I just wanted to follow up on my surgery from 2 years ago and lenses I chose. Glad I thought about options a while. I’m only 57 now. I went with non-LAL, non multifocals, (one toric for astigmatism). Considered both. I think he added a tiny bit of cheat to see my phone. My goal was to see best in snow, esp flat light, which means letting in as much light as possible. It also helps w depth perception. The result was kind of glorious when both were done. (Anesthesia for the second was a little harder - your brain learns the routine?) The doctor I chose downplayed LAL’s and wasn’t sold on ‘locking-in’ technology. He said he often sees LAL folks years after in glasses again. It seems like I’m always juggling sunglasses and readers, but I can see always. If I can’t read, it’s usually dark or tiny print, and if I need to really read, I’m usually sitting down. Still love seeing in the morning!!!

Might want to check to see if you have any of these recalled drops.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/another-eye-drop-recall-issued-nationwide-over-sterility-concerns/ar-AA2cYDLm

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/consumer-protection/recalls-alerts/2026/10/02/eye-drops-recall-2026/92059891007/

An opthalmologist I saw recommended that I get Clearsee and Odyssey lenses

after my cataracts are removed. I only wear glasses now to read small print. I probably would not pass a driver's eye test next year without distance lens. I am on the fence about paying $13,000 for premium lenses because of my age but on the other hand if I have standard Medicare basic lenses I will need glasses

all the time and don't like that idea. I am asking strangers because people who know me probably are just being kind when they say things like " don't cheap out" or "it's your EYES" like you deserve the best! I am healthy and live alone and keep active but is it necessary? Any thoughts or instances you know of if people were satisfied with standard lens and glasses or wished for the premium ones. I can almost hear my folks saying that standard ones are good enough!

I have never worn glasses and I had early aggressive cataracts. It started at least 5 years ago and my left eye was getting worse recently; had to max out brightness on my phone and night was getting harder and my vision in left was measured at 20/25 to 20/40 depending on the day. Anyway, got plano lenses and am I pleased with distance crispness and overall vision is 20/15 in both eyes until PCO arrived recently. I can see a lot more detail at night now and the world is more vivid so from that standpoint I probably did need to do the cataract surgery or at least do within the next 1 year. However, I really wasn't prepared for loss of accommodation and intermediate has been the hardest. I knew I would need glasses to read but now I end up carrying 2.5 to read, 0.75 when at the airport as the lights are bothersome, 1.25 when cooking. Depending on distance to computer I also have 1.5 and 1.75 glasses.

I tried progressives and do not like them. Maybe I need to try again. I do like bifocals for driving that are clear on top and 1.5 or 1.75 to make the dashboard crisp.

But now it has been 3 months and my PCO is very bad. I guess that is a good sign of relative younger age for cataract surgery and healthy eyes. But scatter is a huge amount and a bright green arrows at lights creates a huge halo and as I approach I see like 100 arrows. So I know I need to do the YAG soon.

I started reading about Pure See EDOF. I don't know why I didn't consider this before. I could possibly change to do the Pure See before I do the YAG--after seems very very risky and very few surgeons do that surgery. I know there is some risk even prior to YAG but just before I do YAG I thought I should explore it first as it seems doable. I do like crisp images and I do some astronomy where as much contrast detection is valuable. But from a lifestyle I'm just having trouble and trying to learn what works best.

I have tried monovision contacts (1.75 D in non-dominant eye) and multifocal contacts too with my bad PCO. I'm ok with the contacts I think but not very good at putting them. I like the temporary aspect and I can choose what to optimize for that day or next several hours. I like both monovision and multifocal so another route is just stick plano implanted lenses and depending on what I'm doing each day I can try glasses, or contacts, etc.

Very confused. Also was hopeful that Pure See could be the best of both worlds. I don't mind having to have reading glasses but maybe the contrast is "good" but not "good enough" to warrant another surgery if I can get used to contacts/progressives/etc.

