Needing and Getting Cataract Surgery and Lens Implants
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You may have noticed that I have not been coming by to comment on all your hubs and it is because I was having trouble seeing and found out that I needed to have cataract surgery and get lens implants. I tried has long has I could but was just making my eyes tired and making my good eye worse. I have lost a few followers but thanks to all you who have kept following me and who have left comments on any of my hubs. I hope soon I will be able to get around to all your hubs to leave comments like I use to.
About Cataracts
The lens in our eyes is called the crystalline lens it is naturally soft, flexible and crystal clear and it has excellent transparency and clarity when we are younger. As we get older in to our 50’s and 60’s, the normal crystal clear lens can become cloudy. When this happens, you may in the very beginning see some blurring of your vision and feel that you may need a change in your eyeglasses. As the crystalline lens does loses more of its transparency and its optical clarity, you may notice that it is not as easy to see well in dim light any more, such as when you are night driving. You may notice that colors look not has bright and may look faded to you.
The most common symptoms of a cataract are:
Cloudy or blurry vision.
Colors seem faded.
Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
Poor night vision.
Double vision or multiple images in one eye.
Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses
Cataracts are a common eye problem as we get older, but cataracts can affect anyone even if you have had normal vision all of your life. It is important to note that cataracts can even be more common if you have had certain health problems such as diabetes or have taken certain medications such as steroids for asthma or some other conditions. If you are having vision changes or problems like these, it is important to schedule a eye examination and cataract discussion with your eye doctor.
About Cataract Surgery
Today’s cataract surgery is safe, and very commonly done daily. If you have been told that you have a cataract, there is little need to be worried about cataract surgery In the United States, more than 2 million people have this surgery every year. Thanks to great surgical technique and advanced in lens implants, cataract surgery is not only one of the most performed surgeries in the United States, but it is also one of the safest and most successful surgeries that you can have. The cataract surgeons will perform cataract surgery using a technique which requires no stitches, no injection and no patch in an outpatient or day surgery center. A few days before the cataract surgery you will start to put eye drops in that eye three or four times a day as ordered by your doctor.
The Cataract Surgery
The cataract surgery will begin with drops being placed in your eye to dilate your pupil. Your eye will then be treated with anesthetic drops or gel so that you will not feel anything during your eye surgery. Some patients have experience pressure, cold or mild burning sensations, but almost never has there been reported any great discomfort.
Next, your cataract surgeon will make a very small incision at the edge of your cornea. This incision will be just large enough to allow his microscopic instrument the size of a pen tip to go through it. This instrument is a very precise instrument that will help the eye surgeons to remove your cataract using sound waves to break it apart and be able to just wash it away and drawn through the same instrument .
After the cataract has been removed from your eye, the eye surgeon will now be able to replace it with a new crystal clear permanent lens implant through the same incision at the edge of the cornea. When your cataract and lens implant surgery is finished, the eye surgeon will have one of his staff members take you to a relaxing place where you will be able to rest before going home. After resting for a short time, a staff member will give you permission to have a family member bring you home.
The surgeon will arrange to see you the next day after your cataract and lens implant surgery so he or she can examine you in order to make sure that your eye is healing and seeing as has it should be. The doctors will also prescribe some eye drops for you to use to help keep your eye infection free and may ask you to wear a protective patch, only at night, to keep you from rubbing your eye during the night. Although each patient will heal a little bit faster or slower, most patients having cataract surgery are able to see well enough to return to their normal daily activities within a day after they have had cataract surgery.
