Many years ago my blue eyed grandmother had cataract surgery. She recounted the ordeal, including time spent in the hospital with her head surrounded by sand bags so she couldn’t turn it. Needless to say, I developed a deep seated fear of the operation.
Wednesday my eye doctor said that I have now passed the criteria for cataract surgery on my left eye. She used the “glare test” which measures how long it takes to see the eye chart after looking at a bright light. I passed with both eyes which was not good news. Basically it explains why I have stopped driving at night. But my right eye still functions well enough to wait for a procedure on it.
In April I meet with an ophthalmologist to explain and schedule the replacement of my own lens with a plastic one. My doctor keeps telling me that it is nothing like the process of fifty years ago. No matter how calmly she explains that today it is a quick operation, not requiring hospitalization or sand bags, my old anxiety has come back. I would love to hear from any reader about their experience with cataract surgery. No horror stories please. I have enough of them floating around in my mind already. Thanks.
Saved By Words 
My wife has had cataract surgery on both eyes and was amazed how easily she coped with the very quick procedures. She has a morbid fear of any medical procedure and was dreading the first operation. The team were marvellous however, ensuring that nothing was resting on her face, by using a tent like structure and blowing gentle air under the covering. The only sensation she experienced was flashes of bright light. She suffered no after effects and her vision was improved immediately.
Incidentally, much later on she experienced a common problem of PCO where the new lens becomes cloudy at the back. This is cured by laser surgery. Sounds awful, but is, in fact, a very easy and quick procedure that takes only a few minutes and is effective immediately.
Have no fear Elizabeth. It is one of the most common, effective, and safe procedures around!
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Thank you so much. Your wife and I sound like sisters separated at birth with our views of medical procedures.
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Apparently we will all need this type of procedure eventually so I’m happy to hear positive experiences from others too.
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Me too.
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We are in the same boat here. I no longer drive at night, because of cataracts. I also have to wear corrective glasses to drive, or they would pull my licence.
I had a bad experience with my Mum, when her cataract surgery in London was bungled, leaving her almost blind. I am also fearful of normal eye tests, and the doctor said that I would almost certainly need sedation when I have to have the first eye operated on.
But over the years on my blog, I have heard nothing but positives about the surgery, from bloggers all around the world.
Still, I have to be brutally honest. I will continue to put it off, for as along as I can. I’m just an eye surgery scaredy cat, and I don’t care who knows!
Best wishes, Pete.
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I am a surgery scaredy cat too, but I survived my appendectomy at 67, so I should be able to get through the cataract one.
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My mother, my aunt, my father-in-law and Nelson Mandela all had successful cataract surgery and experienced no problems after. You’ll be fine so try not to worry. I do understand your anxiety and am not belittling it. Words of comfort only go so far.
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No they really do help. Thanks.
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I had my right eye done in April Elizabeth, it was fine! I had no pain, felt nothing & couldn’t see anything of the procedure. The surgical prep is NOT scary either.
The only thing that can be a little annoying is all the eye drops four times a day for weeks & weeks. But really that isn’t bad for new eyesight! And I can see amazingly out of that eye now.
I have my left eye to do next year 😀
Blessings,
Jennifer
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Thanks for the encouragement. I think seeing the operation is the part that scares me the most. Your words are reassuring.
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I thought similar to you leading up to my surgery Elizabeth. Until I spoke to a lady who had recently been through the same surgery & she reassured me she saw absolutely nothing because of all the pre surgery special eye drops they put in at the hospital before surgery. She was right! 😀
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Thank you so much. It is hard to believe, so I am glad it is true.
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I have always been hyper sinsative regarding anything regarding my eyes. I stopped wearing contacts in high school because I did not want something in my eye. (Going to high school in New Mexico with it’s associated sand storms contributed to that decision). Years later Lasik surgery became popular. I could not understand why anyone would undergo such a process, I attributed it to vanity. Also, several individuals I knew who went through the process had chronic vision issues since the surgery. Now comes my need for cataract surgery. Needless to say I was edgy about the procedure. I researched, I asked a friend who is a big time ophthalmologist, I fussed, delayed and groused. I opted for the basics, no Lasik, no upgrade lens. I just needed one eye done and I was good with that. I was a fanatic about the prep, drops etc. The procedure was done. Easy, no pain, couldn’t feel a thing, nurse said it was complete, I thought they had not yet started. The day after checkup was done by a different doctor, she said “God, he does good work!”. She also said “you are a day after surgery, your eye looks like it should a week after surgery”. Tina pointed out that I did not mention anything about the post procedure. I didn’t because there was nothing to it. Just keep up the drops.
Observations:
Be anxious about the procedure enough to do all prep exactly as directed.
Now you do not believe people who tell you that colors will be more vivid after the procedure, you think that you see colors well, right? You will be absolutely amazed at the pop of color you will see after the procedure.
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Wow. Thanks. I echo all the points you make in the beginning, from no contact lenses to being horrified about Lasik. I will follow your suggestions.
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I haven’t had it, but our next door neighbour had surgery on cataracts in both eyes in her eighties and said it was amazing – both the procedure and the result.
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Thank you for the encouragement.
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Many friends and family members have had the surgery, and they are thrilled with the results. I would have to say that Tea With Jennifer is right in that the drop schedule is annoying but doable.
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Thanks. I am feeling better as I receive all these replies.
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