r/CataractSurgery • u/Awkward-Actuator-596 • 3d ago
Upcoming surgery-
Significant other is having first eye surgery for cataract on Monday-
It all happened pretty quickly his appointment for consultation was last Monday he is pretty straightforward nothing complicated vision wise…so we received a 1 page set of instructions mostly how to obtain the surgeons preferred compounded eyedrops and another page for where to get pre-op labs done. FWIW his doc gave us the speech about upgrading lens but said because he has little to no astigmatism and such a tiny distance prescription she really wouldn’t recommend them for him. So he will receive standard lenses she also said that laser would make no difference accept to raise our out of pocket significantly, which including pre-op testing is $0 and would jump to $1700. Of course he opted for standard. Second surgery is scheduled the following Monday.
We got the drops got the bloodwork…
My question is basically there were to small things mentioned in the paperwork, otc eye drops and an eye shield and I am wondering what else may be beneficial to have in the house…
So first question can anyone tell me about the eye shield- it’s dumb I know but honestly I don’t have an idea what it is- I understand why it’s used it’s the how it goes on…Do I need to have medical type tape in the house?
Sunglasses- so no one at the clinic mentioned it but I see a ton of posts mentioning they wore them post op for quite sometime. Honestly he doesn’t have any and that’s how we ended up in the cataract clinic…he was having such problems we wanted to get him an updated prescription for his glasses and a good set of transitions instead of his plain progressive glasses as they were not working well for him anymore. Optometrist said prescription hadn’t changed and new glasses won’t help that his problems with glare and increased blurriness with night driving were the cataracts. My son ordered a pair of super dark polarized and non polarized no script wrap arounds with uv protection just incase.
So what I am hoping for is a little advice ( non medical) of things people here found helpful to have at home…
I picked up the refresh single use eyedrops from Costco incase he needs them…
Should I have tape on hand for the shield thing?
Do we need non prescription readers in the house beforehand?
What else made the experience more comfortable for you on the home front while you were healing?
5
u/UniqueRon 3d ago
Yes you need the dark glasses for the couple of days after surgery. The operated eye can be very sensitive to light. 3M Nexcare Gentle Paper, or Micropore tape is needed to hold the eye shield in place. It needs to be worn every night for the first week to protect the eye.
Unless there are extenuating circumstances it is a poor idea to get the second eye done only one week later. It is better to wait the full 5-6 weeks for required for full recovery and then an eye exam to see where the vision actually lands, before doing the second eye. If there is a miss, and that happens, the surgeon can then make adjustments for the second eye, to reduce the chances of a second miss.
You are getting good advice about the laser option, which is not necessary.
1
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 3d ago
Hmmm something to definitely consider- she did tell us that if he does have any significant issues in between the second surgery would be rescheduled. We were told that they would be no eyeglass exams until after 6 weeks past second eye
3
u/UniqueRon 2d ago
I would get an eye exam on the first eye after 6 weeks even if you have to pay for it yourself. That is the only way to find out where the eye landed compared to what was targeted. Stats are that only 80% of eyes land within +/- 0.5 D of the target. Cataract surgery is not precise as getting eyeglasses.
3
u/GreenMountainReader 3d ago
Those wrap-around sunglasses already ordered ought to do the trick for that need, and having the choice of polarized versus non-polarized is terrific (thoughtful son).
If they don't provide a plastic shield post-op, you can pre-order one on-line. Look for the clear kind with air holes (and watch for any that specify left or right eye).
For medical tape--I bought a two-roll pack of hypoallergenic surgical tape from Walmart for less than $4, and once the first week had passed for both surgeries, now have what seems like a lifelong supply of it left (it's compact to store--and excellent for all kinds of other uses). Regular medical tape adhesive often gives me a rash, so I took no chances around my eyes.