About Lens Implants
Today there are many type of lens implant to correct your vision when having cataract surgery. The most common type of lens implant used in cataract surgery is called a Monofocal lens, this lens only correct distance vision. There are many other types of lens Implants, some will correct close reading vision only, and also some lens Implants will correct both distance vision and close reading vision .Getting some of these lens implants will be up to your doctor and health insurance ,
The Day of My Cataract Surgery
I had my cataract surgery on December 8th at Southcoast Eye Surgery; I had to be there at 7:00am so they could get me ready for my surgery. You cannot eat anything after midnight the day before your surgery or the day of your surgery. I had my brother drive me there so he could be there to take me home after my surgery. All the people there were very nice and made me feel very special. You do not need to undress you just put this Johnny over your close and get on the bed, they take your temp and blood pressure first and then they put an IV in your arm. I’m glad my brother was there so I could have someone to talk to while I waited. When it is your time to have your eye surgery they begin three rounds of three drops in your eye and then put this gel in your eye that will numb your eye. And now I was ready to have my eye surgery, they took me to the surgery and gave me a mild sedative to relax me, you are full awake when they do the surgery on your eye but you don’t feel anything. In about twenty five minutes my eye surgery was done and I was brought back to rest and recover. They gave me a coffee and I was able to go home in about thirty minutes or so. The first day or so you need to wear sunglasses when you go out in the sunlight just to protect your eye, I do wear them all the time when I am out in the sun. My eye is healing well and I see so much better now, and I have already been schedule for surgery on my other eye for January 12th. This was a very easy and painless surgery that I ever had, if you or someone you know needs this type of surgery pleased get it or tell them to read this hub. It is so awesome to be able to see again!!!
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I'm so glad that your eye surgery went well and that you can see again, kashmir56! I hope the surgery on your other eye goes equally well. Thanks for sharing your experience and for a useful hub.
A very complete explanation. I hope that it helps anyone who is cotemplating cataract surgery to go ahead with it and not be afraid. I had my first cataract surgery in 1979 when they didn't do implants on anyone under 50 years old. You needed thick glasses or contact lenses to see. I had it re-done 3 years ago to add the lens.
Hi Patty nice to see you,Hopefully now people will now have the right information on cataracts and see how easy and painless the surgery is so they can get it and see better again.Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments!
Hi Alicia nice to see you, Yes i am very happy and pleased on how well my surgery went and how well i can see now, can't wait to have my other eye done ! Thanks so much for your nice comment and to for stopping by .
Hi rjsadowski nice to see you, Yes today cataract surgery is so easy and safe that anyone who need to have this type of surgery should not be worried about getting it. Glad to hear you had your eyes done again. Thanks for stopping by and to for your nice comments .
Hi, Great hub. No, people should not worry. I worried so much I had to be put under, but I got through it, and it was on my birthday, and although I appreciate gifts. That was the best gift I ever got. I wish I could have gotten it for my girl (my doggie) because when I got my eyesight back I could see the cloud in her right eye. But they don't do doggie cataract surgery, at least I know I did everything else for her I could. I also got to SEE her through the remainder of her life.
So lessons come out of not having our eyesight and things we take for granted. When they are restored, you not only see through your eyes, you've learned to see things in a new light as well. You've also learned how it must feel to people who are blind for life, and it's a whole new compassion that adds to what we already had that we didn't know before.
Hi Katharella nice to see you, yes you are so right, when you lose your eye sight and able to get it back you are so grateful and understanding and compassion for those who may not be lucky enough to get their eye sight restored . Thank you so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
Hi Tom, how are you doing?
I am reminded of an interesting article in the Readers Digest during my school days. The article was entitled "The Surgeon With A Rusty Knife!" This was about a Mexican eye surgeon who is supposed to have had special powers.
The cataract operation was performed while standing. Both doctor and patient stood and if my memory was right, the surgery took just a few seconds and the patient walked away immediately after the surgery, to make way for the next patient in the queue!
Cheers, and good luck for the 12th of January, and happy holidays too!
Hi quicksand nice to see you, i am doing well thanks for asking. It is so awesome to be able to see good again and when i get my other eye done that will be so cool, i can't wait. Thank you so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments ! Thanks also for the good luck for my surgery on the 12th . Hope you have a awesome Christmas my friend !
