Netters,
I was surprised at the response to the flurry of responses to my OT (Off-topic)
post about cataract surgery - I was expecting very few if any. Apparently there are
many of us experiencing cataracts BEFORE the "senior years" for a variety of
reasons; most of the responders were folks who got them before age 50.
I also got several requests to "pass along" the information for people who have the
surgery scheduled for the near future, so I will "snip" some of the responses and
summarize the others for brevity. Because this is a medical condition I am not
posting personal identification with the comments, but I will try to thank each
personally off-list.
Most importantly, I hope all Netters will take into consideration that cataracts
seem to be on the increase for younger people, so the old saying "An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure" is as valid as ever - Get and use a good pair
of sunglasses (or regular glasses with that protection built in) with the best
protection levels you can find. Make them as much a part of your daily routine as
sunscreen. However, most of us have cataracts result from other types of eye
surgeries such as retina problems.
HIT on cataract surgery:
One thing to keep in mind are the recent advances in replacing the cataract-damaged
area. The newer lenses are much more advanced and often improve (correct) your
vision, not just restore clarity. Several mentioned receiving a card (to be carried
in your wallet) that identifies the manufacturer of the implant should you have a
medical emergency (or should there be a recall?) and need the information. Ask your
doctor about options that would be best for you.
Most people responded that their new lens gave them better distance sight and they
depend on their other eye for close work/reading. It takes a while to adjust to
that. Following the surgery 4 - 6 weeks was about average for time to heal before
getting a new prescription for glasses, if needed. You may need to remove the lens
from your old glasses so it doesn't interfere with the adjustment to the implant.
When this happened to me, I had the optician put in a plain lens in the glasses
(yes, there was a charge since the lens could not be re-sold later) temporarily
since I had to appear and work in public.
"Snipped" comments:
"I had cataract surgery in January and didn't have cataracts! I had the new
Crystalens procedure that puts in an accommodating intraocular implant. I can read
AND see distance! Amazing. I'm 54."
"I had cataracts in both eyes...they formed in less than 6 months. I had been
wearing glasses since first grade and after both eyes were done, I no longer wear
glasses!"
". . .had cataract surgery on both eyes . . . sometimes wear the drugstore
magnifiers for reading--but usually doesn't need anything."
"I had it a couple years ago. Recovery wasn't bad compared to 20 years ago when
people had to lie in bed and keep their head still. I did have some fuzzy vision
afterward, . . . repaired by a regular ophthalmologist, in her office, using a YAG
laser. "
"I don't feel the implant anymore, but I do need drops - a lot. But I had a minor
case of dry eye before I started anyway. Any eye surgery (such as lasik) results in
less moisture in the eye. They don't know why."
"I seemed to feel "stitches" in my eye for a year, but they've disappeared
completely. . . because the cataracts happened when I was so young, I should
expect to have them replaced--I'd know when because things would start to look
"gray". . . .Now I just need glasses for "middle distance" work.
"I have never felt either implant, but sometimes, with the newest one, I
occasionally notice a "ring" of light, which looks like it must be the edge of the
implant. "
"I had the operation on a Thursday and went back in for my summer hours the
following Monday. I've lifted boxes and suffered no ill effects. . . .[except] with
two lens implants (one in each eye) I could no longer focus, and as you know, that
leaves out the ability to read. The doctor told me that I would not need glasses,
but I just couldn't focus and I was so frustrated. I went back and begged for
progressive lenses and now I think I can see better than I have been able to see in
years.
". . . I was cautioned not to lift anything heavy for [up] to 6 weeks or do any
bending . . . In the first day or two after surgery I may have felt the implant but
now I NEVER feel the implant. I do see its outline sometimes when the light hits it
in a certain way. I had some steriodial drops for 2-4 weeks after surgery to reduce
swelling and I think and one drop to prevent infection and have not needed any
drops since. "
"I wore dark wraparound sunglasses for the first week or so . . . I don't feel or
even think about the implant . . . Night driving was a bit longer . . . at all
costs [I] try to avoid night driving in the rain or just after a rainstorm - the
reflections and glare of the wet pavement and other headlights is very distracting
and uneasy for me."
"I thought it was stitches, not the implant that bothered me. . . I used
antibiotic drops but not forever. . .I have found that life is quite survivable
with only one good eye. For me, the fear and terror lessened as I returned to my
life and got busy. Impaired depth perception takes some getting used to, in
driving, playing tennis, and doing artwork, but it's OK. I've found that I really
want to have all the lights turned on and am very sensitive to dark places like
movie theaters."
"I missed three days of school with each surgery. . .time restriction for lifting
heavy items . . .[about]4-6 weeks after surgery. . . remember feeling or seeing the
implant for about a year. . .depending how I would turn my eyes I could see the
lens. . .over the course of the first year, all of that grew less and less. I had
dry eyes at times and the doctor gave me drops to use. My one eye was corrected for
near vision while the other for distant vision. . .I no longer wear glasses.. . .I
do have extreme sensitivity to glare and sunlight. Sometimes I have to wear
sunglasses even when it's snowing!"
"Ten years later, I'm still going strong. I've since achieved National Board
certification. I'm enjoying being a librarian more than ever. And I think that I'm
more productive at my job than ever before."
This sums up the messages I received so far. The time for using eye drops and
restrictions on lifting varied from person to person. I personally found the tricky
part to be shampooing with one hand covering my eye with a washcloth (to keep soap
and water out of the eye) while the other hand lathered and rinsed.
It's been two and a half weeks now and I no longer need to shield the eye (in the
shower or at night) and I no longer sense the implant. The only other inconvenience
was not bending over to pick things up or lifting. I'd recommend getting the
laundry caught up just before the surgery so you're not lifting baskets or wet
clothing for a while, and having some easy meals planned. I'm feeling quite ready
to start back to work this week but will postpone lifting boxes of books for a
little longer.
I hope this has been helpful to those who requested the information.
Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Technician (A.K.A. "Library Lady")
Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD Garden Grove, California
shatz1@earthlink.net
"We're Library Techs. We improvise, we adapt, we overcome! WE READ!"
" You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one
person."
- - - comments are my own and may not reflect those of my employer- - -
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