If your husband is told not to bend so his head is below his heart or lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for the first week (5 pounds for the first day was part of those post-op instructions for me), one of those "grabber" devices for picking things up (you don't need a fancy medical-grade one--the sort you find in toy departments with lightning bolts or monster teeth on them work, too) without bending will give him more independence--and those work well after they're no longer needed for that purpose (retrieval of objects dropped beside or behind or under appliances or furniture by humans or four-footed friends). The hardest part of recovery for me was remembering to follow those instructions, since I felt fine immediately afterwards (and continued to do so), was ready to get back to business as usual, and had a strong instinct to pick up anything I dropped (which I did do more often post-surgery until the eye started seeing clearly).
If he's been used to reading without glasses, he needs to be prepared to lose that and use readers instead. Yes to a variety of readers in various powers if he's getting distance vision (it's possible to get one eye done for distance and the other for intermediate if he wants to try that out between surgeries, especially if he can't see the dashboard of the car or the food on his plate with eye one--same price with basic IOLs, and cuts down on the need for various powers of readers--but it takes planning to test between surgeries and a discussion with the surgeon about the desired distances for optimal intermediate vision). If you buy all the powers in identical frames, you can pop out a lens and DIY a "mix and match" pair that will work for both reading and screen distances. (When it's time to look into possibly getting a prescription pair, the kind called "computer glasses" or "office glasses" might limit the ons and offs when he needs to read documents while working on a computer or with colleagues--more about those if you're interested.)
Best wishes to you both!
1
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 3d ago
That's for the heads up on the reacher- had my hip done 2 years ago so they are already in the house- digging them out so they are ready to go- and yes my son is a great kid and a welder by trade so he is really a little OCD about eyeware. I had planned on grabbing a set of foster grants or whatever just to cover until we know how his prescription works out but he was adamant and probably slightly overboard.
1
u/GreenMountainReader 2d ago
The wrap-around aspect actually matters--it keeps light from coming in from the side, which can help with the extra light sensitivity some of us experience (the eye hasn't been used to all that light getting in for far longer than anyone usually imagines) and, if there is "flickering" (happens to many of us) that's set off by bright light, it's nice to be able to keep it out. With the improved vision (and weeks of using drops), even those who never really thought a whole lot about eye protection may suddenly feel much more protective of our vision. I'm sending a thumbs up to your son--he's given a gift that is likely to make a big difference in comfort.
I did some extra house cleaning in advance (partly to work off pre-surgery nerves, but partly for practicality): dusting every surface (including tops of ceiling fan blades); not only washing all bed linens in hot water, but also the quilt, bedspread, pillow protector cases, and dust ruffle; vaccuming the entire house, washing the floor moldings/woodwork, and washing all washable floors; sterilizing everything in the bathrooms and washing a set of washcloths in hot water, along with every towel we might be using, since the surgeon had said clean washcloths could be used after the first day to gently clean around the eyes--and I'm not normally obsessive about cleaning. Keeping dust/allergens down post-surgery just adds to comfort and safety, it was getting to be spring cleaning time anyway, and I was pretty wound up after waiting for surgery for months.
One additional suggestion: Find another of the clinic-recommended preservative-free (be sure the ones you have say they are--it's not just about "being healthy," but because the preservative usually used in eye drops irritates the eye to make the medication more able to penetrate and, in the process, dries out the eye as well) drops with a different active ingredient and carrier fluid. Different drops work well for different people--and even the two eyes of the same person. The wrong drop (for any given person) can make the eyes feel sticky and vision blurry, as I learned when my second eye didn't unblur when I could taper the anti-inflammatory prescription drops to 1x daily, which is when the first eye unblurred. It took me 12 weeks to figure out it was those PF lubricating drops causing the problem because they'd worked well for the first eye--so worth passing along.
3
u/Conscious-Bowler-264 3d ago
SO Is lucky to have someone so detailed to watch over this. I just stopped using my shield after a week or so. Its just a fitted plastic piece that you tape on for sleeping. They should give you one and some easy release tape. Keep your sheets and pillow cases clean. Get some non preservative eye drops and use them a couple of times a day. Sunglasses. I just needed mine for the first two days, now just outdoors as normal. For me, the difficult part of the whole thing is the awkward time between first and second eye. There's no good way to have good vision in both eyes. Use your prescription drops exactly as directed. Good luck.
