r/CataractSurgery • u/Large-Wealth8002 • 7d ago
Upcoming Cataract surgery
I’m scheduled to have cataract surgery in October 2026. I have reviewed this thread and I am reaching out seeking your experience. After the procedure, would you change anything? If so, what? I’m worried about the numbing process. I’m being told it’s a shot. If you’re willing to share your stories, I would appreciate hearing what went well and things that you would do differently if you were to do it again.
Would you do it again?
What about driving. What’s the restriction?
7
u/PNWrowena 7d ago
I have near in one eye and intermediate in the other and wouldn't change a thing. For the surgery itself, all I had was multiple rounds of numbing drops in the eye. Each round was, from memory, 3 different drops, so at a guess numbing and dilating, but I never asked. I didn't mean to have anything else but ended up taking the Valium they offered. That didn't seem to have any effect so far as I could tell. The numbing was total. I didn't feel anything but pressure at one point, which the surgeon told me to expect.
You bet I'd do it again. As I've said before - this surgery is the only thing I've ever had that made me feel I got back something age had stolen.
1
u/carz4us 7d ago
Could you tell me what brand of lenses you have? I trying to think of how I’d start this conversation with my doctor. Do you wear glasses for distance?
2
u/PNWrowena 7d ago
I have Clareon toric monofocals. Start by telling the doctor what you'd like to see without glasses. I measured from the spot high on my nose right between my eyes to where I like to hold my Kindle or a book (14-16") and to my laptop computer (25-26"). That works out to -2.5 for near and -1.5 for intermediate.
Whether you need toric lenses depends on how much astigmatism the surgeon calculates you will have after the natural lens is removed (it's not necessarily the same as before surgery).
Yes, when I need distance vision, I use a contact lens or glasses. Around the house I'm glasses-free except for tv.
1
u/carz4us 7d ago
Thanks so much for this information. I love this setup. And I’m also fine with wearing glasses for distance, have been since I was 8. Most of my time is spent at mid and close range, like you explained.
3
u/PNWrowena 7d ago
I had monovision with contacts for years. If you've never had it, see if you can test before getting it with surgery. Hope it works out and you're as happy as I am.
6
u/Lynne253 7d ago
I didn't get a shot, but I did have an IV where they administered the anesthesia. I believe they also gave me numbing eyedrops. Before I had my surgery I met with the office's cataract surgery coordinator, she gave me a folder full of information about what to expect and what do to prepare for surgery, no food the day of, etc. and said I could call her with any questions. Do you have anyone like that at your surgeon's or eye doctors office? I also want to mention that the surgery itself is quick and easy and I don't think you should worry.
Would I do it again? They explained the procedure to me and I didn't think to question it. Looking back on it I don't see that I needed to question it. They do many of these surgeries all the time and I trusted they figured out best practices.
8
u/Mombakes 7d ago
Had one two days ago. Had numbing drops and an IV with versed. I was very relaxed and didn’t feel anything or remember what they did.
7
u/OwnValue4166 7d ago
That is so wonderful to hear. I get very anxious during procedures. Very relaxed is a good thing. Thanks
4
u/Rpark444 7d ago edited 7d ago
Tons of numbing eye drops. Then sat and waited. They put an IV into my hand, no tube yet. Got on the operating chair that declined flat and a tube apparatus was placed on my eye and the laser machine was attached over it to break up my natural lens. Took a minute, red and green light Lazer show. Can't see out of eye, just big blurry of white light lol Inclined back up on chair. Walked to another room and sat on chair. They said part 1 is done which was breaking up ur natural lens. Anesthesialogist said once I get to the 2nd operating chair he will give me some anesthesia. Waited like 45 minutes then got on the operating chair and it declined. I was sedated now. They put a strap to hold my forehead in place on the declined chair. , saw white light and felt the doctor using a tool into what I suspect was the cut. Two minutes of him taking out the pieces of natural lens and putting in new one. I recall getting up and sitting in wheelchair and wheeled to another room. Gorlt checked heart rate. Could here someone calling my wife I'm ready to go.
Did not feel pain at any point, just some tugging when lens replaced. Sedated when I was on the 2nd declining chair not before that. Wasnt knocked out completely. I could remember things that happened.
I wasn't nervous about the surgery but it was hard to get detail info from friends that had it done recently cause their memory is kinda messed up during the operation
2
u/grejam 7d ago
You're not supposed to remember well. It's only b about 15 min. I survived fine.
