both eyes she needed only reading glasses. She said the only bad part was on the retina detachments was the shots under the bone right at the eyebrow SHE SAID THAT THOSE WERE INHUMANE.

 

[Tractorat]

GHarmon
Im just getting the single focus (distance) lense. I dont have a choice because of the RK. Ive known several folks that have had the surgery, but no one that has also had RK (for those who dont know, RK is what they did before lasik. They did it with a shark knife)

Because of the RK, the lense becomes a moving target. Im hoping to not have to wear glasses (again for distance). But like I say, the RK adds a variable.

 

[jtwcummins]

I had cataract surgery in both eyes about 2 yrs ago, first time in my life 20-20 vision (am 69 yrs old) not enough astigmatism to require Torics. DW just had procedure done w/toric in left eye. She was 20/400 uncorrected in both eyes, now 20/50. Had huge astigmatism and now still has very slight because positioning is not 100%. In another week she gets eye exam for glasses, but she sees better now than before with glasses. Wonder why I started driving her everywhere?

 

[BarryG]

I have not had rk but have had cataracts done in one eye. The surgery itself was nothing. They put me half under and next thing I knew it was done. Wife drove me home, no pain, no problem. This next part while not common can happen and is not meant to scare just if you feel a headache coming on don't jack around just go right to the eye doctor. The next day I went to work and all was well. Midday I started to develop a headache and it seemed like a sinus headache that I am prone to get. However it started getting worse and I actually had to leave work which up until that point I had never done in over 30 years. As I was driving home it was getting worse and I was getting nauseous. I barely made the drive home. I got in the house and just went and laid on the bed holding my head. My wife got home from work, found me and tried to help. After about fifteen minutes she asked if my eye hurt and could it be from the surgery. Well my eye didn't hurt but call the doctor anyway as I was in serious pain by now. It was too late to get down there that night so he gave my wife a prescription to get filled and it helped but not that much. Next morning she takes my sorry butt down to see the ophthalmologist. I have been stabbed, had some serious 2nd and 3rd degree burns, fell out of a moving vehicle at 60mph among other things and never have I felt pain like this. He sits me in the chair does a quick pressure test, takes a quick look, leaves, comes back with this big arse needle like 8 inches long tells me not to blink and just poked that darn thing right into my eye. Fluid shot out of my eye halfway across the room. He asked me how it felt, it was great. Instant relief. Heck had I known that I would of done it myself the night before, not. My eye pressure had spiked normal eye pressure is mid teens. Mine that morning and after taking the prescription which was a pressure reducer it was still 59. Have not had a lick of trouble since then and that was over ten years ago.

I had a fencing staple go in that eye many years previous and couldn't see well out of it anyway and rk would not have done it any good. While rk would help my good eye well at least no fencing staples have been in it. It could use the correction but honestly have been afraid to try it since if it gets messed up for whatever reason I might not be able to see even as poorly as I do. There is no fixing the other one due to the damage of the accident. So I have decided to wuss out on it for now well for the last twenty years anyway. I suppose I might change my mind at some point but just not yet.

Again this was not meant as a scare just something to be watchful for apparently not very common to happen.

 

[Bill Stockard]

BarryG,

Now you know what it feels like when we who have had acute glaucoma feel when having a glaucoma "attack". I've had glaucoma surgery in both eyes for glaucoma 22 years ago. The surgery stopped the glaucoma "attacks". Before the surgery, I would have head splitting headaches so severe that would make me nauseous. My family doctor ran all kinds of tests trying to determine the cause until one day I was at an optometrist's office complaining about my new glasses she had prescribed. In the course of another eye examination, she caught the high pressure in my eyes and called an opthamologist for a "complete glaucoma exam". After the glaucoma surgery, the severe headaches ceased and what a relief!

 

[Blu-meanie]

I had the Toric lenses installed last year. It was getting very hard to see, the cataracts I had were a fast developing type. The first eye was done last December and for the first time in ten years I could see clearly, the second was in January. With the second one I could read without glasses. I still need glasses for distance, and reading glasses if I really need to see close. I probably would have been better with the regular lenses the Toric's didn't correct the astigmatism enough. But, I am very happy to see bright stuff again. I haven't seen this well in years.

 

[JMetzger]

Have not had the RK done but had cataracts removed on both eyes this year (left in Mar, right in May) best thing I ever did. I was very near sighted & after surgery I no longer need glasses except to read books & newspapers. I also could not see very well to drive t night now I have no problem driving at night.

 

[champspa]

I had it done in the left and a year later in the right . never did see this well . Highly recommend it . 20-20 from 3ft out and can read small print most of the time without glasses .

 

[BarryG]

Bill:
Up until that point I did not realize just how painful glaucoma could be. Ever since the accident many years ago they have always kept a close watch on my pressure as it was higher than normal it typically ran in the high teens to low twenties. I have no idea at what pressure pain starts and it may be person specific based on a variety of factors. All I know for sure is 59 hurt like heck I can only imagine the previous night before I took the medication that it was 70+ as that morning it hurt bad but I was definitely better than that night before the medication. They have told me many times over the years they kept a close eye (no pun intended) on the pressure to watch out for glaucoma.

 

[Bill Stockard]

BarryG,

Yes, I go in for an eye examination and pressure check every three months. After the second surgery in both eyes with the followup medication injections into both eyes, the pressure has remained between 1 and 2 in one eye and 3 and 4 in the other. I am forever grateful that the young lady optometrist decided to re-check my eyes, discover the elevated pressure, and know to call an opthamologist specializing in glaucoma to get me in immediately.

I have cataracts from the trauma of the surgery on my eyes, but according to the doctors, I'm a poor candidate for successful cataract removal.

Bill

 

[Tractorat]

Yeaoh !!! 1,2,3, and 4 are really really low. Does that cause you any problems ?

I had glaucoma surgery about 12 years ago. What I had was called a trabeculectomy (sp?). My pressures have been pretty constant in the mid teens all this time. Because I have a thick cornea, they actually subtract 6 points to give me my "adjusted" pressure which is around 9. It was caught in time so I didnt have any eye damage. In fact, Im not sure if I ever had an actual diagnosis of glaucoma. I did have just a little intitial disk cupping, but they said that actually had reversed itseft within just a couple of years after the surgery.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Yeaoh !!! 1,2,3, and 4 are really really low. Does that cause you any problems ?

I had glaucoma surgery about 12 years ago. What I had was called a trabeculectomy (sp?). My pressures have been pretty constant in the mid teens all this time. Because I have a thick cornea, they actually subtract 6 points to give me my "adjusted" pressure which is around 9. It was caught in time so I didnt have any eye damage. In fact, Im not sure if I ever had an actual diagnosis of glaucoma. I did have just a little intitial disk cupping, but they said that actually had reversed itseft within just a couple of years after the surgery.

I'm sorry I didn't see your post until now to answer you. My opthamologist surgeon wanted my pressure low since so much damage had occurred to the optic nerve (vision loss) and was continuing at normal pressure and since the pressure gradually rises over the years after a Trabeculectomy. One of the problems with low pressure is the cornea looses some of its roundness and forms tiny creases/wrinkles on the surface which blurs vision and creates double/triple images. In my case, it has been offset somewhat with corrective lenses. Low pressure also increases the risk of retina detachment. My opthamologist checks my retinas at each quarterly examination. I have been warned if I ever receive a sharp blow to the head as in a serious fall or an automobile accident to tell the attending physician that I have very low eye pressure and am subject to a detached retina. It's been 22 years since the surgeries, and so far, I haven't had to resort to eye drops to lower the pressure.

Bill