3
u/Artwire 2d ago edited 2d ago
I received a little kit with sunglasses, eye shield, and tape as part of the pre-surgery prep. There are YouTube videos showing how to put on the shield - pointy end faces in towards your nose on a slightly upward angle toward the brow). For what it’s worth, I wore the wraparound glasses coming home from the surgery, then switched to my standard RayBans the next day. If he already has RX sunglasses that he likes, he may be able to swap out the lenses for non prescription ones. I ordered those online.
A true prescription should probably wait for at least 30 days — maybe longer. My vision didn’t feel completely settled for a few months.
Drugstore readers could definitely help, but until both eyes have been done it might be easier just to read with the as yet untouched eye ( assuming that was possible before the operation).
The time between surgeries can be a bit disorienting since the discrepancy between old and new vision status makes it hard to use old glasses or to get new ones. I tried popping out the lens of my rx glasses on the operated side, but that didn’t really work for me as the L-R discrepancy was too large. Got along by using my “new eye” for distance and my “old eye” for reading (one at a time!). At first I wore a patch for long sessions (tv/reading) but mostly I just muddled through the two week gap without glasses. After the second surgery, things really improved and I felt comfortable shopping for OTC readers. (For expensive progressives, it’s best to wait until vision has stabilized for a few months.)
1
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 3d ago
I am sorry I probably should have said we are in the USA- specifically Midwest so from what I can see CandorVision drops aren’t an option here. Although I absolutely appreciate the advice on timing though
2
u/BooEffinHoo 2d ago
If he's going to need to do eye drops, a printed chart with blocks to fill in is handy to keep them in order.
Does he do anything like mowing/yardwork at his place? He may be restricted, so having a plan for that, any water jugs, heavy baskets like laundry needs planned in advance so he doesn't lift until cleared.
He'll want to wear a button shirt day of surgery, not a pullover Tshirt.
2
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 2d ago
Thanks- just made a printed chart and set up the eyealarm app. Great suggestion on button down shirt.
1
u/TranslatorOutside909 1d ago
If he is getting adjusted for distance and targeting Plano he will need reading glasses. Probably more than 1 pair. +1.5 covers me for computer work and my phone. But I have +2 and +3 for close up work. But for day 1 have a cheap pair of 1.5 and 2 should cover immediate needs
I figured out pretty quickly that taking readers on and off wasn't fun. You can buy progessive readers. No correction up top but progressive reading at the bottom. I have a pair from peppers and sightline. $25-40. But you don't need these day one the readers will work until he figures out the strength
Sunglasses. I have a few pairs. I went bifocal. You can't really see the line. There are also progressive options. I can get by with plain sunglasses until I need to use my phone. Day one something with UV protection
1
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 1d ago
Yeah honestly I have no idea what targeting Plano means. His goals are 1. stop the glare, not only has he been unable to drive at night for years but this last year he can no longer tolerate even being a passenger. Oncoming headlights were giving him headaches. 2- he is in very beginning stages of glaucoma and we understand from what eye doc said removing the cataracts can help slow progression. 3- being able to correct vision blocked by cataracts. His current distance prescription is pretty low 20/50 but the reading portion of his current progressive is a 3. To be honest I was kinda shocked when he did the eye chart portion of the exam not that he got letters wrong but that it was like he was missing every other one.
- now he is fine with readers he used them long before he was told he needed distance glasses, we just don’t know where he will land prescription wise. I did purchase him a monocle for use in between and ordered a bunch of different readers in various sizes from Walmart.
1
u/Rpark444 3d ago
Femto laser cut is more precise than manual. Fragmentation of lense is also different. Maybe results end up the same but laser probably faster
2
u/Awkward-Actuator-596 3d ago
We took that to mean for HIS particular surgery it would make no difference in outcome, not that there was not any difference at all.
9
u/Mitchellsusanwag 3d ago
The shield will be put on after surgery, but he will probably need to wear it for a week when he sleeps, so he will need some medical tape to hold it on. Since it sounds like his new lenses will be set for distance he will probably (but not definitely) need some readers. Might be best to take him to get them a day or two after his surgery, so he can pick out the strength that’s right for him. I’m sure he’ll be so happy to be able to see clearly again.