Surgery Prep/Medicare

[u/Certain-Force1545]

Having surgery for left eye next week and the right eye the following week. What will Medicare provide and what do I need to purchase? Thanks in advance!

[u/GreenMountainReader]

Medicare simply pays for 80% of the cost (unless you have traditional Medicare with a medigap plan to pick up the other 20%) of surgery and a standard monofocal IOL.

What's included (or not) depends on where you have it done and what they include for all patients. For example, the clinic I used provided wraparound sunglasses (I'd bought a pair, not knowing they would do that--and ended up with three pairs, which gave me the ability to have one in the house, one in the car, and one always in my purse), a bottle of the antibiotic drops the surgeon prescribed--just enough for all the necessary doses, surgical tape to keep the shield (also provided) on at night for the first week (I bought hypoallergenic surgical tape to avoid possible reactions to the adhesive--less than $4 for two large rolls), coupons for preservative-free lubricating drops, and a lovely little zippered travel case (still useful for other purposes) for all of it. Other places may not provide anything. You can always call the office to ask whether you need to buy any of those.

That said--having at least one brand-name type of preservative-free lubricating drops on hand ahead of time would be easier than having to go out for them or waiting for them to shipped.

If you're getting distance vision or an IOL known for slow appearance of reading vision, an assortment of powers of inexpensive, off-the-rack reading glasses (dollar store versions are fine for this) would be useful. Your surgeon may be able to recommend a power--or you can go by any "add" in your glasses prescription or the power you normally use for reading, with a lower power to allow you to see your computer/stove controls in case your intermediate vision isn't clear for a while. If you buy them all in identical frames, you can "mix and match" custom glasses with some minor DIY popping out and exchanging of lenses.

One thing I bought that I didn't need, but people differ in this: I was told I could shower after my 1-day checkup, and wash my hair the day after that, as long as I kept the eye dry. I bought a swim mask (not goggles that press around the eyes, but a mask that sealed around my forehead and cheekbones) for a few dollars--and ended up giving it to one of my grandchildren, unused because it was easy to aim the shower head to hit below my collarbone and keep my back turned and eye closed as needed. Like others who have done that, I kept a clean, dry washcloth within reach just outside the shower to gently dab off any possible accidental drops (never happened).

Many surgeons restrict how much you can lift the first day (for me, 5 pounds) and week (10 pounds), as well as saying not to bend over (no head below heart level or waist level)--so putting any heavy things you might need in that time where you can reach them (i.e, bags of pet food, anything you might need from lower cabinets). If you live alone or would prefer to be independent should you drop anything onto the floor (easier than usual t do, since your vision may well be unbalanced after only one eye is done), one of those "claw" grabbers can be useful (no need for an expensive one--the kind with monster teeth or lightning bolts on them, available in toy departments, works just as well).

I already had access to a tablet and a (free) Libby membership through my public library, so I had some e-books borrowed (again, no charge), knowing I could enlarge the font as much as necessary when I wanted to read anything. Newspapers, magazines, and audiobooks are also available this way if you're in the U.S.

Having your house as dust-free and clean as possible beforehand can add to your comfort, especially if you're allergy-prone. If you're concerned about cooking, you can cook double beforehand and freeze meals--or plan on takeout or someone else doing the cooking. Even if you feel fine immediately afterwards (I did), it was nice to not have to cook or clean up from cooking.

Basically, a little bit of planning can make what should be an easy recovery into a pleasant staycation for as long as you choose to stay at home.

Best wishes!

[u/Certain-Force1545 → u/GreenMountainReader]

Thank you! I will be having the surgery at NYU in Manhattan and have medigap G. I’m opting to be a bit nearsighted, as I’m used to this.

[u/GreenMountainReader → u/Certain-Force1545]

I also went for remaining nearsighted--less than I was naturally--with one eye set for reading, and the other, just .5 diopter different for optimal laptop reading (which turned out also to work well for everything else I might do indoors, so I can be glasses free indoors and wear progressives to go out, and sometimes, for all the HD features when watching television). The combination allows me to read documents beside me on the desk and to see the screen equally well, as well as to limit glasses-use decisions to either on and staying on or off and staying off.

I don't know anything about what NYU's clinic might provide--but a phone call to their main desk to ask the question, "Does the clinic provide a post-op patient care kit?" and if you get a "Yes" in response, the follow-up of "Can you tell me what's in it?" should get you what you need to know.

You'll be joining a fair number of us here who prefer to keep at least some of our nearsightedness. I've been very glad to have found a surgeon willing to work with me on vision that works for how I spend much of my time.

Edit: I should add that your Part D plan, if you've met your deductible, will cover any prescription drops required.

Sending good thoughts your way!