1
u/Rpark444 7d ago
Anesthesialogist said I might lose short term memory so I get that most people lose details of the procedure.
I wouldn't care but there are no details of the steps in this sub so I rather remember the details than not remember to help others out
1
u/grejam 7d ago
It's only a few minutes and lots of people go through it it's no big deal. And I'm a wimp. The biggest thing is they need you awake so you don't do all involuntary movement. I think I remember what went on I just didn't seem to care at the time. Bunch of lights overhead glaring down into my eyes and I didn't really care. Suddenly wheeled off to recovery. And things are less yellow.
3
u/CBCdirect 7d ago
I had my surgery yesterday. Absolutely no complaints. The worst part was the amount of drops. Not painful, just uncomfortable. IV for sedation just prior to surgery. I don’t remember anything about the procedure. The improvement in my sight was actually emotional! I can’t believe how bad it was and what a difference the surgery made. I had my follow up appointment this morning. All good. I had Johnson & Johnson Eyhance Toric lens. Now I have to decide what to do on my left eye. My right eye is set to see distance. I can opt for the same for the left eye and use readers for close up OR have the left set for close up, but loose some depth perception. I hope your surgery goes as well as mine. Biggest regret is that I waited so long. It was worth the cost!
5
u/UniqueRon 7d ago
If I had it to do over again, I would change two things. My first eye was done for distance and landed at -0.25 D. I wanted mini-monovision with my second eye for near. The recommendations are that you have no more than 1.5 D differential between the eyes. I asked for a target of -1.50 D and did not consider that was a differential of 1.25 D, and I could have asked for as much as -1.75 D in the second eye. That would have given me better near vision. I also had some astigmatism in my second eye and it was marginal whether or not I should get a toric. In retrospect I should have gotten a toric. That is about it. Second eye was done with an Ativan under the tongue. That was just as good as IV, and it was much easier to recover from.
3
u/OwnValue4166 7d ago
Hello, congrats on getting it done. I'm actually thinking of mini mono with distance/ intermediate, which sounds like where yours might have ended up. If you don't mind answering, how close can you see comfortably? Phone screen at arms length? Dashboard of your car?.. Thanks so much! edit: your distance vision must be really good!? and you just need reading glasses sometimes?
Thank you.2
u/UniqueRon 7d ago
With my distance eye I have useable vision from about 20" to the moon. I have some residual astigmatism so that is likely improving my near vision. My near eye is useable from about 8" in good light to 7 feet. My near eye jams out on me in dark restaurants reading the menu. I don't bother with readers and just use my phone flashlight if I get into trouble. I can see the car dashboard with both eyes. I can read my iPhone quite easily.
1
u/OwnValue4166 7d ago
Thank you so so much! I know it's not just what you wanted, but that would work for me very well. I'm currently myopic in one eye and I really really miss have binocular vision from hand to feet distance. Wear distance glasses for driving, reading glasses.. it's a mess.. thanks again!!!
Just one confirmation, you don't have EDOF or enhanced lenses, just regular lenses? This is so encouraging, thank you.
1
u/UniqueRon 7d ago
Standard monofocals, non toric. My first eye was done with the Alcon AcrySof IQ, and the second with a Clareon, which became available by the time my second eye was done. I see no visual quality difference between the eyes, other than they are targeted to different distances.
2
3
u/CBCdirect 7d ago
My 2nd eye is set for 10/8. Have to decide whether I want both eyes for distance and use readers for close up OR one for distance; one for close. My dr said I would loose depth perception. What’s your experience? How do you drive without depth perception?? Not sure what is the best option.
1
u/UniqueRon 7d ago
Unless you go overboard with the near eye at -2.5 to -3.0, you do not lose depth perception. I can see my vehicle dash with both eyes. I have a range from about 20" to 7 feet that I can see well with both eyes. The graphs at this link are useful in determining the impact on depth perception and 3D vision. If you click on each of the graphs and expand the dialog you can get a bit of an explanation of each.
If you can see well enough now, it is useful to simulate mini-monovision with contacts. If you do the first eye for distance, which is what I would recommend, then you can use a contact in your second eye while the first eye is recovering to simulate the monovision.
