I had cataract surgery done over mid-November-to-early-December this past year.
I had problems with seeing clay targets, and clearly seeing rifle/pistol targets, even with scopes. I also experienced glare, flare, halos, etc. My eyes had increased sensitivity to sunlight, and I generally had a bit more difficulty seeing, even with corrective lenses.
In addition to the cataracts, I had very high astigmatism (+4.0 cylinder), and this contributed to the vision problems, even corrected with glasses. I was not a candidate for any RK, LASIK, etc. Contact lenses also were not a solution.
I discussed seriously with an ophthalmic surgeon in October, and we opted to have the cataract surgery done, and correct my astigmatism at the same time. I'm aged 66, so Medicare would be picking up the tab for the basic cataract correction.
The surgeon and I together selected a toric implant, which I knew to be added cost. However, weighing the additional cost of the toric implant versus the improvement in vision was a no brainer to me. I selected an implant by Bausch & Lomb, called Crystalens, specifically the "Trulign" model. It's a flexible implant, which is actually controlled in part, by the muscles of the eye.
The surgeon took my write up to an independent surgical board which did not know our selection. They agreed, 7-0 with the "Trulign" solution. I also opted to have vision geared to computer screen distance, to far. I would need "cheaters" for close up.
I started a number of eye drops immediately, preparatory to surgery.
On November 13, the first eye was successfully repaired. While in the surgical suite, I noticed an immediate improvement in my vision. The procedure took about fifteen minutes, and owing to a very good tranquilizer (Versed), I sailed through the procedure. Forty-five minutes after surgery, my wife and I were in Bob Evans eating breakfast.
I used addtional drops, including antibiotics, steroids, anti-pressure drops, etc. The next morning, I had my first post-operative exam, and vision in my left, non-dominant eye was already 20/20 at normal distance, and 20/16 for near vision. The next three weeks saw improvement in my vision. The surgeon insisted that I do away with my current glasses, and get used to seeing without them, since one eye had already been corrected. The last time I had on glasses was November 12.
After a two-week post op exam, I had a second operation on December 4. The procedure went as smoothly as the first. However, I was much more aware of what was happening. This was explained by the surgeon pre-op, so there were no surprises. The results of the second eye were the same as the first; immediate improvement.
The next day was the post-op for the right eye, and another follow-up for the left. I again waited for two weeks for the second post-op exam. The right eye was slightly weaker, as was planned, and my vision measured 20/20, and 20/16 near.
I remained on the post-op eye drops until early January, when I was weaned off the steroids. I continued drops which lowered intraocular eye pressure, but discontinued them in 10 days.
I had a second follow-up for both eyes in mid-January. Pressure levels were normal, and my vision was markedly improved over pre-op conditions. I have one another post-op follow-up on February 20.
I was advised that secondary cataracts could develop, and this is a possibility in about 20% of all patients. This post-op will cover development of secondary cataracts, if they occur. I also need to wear sunglasses all the time when outside. My eyes are more sensitive to bright sunlight.
My vision has never been this good in my entire life. Since I've had astigmatism since birth, I've never known what completely corrected vision was like. The colors and clarity are stunning. I had suspected, in 2012, that I may need cataract surgery, and my only regret was not acting a bit earlier.
My surgeon is a real advocate of post-op care. It's more important to him than any pre-op on intra-op care. His staff provided me with several books of word seek games, designed to strengthen the eyes. I just finished those on Sunday. Successive books have increasingly smaller type, so the eyes get a work out.
My out-of-pocket portion ran to about $3,200, and it was worth every penny. My previous annual spend on vision (exams, glasses, shooting glasses, sunglasses) ran to about $500, so the amortization will take about 6.5 years.
I can see the front sights of my pistols, shotguns, and rifles absolutely clearly with no fuzziness.
I'll be on Restasis for the next several months to insure my tear production stays up, but that's only twice daily.
Sorry this post ran a bit long, but there's no easy way to explain how things went, and what my experiences are.