Hi Tom, this is a very good article about cataract and cataract surgery and I know it will help many! I am so glad to hear all is well with you since I have missed you here at Hubpages. To be able to see is very precious and it is great that the surgery can be done pretty quickly and easy these days. I wish you a awesome Christmas and also good luck on your next surgery!
Voted up, interesting and useful
Tina
This is a very helpful hub about cataract and having an operation. I hope you are well now. Obviously you are since you're back in the hubs ;) Happy to know :)
Hi Tina nice to see you, Yes it is so good to see again and i have miss you and all my many friends and followers has well. I was amazed how easy cataract surgery is and can't wait to get my other eye done.Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments. Thanks also to for your good luck wishes and for your voted up, interesting and useful.
Hi twentyfive nice to see you, yes i am doing well and now just waiting to have surgery on my other eye. Thanks so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by.
hi
Thanks for the Christmas card.
A very interesting hub, and I am so pleased to hear that your eyesight is now improving; I can not possibly imagine the pain and perhaps even fear of loosing your eyesight. As an artist it is a nightmare I would have trouble couping with. Good luck for the future.
Tony
Hi Tony nice to see you, yes i know the fear that sets in when you are losing your eyesight it is not good.But i am lucky that this surgery help me to see better than i did before.And when i have the surgery on my other eye than i will be so happy and be able to see out of both eyes. Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
Voted up, useful, awesome, and beautiful. I am so sorry to hear about this Kash. I hope the surgery helps you and I will keep you in my prayers. Many blessings on your continued recovery Kash. Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and your family. Keep me posted. This was a great informative article Kash. Very well written and presented.
Hi thelyricwriter nice to see you, so far the surgery on my left eye which i could only see shadows out of has restored my eyesight in that eye and I'm able to see fine out of that eye. I will now go on the 12th to have my right eye done so i will be able to see well out of both eyes.
Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments ! Also thanks for the vote up,useful, awesome, and beautiful.
I have surgery scheduled for Jan 10th on my left eye. What are you doing about the difference in your vision between your surgery eye and the other while waiting for surgery. This is a concern for me in that my vision is so bad right now. I fear the 2 week wait in between and wonder what will I do for glasses during that time.
Hi Vickie nice to see you, I had surgery on my left eye on Dec. 8th and now see great out of that eye so the wait to have the other eye done is not much of a bother.I am told that i will only need glasses to read up close and that is it. Hope this information in this hub has helped you and good luck with your surgery . Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your comments .
Hi again Tom, hope things worked out great for you yesterday (12th Jan) as well! Cheers!
Hi quicksand my friend nice to see you, thanks so much for asking about my surgery . It went very well and i am now doing all the drops daily to help my heal and keep it infection free . Thanks so much for stopping by and to for asking about my surgery !
I learned something today. Thank you for posting this. Voted up.
Hi daydreamer nice to see you, i find i enjoy reading a hub so much more when i have learned something i did not know before, and hope now if you or someone you know needs to have this type of surgery you will know how easy it is to have, Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
daydreamer i forgot to thank you for your vote up.....thank you my friend !!!
You've explained the process of cataract surgery so well, and it is so timely for me as I've been worrying a little about a cousin who will be having cataract surgery soon. Your article is very clear and reassuring that there is nothing to worry about. Thanks you and voted up!
Hi Stephanie nice to see you,I just had surgery on both of my eyes and so glad i did. I see so much better and clearer, and it was so easy and painless. Your cousin will be fine and will be so happy to be able to see better and clearer again. Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your vote up and nice comments !
It is very encouraging to everyone to read the article about your experience - I know everything you say is true - I have cataracts that as yet pose no problem, but I know my day will come - a bit of a queasy subject for me though - well written and useful hub - B.
Hi billips nice to see you,if you do ever need this type of surgery is very easy and painless and does not take very long to do and you will be back home in a few hours. and the next day you will see great out of that eye. Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
Hi Tom, I am glad to know your eye surgery went well and you can see well again. This is great news. I am always thinking of you and hope that your soul is starting to heal a little too. Thanks for such a useful and informative article as usual. All the best. Voted up useful awesome and interesting.