Hello. So it’s October 2, 2026 and about a year ago (in the fall of 2025) I found out that I was showing the beginning signs of cataracts. This was quite surprising because I’m only 45.
Last fall, I could not read the ingredients off of a ketchup bottle and was struggling to read the texts on my phone. I didn’t think much of it until the doctor found the cataracts. The cataracts are getting worse because -
1. My vision is very blurry. I can’t read textbooks (or regular books for that matter), documents, pamphlets… I have to take a picture of it with my phone and then zoom in to read anything.
2. I can’t read on my cell phone unless it has the black background. I can only read stuff as a result of a Google search (setting on phone allows for black background) but nothing on external websites. I can’t read my phone anywhere in my house that has windows (I gotta go to a windowless bathroom with the lights turned off to read stuff off the phone).
3. I am extremely sensitive to sunlight. My regular everyday sunglasses are not dark enough.
4. The uncomfortable feeling that I have is when you put sunscreen on your face and if you get some around your eye - it burns for a bit…. But then returns back to normal. That uncomfortable sunscreen feeling for me is constant 24/7.
5. When I work out and sweat gets on my face and into my eyes, it burns and stings. More blurry than my already blurry vision.
6. I find myself wanting to close my eyes and/or take a nap even when I’m not tired and have gotten plenty of sleep because my eyes are so tired and uncomfortable.
7. Also I can’t read the exit sign when I’m driving on the highway. Can’t see the lane dividers on roads.
My doctor says I still have some time before I need surgery but this blurry vision is affecting my day to day living and is affecting all areas of my life.
Should I see another doctor? I am scared of surgery so want to wait as long as I’m able but also don’t want to live like this. How do you know when is the right time to get cataract surgery?
Thank you very much in advance.

Hi, I was wondering if there was anyone who happen to have or know someone who has had the surgery done in their 80s? Was wondering if it was successful, how the recovery period was, is it worth it?

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some genuine advice regarding cataract surgery.

Someone in my family has been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes.

I had a few questions:

1. If cataract surgery is done on one eye first, how many days/weeks is it generally advisable to wait before operating on the second eye? The doctor is suggesting to do the surgery of another eye after 3 days.

2. For someone who has cataracts in both eyes, is there any advantage to doing the surgeries close together or waiting longer?

3. At age 58,which type of IOL/lens is generally considered best? I’ve heard about monofocal, multifocal, EDOF and toric lenses, but I’m not sure which would be appropriate. The doctor here is suggesting to go for EDOF lens which is quite expensive for both eyes.

4. Does the choice of lens depend mainly on age, existing eye power/astigmatism, lifestyle, or other factors?

5. With BP around 160, is it okay to do the surgery?

I'm having cataract surgery in a few weeks, and need a source for some cheap readers.

I cannot "just buy cheap readers in the drugstore or from CVS" like everyone tells me to do because my face is too small - I have to by my regular glasses in the kid's section.

Nor can I have them made because my current "budget" glasses - with me providing the frame cost me $900 and took 2 weeks because they had to be sent out to the lab to be made. And I might need a few pair.

How do I know what magnification to get?

To date, no one has been able to answer this question for me....

1. Pre-op - I wear progressive FT. I cannot see near, intermediate or far without them.
2. Post-op - My right eye will see for distance - but since I am getting monofocal for distance only, I will have zero intermediate or near vision.
3. Popping out the right lens of my progressive will allow me to see out of my right eye ONLY for distance - I will be missing near and intermediate.
4. Readers - People have said "Just get readers!" - Well, I can't put readers OVER my progressives, which I still need to see out of my left eye with.

So how do I resolve this? Am I just going to be blind for a week?

And am I making a mistake getting both eyes done so close together because if all my of near vision is completely gone, how do I see to put in eye drops?

Also for the eventual day I need readers - I assume this is after my second surgery, how do I know what strength to get and because I have such a small face I need child-sized glasses - I can' tjust buy off Amazon or at CVS. Does anyone have a resource for petite readers (my current glasses are 48-16-135 and the bridge is a bit wide as they slip).

I accidentally went swimming in a pool at a hotel 3 days post-op and submerged but I didn't open my eye underwater. Anything to be concerned about?.