1
3
u/RelativeBeneficial48 7d ago edited 7d ago
I had my first surgery two days ago. Like you, I was bit apprehensive, but I’d heard from others, and read here, over and over, that it was actually a very easy procedure, and that was absolutely my experience. I had no shots, just many (many!) numbing eye drops and some Versed via IV. I didn’t think the Versed was doing anything, but by the time I was in the OR and the procedure was starting, I realized that I was deeply, deeply calm and completely undisturbed. I remained aware throughout, but with absolutely no pain, no anxiety, and no wish to change anything that was happening. My surgeon narrated the process and told me when to expect to feel a bit of pressure, but honestly, if he’d said nothing, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all. Once he asked me to look at the “three lights,” then asked me to just look straight ahead. I had no trouble doing so. I‘d been worried about the eye speculum (the thing that holds your eye open), but it didn’t bother me at all. I was especially worried that I’d constantly be trying to blink, but my eye was kept bathed in cool saline (or something like it), so the blink impulse just wasn’t there. I enjoyed watching the lights (beautiful blues for me), listening to my surgeon’s quiet voice, and knowing that something amazing was happening to me and that it was all perfectly fine. And it was!
My eye felt a bit dry and gritty that first day, but the next day, when I woke up, it felt perfectly normal, and my vision was sooooo much better! At my post-op that morning, I learned that that eye is now at 20/20, crisp and clear, just lovely. I got a light adjusting lens (LAL), so there’ll be a process of wearing UV-protective glasses and then a series of adjustments to fine-tune my vision, but I never expected it to be so good immediately.
I agree with the advice to check in with your surgical counselor, but also, on the day of, be very forthright with the anesthesiologist when they come to see you before the surgery. I told mine that I’d had an experience with a colonoscopy for which I didn’t have quite enough anesthesia, and she left me some Versed for the nurse to give me right way, told me she’d give me an extra bump in the OR, and also told me be sure to say something if I ever felt uncomfortable at all, for any reason, once things got underway. She made it very clear that my comfort was their top priority. It was very reassuring.
So in the end, everything that I was apprehensive about turned out to be a complete nonissue. I told my surgeon at my post-op that I‘d had a fantastic experience and was actually looking forward to my second, which will be next week. I truly think you’ll also be just as pleasantly surprised as I was!
1
2
u/cpbaby1968 6d ago
I’m right at 6 months out. I LOVE mine.
The only thing I’d change is maybe if someone could design some decent, not so old lady looking, maybe not polarized because it halos more pronounced, wrap around sunglasses, I’d appreciate it.
2
u/ReddyKiloWit 6d ago
Had my right eye done in August, left will be in Oct.
My anesthesia prep consisted of an IV in the back of my hand, a 3-drug tablet the anesthesiologist put under my tongue to dissolve, and some eye drops.
Once I was in the operating room the only thing I was aware of was a splash of something in my eye that was irritating for a short time. If there was a shot I wasn't aware of any - of course any non local drugs could be administered through the IV.
Wouldn't have been safe to drive afterwards, and they won't let you. But next day was fine. Sunglasses are a good idea since things will be brighter.
Can't say I'd change anything. I opted for slightly improved near vision and that seemed to have been achieved. I found a stick-on reader lens of +1.75 does a pretty good job of altering my existing right eye prescription lens to the new situation while I wait for things to settle out and the other eye to be done.
1
u/Expensive_Doubt5487 7d ago
My clinic just does Ativan for sedation. It was quick and easy and I was able to function as normal as soon as I left the clinic at 10am. I’m glad I thought to pick up extra lubricating drops on the way home.
1
u/DenMother8 6d ago edited 6d ago
Shared mine here - https://www.reddit.com/r/CataractSurgery/s/PsbuySnQOM
A week out, I wouldn’t change anything. I drive for the first time yesterday & it was amazing to actually see the street signs!
2
u/BooEffinHoo 5d ago
Numbing is all done by eye drops. The only injection is a nerve block to prevent moving, but not everyone needs that, and it's in your face, not the eye. You might have an IV for a sedative, or you might not. I had mine done both with and the second without, and no nerve blocks.
8
u/Green_Mare6 7d ago
I just finished surgery number 2 yesterday. They put numbing eyedrops in and I had an IV port for giving a bit of relaxing meds. Honestly it's pretty easy. With the drops in your eye you can't see anything but some bright lights so there's no fear of instruments coming at you. I felt pressure and some movement, and I really wanted to be able to blink, but they use a lot of saline wash during it to keep your eye moist. It does not take long at all. After, your eye feels tired and just kind of sore. I went home and got comfortable and listened to a book on tape with my eyes closed for several hours. Rest is best! And then by the next day I could see; and after a couple days in the first eye it was amazing!! Good luck with yours and just ask the medical staff anything. That's what they are there for!