Hi my friend,glad you enjoyed reading this hub because i really enjoyed writing it, just because i could see again and because it was important to make people aware how easy this type of eye surgery is. Yes i do feel better,i guess it is true that time heals all wounded hearts. Thanks for your vote up and more and for your nice comments, and to for stopping by !
I hope you are enjoying a great weekend, take care and sending you soft hugs !!!
Interesting hub. You did a good job explaining cataract surgery. Many are probably nervous over the procedure but would be more upset over not being able to see.
Eyesight is so important and something we need to take care of. I'm happy to hear you can see better now and that your surgery went well. Thanks for sharing and my best to you.
Voted up, useful and interesting!
Hi wwolfs nice to see you, so glad to hear you found this hub interesting . So many people i have told that i had eye surgery always ask if it hurt and i tell them it did not. But i now do not take my eye sight for granted any more after almost losing it. Thanks so much for your vote up,useful and interesting! Also thanks for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
That's great that you are doing well after your surgery, Kashmir.
You are absolutely right that anyone needing cataract surgery need have no fear of the procedure. It is absolutely painless (though my own eye burned mildly for a few hours) and it can make SUCH a difference in your vision and your life.
Hi wilderness nice to see you, Yes today cataract surgery is very safe and painless,and has you said will make a difference in ones vision and life . And you will not take you sight for granted any more,and do everything you can to keep your eyes healthy and seeing well. Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
Wilderness glad that your surgery went well to,have a great weekend !
Glad your surgery went well. I have had both my eyes done, on two separate occasions, of course. I experienced a little pain in one of them afterward, I forget which one, but a little Tylenol and a nap took care of that. I was worried because five years before I had Lasik twice. All of a sudden I had fast-growing cataracts in both eyes, and it was a real shock to me. Both my parents had the surgery when they were in their 70s. I was too young! But then I remembered a neighbor who developed cataracts at a younger age. But I will always wonder if removing the cornea layers twice allowed the sun access to my lenses and destroyed them. The doctor doesn't think so. I developed a film on one and had to have it removed by laser. I am still in glasses for myopia, by the way, so I certainly don't take my eyesight for granted. I wish you good eye health!
Hi MizBejabbers nice to see you,yes i know what you mean,i to had fast growing cataracts in both eyes and was almost blind in one eye.They also think my cataracts may have been caused by the sun.But when i went for my surgery there was a young girl there who was twenty,so i guess you can get them at any age.I also wish you good eye health. Thanks so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
Voted up, useful, and interesting. Well done, kashmir56! Thanks for sharing this experience with all of us! And for your good wishes and encouragement on my related article! Aloha!
Hi hawaiianodysseus nice to see you,so glad you stopped by to read my hub, it is so awesome to be able to see good again. And has soon as you have your other eye surgery you will love the way you can see again . Thanks so much for the vote up,useful, and interesting and to for your nice comments as well to for stopping by ! Have a great day in the Aloha State !
Your comment about getting cataracts at any age is certainly true, and you are right, they are not all caused by the sun. My husband had his first cataract surgery at age 20. He got Agent Orange in his eye in the air force during the Vietnam era, and the military said that probably caused it, so he draws a 30% pension. He lost his commercial pilot's license over it, too. This young lady you mentioned may gave gotten something in her eye to cause it.
Hi MizBejabbers nice to see you,Yes you may be right that young girl may have gotten something in her eyes. It is not to good that your husband got Agent Orange in his eyes but i an very grateful for men and woman who like your husband served in the military during the Vietnam era, a big thank you to all that did.Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
Very informative hub!I came to know about many facts of cataract which I didn't know.
Hi dipsmi nice to see you,glad to hear you found this hub informative and useful.glad to hear this hub helped you understand more about cataracts . Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
My mom had lenses put in and her vision was better than 20/20 after that. Best of luck. Interesting and useful!
Polyannalana, I'm so glad to hear that your mother now has better than 20/20 vision. She was fortunate to get a doctor who knows how to fit interocular lenses. I breezed through surgery, but as soon as my eyes healed, I was right back in glasses. Then I found out that despite my surgeon's reputation as one of the nation's top cataract surgeons, practically all of his implant patients need glasses for myopia. He has an optical office at his practice, and his glasses are extrememly high-priced. Hmmm. I wish I had known that. I take my prescription to the place where I've bought glasses for 15 years. It is upsetting because I spent thousands of dollars on Lasik procedures.
Now I would advise anyone contemplating cataract surgery to check to see what percentage of the patients come out of surgery wearing glasses. And don't choose a surgeon who sells glasses, too!
Hi Pollyannalana nice to see you, glad to hear your mom is seeing better than 20/20. I just went for my eye exam i am see better than 20/20 to.Glad to hear you found this huh interesting and useful . Thanks so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
Hi MizBejabbers nice to see you, so sorry to hear that your surgery did not turn out so well, and you now still have to wear glasses, that really sucks . Thanks for stopping by and to for your nice comments ! I hope Pollyannalana gets back to you as well.
Dear Kashmir : We are new friends, but I promise you I will always follow you as a loyal friend, and I will add you to my prayers of friends, and family. God Bless You, and may our sweet, and precious Lord in Heaven heal your eyes well. My wifewill one day need the same surgery. Your hub will make that easier to face. God Bless You, and all You Cherish .
Hi my friend stars nice to see you, thanks so much for your prayers and friendship. I do see better than 20/20 now and just need reading glasses for the small print and when i am on the computer.If your wife does need this type of surgery it is so easy that she will be like me and not be able to wait to have the other eye done. Thanks so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
I am so pleased to read that your surgery went well and you now have 20/20 vision. It must be such a relief to be able to read and write on here without the problems that you were having before.
I was actually born with cataracts and had to have 14 operations before I reached the age of 4. My lenses are to the sides and not where they should be and are of no use at all. because of this any surgery is risky and I've been told that surgery would only be done as a last resort. I also have had glaucoma for the past 15 years.
It is amazing just how far cataract surgery has come over the last 60 years. It is wonderful to know that your surgery turned out so painless and easily done. You must be feeling wonderful :)
Thank you for sharing this, I am so pleased for yoVoting up and away
Hi Rosemay nice to see you, yes it is so nice to be able to see again, it is so amazing and everything is so clear and bright.So sorry to hear about your eye problems and that nothing can be done for you,maybe in the next few years they may have a way the could help you. Thanks for your vote up and to for your nice comments,and to for stopping by !
It was expected that I would be totally blind by the time I reached my teens I even attended a school for the partially sighted. Although my sight may not be very good at least I can see. There is not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings.
Hi Rosemay it is so good that you did not lose your sight in your teens,but seeing is better than not seeing even if your sight is not very good . Yes it is always good to be thankful for all your blessings daily ! Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments !
My mom had this surgery and I helped her through it so I am very familiar with it. It seems to be getting simpler all the time. Moms sight was better than 20/20 too up to her death, such a great thing. I am happy for you.
Hi Pollyannalana nice to see you, yes it is so amazing how easy this type of surgery is today,and the results are more amazing because most of the time you see better that you did before.Thanks so much for your nice comments and to for stopping by !
Very interesting and explained by you so well. I wish I could have this done I know my eyesight
would be somewhat better. Voted Up.
Hi moonlake nice to see you,I hope you find something that will help you to see better than you can right now . Thanks so much for stopping by and to for your nice comments and vote up !
Patty Inglish, MS Level 7 Commenter 5 months ago
Thank you for explaining cataract surgery clearly. So many people here still say that a cataract is always taken off the outside of the eye. GRrrrrrr. :)